DMX’s ex-wife, Tashera Simmons, is opening up about the billions the late rapper missed out on due to poor business decisions. She appeared on Carlos King’s Reality with the King podcast to highlight some of what she shares in her new memoir, Dying to Self.
King encouraged Simmons to share her story beyond being known as “DMX’s wife,” prompting her to discuss the heartbreaking reality of the multi-platinum rapper dying with little financial wealth despite earning millions over his career.
Simmons said DMX (real name Earl Simmons) was on the brink of becoming a billionaire. However, due to a lack of financial literacy and poor asset management, the late rapper missed out on life-changing opportunities.
DMX, she said, passed on the chance to invest in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
“They called him and said, ‘J is in, and they want to know if you want to put in a million dollars to get in.'” Simmons recalled in a clip shared by the Art of the Dialogue. “And you know, for the people out there, you know, unfortunately, you know, when we’re, I hate to say ignorant, but it’s when you’re ignorant, and we don’t have any real business sense.
“X didn’t see that as a good investment,” she continued. “And I saw it, and I didn’t even have a lot of business sense, but I was just like, it’s a no-brainer. Why wouldn’t we go into pot with them? X didn’t want to do it. And now look.”
She said DMX made “a lot of bad business decisions. And he spent a lot of money,” which led to him dying with hardly any money.
Simmons began dating him when they were teenagers. She stood by his side as his rap career skyrocketed, and saw the millions DMX earned and spent—and how much he shared with his family.
“He got 10 million a movie, and that wasn’t even including all his shows,” she said. “He made like millions just doing a show, and when he went on tour, I mean he would come back with, I want to say we were very close to being billionaires. X made a lot. It was so much money.”
Dying to Self takes readers on a transformative journey of healing, forgiveness, and self-discovery. Each chapter features biblical scriptures, words of affirmation, closing reflections, and Christ-centered lessons to inspire and guide readers on their own path to growth.
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