-FLESH OF MY FLESH BLOOD OF MY BLOOD-

DMX'S 2ND ALBUM

RELEASED-December 1998
INFO- The second release from DMX in 1998.  He works fast, but the reason this album is coming out is because Def Jam is being bought out so there doing a No Limit style release schedule.  It has appearances by Jay-Z, Lox, Drag-On, Mary J Blige, Swizz Beats, and even Marylin Manson
SOLD-2 times platinum (2,000,000+ copies)

TRACKS-

1. My Niggas Skit
2. Bring Your Whole Crew
3. Pac Man Skit
4. Ain't No Way
5. We Don't Give a Fuck
6. Keep Your Shit The Hardest
7. Coming From feat Mary J Blige
8. It's All Good
9. The Omen feat Marylin Manson
10. Slippin'
11. No Love For Me feat Swizz Beats & Drag-On
12. Dogs For Life
13. Blackout feat the Lox and Jay-Z
14. Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood
15. Heat
16. Ready To Meet Him

Reviewer's Quotes:

"DMX...shines, delivering a deep, intimate record that sounds like it was written in a confession booth..."
Rolling Stone  2/4/99, p.61

"...marks DMX's official canonization as a ghetto saint, who has made it loud and clear that the masses' pain becomes his pain..."
The Source  3/99, p.212

-IT'S DARK AND HELL IS HOT-

DMX'S 1ST ALBUM

RELEASED-May 1998
INFO-The much anticipated album from Dark Man X, released in May this album knocked Garth brooks out of the #1 spot.  People loved his sounds when he was first recognized on Mase's "Harlem World."  This album was dedicated to DMX's grandmother and sold almost 3 million copies.
SOLD: 3 times platinum (3,000,000+ copies)

TRACKS-
1. Intro
2. Ruff Ryders Anthem
3. Fuckin Wit D'
4. The Storm (skit)
5. Look Thru My Eyes
6. Get At Me Dog (feat. Sheek)
7. Let Me Fly
8. X-Is Coming
9. Damien
10. How's It Goin' Down
11. Mickey (skit)
12. Crime Story
13. Stop Being Greedy
14. ATF
15. For My Dogs (Feat. Big Stan, Loose, Kasino, and Drag-On)
16. I Can Feel It
17. Prayer (skit)
18. The Convo
19. Niggaz Done Started Something (feat. The Lox and Mase)

Reviewers Quotes:

6 (out of 10) - "...a psychotic concept album that celebrates bloody style over creative substance....DMX never shares a worldview not seen from the inside of a prison or from behind a blue-steel trigger..."
Spin  8/98, p.143

4 Mics (out of 5) - "...DMX raps as if he's about to explode....IT'S DARK AND HELL IS HOT is a mind-gripping opus that fully encompasses the appeal of one of rap's newest sensations..."
The Source  7/98, p.151

-Ryde or Die-

Ruff Ryders Compilation #1

Released- April 27th, 1999
Info- The Ruff Ryders have come together to form one super record, this has to be one of the hottest records in rap history.  And it comes all better with guest appearances by Jay-Z, Jermaine Dupri, Ma$e, Juvenile, Big Pun and more. It debuted at #1 then fell for the next couple of weeks

Tracks-

1. Ryde or Die (Ruff Ryders)
2. Down Bottem (Drag-On, Juvenile)
3. What Ya Want (Eve, Nokio)
4. Jigga my Nigga (Jay-z)
5. Talkin Money (skit)
6. Dope $ (The Lox)
7. I'm a Ruff Ryder (Parle)
8. Bug Out (DMX)
9. Kiss of Death (Jadakiss)
10. The Hood (Beanie Seigel, Mysonne, Drag-On, Inf Red, NuChild, and Jadakiss)
11. Platinum Plus (JD, Ma$e, Cross)
12. Buff Ryder (skit, Eve)
13. Do that shit (Eve)
14. Pina Colada (Sheek, Big Pun)
15. Some X Shit (DMX)

3 Stars (out of 5) - "...features various crew members, plus a police lineup of hip-hop's most wanted - Jay Z...Big Pun and Juvenile - pounding their chests and belting out a barrage of black-fingernailed threats and phallus-grabbing call and response..."
Rolling Stone 5/27/99, pp.62-63

My Review