Drugs & Alcohol

After rallying for DMX all week, his fans are still pouring out their emotions, and showing him love in the hours after his death.

Almost immediately after the news of X's passing ... a makeshift memorial wall was started just outside White Plains Hospital in New York. The hip-hop icon's loyal followers are lighting candles, leaving flowers and stuffed animals ... and writing notes of love and support for X and his family.

Someone left 3 large mylar balloons to spell out DMX on the fencing.

Meanwhile, nearby fans are playing his music and break dancing to honor the 50-year-old rapper who died Friday after his organs started shutting down Thursday night.

TMZ broke the story ... DMX fell into a coma after an overdose last Friday. Doctors said his brain was deprived of oxygen for nearly 30 minutes, and the outlook was grim from the start.

DMX has died -- a week after suffering an overdose ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... X had virtually no brain function after he was deprived of oxygen for nearly 30 minutes following his overdose. Brain function never returned, and by Thursday his organs began failing while he remained on life support in a New York hospital.

Many people in X's family were at the hospital over the last week, including his mom, fiancee and many of his kids.

A rep for his family tells TMZ, "We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50 years old at White Plains Hospital with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days. Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end."

The statement continues, "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. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time. Please respect our privacy as we grieve the loss of our brother, father, uncle and the man the world knew as DMX. We will share information about his memorial service once details are finalized.”

DMX got his start in music back in the '80s, performing with Ready Ron -- while simultaneously serving time behind bars ... until he finally dedicated himself to music full-time in the '90s. He eventually got signed to Columbia Records' Ruffhouse imprint, and appeared on records with Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Mase and even the rock band Sum 41.

It wasn't until '98 that he truly broke out, when he released his Ruff Ryders debut studio album "It's Dark and Hell is Hot" to critical and mainstream acclaim ... not to mention he added his new canine persona.

'IDAHIH' produced 4 singles, including the well-known "Get At Me Dog," "How's It Goin' Down," "Stop Being Greedy" ... and the track that might perhaps his best known, the "Ruff Ryders' Anthem," which became to be the song everyone played to get hyped.

'Ruff Ryders'' has gone down in history as one of the greatest hip-hop songs ever, and it ended up making it on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

He followed up that success quickly with a 2nd album later the same year -- "Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood" came out in December of '98, and ended up hitting #1. At the time, he was the second rapper to release back-to-back albums in the same year ... the first being Tupac.

At that point, DMX had cemented himself and his sound ... abrasive, rough around the edges, but also catchy and great for parties and getting amped. His third album hit that last point home with his single "Party Up (Up in Here)" ... another one of X's notorious songs that helped him get major play on radio, in clubs and in movies.

Speaking of movies, X himself made his feature film debut in 2000's "Romeo Must Die," which starred Jet Li playing a version of Romeo opposite Aaliyah.

He went on to star in a number of memorable flicks after that as the 2000s rolled on -- "Exit Wounds" and "Cradle 2 the Grave" come to mind ... so do "Never Die Alone" and "Last Hour." Safe to say, X was making a name for himself both in and out of music ... but of course, he was fighting legal battles in the background at the same time.

Over the years, he got rung up on many charges -- weapons, drugs, DUI and later tax evasion. He served time for some of those cases, but always continued his music career.

As he struggled with the law, X continued to crank out hits ... including the memorable "X Gon' Give It to Ya," "Where the Hood At?" and "Lord Give Me a Sign" as well as "We in Here."

He really seemed to turn his life around in 2019 after ending a 12-month sentence for tax evasion. DMX had long battled substance abuse and it was at this point that he did his last rehab stint.

Afterward, he was looking better than he had in years and made his return to the stage in December 2019 when he hit Hakkasan in Las Vegas, chatting it up and taking photos with fans before he hit the stage.

In another sign of just how beloved he was by fans and the industry ... DMX, of all people, created a new Christmas classic in 2012 when he freestyled his own version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." It had all the charm his audience had come to love about the man.

