Rapper Suffers Heart Attack the Y-O Community Hoping for a Miracle
Legendary Yonkers rapper DMX was rushed to White Plains hospital on April 3 after suffering a heart attack. DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons apparently suffered a drug overdose and, surrounded by his family is in “grave condition” according to his longtime attorney Murray Richman.
“I’m very sad about it, extremely sad. He’s like my son,” Richman said. “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.”
DMX was born in Mt. Vernon and grew up in Yonkers, where he still spends most of his time and in recent years has become an important part of the Yonkers community, giving back to those who need it.
Celebrities across the world made the phrase “Prayers to DMX” trend on Twitter over the weekend. “Today is 4/3/21 – it’s only right that we celebrate the talent and genius of my brother @DMX on the 4,3,2,1 song. We Love you X get well fast,” said LL Cool J
DMX’s 1998 debut album “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot,” made it to #1 on the Billboard charts and sold more than 5 million copies.
In 2019, DMX entered rehab and publicly discussed his struggles with illegal drugs. He served 1 year in prison for income tax evasion, after he was found guilty of hiding money and not paying $1.7 Million in overdue taxes dating back to 2000-2005.
Simmons has also appeared in several movies including “Romeo Must Die,” and “Cradle 2 the Grave.”
Throughout his four decades in the media spotlight, DMX has been public about his battle with addiction , but also about his Christianity, often saying “Whenever I went through something, it brought me closer to God.”
Two years ago, DMX spoke about his asthma and his related heart problems that almost cost him his life in 2018. “We all know what God is capable of doing. We know what God is able to do. But we don’t know what he’s willing to do until we’re in the situation where we need him to do it!”
DMX has often discussed how he feels the tug of war in his life between God an the Devil, a theme that he has written about and rapped about during his career. “I knew I had a problem […] My life is revitalized through my music,” “Without that, I don’t know how much longer I’ma make it.”
Last year, DMX hosted a Bible study on Instagram. “God put it on my heart to speak …I ain’t gon’ change. I love who I am. I’m God’s child. We all are.”
DMX then quoted from Ecclesiastes (3:16): “I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment–wickedness was there, in the place of justice–wickedness was there. I said to myself, ‘God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.'”
“As long as you got God, it’s gonna be alright,” adding that he had learned the importance of serving others and giving back. “If you give just because you’re able to give, God will give back.”
“Do the right thing, for the right reason, at the right time and that is rewarding within itself. People think giving is an unselfish act, giving is a totally selfish act, because when you give to somebody and know you gave them just what they needed, the feeling of joy that you get you can’t buy that.”
In recent years, DMX was seen around Yonkers, working with the Yonkers PAL and other community groups to help those in need. “Do the right thing, for the right reason, at the right time,” was one of his favorite sayings.
He also spoke about the possibility of miracles, which is even more relevant in his life now. “I say miracles only happen on the platform of tragedy. If there’s not a difficult situation, if there’s not a situation where you can’t see you possibly getting through on your own then where’s the potential for the miracle?”
“So now I embrace difficult situations. I praise God for difficult situations because through these situations I see what He’s willing to do for me. On a daily basis, if it gets rough I praise God; it goes wrong, I praise God; it goes left, I praise God. I praise God because there’s nothing that He can’t get me through.”
