American legendary rapper, Earl Simmons aka DMX is dead. His death was confirmed by his family in a statement on Friday.

 The statement stated that he died today at White Plains Hospital after being on life support for the past few days. 

“Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end. He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him. Earl’s music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time,” said the statement.

He was 50 years old. DMX had a signature rasp to his voice. He delivered his lines with a desperate aggression that propelled his debut album It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot to multi-platinum level sales. He followed that up with a string of chart-topping albums that included songs like “Party Up (Up In Here).”

His rise in music also gave way to acting, in movies such as Belly, Romeo Must Die, and Cradle 2 the Grave. DMX was born Earl Simmons in Mount Vernon, NY in 1970. He told the podcast People’s Party with Talib Kweli that as a child he suffered from asthma that would keep him awake at night. In his 2003 autobiography, E.A.R.L:

The Autobiography of DMX, he wrote that he was abused and neglected by his young mother. He ended up living in a children’s home.

When he was 14, he told Kweli a mentor of his tricked him into smoking crack. He struggled with drug addiction for the rest of his life.