In July 2020, fans worldwide watched as legends DMX and Snoop Dogg faced off in a Verzuz battle with over 500,000 viewers on Instagram Live.

The rappers complemented each other as they spit some of their most iconic tracks, like when DMX hopped on and joined Snoop for 'Ain't No Fun.' Snoop also got down with "Drop It Like It's Hot" and "Gin and Juice" while DMX spit "Where My Dogs At" and his megahit-song "X Gon' Give It To Ya," which brought Snoop out of his seat.

The last time our cameras caught him out was in July 2019 ... and DMX talked to us about the importance of being safe on movie sets when doing action scenes/stunts.

DMX is survived by his 15 children. The youngest was born in 2016 to his fiancee, Desiree Lindstrom.

X was 50.

DMX's health is rapidly deteriorating as he remains on life support, with not much more doctors can do ... and he's experiencing significant organ failure.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... as of Friday morning, X's "organs are failing by the minute" ... a sign, under the circumstances, indicating end of life. We're told friends and family have been told to fly in immediately to be with DMX and his loved ones.

As we told you, X's mom, fiancee, kids, ex-wife and mother's of his children have become a tight unit over the last week, staying and praying together ... holding out hope, although hope is clearly waning.

TMZ broke the story ... DMX, who remains in a coma, underwent a series of brain function tests Wednesday, and sources told us the results were "not good." He has not improved since he was rushed to the hospital with "little brain function." Our family sources say the final decision, if and when it happens, to take X off of life support will be made by his mother, Arnett.

DMX's family is still holding out hope for a miracle, and while he remains on life support with no improvement in brain function -- the grim circumstances are bringing his fam closer together than ever.

As of late Thursday night, the rapper's manager and close friend Steve Rifkind told TMZ  ... his condition has not changed. However, sources close to his family tell us, X's mother, Arnett Simmons, his fiancée, Desiree Lindstrom, his ex-wife, Tashera Simmons and his baby mama, Yadira Borrego, along with his children, have become a tight-knit group over the last week while praying for improvement.

We're told his loved ones have been staying at his home and friends' homes in the area ... never too far from White Plains Hospital where DMX remains in a coma.

While the women in DMX's life have never had beef in the past -- we're told X made sure he kept everyone cordial -- the trauma of the last 7 days has strengthened their bond.

They'll all need each other's support in the days ahead, because they may soon be faced with an agonizing decision -- perhaps as soon as Friday -- about whether to withdraw life support. If and when that choice needs to be made, we're told X's mom will have the final word.

As we first told you ... the battery of tests performed on DMX Wednesday showed no signs of improved brain activity since he was first hospitalized late last Friday night. Multiple sources, including Rifkind, have told us the prognosis is not good.

DMX has not regained any brain function nearly a week after his overdose, and the family may soon be faced with a tormenting decision ... whether to withdraw life support.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ, the battery of tests performed on X Wednesday showed no improvement in brain activity since he was rushed to the hospital after suffering the OD late Friday night. As we reported, he had little brain function after being deprived of oxygen for nearly half an hour.

DMX remains in a coma and, as it was put to us, the test results are "not good." We're told the family has asked X's longtime friend and manager, Steve Rifkind, to fly to New York Friday ... another sign that hope is dwindling.

As we reported, there's been a massive show of support for DMX. Hundreds of people -- including his kids, fiancee and mothers of some of his children -- crowded outside the hospital Monday night for a prayer vigil. We're told only a limited number of family members have been allowed inside the ICU because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The prosecution in the Derek Chauvin murder trial is trying to poke major holes in his defense ... with a doctor's powerful testimony that any healthy person would have died if treated like George Floyd.

Dr. Martin Tobin, a physician specializing in pulmonology and critical care, took the stand Thursday and ripped into the heart of Chauvin's defense -- that Floyd allegedly died from a drug overdose and not by Chauvin's knee on his neck.

