Three months after DMX’s tragic death, the cause of his demise has finally been revealed.
According to a report on Vulture, published on Thursday (July 8), a source from the Westchester County Medical Examiner’s office revealed DMX’s cause of death is listed as cardiac arrest caused by acute cocaine intoxication.
"It was cardiac arrest for a period of time, so there was no circulation to the brain," says the source, adding that acute cocaine intoxication had "caused this chain of events."
DMX, born Earl Simmons, died on April 9 after reportedly suffering an overdose that resulted in a heart attack on April 2, XXL confirmed with the late rapper's team at the time. He was 50 years old.
The source additionally told Vulture that an analysis of Simmons’ urine displayed the presence of cocaine, adding that the medical examiner’s office did not perform an autopsy and determined the cause of death using documentation provided by medical professionals and police.
Apparently, on the night of DMX's death, the source detailed that someone had called 911 for help on April 2 at 10:30 p.m., and when paramedics arrived on the scene at 10:09 p.m., they immediately performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on X at 10:10 p.m.
This went on for 30-to-40 minutes between the arrival of paramedics at the rapper's house and transporting DMX to the hospital. Although his heart was revived at one point and there was a pulse, his brain was already dead. “His death literally happened immediately because the brain was dead,” says the source.
Soon after the Ruff Ryders legend was hospitalized, his family revealed he was placed on life support, and he remained unresponsive. Reports surfaced that DMX had very little brain activity and was in a vegetative state. “So obviously, there were a number of days where he was on ventilatory support and so forth in the hospital,” added the source. “However, he was diagnosed brain-dead early on…He never woke up from [a] coma.”
"Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end," DMX's team said in a statement shortly after X's death. "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."
A memorial service for close friends and family of DMX was held on April 24 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. The late rapper's label, Def Jam Recordings, reportedly spent over $35,000 for the casket and funeral home expenses. It was later reported that the longtime label dropped nearly $300,000 to utilize the Barclays Center for the memorial and production costs, reportedly done by Kanye West, at the Brooklyn-based venue as well.
On May 28, DMX's posthumous album, Exodus, was released, which was executive produced by X's frequent collaborator Swizz Beatz. “My brother X was one of the most pure and rare souls I’ve ever met," Swizzy said in a statement about the project.
The LP features a host of artists including Jay-Z, Nas, Moneybagg Yo, Swizz Beatz, The Lox and more.
XXL has reached out to the Westchester County Medical Examiner's office as well as a rep for DMX for a statement on this matter.