1. Intro
We start off with a short little track. The beat is pretty basic, some lifeless horns added in. DMX is pretty awful here….like really awful. With lines like “I’d be on your dick if my name was no *****….ever”, and then does some little song about Bill Bixby. This was not very good….at all. Wack

2. We In Here(Feat Swizz Beats)
Much better than the intro. Nice heavy horns here with sirens added. DMX raps with the energy that made him famous. The chorus is simple with Swizz doing it. This is pretty good, and reminds me of the beginning of “Grand Champ”. Let us hope that it doesn’t fizzle out. Good track. Good

3. I Run Shit(Feat Big Stan)
Heavy techno type beat here with a lame synth that kicks in every so often. Yea, it’s a Swizz Beats beat, who would’ve guessed? Well, DMX does a good job with the flow, but he’s not saying anything of note. It’s pretty obvious DMX has lost a lot of his hunger for rap, but you can’t fault his flow. The chorus is constant “I RUN SHIT HERE” repeated over & over. It’s way too simple, and quite corny. Big Stan is not that good, but he’s tolerable. It’s weird to hear a rapper who raps in a semi calm matter after hearing DMX spazz all over the track. This was average stuff. Average

4. Come Thru(Move)(Feat Busta Rhymes)
Bad party beat by Swizz. Wow, this is sloppy, and sounds like two robots wrestling. DMX atleast tries, but this beat is death in music form. No one is going to shine on this tripe. Busta’s on the track, but again, who cares? Why can’t these 2 rap over a good beat? Wack stuff. Wack

5. It’s Personal(Feat Styles P & Jadakiss)
Pretty good beat here, it’s hard to describe, but it’s banging. Nice bass on the track. Everyone comes correct here. See, these are the type of tracks that DMX should rap over, also, nice dark piano beats are a good atmosphere for DMX. Good track. Good

6. Baby Motha
Decent slower synth-ish type beat by Swizz, it also has a soul touch. DMX raps about his……of course “Baby Motha”, and how sometimes she can annoy him, and he doesn’t like her, but he has a kid. I like this track. Good

7. Dog Love(Feat Janyce & Amerie)
Lame sappy type beat. This is a radio friendly type track that has been heard a million times in different form. DMX talks about being a street guy, but this girl makes him a total sappy guy, but then talks about shooting someone. This track is sort of weird. It’s well done, but the lyrics are way too bi-polar for my taste. Good enough. Good

8. Wrong Or Right(I’m Tired)(Feat Bzr Royale)
So that’s why DMX has been unmotivated for all these years! He’s just tired! Bzr is a horrible singer. It’s like I’m listening to some loser on Soundclick try to sing over a heavy guitar style beat. DMX does a great job though. These type of heavy bouncy guitar beats fit X really well. Besides this Bzr guy, it’s a good track. Good

9. Give Em What They Want
Constant “Give Em What They Want” sayings in the beginning. That’s a real turn off. Scott Storch beat here, and it’s decent enough, it has an Asian feel to it. The chorus is the same as the beginning, and it’s terrible. DMX does a good job actually. Atleast he kept his crazy type flow, even though his lyrics have become terrible. Besides the chorus, this was actually pretty good. Average(Yes, the chorus is THAT bad)

10. Walk These Dogs(Feat Kashmir)
Good 70’s style beat by Dame Grease, it has a nice bounce and a good mixture of heavy sounds. DMX does a good job here, and Kashmir is a decent female rapper. She’s sort of like Eve-lite, but she doesn’t ruin the track or anything. Good track. Good

11. Blown Away(Feat Jinx & Janyce)
Decent slower type beat, it’s sort of sappy, but it fits X’s voice. DMX talks about growing up, & going to jail. Oh, and nice saxophone’s that kick in. I dig the chorus with Janyce singing. Say what you will about him, but X drags you into these type of tracks. The guy really should be a pastor, because he has so much charisma. Yea, this track is pretty good. Good

12. Goodbye
Really good piano beat here. This track is about all those who died. DMX sings, it’s not that good, but it fits the track. DMX raps about reaching the youth, and about his friend who died of cancer. Really emotional track, and it’s pretty good. Good

13. Life Be My Song
Dame Grease sings a relaxed type beat. It’s pretty good. DMX raps about street life, & surviving. It’s pretty good, and DMX is still one of the most emotional rappers in the game. Pretty good track. Good

14. The Prayer VI
Self explanitory.

15. Lord Give Me A Sign
Pretty good electric guitar type beat by Scott Storch, it also has an eerie feel to it. DMX does a prayer in the beginning, and raps about not letting the devil get to him. I like the singing by DMX in the chorus, because this track isn’t really about singing well, it’s about emotion, and X is great at displaying it. Really good way to end this track. Good

All in all, this gets a Good rating. I don’t know why people ragged on this album. Were there bad tracks? yea, but were there good ones? Yes, and the good outweighed the bad. DMX still gives you 100% here, and even though his lyrics are slipping, it’s his emotion that makes this album good. Cop it if you’re a DMX fan.