The doc goes into pretty deep detail on why, in his expert opinion, a healthy person would not have been able to survive a knee to the neck for 9 1/2 minutes.

Dr. Tobin testified that, by his calculations, Floyd lost all of the oxygen in his body about 3 minutes BEFORE Chauvin lifted his knee off George's neck. Tobin's being called the prosecution's star witness, as his testimony's been one of the most powerful moments in the courtroom, so far.

The doc went on to say George died from a low level of oxygen causing his heart to stop, essentially attributing his death to him being handcuffed face down on the pavement with Chauvin's knee pinned to his neck.

Remember ... Chauvin's defense attorney Eric Nelson told the jury last week Floyd "put drugs in his mouth" when confronted by cops and said the autopsy found meth and fentanyl in his system.

But, Dr. Tobin's testimony is clearly the prosecution's attempt to blunt that OD theory.

Master P is keeping DMX in his prayers, and he can't help but think X's drug overdose could have been prevented -- and his idea is for rappers to do a better job looking after their own.

We got Master P in Los Angeles Thursday and our photog asked him about DMX's legacy ... as he remains on life support in a New York hospital.

Master P says he hates how the hip-hop industry waits until something bad happens to one of their peers before offering love and support. He thinks the industry needs to form some type of union to help artists going through tough times, especially when drugs are involved.

TMZ broke the story ... DMX suffered a drug overdose Friday night, leaving his brain deprived of oxygen for nearly 30 minutes, and now he's in a coma and we're told the prognosis does not look good.

While Master P wants hip-hop to unionize much like the NBA Players Association, he says the best thing the industry could do to prevent the next tragedy is educating the next generation.

O.J. Simpson can put his beef with The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in the rearview ... because we've learned he's settled his defamation lawsuit with the hotel.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, The Juice and the Cosmo agreed to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice, and the judge signed off. Usually, that points to some type of settlement, though neither side is talking details.

O.J.'s lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, tells TMZ ... "The Simpson/Cosmopolitan matter has been resolved."

As we reported ... Simpson sued the Cosmopolitan over a Nov. 8, 2017 incident in which he was kicked off the property following an alleged drunken episode at a hotel bar.

Following the incident, hotel staff told TMZ ... O.J. was wasted and became disruptive, getting angry with hotel employees ... resulting in broken glasses at the bar.

O.J. denied the allegations, saying the story humiliated and embarrassed him ... and in 2019 he filed his defamation suit against the Cosmo.

Most recently, the Cosmo said O.J.'s reputation as a violent convicted criminal is already so tarnished, there's no way his rep could take a hit from allegations of drunken shenanigans.

But, now it appears the two sides worked something out to make the case go away.

Demi Lovato was jolted when she learned of DMX's overdose ... a reminder of how lucky she is to still be alive.

Demi will be on "TMZ Live" Wednesday ... talking about her incredible documentary, 'Dancing With the Devil,' and her new album, "Dancing With The Devil...The Art of Starting Over."

She covered a lot of ground for the show, and one of the highlights was her very honest reaction to X's current state -- he's on life support and it does not look good. She sees the parallels in her own life and says she suffers from survivor's guilt. She knows she could have been in DMX's state or even worse.

Demi's "Dancing With the Devil" album is autobiographical and, dare we say, spectacular. One thing clearly was NOT affected by the OD -- Demi's voice is better than ever.

Demi also talks about the way she's handling recovery, and it's not with abstinence ... she smokes weed and drinks alcohol in moderation. It's something her pal Elton John thinks is a big mistake, but Demi explains abstinence doesn't work for everyone, and she goes on to explain why "California Sober" works for her.

DMX remains on life support in a New York hospital, and Wednesday will be an extremely critical day that could determine his outcome.

X remains in a coma and his condition has not materially changed ... his manager, Steve Rifkind, tells TMZ.

Members of DMX's family visited him Tuesday night ... leaving at around 10 PM.

