On Monday, DMX's attorney, Murray Richman, said that he would play the "Party Up" rapper’s hit songs during a trial in Manhattan on Thursday so that U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff could view him in a different light, Pigeons and Planes reports.
In November, DMX (born Earl Simmions), pleaded guilty to tax fraud for failing to pay $1.7 million in taxes for income he earned between 2002-2005. "I failed to file taxes," he said during his trial in December. "I'm responsible, even placing other people in charge of it."
Richman believes that playing the song will allow DMX to better communicate and will show his true emotions. Richman said the songs will help Judge Rakoff “understand him genuinely in his voice.” He plans to play the songs "Slippin'" and "The Convo."
Richman said, “It is raw Earl, and we are not here or desirous of molding him into what some may want to see; Earl is uniquely him and that is both his beauty of mind and his genius.”
DMX, 47, has been in jail since his bail was revoked in January. Richman hopes the compositions will convince the judge to give DMX a different type of sentencing.
Instead of more prison time, DMX's attorney is fighting for a 60-day study of DMX's behavior by consultants. This process will allow DMX to be seen as rehabilitated, which would allow him to start working again so that he can pay back the $1.7 million in taxes.
However, prosecutors are not stanning for the plan. They are seeking a five-year prison sentence. Their goal is to use DMX as an example.
Prosecutors said that they want Judge Rakoff to "send the message to this defendant and others that star power does not entitle someone to a free pass."