DMX Signs to Columbia/Sony Urban
Published
DMX has a new record-label home. The rapper announced today that he has signed with SonyBMG's Columbia Records/Sony Urban Music. He was previously signed to Def Jam/Universal Music. DMX's next album will be titled 'Here We Go Again,' due out later this year.
DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, is the only artist in Billboard chart history to have his first five albums debut consecutively at No. 1. He has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, according to SonyBMG.
The artist held a press conference today at Sony Music Studios in New York City. During the conference, he said he was happy to be at Sony BMG following what he said were years of problems he had at his former label, Def Jam. Taking a shot at Def Jam, DMX said that he felt like had been "welcomed into a home...and then the home was sold out from under me." Def Jam was cofounded in 1984 by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin. Rubin exited five years later, and Simmons sold his share of the record company to Universal in 1999.
DMX made his album debut in 1998 with 'It's Dark and Hell Is Hot.' His previous album was 2003's 'Grand Champ.' He is currently working on a new single with Ruff Ryder production colleague Swizz Beatz.
The 35-year-old rapper has had run-ins with the law on several occasions. In October 2005, he was sentenced to 60 days in prison after pleading guilty to committing two traffic violations while his driver's license was suspended.