A New York judge has rejected Tashera Simmons’ legal claim to a portion of her late ex-husband DMX’s music catalog and intellectual property.
Get this: Judge David F. Everett’s April 7 ruling determined that the rapper’s estate retains full control over his creative works, trademarks, and likeness.
Looking back, Simmons, married to DMX (legal name Earl Simmons) from 1999 until their 2016 divorce, had sought half ownership of his music rights. However, the court found their divorce settlement did not establish shared ownership of intellectual property, only royalty payments. Judge Everett noted Simmons previously waived her right to challenge the estate in earlier legal proceedings.
“This decision disregards established legal principles and unfairly impacts Ms. Simmons and her children,” her legal team stated. “We maintain the court misinterpreted the agreement and overlooked evidence of both parties’ intentions.”
Moreover, while denied control of DMX’s creative assets, Simmons secured a financial victory. The court confirmed the late rapper owed $214,000 in unpaid child support at the time of his 2021 passing.
DMX’s estate, managed by former fiancée Desiree Lindstrom and daughter Sasha Simmons, welcomed the ruling as protective of the artist’s legacy. Legal representatives indicate Simmons is considering an appeal of the intellectual property decision.