Iconic rapper and actor, Earl ‘DMX‘ Simmons, sadly passed away on the 9th of April 2021. The rapper was a huge influence on hip hop especially in the late 90’s to the early 2000’s.
DMX’s aggressive gritty style of rapping won over a lot of fans who were glad to hear a deviation from the usual floss/bragging style of rap that had come to dominate the hip hop scene in the late 90’s.
Sadly, DMX was planning a comeback to the music scene this summer with a new album.
“This [next album], I have more features. [There are] more artists than I’ve ever had on any of my albums.” X added “I gotta say: Swizz did his thing; I love him to death, man. I appreciate the confidence that he had in [and] with me and the dedication that he’s given to this project. It’s a blessing to have people that love you and f*ck with you, for real.”
Like a couple other rappers who passed on, DMX’s album will be posthumously released.
So, now let’s delve into the person of the man behind the music, and see things not everybody knew about the late Emcee.
Early life
DMX never wanted to be a rapper. The rapper had dreamt of becoming a fireman from childhood.
DMX with his dogs
The rapper’s special liking for dogs and signature dog-like growling in his music came from an experience early in life. X had stolen a dog and run away from home with it, they both spent the night on a rooftop and on waking up, X heard the dog growling at a stranger protecting DMX. This lead X to the conclusion that only God and a Dog could have unconditional love and he didn’t think it was a coincidence that they were the same word flipped backwards.
Career
DMX started out as a beat-boxer.
DMX throwing up an X
The name DMX was gotten from the Drum Machine, (DM),
The rapper had been signed to Def jam and it would interest you to know he had gone to the Def jam audition with a broken jaw that was wired shut but still made it through.
Diddy passed on signing DMX to Bad Boy Records. Diddy felt the rapper wasn’t marketable because he felt his voice was too rough.
DMX in his first year as a mainstream act put out 2 albums, a remarkable feat at the time.
DMX’s second studio album, Flesh of my Flesh, Blood of my Blood, was a bet. Def jam chief exec had made a wager with X, to give a million dollars to X if he could produce an album in 30 days. He wrote and recorded 7 songs in one day!
DMX second studio album Flesh of my flesh Blood of my Blood
It would yet surprise you to know that DMX never wanted to do RUFF RYDERS anthem, his biggest career song. DMX had felt it was too soft and it wasn’t until he lost a bet to swizz beats that X agreed to do the song.
DMX starred in a number of Hollywood flicks, most popular would be Romeo must die with Jet Li and Aaliyah.
Top 10 songs
Ruff Ryders Anthem
X is coming
What these bi**ches want ft. sisqo
Damien
slippin’
where the hood at?
Here we go again
One more road to cross
Party up
Who we be
