NEW YORK – The protracted legal battle over the estate of late hip-hop icon DMX has reached a decisive end, with a judge ruling against his ex-wife, Tashera Simmons, in her bid to claim half of his music rights and intellectual property.
The dispute centred on Simmons’ claim that a 2016 divorce settlement entitled her to 50% of DMX’s copyrighted works and trademarks. However, the court rejected her argument, stating that the agreement contained no explicit language assigning ownership of the rapper’s intellectual property.
“The 2016 settlement agreement does not unequivocally assign ownership of the decedent’s copyrighted works or trademark and, indeed, makes no mention of ownership or title to such property,” the judge declared. “The plaintiff has no income interest and is not otherwise entitled to any monies of any kind generated by or attributable to services rendered by Earl Simmons.”
The court confirmed that DMX’s estate remains the sole owner of all trademarks and copyrights tied to his name and music, including those created during his marriage to Simmons. The judge clarified that references in the divorce documents pertained only to royalty payments and not actual ownership.
Another aspect of the case involved five Letters of Direction signed by DMX before his death, which allocated a portion of royalties from specific recordings made between 1998 and 2013 to Tashera Simmons. The court ruled that these letters did not grant her any legal claim to ownership.
“The plaintiff has no approval rights or any other rights incident to any alleged ownership in connection with any intellectual property owned by Earl Simmons, irrespective of when such rights were obtained,” the court concluded.
DMX, born Earl Simmons, died in 2021 at the age of 50 following a heart attack induced by a drug overdose. He left behind 15 children and no will, triggering a complex legal scramble among family members and associates over control of his estate, estimated to generate $17.7 million in future music royalties.
Initially, his sons with Tashera—Xavier, Tacoma, and Sean Simmons—were appointed temporary administrators, but were later suspended due to allegations of mismanagement. The estate is currently overseen by Sasha Simmons and Desiree Lindstrom, the mother of DMX’s youngest son, Exodus. Lindstrom’s petition to be legally recognised as his common-law wife was also dismissed.
This ruling effectively closes Tashera Simmons’ efforts to secure ownership of DMX’s legacy, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing saga surrounding the estate of one of hip-hop’s most enduring and influential voices.
Source: AllHipHop