This was DMX’s second release following his great debut It’s dark and hell is hot. Again he paints dark pictures due to his rough upbringing from Yonkers, New York.

 

1. My Niggas Skit 

DMX begins the album with shouting out about his “Niggas”. A beat starts which is very electronic and X does this little rhyme about his Niggas and what he and they would do for each other and what they wouldn’t do. The beat isn’t my type of beat. JUST AN INTRO/SKIT!

2. Bring your whole crew

The beat is good on this one, it a nice one it has that typical Ruff ryders sound which is nice you know the rapid uptempo beat normally used by X and some of the other Ruff Ryders, I especially like the bass. DMX starts of on fire here with dark lyrics such as “I got blood on my hands and there’s no remorse/I got blood on my dick coz I *****ed a corpse” one of my favourite lines from X. In all its threats and what x could have done to you. The hook is nice and quite additive but Very very simple. In all don’t ***** with X!!! The beat lets it down from being the gem I could be.

3. Pac Man Skit

JUST A SKIT! Some “fake ass nigga” I suppose trying to hang with some “real niggas” and gets shot. Very lame skit.

4. Ain’t No Way

The beat is nice but isn’t better than the one before (number 2). It has that Ruff ryders feel which gets you hyped for shit with guitar loops. The lyrics are his typical stuff. The hook is nice.

5. We Don’t Give A *****

This is better than the last two songs in my opinion. The beat is a nice one with synthesizers which gives this is dark feel in my opinion. The hook I nice and is a typical “thought you was my dog but you a *****” which is over played in hip hop but is nicely delivered by Lox member Jadakiss. X spits about some backstabber while spitting his dark lyrics to sort if out. Styles P delivers a nice verse maybe a better one than X.

6. Keep your shit the hardest

The beat is pretty bad on this one I don’t really like it that much but the lyrics make it up. The beat is a very uptempo one which is the typical Swizz beat beat so I wernt expecting much because he doesn’t make Great beats more than half the time. It’s bearable. The lyrics are about keeping it real and DMX spits nice and I really like his first one. The hook is pretty simple and isn’t the best one from X.

7. Coming from Feat Mary J Blige

This really starts to pick up a very dope beat! The beat is made up of a really odd sounding piano, it sounds too sharp and sounds freaky and Mary gives it a more eerie feel. DMX spits about his life and what his gone through, you know the typical rapper bragging. A very dope beat in all.

8. It’s all good

Arhh A *****es song which I don’t like in hip-hop its so played out now days. The beat is alright which has a nice baseline and the beat is quite catchy and nicely organized. The hook is alright. Unlike on It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot the beat is really quite dope and holds it above average this isn’t catchy enough. Weakest song on the album in my opinion.

9. The Omen

To begin with you hear a women crying over her about to lose someone and she can hear death coming and then you hear a flatline and a scream. The beat starts to slowly starts to rise and its pretty eerie and dark which I love! Then they start rapping. Who? DMX and Damien, That’s who! The thing is a success on his last album and it’s bigger this time. They talk about their *****ed up relationship and in most places you really hear the devil coming out in Damien’s voice with Random outburst. Also DMX supplies us with of Irony saying “With you I know the devil can’t win”. The Hook is supplied by Marilyn Manson Which is dope but the same as the last one. This is dope in all

10. Slippin’

Alright this is one of X’s biggest and most loved songs and you can see why. A nice calm slow beat which is really relaxing from his adrenaline pumped aggressive songs .Lyrics are dope but one flaw. Why the hell is it Edited????? On my cover it says Parental Advisory Explicit Content yet no swear words?? That’s the only thing wrong with this track as the “Woo” and “Arhh” things that DMX does on his unexplicit songs. The lyrics are deep and meaningful abouthis upbringing which sounds rough yet his optimistic.

