The family of late rapper DMX is sharing new details about the hip-hop legend's private struggles, describing a life marked by loving memories and terrifying episodes of paranoia in a new documentary.
According to AllHipHop, DMX's ex-wife, Tashera Simmons, and their four children speak candidly in the series "X vs. Earl: The Simmons Family Speaks," offering an intimate look at the man born Earl Simmons. This documentary looks at both sides of the chart-topping rap artist as a father dealing with drug addiction and mental health issues.
It will take the viewer through both joyful times and sad times that Tacoma Simmons has experienced with his father; Tacoma commented on a memory from his childhood that showed the more compassionate side of his father.
Recalling a quad bike accident in Arizona, Tacoma described how his father responded differently than expected. "You would think he'd be like, 'Oh, get up.' But he picks me up on his shoulder and we just ride it out the whole time," he said about one of his favorite memories with DMX.
But the family said those tender experiences were increasingly overshadowed by what they described as Earl's descent into paranoia and erratic behavior.
Tashera Simmons detailed the alarming changes she witnessed as her former husband's mental state deteriorated. "He would walk around with a machine gun or a gun in front of the nannies was something that he didn't really do. He would see things like he said a helicopter was one time looking at him," Tashera explained about her ex-husband's deteriorating mental state.
The documentary also recounts a violent episode involving a family member. Sean Simmons, one of DMX's sons, witnessed the aftermath of an accidental shooting during what the family described as a paranoid incident in a hotel lobby.
Tashera described the chaotic scene that followed. "He pulled the trigger, but because it was so muffled, we couldn't hear it. He shot his uncle in the foot. He fell to the floor. We see blood everywhere," Tashera recounted.
As reported by AllHipHop, the series provides unprecedented access to the Simmons family's perspective on living with a global rap icon whose internal battles often eclipsed his musical achievements.
In other news, Xavier Simmons, the son of DMX, is opening up about what he described as a "spiritual" moment with his father as the rapper died in 2021, The Root reports.
Appearing on The Tamron Hall Show with his mother, Tashera Simmons, Xavier recalled being home watching a movie when they received a call about DMX's condition. "In the last twenty minutes, she gets that call and I hear the panic in her voice. And I immediately know, 'OK, well we're safe. So the only other person on Earth that could cause that sort of panic is my father.' And I knew it wasn't good," he said.
Xavier said he then felt a chill and experienced what he described as a vision of his father. "His spirit spoke to me, looked at me and I saw a flash of every single moment we shared and then he left. It was gone," he explained, adding that he believed it was his father's way of saying goodbye.
DMX died at age 50 after suffering a heart attack reportedly triggered by a drug overdose.
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