He tried to barricade himself in his bedroom but emerged when a SWAT team entered his home.

He was arrested in 2008 on drug and animal cruelty charges following an overnight raid on his house in Phoenix. DMX gave me the inspiration to keep going at Def Jam when rap became soft and silly.'ДMX pleaded guilty in 2004 after he posed as an undercover federal agent and crashed his SUV through a security gate at New York's Kennedy Airport. 'Unfortunately, Dark Man X took over and ran amok, tormented and struggling to find the light. 'Earl Simmons was a wonderful, caring father, and a sensitive, thoughtful man,' said Lyor Cohen, a former executive at Def Jam, in a statement. His addiction first took hold at age 14 when smoked a marijuana cigarette that was laced with cocaine. The rapper also starred in 2001's 'Exit Wounds' with Steven Seagal and 2003's 'Cradle 2 the Grave' with Li.Д«ut while DMX made his mark as one of hip-hop's most recognizable names for his rap artistry and as an actor, the rapper was personally stifled by his legal battles - he was repeatedly arrested and jailed within a decade - and drug addiction. The rapper would later open Aaliyah's tribute music video, 'Miss You,' alongside her other friends and collaborators, including Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim and Queen Latifah, after Aaliyah's 2001 death in a plane crash at age 22. DMX and Aaliyah teamed up for 'Come Back in One Piece' on the film's soundtrack. He starred in the 1998 film 'Belly' and appeared in 2000's 'Romeo Must Die' with Jet Li and Aaliyah. Ruff Ryders had success on the charts and on radio with its 'Ryde or Die' compilation albums.ДЄlong with his musical career, DMX paved his way as an actor. They were all part of rap crews, too: DMX fronted the Ruff Ryders collective, which helped launch the careers of Grammy winners Eve and Swizz Beatz, and relaunch The Lox, formerly signed to Bad Boy Records. And Then There Was X,' 'Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood,' 'The Great Depression' and 'Grand Champ.' He released seven albums, earned three Grammy nominations and was named favorite rap/hip-hop artist at the 2000 American Music Awards.ДMX arrived on the rap scene around the same time as Jay-Z, Ja Rule and others who dominated the charts and emerged as platinum-selling acts. The multiplatinum-selling album was anchored by several hits including 'Ruff Ryders' Anthem,' 'Get At Me Dog,' 'Stop Being Greedy' and 'How It's Goin' Down.'ДMX followed up with four straight chart-topping albums including '. 'His message of triumph over struggle, his search for the light out of darkness, his pursuit of truth and grace brought us closer to our own humanity,' his record label, Def Jam Recordings, said in a statement describing him as 'nothing less than a giant.'ДЇellow hip hop artists remembered him likewise, with Eve praising him as 'one of the most special people I have ever met' and Nas calling him 'Gods poet' in an Instagram post.ДMX made a splash in 1998 with his first studio album, 'It's Dark and Hell is Hot,' which debuted No. He loved his family with all of his heart, and we cherish the times we spent with him,' the family said, adding that his music 'inspired countless fans across the world.'ДMX - who rapped with a trademark raspy delivery that was often paired with growls, barks and 'What!' as an ad-lib - built a multiplatinum career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but he also struggled with drug addiction and legal problems that repeatedly put him behind bars. 'Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end. His family's statement said DMX, whose birth name was Earl Simmons, died with relatives by his side after several days on life support. He was rushed there from his home April 2. The Grammy-nominated performer died after suffering 'catastrophic cardiac arrest,' according to a statement from the hospital in White Plains, New York, where he died.

Dmx albums names