Prayer vigil for rapper DMX called outside New York hospital

NEW YORK, Apr 5 (Reuters) – Fans of rapper DMX announced a prayer vigil for Monday outside a suburban New York hospital days after it became known that the musician and actor suffered a heart attack during a drug overdose.

The “Prayer for DMX” was called at 5:00 p.m. EDT in front of White Plains Hospital, followers said using the hashtag #PrayerForDMX.

A spokeswoman for the hospital declined to release her health status or even confirm to Reuters whether the 50-year-old DMX, whose name is Earl Simmons, was admitted there, citing privacy laws.

His family, in a widely publicized celebrity media statement, said he was rushed to the hospital 30 miles north of New York City on April 2 after “facing serious health problems. “.

Known to fans by his stage name DMX or Dark Man X, RollingStone reported that Simmons was on life support Monday.

Celebrity publications TMZ and Billboard reported over the weekend that Simmons, who has a public history of substance abuse, was rushed to the hospital after suffering a heart attack on Friday around 2300 local time.

Neither his publicist, representative or lawyer immediately responded to a request for comment from Reuters.

The singer has long struggled with illegal drug use and has spoken of entering rehab in 2019, after serving a prison sentence for tax fraud.

He was convicted of failing to pay $ 1.7 million in taxes from 2000 to 2005, transferring money between accounts that belonged to managers and partners.

His rap career got off to an impressive start, with his 1998 debut album “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot” reaching # 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. It sold more than 5 million copies.

Simmons also starred in such films as the 1998 crime drama “Belly,” the 2000 action film “Romeo Must Die,” and the 2003 “Cradle 2 the Grave.”

(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg in New York. Edited in Spanish by Lucila Sigal)

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