DMX’s Former Wife Loses Legal Fight Over Late Rapper’s Music Rights

Roughly four years to the day after his death, DMX’s former wife Tashera Simmons just lost a legal fight with his estate over ownership of the late rapper’s music.

Tashera filed a lawsuit in 2024, seeking to claim a 50 percent stake in DMX’s catalog of music, as well as other intellectual property, by arguing that language in their 2016 divorce agreement left room for her to do so. Now, Hot New Hip-Hop reports that a judge has ruled she is not entitled to this claim as the document “does not confer ownership.”

A Judge Ruled that DMX’s Estate is the “Sole Owner” of the late rapper’s music

“The estate is the sole owner of all intellectual property rights [that] Earl Simmons acquired during his marriage to plaintiff,” Judge David F. Everett wrote in his ruling, “as well as any and all other trademarks and intellectual property rights that belonged to Earl Simmons at the time of his death.”

DMX and Tashera’s divorce settlement did mention “intellectual property,” but before his death the “Party Up” rapper was adamant that this referred only to royalty payments. “Under the circumstances of this case, the court will not, in effect, reopen those proceedings to reinterpret the parties’ 2016 settlement agreement,” Everett continued, “particularly where the party best positioned to contest a contrary interpretation is now deceased.”

Tashera Simmons Will be allowed to continue her legal fight over child support

While she did not win this battle, Tashera did land a court victory this week. Judge Everett ruled against DMX estate on a request to dismiss Tashera’s claim that the rapper owed her $214,000 in child support. The judge stated that it would be “premature” to do so.

DMX and Tashera Simmons married in 1999 and divorced in 2014, but they were together for many years before they married. The couple shares four children: Xavier (born 1992), Tacoma (born 1999), Sean (born 2002), and Praise Mary Ella (born 2005).

Sadly, DMX died in 2021, at the age of 50. He’d been rushed unresponsive to the hospital on April 2, after an apparent drug overdose, and remained in a coma for a week until his passing. His cause of death was ruled a heart attack.