Earl Simmons, known as DMX, finally succumbed this morning to the complications of an overdose. He had previously been quoted about battling his addiction, and how he was hopeful for the future, making his death even more painful.

This one has been pretty emotional for me because not only was he larger than life in the late 90s/early 2000s, but also because of the beautiful personal stories have been sharing bout X. He really was a kind soul to strangers and always lit up a room. My favorite part of hip hop is the culture and history associated with it, the different styles that gave artists their essence, and how it can influence various communities. DMX has added to the rich history of hip-hop and I am grateful for his presence.

Not only did he make absolute bangers and party anthems in a time that was being taken over by glitz and glamour in the rap industry, his first two albums in 1998 reached #1 on the charts. Some of his lyrics have not aged well - to be fair, the same could be said for the majority of rappers at the time - but his persona and energy remain. I will share my two favorites of him - the first being my favorite song of his (Slippin') and the second being how he captivated the audience at Woodstock 99 (NSFW, of course).

DMX was 50 years old. Rest easy, X.