E.A.R.L: The Autobiography of Dmx by Smokey D. Fontaine and DMX (2003, Paperback, Reprint)

Synopsis
Earl Simmons, better known to the world as post-Tupac gangsta rapper DMX, tells his life story, including the events that led to his coronation as one of the most respected street MCs in Yonkers and later to a succession of dark, violent, misogynistic nationwide rap hits. After a fairly ordinary early childhood he underwent a series of brutal beatings from his mother and her boyfriends, rapidly headed for a more liberated life on the streets, and spent some time in a juvenile correction center, eventually receiving the first in a series of incarcerations after stealing a car. In the manner of jailhouse redemptions throughout history, DMX found a talent for art, in this case rhyme, going on to develop a career as one of the most celebrated gangsta rappers of the late 1990s with a series of hit albums and singles like IT'S DARK & HELL IS HOT and "What These Bitches Want." In his autobiography, E.A.R.L., he comes off as more thoughtful than these titles might suggest, finally arriving at some kind of peace in the epilogue, where, after forgiving his parents for their abandonment and abuse, he realizes that "the Lord has always been taking care of me."

Key Details
Author:	DMX, Smokey D. Fontaine
Language:	English
Publisher:	It Books
Format:	Paperback
ISBN-10:	0060934034
ISBN-13:	9780060934033

Additional Details
Edition Description:	Reprint

Size
Length:	352 pages
Height:	8.8 in
Width:	6 in
Thickness:	1 in
Weight:	17.6 oz

Publisher's Note

The dark journey of a boy who became a man, the man who became an artist, and the artist who became an icon. A talent for rhyme saved his life, but the demons and sins of his past continue to haunt him.

This is the story of Earl Simmons.