DMX performs during week five of the BIG3 basketball league at UIC Pavilion in Chicago on July 23, 2017. Photo: Streeter Lecka/BIG3/Getty Images).

Rapper DMX has died at the age of 50, his family confirmed in a statement on Friday morning, following more than one week in a coma. He had been hospitalized since April 2 following a massive heart attack.

The New Yorker, whose name was Earl Simmons, had released seven albums over his career, as well as numerous hits like “X Gon’ Give It to Ya,” “Get At Me Dawg,” “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Party Up (Up in Here).” He was a three-time Grammy nominee, and won an American Music Award in 2000 as “favorite rap/hip-hop artist.”

His 1998 debut album, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Other chart-topping albums included … And Then There Was X, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, The Great Depression and Grand Champ. DMX was also an actor, starring in 1998 film “Belly” and appearing in the 2000 film “Romeo Must Die” with Jet Li and Aaliyah.

The cause of his heart attack on April 2 was not immediately clear; an autopsy was planned. But DMX openly struggled with drug addiction, including crack cocaine, since his teenage years. The rapper has also spent stints in rehab. In 2016, he had to be revived by paramedics following an overdose. In a statement, his family said he also had asthma. He had been on life support at an upstate New York hospital since April 2. It was not known as of Friday whether a drug overdose contributed to the heart attack.

“Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end. He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him,” DMX’s family said in a written statement. “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.”

DMX was open about his faith as a devout Christian, and was among one of the first rappers to open up about his struggles with mental health such as on the song “Slippin'” as he suffered from bipolar disorder.

Fans have shown an outpouring of support for DMX, both online and outside the White Plains, New York hospital where he was hospitalized, chanting his name. Artists from the hip-hop community took to social media to express their condolences for the Yonker’s rapper, with statements coming from Aminé, Busta Rhymes, Chuck D, Dumbfoundead, Immortal Technique, Meek Mill, Mickey Factz, Noname, Open Mike Eagle, RZA, and Your Old Droog.

I usually celebrate Blackmen getting to the difficult 50 yd line. At 50 11 yrs my JR-DMX passing is tough like Ecstacy56 & Markie Dee53. When @PublicEnemyFTP left @defjam DMX entered that same BringTheNoise energy. No prisoners-spit hard as hell & tore stages. Proud #RestInBeats pic.twitter.com/h2jYExpJq1

— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) April 9, 2021

I hate this but I’m at peace with it because you are finally at peace King. I love you Eternally X. For infinity lifetimes I will forever love you Big bro. Rest Easy Beloved. Rest. pic.twitter.com/IO17C1g7nJ

— Busta Rhymes (@BustaRhymes) April 9, 2021

Most recently in 2020, DMX faced off against Snoop Dogg in a Verzuz battle, which drew more than 500,000 viewers to the performance.

Editor Tim Hoffman contributed to this report. Follow editor Roman Gokhman at Twitter.com/RomiTheWriter.