History Music / DMX

* DarkAndTroubledPast: He did ''not'' have a good upbringing.

DMX was widely known for his harsh, gravelly voice, his extremely violent subject matter, constant [[ClusterFBomb Cluster F-Bombs]] and NWordPrivileges, rampant sexism and homophobia [[note]] The heavy homophobia in many of his early songs did not prevent him from [[https://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/dmxs-concert-at-house-nightclub-was-every-bit-as-bizarre-as-youd-imagine-8459642 willingly performing at an LGBT nightclub]] [[/note]] and the frequent call-and-response lyrics used in his songs. That, and his extensive arrest record. He occasionally acted, with his most high-profile acting role being ''Film/Cradle2TheGrave'' opposite Creator/JetLi.

DMX was widely known for his harsh, gravelly voice, his extremely violent subject matter, constant [[ClusterFBomb Cluster F-Bombs]] and NWordPrivileges, rampant sexism and homophobia [[note]] The homophobia in many of his early songs did not prevent him from [[https://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/dmxs-concert-at-house-nightclub-was-every-bit-as-bizarre-as-youd-imagine-8459642 willingly performing at an LGBT nightclub]] [[/note]] and the frequent call-and-response lyrics used in his songs. That, and his extensive arrest record. He occasionally acted, with his most high-profile acting role being ''Film/Cradle2TheGrave'' opposite Creator/JetLi.

DMX was widely known for his harsh, gravelly voice, his extremely violent subject matter, constant [[ClusterFBomb Cluster F-Bombs]] and NWordPrivileges, rampant sexism and homophobia and the frequent call-and-response lyrics used in his songs. That, and his extensive arrest record. He occasionally acted, with his most high-profile acting role being ''Film/Cradle2TheGrave'' opposite Creator/JetLi.

* LyricalTic: He makes frequent use of dog-like growls, barking, "uh!", "what?!" and "come on!" in his songs, among other things. Given the association with dogs, he's also prone to using "cats" as short hand for "weak person."

* MrFanservice: Has quite a number of female fans, must be the [[ShirtlessScene allergy to shirts]].
** Any time he takes his shirt off onstage, wave of fangirl shrieks--more girls than you'd ever think would be at a hardcore rap concert--is sure to follow.

* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: A common criticism of him is his extremely homophobic lyrics.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: "Party Up In Here" is pretty much this in song form, along with hints of MurderBallad (such as the stanza "Listen, yo ass is about to be missing. You know who's gonna find ya? Some old man fishin'. Grandma's wishin' your soul was at rest, but it's hard to digest with the size of the hole in your chest.").

* CreatorThumbprint: DMX ''loves'' dogs. Specifically, pitbulls. Growing up, he'd befriend stray dogs while sleeping on the streets.

DMX was widely known for his harsh, gravelly voice, his extremely violent subject matter, constant [[ClusterFBomb Cluster F-Bombs]] and NWordPrivileges, rampant sexism and homophobia and the frequent call-and-response lyrics used in his songs. That, and his extensive arrest record. He occasionally acted, with his most high profile acting role is probably ''Film/Cradle2TheGrave'' opposite Creator/JetLi.

* ''Flesh of my Flesh, Blood of my Blood'' (1998) [[note]]with this, he became the first artist to release two #1 albums within a year[[/note]]

* CreatorThumbprint: DMX ''loves'' dogs. Specifically, pitbulls.

On April 2, 2021, DMX, who had been candid about his battles with drug addiction, relapsed, and was hospitalized from an overdose-induced heart attack. He was reportedly in a vegetative state, and placed on life support. A week later, he died from a second heart attack on April 9. He was 50.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: "Party Up In Here" is pretty much this in song form, along with hints of MurderBallad (such as the stanza "Listen, yo ass is about to be missing. You know who's gonna find ya? Some old man fishin'. Grandma's wishin' your soul was at rest, but it's hard to digest with the size of the hole in your chest."

Earl Simmons (born December 18, 1970), more widely known by his stage name DMX, is a rapper and actor from Yonkers, New York. The name DMX was originally not an acronym, but simply part of a name taken from a popular drum machine of TheNineties, the Oberheim DMX. However, the acronym has come to stand for "Dark Man [[XtremeKoolLetterz X]]," with X meaning "[[LetXBeTheUnknown unknown]]".

DMX is widely known for his harsh, gravelly voice, his extremely violent subject matter, constant [[ClusterFBomb Cluster F-Bombs]] and NWordPrivileges, rampant sexism and homophobia and the frequent call-and-response lyrics used in his songs. That, and his extensive arrest record. He occasionally acts, with his most high profile acting role is probably ''Film/Cradle2TheGrave'' opposite Creator/JetLi.

