Here We Go Again; Rapper DMX faces five years in jail

Rapper DMX , whose real name is Earl Simmons, agreed Thursday to plead guilty to a single count of evading taxes instead of going to trial on the 14 counts he was charged with, officials said.

The compromise reduces Simmons possible time in jail from 43 to five years in jail, based on sentencing guidelines.

Prosecutors had charged the “Ruff Ryders Anthem” performer with a “multi-year scheme to conceal millions of dollars” from the IRS for his alleged failure to file personal tax returns for several years.

DMX sold millions of records between 2002 and 2005, enough to amass a $1.7 million tax bill.

“By insisting to be paid in cash whenever possible and having royalty payments diverted to the accounts of financial surrogates, Simmons concealed hundreds of thousands of dollars of income from the IRS,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said in a statement.

Kim even sat in the back of the courtroom for a portion of the proceeding.

Simmons faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, he is also required to pay restitution to the IRS.

Sentencing was scheduled for March 29.