Following the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorius B.I.G., DMX took over as the undisputed king of hardcore rap. He was that rare commodity: a commercial powerhouse with artistic and street credibility to spare. His rapid ascent to stardom was actually almost a decade in the making, which gave him a chance to develop the theatrical image that made him one of rap's most distinctive personalities during his heyday.

The early days for Simmons were definitely real, born December 18, 1970 in Baltimore Maryland's projects, his family quickly moved to Yonkers with his aunt, with a father that left him at a young age.

What turned Simmons around was rap music. In the early days, he paid his dues rapping on street corners, playing in clubs, and distributing his tapes, all this created a buzz for the performer in the New York scene. 1997 brought Ruff Ryders Entertainment and DMX was quickly signed by the Def Jam label. He appeared as a guest of sorts for the likes of LL Cool J, Lox, and Mase before releasing his first single in 1998, Get at Me Dog. His first full album, It's Dark and Hell is Hot, went on to sell 3.6 million copies (and counting).