DMX remains at a hospital in White Plains, New York, where he was rushed late Friday night after suffering a heart attack.
The rapper’s longtime New York-based lawyer Murray Richman told The Associated Press on Saturday evening that the 50-year-old hip-hop star was on life support but did not say if DMX had suffered a drug overdose, as multiple outlets reported.
“We are concerned,” Richman told PIX 11 News (WPIX-TV). “It would be disingenuous to suggest that I’m not a worried man at this particular point.”
“I’m very sad about it, extremely sad. He’s like my son,” Richman said, according to AP. “He’s just a tremendous person, tremendous entertainer, tremendous human being. And so much to offer, so much to say. Not the run-of-the-mill rapper. A person of great depth.”
Born in Mount Vernon and raised in Yonkers, DMX, whose legal name is Earl Simmons, has faced a string of criminal, legal and personal issues in recent years.
In 2016, Yonkers police and Empress Ambulance first responders saved DMX’s life after the rapper was found lifeless outside a Yonkers hotel.
Celebrities and friends of DMX took to social media to offer their prayers and support to the rapper.
Rick Ross shared a video on Instagram Stories asking his followers to pray for “DMX the legend.”
Gabrielle Union tweeted: “Please pray, send healing energy, whatever positive vibes you can for #DMX.”
The “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” rapper has battled drug addiction in the past and last entered rehab in 2019 after spending a year in prison for tax evasion.
“In his ongoing commitment to putting family and sobriety first, DMX has checked himself into a rehab facility,” a statement on DMX’s Instagram read at the time. “He apologizes for his cancelled shows and thanks his fans for their continued support.”
DMX is known for his acting role in “Romeo Must Die,” and for hits including “X Gon’ Give It to Ya” (2003), “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” (1997) and “Party Up (Up in Here)” (1999). The moniker “DMX” is short for his full stage name, “Dark Man X.”
Most recently, DMX battled fellow rapper Snoop Dogg during Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s popular web series “Verzuz” in July 2020.
Contributing: The Associated Press