11. No love 4 Me Feat Swizz Beats + Drag-On

To begin with DMX spits that little thing he always does over a rapid guitar which sounds incredibly hard to keep up with but all 2 does it nicely. It obvious it is a swizz beat creation. The hook is alright sounds like another and any other DMX hook which is delivered by DMX. Lyrics are about how much love they don’t have and all that stuff if you couldn’t tell. Average song in my opinion

12. Dogs for Life

To begin with there is a skit which I don’t like it always should be at the end, a number of there own or not on at all. The beat is pretty good I like the bass def and the pianos. The lyrics are about the love he has for his dawgs and compares them to the animal. The hook is nice.

13. Blackout Feat. Jay-z The LOX

Alright this has the LOX on and like the last album song Niggaz gone startin something they come up real nice they really come up average. This si a battle/gun rap type of sound where they brag about stuff they can do to you. Jay-z comes off even worse when he starts bragging about possessions. DMX is easily the bet on this. The lyric bring down the good beat. No hook just verses.

14. Flesh Of My Flesh Blood Of My Blood

The beat has the typical Swizz beat but its real dope especially at the hook which is nice and the outro which is nicer. DMX spits dark matter also some bragging about his selling record. Nice song no big cons

15. Heat

The hook is pretty weird but I like it. The beat is rapid as you could tell it is a Swizz Beat beat. It a dark storytelling track were he does some robbery or something like that which is dope. You can really tell DMX is ruthless with the lyrics he is using and you can see his style.

16. Ready to meet him

A very long Prayer skit to begin but the wait is worth with a dope beat with the guitar loops and the singing echoing in the background. Like the convo in his last one where he spits to god and he answers his questions but god this time asks DMX what he learnt like a switch in roles. The hook is dope. What a way to end this pretty dope CD!

 

In all this gets a 4/5 out of 5 and is his 2nd best Cd after It’s dark and Hell is Hot.
This album was a great thing to listen to from back to end. In both lyrical and Beat wise there are some dope songs and some really average songs, not due to overall but either the beat was dope and the lyrics were wack or average or vice versa. DMX is one of the 1st artist’s ever checked out and he still remains one of them after about 1- 2 years of experimenting with all type of different styles. He may not be the greatest lyricists with punchlines, wordplay ETC but his entertaining, he can spit good rhymes, has a style of his own, bring up new topics and normally good beats behind him which he helps bring them alive with his raps.
Recommendation: I would def buy this album if you like DMX or if its cheap or many other reasons you may buy it. If you want his best or a first time buyer then buy his debut. If you got both I def recommend And then there was X which is also a 4/5. Grand champ I would recommend if you like DMX 3.5/5 and The great Depression if you own all of them and you like X which I would rate his lowest but yet its god but average at a 3/5 rating.

I’ve decided to review this album as this was the first whole album I really enjoyed. I got this from a copy of a mate when I was noticing the favourite genre of music was Hip-hop. In 1997, DMX emerged from Yonkers painting Dark and powerful pictures with this Gem of a debut It’s Dark and Hell is hot. Lately I have been reviewing without single song ratings but I have decided to do it with this one as this one deserves it.

 

1. Intro (5/5)

This is a great way to begin the album. To begin DMX is talking to someone talking about the Ruff Ryders, then the Bell hits then the drums slowy begin which are very nice. The whole beat is very dark and quite eerie,and I don’t normally say it but Irv Gotti came up good on this one. DMX Flows real nice and DMX spits about his takeover really with Dark lyrics.

2. Ruff Ryders Anthem (4/5)

This is good. It’s not my favourite but its still quite good. I don’t like this as much as the live version on the end of my CD for some reason. The beat is pretty simple but is effective I feel. Not the greatest beat but its by Swizz Beats so I wouldn’t be execting top notch. The lyrics are really what the Ruff Ryders are like and represents them. DMX’s flow is nice with his multi flow. The lyrics are good. The hook is pretty basic but does the job.

3. *****in’ With D (4/5)

This is good. The beat is pretty good I really like the bass. Not much to say on the beat for this one except it’s pretty good and a bit simple. The lyrics are pretty much about *****ing with him is the wrong thing to do.

4. The Storm (Skit)

There these two people and they talking about X and denying his skill. Just an intro to the next song.

5.Look Thru My Eyes (5/5)

This is dope. The beat is very dope, I especially like the piano. The whole beat in all is a slower more dark track and dope in total. X’s lyrics are about judging, street stories all about seeing things through his eyes. He flows well and shouts out most but he can pull it off. The hok is very catchy In all, very dope.

6. Get at me dog Ft Sheek (4/5)

The beat is good. I can’t really explain the beat but its good. Dmx makes threats and tells stories so it’s typical X stuff. The hook is alright which is delivered by Sheek. Flows well as well.

