DMX Denies Theft Charges

Rapper DMX pleaded not guilty Thursday to two charges of felony theft, Reuters reports.

The rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, appeared in a Phoenix court to plea to one count of identity theft and one count of theft.

The charges are a result of an April visit to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ where Simmons gave his name as "Troy Jones" to allegedly avoid paying for treatment.

But the major story was Simmons treating reporters to an impromptu rap outside the Maricopa County Superior Court.

"If and when you ever fall down, get back up," Simmons began, according to a censored recording on a local radio station's Web site.

"Drop something, stop fretting, pick that . . . back up, stand for something or fall for everything, wait for the right pitch or miss with every swing," Simmons sang.

Simmons, who is scheduled to appear again in court on August 12, has been involved in many legal issues before. He was arrested in May on suspicion of drug possession and animal cruelty, and in 2006 he served two months in jail for his role in a 2004 incident where he smashed his SUV into New York's John F. Kennedy airport after identifying himself as a federal agent.