Earl Simmons, also known as the rapper DMX, exits the U.S. Federal Court in Manhattan following a hearing regarding income tax evasion charges in New York City, July 17, 2017. Photo by Brendan McDermid /REUTERS Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Article content NEW YORK — American rapper and actor Earl Simmons, known by the stage name DMX or Dark Man X, died on Friday, his record label said, after he suffered a heart attack during what media reports said was a drug overdose. He was 50 years old.