7.Let me fly (5/5)

The beat on this is very dark made with especially dark synthesisers. X raps about violence and pain. The hook is very good almost sounds like X is depressed but it is also very catchy.

8. X is coming (5/5)

To begin with a kid starts signing Freddie’s chant with one or two of the lyrics is changed. This is the hook as well. The lyrics are very dark and I’m still laughing (an evil type of humour) yet shocked at the lines his spits especially the 2nd verse. I feel he used the freddy chant due to him being like a nightmare. The beat is very dark and makes this song very dope.

9. Damien (5/5)

This is very dope!!!!! Over a dark beat which I can’t really describe except dope and dark he spits about this “friend” he has met called Damien. Damien doesn’t exist I feel hi just the dark side of X telling him to do stuff to please him to be his “nigga”. Quite a storytelling track. This is very dope and this type of song appears on every X album. This is why X has gone to 1st with all his albums.

10.Hows it Goin’ Down (3/5)

Urgh a for the females type of song. These are the worse type of songs in history of rap music IMO and that means not a lot of people can pull this off. X does not do this IMO. The beat is pretty good especially for this type of track. To begin with it has this long skit which I use to skip because it was so long I thought this was a skit. From what I was expecting to come from DMX when females where put into his songs. I was expecting very dark mistreating women type of stuff. Meh it could be worse he could go on about what his going to be doing to satisfy them with dirty puns and metaphors like Cam’ron.

11. Mickey (skit)

I laughed at this skit does this make me evil??? Just a skit

12.Crime story (3/5)

This beat is really quite boring and doesn’t really fit the topic matter. The topic matter is very dark and hectic and the beat is really mellow made up from bongos and drums. No wonder why it’s a Irv Gotti beat, he only ever makes good beats once and a while! This is a storytelling track where x spits about him killing some cops and them hunting him down and what his pressured to doing. The bit where he says he act as a girl is hilarious. In all the lyrics are dope and the beat is very boring.

13. Stop being greedy (5/5)

DOPE!!!! DOPE!!!! AND DOPE!!!!! This might aswell be my favourite X song ever released! Over a very dark uptempo beat made up for violins and organs, DMX spits about the struggle and ho the other ones are being greedy. X spits dope stuff! He really flows well.

14. ATF (4/5)

This dope but way to short it doesn’t get the full 5. It’s like Crime story in the way he is trying to escape from the police but this time he really is pressured in this one and the beat fits this song perfectly with the furious violins almost reflecting on X’s feelings. Shame this beat is way too short.

15.This is for my dogs (4/5)

The typical rap song now days. All about loyalty and how they ride for each other. The beat is nice and all of them spit good stuff. Not much to say except good.

16. I can feel it (5/5)

I love this song. The song has a mellow feel sampling Phil Collins for the hook. X spits about his life and what has made him. The lyrics in all are pretty dope. I’m a big Phil Collins fan and this maybe whyi give this the 5.

17. Prayer

Like on most DMX releases like a Damien song there is a Prayer. X is really religious and you can see why x does this then. Deep stuff displayed on this song.

18. The Convo (4/5)

This is a song which a lot of rappers do where they talk to God. X spits about his fate and his past and how god *****ed him though it yet his still grateful. At the end the topic gets all good by thanking god for positive things. The beat is pretty slow which restricted him from getting the full 5.

19. Niggaz Done Started Something Ft LOX + Ma$e (4/5)

This is pretty good way to end the album unless you have the Germany Extra track one like me. This is with the Lox and Ma$e and they deliver some good verses. The beat isn’t the beast it could be but does the job. X I feel delivers the best verse and Ma4e takes second. The lyrics are about how if you want money you should be prepared to take on haters and how they deal with them.

20.Ruff Ryders Anthem Live (Germany Extra Track) (5/5)

This is audio of a live performance of the Anthem and I like it better than the original one due to the Liveness adds a point o it if that makes sence.

 

In All this album gets a 4.5/5

This album falls half a mark even tho more than half the album is filled with %’s there are two 3/5 tracks and I feel to get a five you need more than half the album 5/5 and the rest 4. The lyrics are dope and is X at his best! The production is dark and dope and fits X’s lyrical matter prefect. This was the first whole Cd I heard and lit the flame for Hip-hop so I felt it had to be reviewed. This album did news things with hip-hop and you can see why all of X’s came first in the billboard charts.

