DMX ‘in vegetative state’ on life support after ‘overdose triggered heart attack’ as fans hold vigil outside hospital
DMX fans held a vigil outside the New York hospital as the rapper remained on life support after "his overdose triggered a heart attack".
The family of the rapper said in an email on Sunday that the vigil will be held outside White Plains Hospital in New York at 5pm.
They also requested that fans keep DMX - real name Earl Simmons - in their "thoughts, wishes and prayers".
In an email seen by , the family said: "On Friday night, April 2nd, 2021, our brother, son, father and colleague DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, was admitted to White plains (NY) Hospital, facing serious health issues.
"We ask that you please keep Earl/DMX and us in your thoughts, wishes and prayers as well as respect our privacy as we face these challenges."
A second email confirmed that the rapper is still in a coma and was currently using a ventilator.
Earlier on Saturday, TMZ had reported that the “Where the Hood At” rapper was in a critical condition at his home at around 11pm on Friday night.
A source told TMZ he was in a "vegetative state," while another claimed the Harlem-born musician has "some brain activity."
However, his attorney Murray Richman would not confirm to TMZ that the heart attack had been caused by an overdose.
“I refuse to vouch for that because I have no personal knowledge,” Richman said.
- A vegetative state is absence of responsiveness and awareness
- It occurs when the cerebrum - the part of the brain that controls thought and behavior - no longer functions.
- Some patients who have entered a vegetative state go on to regain a degree of awareness.
- Patients in a vegetative state show no evidence of awareness of self or environment and cannot interact with other people.
Information first started to circulate when famed NY rapper Eric B shared an image of himself and DMX.
He captioned the image: “Please pray for my brother DMX,” along with the hashtag #DMXhospitalized.
has reportedly struggled with drug addiction throughout his adult life - and has openly addressed the issues within his songs.
In 2016, DMX stopped breathing and had no pulse after suffering a drug overdose in a Westchester, New York, parking lot.
Luckily, a medic on hand administered Narcan, an anti-opioid used to reverse the effects of a heroin overdose, according to police.
The rapper became “semiconscious” and was rushed to a nearby hospital where he received treatment.
A few years later he signed a new deal with Def Jam in September 2019 - the label he initially signed his first major-label deal with in 1998.
The following month, he entered in to a drug rehab program.
Most read in Celebrity
In August 2020, X announced he was working on his first album since 2015's Redemption of the Beast LP.
DMX's career has been super prolific, with his best-selling album, … And Then There Was X, cementing his place as a shining light of hip hop music upon release in 1999.
Since his debut, DMX has released seven studio albums.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
X has also successfully ventured into film, featuring in movies such as Belly, Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 the Grave and Last Hour.
And in 2006, he starred in the reality television series DMX: Soul of a Man.