DMX

Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. Regarded as an influential figure in late 1990s and early 2000s hip hop, his music is characterized by his "aggressive" rapping style, with lyrical content varying from hardcore themes to prayers.

He began rapping in the early 1990s and signed with Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Def Jam to release his debut studio album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998), which received both critical acclaim and commercial success—selling 251,000 units its first week. His third album, ... And Then There Was X was released in 1999 and remains his best-selling release, supported by his hit single "Party Up (Up in Here)". The song, along with his 2003 singles "Where the Hood At?" and "X Gon' Give It to Ya" remain his most commercially successful to date. He was the first artist to release a number one album five consecutive times on the Billboard 200, beginning with his debut and ending with Grand Champ (2003). DMX has sold over 74 million records worldwide.

DMX was featured in films such as Belly, Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 the Grave, and Last Hour. In 2006, he starred in the reality television series DMX: Soul of a Man, which was primarily aired on the BET cable television network. In 2003, he published a book of his memoirs titled E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX.