DMX

DMX was born Earl Simmons in Baltimore, Maryland, and he moved to the New York area of Yonkers shortly after his birth. His mother was only 19 when she had him; she had a two year old daughter from a previous relationship when Earl was born. His stage name stands for Dark Man X.

He began beat boxing in 1984 and continued to work on his rapping skills for several years. In 1991, The Source magazine wrote about him as an unsigned artist, and he soon received a record deal with Columbia Records label Ruffhouse. His first single, "Born Loser," failed to make an impact, but he made a name for himself by appearing on other rappers' tracks. In 1997, he appeared on LL Cool J's "4, 3, 2, 1" and gained momentum by adding verses to songs by Mase and The Lox. He also made a cameo in Sum 41's video for "Makes No Difference."

His very first album, It's Dark And Hell Is Hot, rose to #1 on the Billboard album chart in 1998, a year when the chart was dominated by Garth Brooks and the Titanic soundtrack. Thanks to his numerous collaborations and the lead single "Get at Me Dog," his debut was highly anticipated.