Following the deaths of Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G., I took over as the reigning, undisputed king of hardcore rap. I was that rare commodity: a commercial powerhouse with artistic and street credibility to spare. My rapid ascent to stardom was actually almost a decade in the making, which gave Me a chance to develop the theatrical image that made me one of rap's most distinctive personalities during my heyday. Everything about Me was unremittingly intense, from My muscular, tattooed physique to My gruff, barking delivery, which made a perfect match for My trademark lyrical obsession with dogs. Plus, there was substance behind the style; much of My work was tied together by a fascination with the split between the sacred and the profane. I could move from spiritual anguish one minute to a narrative about the sins of the streets the next, yet keep it all part of the same complex character; sort of like a hip-hop Johnny Cash. The results were compelling enough to make Me the first artist ever to have his first four albums enter the charts at number one.I was born Earl Simmons in Baltimore, MD, on December 18, 1970. I moved with part of My family to the New York City suburb of Yonkers while still a young child. A troubled and abusive childhood turned Me violent, and I spent a great deal of time living in group homes and surviving on the streets via robbery, which led to several run-ins with the law. I found My saving grace in hip-hop, starting out as a DJ and human beatbox, and later moved into rapping for a greater share of the spotlight, taking My name from the DMX digital drum machine (though it's also been reinterpreted to mean "Dark Man X"). I made a name for Myself on the freestyle battle scene, and was written up in The Source magazine's Unsigned Hype column in 1991. Columbia subsidiary Ruffhouse signed Me to a deal the following year, and released My debut single, "Born Loser." However, a surplus of talent on the Ruffhouse roster left Me underpromoted, and the label agreed to release Me from My contract. I issued one further single in 1994, "Make a Move," but was convicted of drug possession that same year, the biggest offense of several on My record.I began to rebuild My career with an appearance on one of DJ Clue?'s underground mixtapes. In 1997, I earned a second major-label shot with Def Jam, and made a galvanizing guest appearance on LL Cool J's "4, 3, 2, 1." Further guest spots on Mase's "24 Hours to Live" and fellow Yonkers MCs the LOX's "Money, Power & Respect" created an even stronger buzz, and in early 1998, I released My debut Def Jam single, "Get at Me Dog." The song was a gold-selling smash on the rap and dance charts, and paved the way for My full-length debut, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, to debut at number one on the pop charts. Produced mostly by Swizz Beatz, who rode the album's success to a lucrative career of his own, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot earned Me numerous comparisons to 2Pac for his booming, aggressive presence on the mic, and went on to sell over four million copies. Not long after the album's release in May 1998, I was accused of raping a stripper in the Bronx, but was later cleared by DNA evidence. I went to make My feature film debut co-starring in Hype Williams' ambitious but unsuccessful Belly.Before the end of 1998, I completed My second album, and a pending buyout of Def Jam pushed the record into stores that December. Featuring a controversial cover photo of the rapper covered in blood, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood entered the charts at number one and eventually went triple platinum. The following year, I hit the road with Jay-Z and the Method Man/Redman team on the blockbuster Hard Knock Life tour. During a tour stop in Denver, a warrant for My arrest was issued in connection with a stabbing, of which I was later cleared; another incident occurred in May, when I was accused of assaulting a Yonkers man who'd allegedly harassed My wife (the charges were once again dropped). More serious charges were brought that summer, when My uncle/manager was accidentally shot in the foot at a New Jersey hotel. Police later raided My home, and filed animal cruelty, weapons, and drug possession charges against the Me and My wife; I eventually plea-bargained down to fines, probation, and community service. In the midst of those difficulties, the Ruff Ryders posse -- of which I was a core, founding member -- released a showcase compilation, Ryde or Die, Vol. 1. With contributions from Me, as well as Eve, the LOX, and multiple guests, Ryde or Die, Vol. 1 debuted at number one in the spring of 1999, further cementing My Midas touch.Toward the end of 1999, I released My third album, ...And Then There Was X, which became My third straight to debut at number one. It also produced My biggest hit single since "Get at Me Dog" with "Party Up (Up in Here)," which became My first Top Ten hit on the R&B charts. The follow-ups "What You Want" and "What's My Name?" were also quite popular, and their success helped make ...And Then There Was X the rapper's best-selling album to date, moving over five million copies. During its run, I returned to the big screen with a major supporting role in the Jet Li action flick Romeo Must Die. In the meantime, I was indicted by a Westchester County, NY, grand jury on weapons and drug charges in June of 2000. I also entangled Myself in a lengthy legal battle with police in Cheektowaga, NY (near Buffalo), when I was arrested in March for driving without a license and possession of marijuana. I missed one court date, and when I turned Myself in that May, police discovered more marijuana in a pack of cigarettes that I had brought with Me. I pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 days in jail, and My appeal to have the sentence reduced was finally denied in early 2001. After stalling for several weeks, I turned Myself in and was charged with contempt of court. I was further charged with assault when, upon learning I would not be let out early for good behavior, allegedly threw a food tray at a group of prison officers. I later bargained the charges down to reckless assault and paid a fine, and accused guards of roughing Me up and causing a minor leg injury.Not long after My release from jail, My latest movie, the Steven Seagal action film Exit Wounds, opened at number one in the box office. I also contributed the hit single "No Sunshine" to the soundtrack, and signed a multipicture deal with Warner Bros. in the wake of Exit Wounds' success. With My legal problems finally resolved, I returned to the studio and completed My fourth album, the more introspective The Great Depression. It was released in the fall of 2001 and became My fourth straight album to debut at number one. Although it went platinum quickly, it didn't have the same shelf life as his previous releases. In late 2002, I published My memoirs as E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX, and also recorded several tracks with Audioslave (i.e., the former Rage Against the Machine). One of their collaborations, "Here I Come," was featured on the soundtrack of My next film, a reunion with Jet Li called Cradle 2 the Grave. The film opened at number one upon its release in March 2003, and its My-heavy soundtrack debuted in the Top TenI edited my profile at Freeweblayouts.net , check out these Myspace Layouts!