He loves dogs, his levels of obsession ranging from owning a succession of beloved pets to [[{{UsefulNotes/Otherkin}} identifying as a dog himself]], frequently barking and growling in his songs and even eating dog food.

** Completely subverted in "X is Comin'". He kills an enemies entire family except for the daughter, whom if she is older than 15, he will rape right in front of the enemy while taunting them. It's implied if the daughter was younger than 15, then she would have been executed like the rest of the family.

* AngryBlackMan: all his lyrics are definitely like that.

Earl Simmons (born December 18, 1970), more widely known by his stage name DMX, is a rapper and actor from Yonkers, New York. The name DMX was originally not an acronym, but simply part of a name taken from a popular drum machine of TheNineties, the Oberheim DMX. However, the acronym has come to stand for "Dark Man [[XtremeKoolLetterz X]]," with X meaning "unknown".

* LyricalTic: He makes frequent use of growls, barking, "uh!", and "come on!" in his songs

* VerbalTic: "What?!", "C'mon!", and ''dog barks and growls'', among other things.
** The barking even surfaced during his ''Behind the Music'' episode, while he was talking about his dead grandmother.

!!This artist provides examples of:

Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970), more widely known by his stage name DMX, is a rapper and actor from Yonkers, New York. The name DMX was originally not an acronym, but simply part of a name taken from a popular drum machine of TheNineties, the Oberheim DMX. However, the acronym has come to stand for "Dark Man [[XtremeKoolLetterz X]]," with X meaning "unknown".

** Any time he takes his shirt off onstage, wave of fangirl shrieks--more girls than you'd ever think would be at a hardcore rap concert--is sure to follow.

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: ''The Great Depression'''s "I Miss You" is an ode to his late grandmother.

DMX is widely known for his harsh, gravelly voice, his extremely violent subject matter, constant [[ClusterFBomb Cluster F Bombs]] and NWordPrivileges, rampant sexism and homophobia and the frequent call-and-response lyrics used in his songs. That, and his extensive arrest record. He occasionally acts, with his most high profile acting role is probably ''Film/Cradle2TheGrave'' opposite Creator/JetLi.

He loves dogs, his levels of obsession ranging from owning a succession of beloved pets to identifying as a dog himself, frequently barking and growling in his songs and even eating dog food.

* HeyItsThatVoice: Having guest rappers Jadakiss and Styles P on a song from ''Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood'' is pretty par for the course for a rap album. Having ''Music/MarilynManson'' most certainly is not.
** Many people thought "Damien" was just DMX doing a high pitched voice. It's actually MosDef.

* AccidentalMisnaming- Used in ''Damien III''
-->'''Damien'''"What happened to the right hand, ''Light Man?''
-->'''X'''"Nah, that's ''Dark Man''
-->'''Damien'''"Well, let's get it right, then."
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys- "Good Girls, Bad Guys" from ''...And Then There Was X'' provides a somewhat humorous take on this.
* AsTheGoodBookSays- "Lord Give Me a Sign" begins with DMX quoting Isaiah 54:17.
* BadassPreacher- He always finds a way to insert a full-blown prayer track into his albums in between the gangster joints.
* BigWhat - Pretty much every [[VerbalTic second word]] in most of his songs.
* CallAndResponseSong- The ''Damien'' series, as well as ''Angel'' and a few other songs.
* CallBack- In ''Damien III''- "What happened to the right hand, Light Man?" is a CallBack to ''Damien'''s "For that nigga, I would bleed/ give him my right hand/ now that I think about it, yo, that's my man!"
* ChronicVillainy- Referenced occasionally in his ''Prayer'' songs, as well as ''Ready To Meet Him.''

* DealWithTheDevil- "Damien" and its sequels.
* DreamTeam- His collaboration with Eminem.

* DownerEnding- The song "ATF" ends with DMX dying in a shootout with police.

* EvilSoundsDeep- In the "Damien" series, the titular character usually has a strange yet not necessarily deep voice. However, should he get serious about something, this trope goes into full swing.

* HeyItsThatVoice- Having guest rappers Jadakiss and Styles P on a song from ''Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood'' is pretty par for the course for a rap album. Having ''Music/MarilynManson'' most certainly is not.

* MoodWhiplash- His video for "Where Da Hood At?" is his typical violent gangster rap (sprinkled with a little gay bashing), but then it goes into a clip of "Ayo Kato," a sweet, sad tribute to a deceased friend.
* MoralDissonance- DMX will go from gangster raps about committing murder to what are essentially ''gospels'' within the same album.

* MythArc- The "Damien" story crosses songs from three different albums.
* ProfessionalKiller- "The Professional" from ''...And Then There Was X'' has DMX portray a contract killer as opposed to simply a gangster.

* SopranoAndGravel- His duets with Aaliyah and Monica.
* VerbalTic- "What?!", "C'mon!", and ''dog barks and growls'', among other things.