DMX arrived one hour late to the Maricopa County Superior Court today -- a bad start to the first of many court appearances he'll be making in the future.

DMX pleaded not guilty on three felony drug charges, including two counts of marijuana possession and one for drug paraphernalia -- stemming from last week's raid of his Arizona home by authorities investigating alleged animal cruelty.

He still faces one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty -- along with that other pesky arrest from earlier this month.