[Neno]

In 1984, he began to beatbox. DMX was the beatboxer and his partner Ready Ron was the rapper. His name came from the Oberheim DMX drum machine. In 1991, Gabriel Grevenstuk from The Source magazine praised him in its "Unsigned Hype" column, which highlighted unsigned hip-hop artists. Later, he was signed to the Columbia Records subsidiary Ruffhouse in 1992; under that label he released his debut single "Born Loser", which did not get much airplay. However, Ruffhouse promoted many other artists on its roster rather than DMX and so agreed to release him from his contract eventually. In 1994, he released a second single, "Make a Move". In 1997, he made a successful guest appearance on LL Cool J's "4, 3, 2, 1". Additional guest spots on Mase's "24 Hours to Live" and "Take What's Yours", and The LOX's "Money, Power & Respect" created an even stronger buzz.[2] DMX also made a cameo appearance in the Sum 41 music video for "Makes No Difference".[3]

In February 1998, he released his debut major-label single under Def Jam Recordings, "Get At Me Dog", which was certified gold by the RIAA. His first major-label album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, which included the single Ruff Ryders Anthem, was released in May 1998 and debuted on the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart in the U.S. It earned Simmons numerous comparisons to Tupac Shakur and sold over four million copies. Soon after the release of the album, DMX was nearly imprisoned for allegedly raping a stripper in the Bronx but was cleared by DNA evidence.[2] Later that year in December, DMX released his second album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. It entered the charts at number one (and stayed there for 3 consecutive weeks) with 670,000 units shipped in the first week alone. The album eventually went 4x platinum. DMX was the second rapper to have two albums released in the same year debut at number one on Billboard's Top 200, the first being Tupac Shakur.[2]

Simmons released his third album, ...And Then There Was X, on December 21, 1999. It debuted at number one on the pop charts, his third straight album to do so. "Party Up" was his biggest single, and became his first Top Ten hit on the R&B charts. His lead single off the album, "What's My Name?" (containing the piano prelude from Richard Addinsell's Warsaw Concerto), and third single "What These Bitches Want" (featuring Sisqo) were also popular. .....And Then There Was X is Simmons' best-selling album to date, going six times platinum.[2]

After improving his legal situation, Simmons returned to the studio and completed his fourth album, The Great Depression. Released October 3, 2001, it was his fourth straight album to debut at the top of the Billboard 200. With hits such as "Who We Be", "We Right Here", and the street track, "Shorty Was The Bomb". The Great Depression quickly went triple platinum, but was not as commercially or critically successful as his previous album.[2]

In 2003, Grand Champ became DMX's fifth straight album to debut at number one. This made DMX the only artist in history to have 5 albums (and his entire album catalog) debut at #1 with hits "Where Tha Hood At" and "Get it on the Floor". After its release, he informed the public that he planned to retire, and that Grand Champ would be his final album.[4] In June 2003, DMX was arrested for using indecent language during a performance at Saint Kitts and Nevis. The country's Information Minister alleged that a contract signed before the concert stipulated the show would be without indecent language on stage. Simmons was released on bail ($376).[5]

In January 2006, DMX signed to Columbia Records, the label that released his early single "Born Loser".[6] DMX recorded his next album while switching record labels, causing numerous delays. The album was finally released on August 1, 2006, under the title Year of the Dog...Again. It missed the number one spot in the charts by only one hundred sales. He also appeared on a remix of Busta Rhymes' "Touch It". Two more singles, "Lord Give Me A Sign" and "We In Here", followed. The Definition of X: The Pick of the Litter was DMX's greatest hits album, released on June 12, 2007.[2] Def Jam also released a new compilation album entitled The Best of DMX [7][8] which features hit singles including "Where the Hood At?" and "X Gon' Give It to Ya".

DMX signed to Bodog Music in 2007 to release his seventh and eighth studio albums on the same day, Walk with Me Now and You'll Fly with Me Later.[9] X is planning to release both albums back-to-back. In an Interview DMX Said He has 3 albums done. A hip hop Album, a gospel album and a rock album. Summer 2011 DMX plans to drop the ninth studio album. DMX also said the album's name was "X Is Back" or "The Under Dog" however, now Its called The Undisputed Champ.