Legendary rapper DMX died this week after being hospitalized for a heart attack, his team said in a statement to XXL Mag . He was 50.

The hip-hop star, born Earl Simmons, was taken to a hospital in White Plains, New York, on April 2 after the heart attack, according to his attorney, Murray Richman. He was put on life support over the weekend, and had reportedly been set to undergo brain function tests Wednesday.

Sources close to DMX reported the heart attack was triggered by an overdose, according to TMZ .

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. Earls music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever, said the statement from his team. 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.

Details about a memorial service will be released at a later date, his team said.

Sometimes known by his unabbreviated stage name, Dark Man X, DMX was renowned for representing Yonkers, New York, barking on his songs and producing dark, gritty raps that helped move hip-hop away from the so-called shiny-suit era that was characterized by flamboyancy and popularized by artists such as Diddy in the late 1990s.

DMX made his first major splash in 1998 with the album Its Dark and Hell Is Hot. Released by Def Jam in May of that year, the album sold over 5 million copies and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, quickly gaining renown for singles like Ruff Ryders Anthem and Hows It Goin Down .

That same year in December, DMX released his second album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, which also debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, making DMX one of the few artists to have two No. 1 albums in one year and putting him in the same company as Led Zeppelin and Tupac Shakur.