DMX to pay his baby's mother $1.5 million

NEW YORK, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. rapper DMX has been ordered to pay $1.5 million in damages after the mother of his son sued him for defamation, MTV.com reported.

Maryland native Monique Wayne sued DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, in 2006, claiming defamation, false statements and "unreasonable publicity" about her private life.

The lawsuit stems from an interview Simmons gave to Sister 2 Sister magazine, during which he claimed Wayne raped him as he slept after they met at a Washington, D.C. nightclub in 2003.

Wayne, who gave birth to Simmons' son in 2004, and later won a paternity suit and child support from him, testified in the court hearing Simmons admitted to her he made the rape allegation in an effort to appease his wife, Tashera, MTV.com said.

The judge overseeing the case awarded the plaintiff $518,400 in compensatory damages and $1 million for punitive damages Friday.

Simmons' attorney, Murray Richman, told MTV.com he and his client were unaware the proceeding was scheduled and said they learned of the judgment through the media.

"I don't know how Earl was served," Richman said. "I have no knowledge of this at all, and we have no record of him being served personally."