Rifkind says doctors will perform a battery of tests Wednesday to determine the level of brain function. As we reported, when DMX OD'd Friday night, his brain was deprived of oxygen for nearly 30 minutes. Multiple sources told us ... he had "little brain activity."

Although we're told the prognosis does not look good, Wednesday's tests will determine decisions the family may have to make.

One thing's for sure, millions of fans are pulling for him. The vigil outside the hospital where DMX lays in ICU was extremely moving. DMX's fiancee, mom and some of his kids have been at the hospital visiting him.

There's been a lot of inaccurate information floating around about X's condition, and Rifkind wanted to make it clear ... "DMX is currently on life support and in a coma. There are multiple people with inaccurate information about his well-being and it is not helpful and productive. Tomorrow he will undergo further tests on his brain function and his family will determine what's best from there. We appreciate your prayers and support."

Tom Brady admits he REGRETS drunkenly throwing the Lombardi Trophy from boat to boat during that legendary floating Super Bowl parade

... but hey, things happen when you're completely sloshed!

"First of all, there was not a lot going through my mind at that point," Brady told Michael Strahan on 'GMA.'

Remember, Tom and the rest of the Tampa Bay Bucs hit the Hillsborough River back in February to celebrate their Super Bowl LV victory over the K.C. Chiefs.

The booze started flowing ... and the QB started throwin' (trophies).

"I mean, that was not smart for a couple of reasons," a sobered up Brady says.

"One is, if we drop it, that's a little bit of a problem. But, the worst thing that could happen is the edges on that trophy are so sharp -- and had those things clipped one of my boys in the other boat, it would have been an ugly, ugly parade."

He's right -- but fortunately, his sure-handed teammates caught the trophy with no problems.

Brady says of the event, "From what I remember, yes it was pretty cool."

During his interview with 'GMA,' Brady also opened up about why he wants to continue playing the NFL.

Remember, in the wake of winning his 7th title, Gisele had asked him, "What more do you have to prove?"

"I don't think proving it for me is the motivation," 43-year-old Tom told Strahan ... "I still want to play, I got like a little sickness in me that just wants to throw a frickin' spiral, you know what I mean?"

"Once you stop you can't go back and do it, I got some more football [left in me] I mean not a lot, and I know that, but what I got left, I'm gonna go I'm gonna give everything I got."

Ralo may soon benefit from a clemency program currently in the works under the Biden administration ... according to activist Weldon Angelos, who's been pushing for the rapper's freedom.

Weldon, a cannabis and clemency advocate, joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday, and said the White House reached out to him about a clemency program it's putting together that would primarily focus on cases with harsh sentences for non-violent marijuana offenses.

Ralo -- whose real name is Terrell Davis -- could become a primary beneficiary of the program, if it comes to fruition. The rapper was busted in 2018 with 444 pounds of weed on a private plane. He's been locked up ever since ... and faces up to 8 years in prison on conspiracy charges.

Weldon's been actively calling on the powers that be to grant the rapper clemency, given the laws on weed have changed exponentially over the last decade. It's now legal, in some form, in more than half the states ... although it's still illegal federally.

And, Weldon's main point is this ... Ralo's being punished "for violating the same federal statute many entrepreneurs and corporations violate every day in 36 states across the country, who are not subject to federal prosecution."

Drake, 2 Chainz, T.I. and Killer Mike are others joining Weldon's push as well. In fact ... they all attached their name to a letter Weldon sent to the Biden admin asking for clemency.

Weldon's been exactly where Ralo is -- he got a 55-year sentence in 2004 for $900 of ganja, but President Obama granted him clemency in 2016. He's crossing his fingers Biden will do the same for Ralo and many others.

Xzibit is learning a hard lesson about the rules of engagement when it comes to selling weed, and rule #1 seems to be ... don't name your company after a chemical weapon.

