DMX allegedly arrived late for a 9:30 performance, while others maintained he was on time for an 11 p.m. slot. Either way, Earl Simmons (DMX) was told by security guards he was late and would not take the stage. The confrontation was recorded on amateur video. At one point he was threatened with arrest if he tried to perform.

“[Arrest me] for what?” asked Simmons, who recently served jail time. “You ain’t no police. I’ve been paid to perform.”

The next piece of video shows Simmons and members of his entourage scuffling with security in front of the room, allegedly as he tried to take the stage. The scuffle was diagnosed as a “riot” by the media.

“I don’t even know if ‘clash’ is the right word to describe the scuffle with security officers,” Colorado Springs Police Department spokesman David Whitlock told MTV News. “It was a minor dispute between the security guards and Mr. Simmons, and our officers never had any contact with Mr. Simmons. It was hardly a riot.”
No officers were involved in the incident and no one was arrested, Whitlock said.

J. Baldrick of record label Dirty Limelight / Hustle Hard took to the Internet to claim DMX was actually told to wait until 11 p.m. by promoter Soulclay Entertainment, and claims the promotion company had paid DMX only about half of his performance fee. The accusation that DMX arrived late and was not permitted to perform was a ploy by the promoters to avoid paying the balance, Baldrick claimed.

The show drew a reported 500 people to the 14,000-capacity building, with half the room papered, according to MTV News. It was a charity event for local nonprofit American Charities, but a spokesman told MTV the emergency food pantry and clothing center does not expect to see a dime.

“The rider called for [DMX] to perform from 9-10 p.m.,” American Charities’ Keith Courlas told MTV. “The last time we had a rap show in Colorado Springs, it was a band called E-40 and there were a lot of fights and a stabbing in the parking lot, so security, sound and everyone were concerned about the safety of the DMX show.

“So, our commitment was that the show would end no later than 11 p.m. and that we would try to have everyone out by 10:30.”

According to X’s manager, Nakia Walker, the promoter approached the rapper’s DJ at soundcheck and suggested an 11 p.m. time slot.

“[His road manager] said that was fine and she called me because the promoter had said they have permits that say they had to close at a certain time, but if that’s what he’s saying, that’s fine,” Walker told MTV. “X is a different man now, and in the past he would have gotten angry and blown up, but he gets out and sees people leaving and sees them angry and he starts a prayer in the parking lot to get them calmed down.”

The crowd then followed Simmons back into the building, Walker said.

DMX’s publicist, although suffering some cuts bruises in the scuffle, did not have a concussion, she told MTV.

Click here for the MTV News report.