DMX Album Reviews

Album - 'It's Dark And Hell Is Hot'

Release Date -19/05/1998

DMX has been waiting for his day in the sun for a long time. It's Dark and Hell is Hot is a complex portrait of an MC who's spent the last 15 years thinking long and hard about how to come across on wax, and it shows. From the opening strains of an extended ""Intro,"" employing timpani and glockenspiel for dramatic effect, to his confrontation/deal with the devil in ""Damien,"" to the a capella ""Prayer"" in which DMX seeks redemption before God and everywhere in between, DMX comes like a rap missionary, portraying his personal struggles in rhyme.

DMX is an MC whose time has come. After an ""Unsigned Hype"" column in the Source way back in '91, an aborted record deal with Columbia, a recent string of high-profile guest spots, and a bona fide underground smash in the form of ""Get At Me Dog"" featuring Sheek of The Lox, DMX sets out to show why he's the livest out of a whole bunch of live MCs coming out in '98, including Canibus, Big Pun, and Noreaga. Like Wu-Tang Clan's 36 Chambers, It's Dark and Hell is Hot is raw and mysterious, but in a very different way; where 36 Chambers draws upon '70s kung fu flicks to establish a vibe, DMX's struggle on wax loosely evokes Kurt Russell's Snake Plisken in Escape From New York. But even this comparison falls short of defining the scope of this record.

Lately, the economics of rap have gotten in the way of hip-hop as an art form. DMX takes a refreshing approach to the subject on ""Stop Being Greedy,"" casting himself as a man of the people, pointing out that ""Y'all been eating long enough now stop being greedy/let's keep it real partner, give to the needy/Ribs is touching so don't make me wait/F*** around and I'm a bite you and snatch the plate."" Stopping short of passing judgment, DMX only wants his piece of the pie. What he's gonna do with it is anybody's guess. Chances are, however, whatever DMX does with his newfound prosperity, he's not likely to forget those less fortunate who helped him get to where he is today. From the over-the-top barking on ""Get At Me Dog"" to the stripped- down groove behind ""Crime Story,"" DMX ties all 19 tracks together with a rugged, stoic vibe.

As a dark, moody record that takes you to hell and back, It's Dark and Hell is Hot is a remarkably cohesive record. Rather than a collection of disparate ""tracks,"" It's Dark and Hell is Hot is an album with a message about good and evil from a frustrated man who's lived on the edge.

 

Album - 'Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood'

Release Date -22/12/1998

One of the breakout stars of 1998 hip-hop, DMX wasted little time in following up his US No. 1 album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot with Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. If the quick turnaround seems surprising, maybe it's because DMX's second LP doesn't fall far from the original tree. Key to his formula, DMX has mastered the art of thug-life anthems, following in the dubious footsteps of 2Pac and Noreaga. While his gruff voice and simple delivery help make his songs infectious, they're rarely creative, especially with anaemic beats, redundant subject matter, and his trademark barks. Basically, Flesh of My Flesh is a perfect buy for those who couldn't wait a whole year for another DMX LP, but it won't convert many new listeners.

 

 

Album - 'And Then There Was X'

Release Date -21/12/1998

This is the real moment of truth. Dark Man X escaped the dreaded sophomore slump by recording a second album, Flesh of My Flesh Blood of My Blood, that sounded like an extended version of his multi-platinum debut fireball, It's Dark and Hell is Hot. The similarity of the two albums and the close proximity of their release dates earned X a sophomore number one album in 1998 and the distinction as the only artist to release two number one albums in the same year. Dropping a full year after his second album, …And Then There Was X is not, like Flesh, simply a continuation of his last release. Consider this third album DMX's real sophomore album -- his first completely separate project since his debut effort.

Fear not. With X, DMX avoids the sophomore slump again, handily and deliciously. Now that his underlings, Ruff Ryders, have ridden his gravy train to Platinum City, DMX, less concerned with leading the Ruff Ryders to the financial promised land, is free to discover his own artistic Mecca. Though most established rap cats litter music media with follow-up album promises about as credible as infomercial testimonials (""I stepped the game up!,"" ""I took it to the next level this time!""), DMX actually does progress as an artist here.

X is that rare follow-up album that reveals more dimensions of the artist than the debut. For example, DMX is actually a good storyteller. The charging, chanting ""One More Road to Cross"" paints DMX's vivid heist account: ""I got four people on the inside, one stay in the back/Two stock boys, one at the register but he count the stacks."" The blue ""Here We Go Again"" recounts DMX's reluctance to murder a traitorous associate.

Earl Simmons' last albums cast him in perpetual struggle with the god and devil inside, personified as DMX and Damien, respectively. X grays this black-and-white conflict and we appreciate X's conflicts as more complex than dichotomous: ""I'm gon' make it work, twenty-eight and tryin' to get, baptized… I'ma leave a mark, and it won't be the mark of the devil.""

His images of futility and emptiness are sharp and biting: ""I'm robbin' cats just as broke as myself;"" ""I reached out for love and what came back was thirst ;"" ""why must Earl Simmons, swim in dirt?"" And his staccato shoots over the tracks like a barrage of bullets. The production team, including regulars Swizz Beats and Dame Grease, fashion a full, amped-up soundscape. ""Party Up"" is a bustling club anthem du jour. Grease returns to Hot glory on the posse-cut ""D-X-L"" (check Jadakiss' classic verse). But Ruff Ryders' P. Killer Trackz brewed the best track. ""Make a Move"" is dizzying, elaborate, and marvelously eccentric with its ""Money, Cash, Hoes""-style runaway keyboard.

Flesh ended with his prayer, and so should have X. The two tracks that follow ""Prayer III,"" ""Angel"" and ""Good Girls, Bad Guys,"" are sonically one-dimensional and incongruous with the rest of this great album.

X is indeed DMX's moment of truth. And his hour of glory.

 

Album - 'The Great Depression'

Release Date -21/10/2001

Judging from his history of multi-platinum albums and successful film appearances, it would make more sense if DMX were happy rather than depressed. But then he might not have the same impact on his fans. THE GREAT DEPRESSION is the fourth installment in the story of DMX's life. Produced by various members of the Ruff Ryders crew, including Swizz Beatz and P.K., X's latest fits the Ruff Ryders formula of hardcore rap music with just enough crossover appeal to go pop. "Right Here," the first single, is a mid-tempo anthem for hip-hop heads to ride along with. And songs like "Trina Moe" show off DMX's writing skills, often overlooked amid the fury of his performances. Ironically enough, DMX sounds a lot more joyful than usual on THE GREAT DEPRESSION. The rapper is still as gritty as he was on his debut, only now he has a wealth of experience to share not only with his native Yonkers, but with the world at large.