The rapper/entrepreneur's company -- Napalm Cannabis -- has been dragged online because its name is a sore reminder of a chemical agent that was used in firebombs during the Vietnam War ... firebombs that killed and maimed innocent citizens, including the little girl whose photo became a symbol of the horror of the United States' involvement in the war.

Napalm was also used against Japan in WWII. Its use on civilians was banned internationally in 1980 by the U.N.

Customers of The Higher Path dispensary were deeply offended by the name, not to mention one product in particular -- a pre-rolled joint known as "The Grenade." Seems people didn't like the cavalier reference to deadly weapons of war.

As Asian hate crimes are on the rise ... the name conjures up images that should not be celebrated.

As for how this product line could even make its way to digital shelves in the first place -- Higher Path is chalking it up to ignorance and a lack of diversity. HP says, "As an entirely-white marketing team that lacks knowledge or trauma surrounding this weapon, we didn’t realize how violent and ignorant it was to promote such a brand/product. That’s on us." Fact is ... plenty of white people also knew the misery napalm caused.

"OutDaughtered" star Michelle "Mimi" Theriot should be able to get the stink of her DUI arrest off her ... if she can obey court orders for a year.

Mimi's entered a diversion program stemming from her October DUI bust in Texas. It's 1-year community supervision for first-time offenders ... and Mimi's happy with it.

According to Theriot's agreement with the DA ... she can't drink alcohol or use controlled substances for a year. In fact, she has to stay clear of bars. She must also complete 24 hours of community service, along with a DWI education program.

And, there's more. Mimi must submit to random drug testing. And, the kicker ... she can't break any laws. If she checks all the boxes, her case will be dismissed.

We broke the story ... Grandma Mimi got arrested in League City, TX after cops say she was swerving on the road and was slow to stop when they tried pulling her over.

During the stop, cops say there was a strong odor of perfume wafting from her SUV ... something cops say is common for people trying to conceal odors.

DMX is clinging to life in an ICU unit with little brain function, but a few family members who have visited the rap icon are not giving up.

Family sources tell TMZ, X's fiancée, Desiree Lindstrom, and mom, Arnett Simmons, have been allowed into the ICU to visit DMX, though he is not responsive. As we reported, family sources tell us some of his kids are coming to visit as well and are hopeful they will be allowed in.

TMZ first reported the OD and the fact he has limited brain function ... the result of oxygen deprivation after his OD late Friday night. One source with direct knowledge told TMZ the prognosis does not look good.

Nevertheless, the rapper's family is not giving up. DMX suffered a heart attack during the OD, and family members are holding out hope when the inflammation subsides his heart will restore itself. Of course, that does not have an impact on brain function.

DMX suffered a drug overdose Friday night and is currently in the hospital ... and the prognosis is not good.

Sources close to the rapper tell TMZ, the OD occurred at his home at around 11 PM. Our sources say the overdose triggered a heart attack.

DMX was rushed to a hospital in White Plains, New York and is in the critical care unit. We're told he has "some brain activity." Another source says he's in a "vegetative state" and doctors have cautioned he may not make it.

As we have reported over the years, DMX, who was the cornerstone of the Ruff Ryders label, has battled substance abuse and has been to rehab several times. His last rehab stint back in 2019 came after he completed a 12-month sentence for tax evasion.

At the time, we were told DMX hadn't relapsed but checked himself into rehab out of fear he might again, as he felt temptations to use creep up on him again.

DMX made his return to the stage following rehab in December 2019 when he hit Hakkassan in Las Vegas, chatting it up and taking photos with fans before he hit the stage.

During the Vegas show, he took a moment to tell fans, "When you fall down, get back up, everyone here has been through some s**t and you never know what God is willing to do for you until you need him to do something for you."

Last we saw him perform was in July 2020, when X faced off with Snoop Dogg in a Verzuz battle which saw more than 500k viewers tune in, proving he still had an incredible ability to bring an audience.

We will, of course, update as information becomes available regarding his current situation.