After suffering a cardiac arrest last week, American rapper DMX died on Friday in New York.

Born Earl Simmons, the artist was reportedly on life support on Easter Sunday. Fans held a prayer vigil at the hospital White Plains the following Monday evening.

His family in a statement described him as a warrior

who fought till the very end. He loved his family with all of his heart, and we cherish the times we spent with him. Earl’s music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time.

DMX had a string of successes in his musical career becoming the first musician to have his first five albums reached No 1 on Billboard charts.

Millennials in Nigeria will easily identify with the songs of the rapper who was a former member of the hip hop collective Ruff Ryders. In the late 90s and early 2000s, his songs such as ‘Party Up (Up in Here)’ and ‘What These B*****s Want’ were popular hits. His growling voice made him stand out from the crop of American hip hop artists gaining mainstream consciousness in Nigeria.

DMX had a muscular tattooed body that gave him the thuggish look. He was in and out of jail for several crimes and had an addiction to cocaine which he began taking at the young age of 14.

A Christian, DMX had 15 children, out of which four were from his marriage to his childhood friend Tashera Simmons. Their marriage lasted for 11 years.

The family said it will announce the burial arrangements of the rapper soon. He was aged 50.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.