DMX Forced To Sell House After Yet Another Arrest

06/26/08 5:30pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

DMX never seems to get out of the doghouse, and he's in there again. He's being forced to auction off his New York townhouse as part of a long-running breach of contract suit with a dog clothing company.

The rapper's $1 million U.S. townhouse on Fifth Avenue in New York's Harlem district will be auctioned off on Aug. 13. DMX (real name Earl Simmons) has never lived in the house, but has owned it since 2001. He intended to convert it into several rental apartments, but never got the go-ahead. Any money from the house auction will go towards paying off the $281,000 DMX was ordered to pay as part of a 2004 breach of contract suit. He hasn't paid the amount yet.

Amusing Diversions sued DMX for breach of contract after he wouldn't appear in commercials for its Boomer 129 dog clothing line. The company approached the trouble-prone hip-hop star after they saw a public service announcement that he was ordered to appear in after pleading guilty to animal cruelty in 2002.

DMX transferred the property deed for the townhouse to an entity owned by his wife, Tashera Simmons, in 2006. Amusing Diversions got a court order on June 9 that said the transfer was fraudulent, which prompted the auction.

DMX was arrested on Monday afternoon for driving without a valid license, a month after he was arrested for driving his 1966 Chevy Nova II (which has a large DMX decal in the window) at speeds of more than 114 miles per hour (about 183 kilometres per hour) on an Arizona highway with a speed limit of 65 miles per hour (about 105 kilometres per hour). He was charged with criminal speeding, public endangerment, reckless driving and driving on a suspended license.

DMX is also in trouble for animal cruelty again. DMX was arrested at his Arizona home last month in Arizona following a seven-month investigation that began last August after police discovered drug paraphernalia, weapons, 12 apparently malnourished dogs and the remains of three dogs buried in the backyard. Police allegedly found neglected pit bulls, drugs and weapons at his home during a return visit last month. He was charged with animal cruelty and drug possession and has pleaded not guilty.