How many chances does one man need to get their shit together? One, Two…hell we could even stretch it to three if it fit the bill of a seriously screwed up youth. But Earl Simmons, better known to the celebrity-forgiving world as DMX, has had just about enough chances under the guise of rehabilitation.
So when we hear that X has filed for bankruptcy, it can be taken as a good thing. Bankruptcy could mean that he’s finally at the end of some wild financial hullabaloo and wants to set forgiveness in motion. The recent action by the “Get At Me Dog” superstar would seem a responsible thing to do, yes, if it weren’t for a South Carolina arrest of a suspicion of DUI (which was reportedly dropped), and driving without a license (a 5th time, by our count, of the same charge in his lifetime) just a few weeks ago.
This is a grown-ass, 44-year-old man that continues to tag onto the end of his rap sheet (not to be confused with his rap career) inane and easily avoidable charges. Even if all the weed cases were dropped, and the serious nature of trying to carjack while pretending to be a federal agent high-on-rock thing was forgotten, he still would have a hard time applying for a clean apartment – something he may have to consider given the recent filing.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Chapter 11 filing took place in Manhattan Bankruptcy Court and listed X as having less than $50,000 in assets and $1 million to $10 million in debt. Within those debts he owes $1.24 million in child support. That may seem like a lot to give one child – but he has ten – four of whom he had with ex-wife Tashera Simmons, and six through extramarital affairs. Anyone owing more than $2,500 in support to children is ineligible for a passport, a main reason cited by his team for the recent move to settle.
"DMX's financial strains have been inhibiting his career for several years," said a statement from his publicist, Domenick Nati. “The purpose of this bankruptcy filing is for reorganization.” European and African tours were scheduled for the fall, but have subsequently been delayed given his financial predicaments.
In his prime, he was king. He was the second rapper in history (behind 2Pac) to release two albums in the same year, both of which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The smoke drowned unrefinement of his character is indisputably his, and was pivotal in reigning in the suburban-bred masses to an otherwise untouchable genre. In 2003 when “The Grand Champ” album was dropped, he once again debuted at number one on the same Billboard chart; this time making him the only artist in history to release five consecutive albums to hold the accord.
Most of what Simmons has gotten himself into is nothing more than bender-fueled mistakes that have luckily avoided any kind of serious tragedy. While the general public may never know the types of demons he faces physically, spiritually or otherwise; we can ask that he attempt, seriously, to get his shit together and provide the world with ten decent human beings in his children, and us a few more rounds of track mastery, up in here, up in here.
Leave a Reply