DMX - born Earl Simmons - burst onto the scene in 1998 with a smash hit debut album and a starring role in the film "Belly." The charismatic rapper co-starred alongside fellow New York hip-hop stars Nas and Method Man in the first of many roles portraying characters in the criminal underworld.

What You Need To Know

  • DMX began acting in films in 1998's "Belly," which came out the same year his smash hit debut album dropped
  • The New York musician and actor performed in a series of crime, action and martial arts thrillers right up until his untimely death at age 50
  • DMX teamed up multiple times with Jet Li and Steven Seagal for hit worldwide movies

DMX next played a pivotal role in 2000's "Romeo Must Die," an action film starring Jet Li that was a huge box office success.

The following year DMX was part of another hit in "Exit Wounds” with Steven Seagal

In 2003 he reunited with Jet Li in "Cradle 2 the Grave," yet another in a string of financially successful martial arts films featuring the rapper.

That streak slowed down with "Never Die Alone." It didn't fare as well with audiences, but DMX earned positive reviews from critics. Roger Ebert called his performance "fearless."

From there came a decade of direct-to-DVD action and crime dramas, before DMX re-emerged in movie theaters in 2014 with a hilarious cameo as himself in the Chris Rock comedy "Top Five."

His final onscreen role was just last year in the action movie "Fast and Fierce: Death Race."

With an acting career as long and successful as his musical one, DMX's legacy as an entertainer is secure for his millions of fans worldwide.