After a week in a coma, American Rapper Earl Simmons aka DMX passed on to glory on Friday at the age of 50. His family announced his passing in an official statement.
“We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50-years-old at White Plains Hospital with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days.”
DMX was hospitalised last week after a heart attack. His fans and other celebrities held prayers for his recovery, which was not to be.
Popular for his secular hits of the 90s and his controversial lifestyle of drug abuse and incarceration, DMX lived a life which suppressed the manifestation of Christ in the early days of his career because he had misgivings towards the Jehovah’s Witness church as a kid.
However, even as a secular artiste the teachings of Christ, which he learnt as a kid would continue to influence his actions (no matter how faintly it did). He released records that recognised the essence of Christ. In 2002, he released a track, “I miss you” an expression of his love for his grandmother and his pain over her loss. While the song talked about his relationship with his grandmother, the chorus talked about Christ and heaven.
“I know that my saviour lives
And at the end, He will stand on this earth
My flesh may be destroyed
Yet from this body, I will see God
Yes, I will see Him for myself
And I long for that moment
After enjoying years of secular stardom, he retraced his steps to Christ and sometime in 2012, he became a Minister of the gospel. DMX believes God gave him fame so that through that he could reach the world. In the past DMX had struggled with drug addiction but believed God would see him through. He never hid his love for Christ and his meditation on the works of Christ. He once said in an interview that he read his bible daily.
In another interview on Breakfast Club in 2016, he said “that’s definitely the final destination. Or, a destination. You never know how far God is going to allow me to get or how many people He is going to allow me to reach.”
In 2019, speaking to GQ magazine, he spoke about his recurrent struggles.
“I just need to have a purpose. And I don’t even know that purpose, because God has given me that purpose since before, I was in the womb, so I’m going to fulfill that purpose, whether I want to or not, whether I know it or not, because the story has already been written.”
DMX is currently not married and he’s survived by 15 children. He touched lives as a secular Artiste, but more importantly a Christian and Minister of Christ.
DMX’s full family statement
We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50-years-old at White Plains Hospital with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days.
Earl was 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.
Please respect our privacy as we grieve the loss of our brother, father, uncle and the man the world knew as DMX. We will share information about his memorial service once details are finalized.
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