Biography

The American rapper known as DMX was born Earl Simmons in 1970 and grew up in New York. Young Earl grew up in a turbulent and abusive household but rose above his circumstances to become one of America’s best-selling rap artists of all time. DMX began his career in 1988 as a beatboxer, and within a short amount of time he’d garnered the attention of Columbia Records. The label signed him to one of their smaller subsidiaries, but sales were slow and ultimately DMX was released from the contract.

Moving forward, DMX released his singles "Born Loser" and "Make A Move" in the early 1990’s, before releasing his debut album, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, in 1998. The album was a smash hit, leading to a career which has since given audiences the albums: Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood (1998), …And Then There Was X (1999), The Great Depression (2001), Grand Champ (2003), and Year of the Dog… Again (2006.) DMX’s work has earned him Grammy nominations for two singles ("Party Up (Up in Here)" and "Who We Be") and for his 2001 album …And Then There Was X. DMX has also won an American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist in 2000, and received another nomination in the same category in the following year. His record sales exceed thirty million worldwide, making him among the era’s most successful hip-hop artists.

In the late 1990’s, DMX launched an acting career which has also been successful. He has appeared in such films as Romeo Must Die (2000), Exit Wounds (2001), Cradle 2 the Grave (2003), Never Die Alone (2004), Death Toll (2007), and The Bleeding (2009.) DMX also starred in the BET series DMX? Soul of a Man, and published E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX, his own memoirs.

Most recently, DMX released the album Undisputed (2012), and starred in the 2013 film, Blame it on the Hustle.