DMX’s estate lands win in copyright ownership lawsuit against ex-wife
A judge has rejected claims by DMX‘s ex-wife Tashera Simmons after she alleged that she co-owned his IP rights during their marriage and is entitled to 50 per cent of the generated revenue. Instead, his estate holds the sole ownership of his copyright, trademark and other intellectual property rights.
The decision was made on April 7th. As a result, Simmons’ rights are limited to only a portion of record and music publishing royalties gained by music her ex-husband released throughout their marriage.
According to Digital Music News, Judge David F. Everett wrote, “[The Estate] is the sole owner of all intellectual property rights (including all copyrights and trademark rights) that [DMX] acquired during his marriage to [Simmons], as well as any and all trademarks and intellectual property rights that belonged to [DMX] at the time of his death; except as specifically set forth in five Letters of Direction signed by [DMX].”
He added, “[Simmons] has no income interest and is not otherwise entitled to any monies of any kind generated by or attributed to services rendered by [DMX], and/or to copyrights and trademark rights […] acquired during his marriage to Plaintiff.”
DMX passed away on April 9th, 2021, after losing functionality in his liver, kidneys and lungs. Around a month later, the Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed his cause of death was a heart attack.
Simmons was married to DMX from 1999 to 2014, and they had four children together. During an appearance on the People Every Day podcast, she claimed the rapper wasn’t afraid to die. “I am torn,” she said. “Our children are suffering and trying to get over that ‘not enough time with their dad’ thing; it’s a tough time.
“At the same time… I used to think that this was insensitive to say, but I do believe he is in a better place, just because of the words he left me with. He was never afraid of passing on. And I used to be aggravated with that, but now I understand.”