Recommendation: BUY THIS!!! This is X’s best CD. The rest are pretty tight as wel with Flesh of my flesh blood of my blood getting a 4 from me, And then there was X getting about a 4 (not sure haven’t really listened to that one to review it probably.) The great depression which gets a 3 from me and Grand champ which is 3.5.

DMX returns with his fifth and possibly final album. After three stellar albums, X left much to be desired with his fourth, the Great Depression. With his fifth, he proclaims to be the five time champ of the rap game. Can he go out the way he came in?

 

1. Dog Intro – Production: Darryl Trotter 

Starts with a Samuel L Jackson clip from the movie “The Negotiator” proclaiming again his love for the canine breed. Over a piano beat, X spits slowly and laid back, decent track showing the darker side of DMX.

2. My Life ft. Chingy – Production: Dart La

Production in this track is much harder but still deep. The track is a look into the life of Earl Simmons. The idea is good but the chorus is too much coming in after every single line DMX spits out. But his words are there and you can feel his pain.

3. Where Da Hood At? – Production: Tuneheadz 

A classic DMX anthem track for the streets and the first single off the album. This track should be banging millions of speakers around the globe. X proclaims his love for the streets again, “I am the streets”. Everything you could expect from a classic DMX track. Some subliminal disses towards Ja Rule. One of the album’s best, one of DMX’s best tracks ever.

4. Dogs Out – Production: Kayne West 

Another track reminiscent of the DMX of 1999. The production is again some good shit laid out by Kayne West and fits DMX’s style well. The chorus is annoying but at the same time catchy with the classic X barking.

5. Get It On The Floor ft. Swizz Beats – Production: Swizz Beats 

The old duo of X and Swizz reunite which should be a good sign, but the feel of the track is very Southern and doesn’t suit DMX very well during the chorus, but the verses deliver. Decent track.

6. Come Prepared (Skit) 

A skit of someone getting their ass kicked and shot.

7. Shot Down ft. 50 Cent, Styles P – Production: Salaam Wreck

Fred Wreck’s brother lays down a nice laid back beat and it suits the purpose of the track. 50 Cent appears with the first verse and a catchy as hell chorus. DMX gives some disses to Ja Rule. It’s a good combo of DMX and G Unit. X’s verse is mad tight but is outshined by the last verse by Lox member Styles P. Possibly the best track on the album.

8. Bring the Noize – Production: Tuneheadz 

A better uptempo track that we’re used to from DMX. More silent disses towards Ja Rule. The chorus is another anthem type feel to it. The track is better than most so far on the album, a very NY influenced track for X which is what he needs to focus on doing.

9. Untouchable ft. Sheek, Syleena Johnson, Infa-Red – Production: Tony Pizarro 

Very under rated producer Tony Pizarro makes his contribution to this album and doesn’t disappoint. It’s a laid back track again. A good R&B chorus that suits the feel of the track well. Sheek makes an appearance and is mad tight with his flow on this.

10. ***** Yall – Producer: Ron Brownz 

The production on this suits DMX’s hardcore style. It’s a slower verse sections but they elevate into a hard “***** Yall” and is another anthem. It’s not as good as most X anthems but it’s still somewhat catchy. The song is very good.

11. Ruff Radio (Skit) 

Just a DJ making his shoutouts before getting taped up and taken over by the Ruff Ryderz.

12. We’re Back ft. Eve, Jadakiss – Production: Tuneheadz 

A reunion of all the Ruff Ryder superstars in X, Eve and Jada. The production is very good. DMX does his old style flow a little bit mixing it up with a little singing. Eve delivers like only the queen on hardcore rap can. Jadakiss is a lyrical force like always. The track is a must hear.

13. Ruff Radio 2 (Skit) 

a continuation of the first one.

14. Rob All Night – Production: Rockwilder 

Rockwilder delivers an electronic mess in the production. Minus the Nintendo shorting out sounds, the production isn’t bad. X is trying to return to “It’s All Good” but it doesn’t slip people’s minds considering this one is nothing near the original. Messy track.

15. We Go Hard ft. Cam’Ron – Production: No I.D. 

This track is more reminiscent of what to expect from X. His flow is good and his voice is on point, lyrics are hardcore. The production is bouncing hard. The chorus is repetitive but it’s far overshadowed by the verses by X and Cam’Ron.

16. We Bout To Blow ft. Big Stan – Production: Dame Grease

Another old X producer returns to deliver a beat more expected for X. Grease knows how to fit DMX’s style and it shows. DMX tries a little too hard to give another anthem chorus but it doesn’t work on this track, but the verses are ill. The track doesn’t disappoint.

17. The Rain – Production: DJ Scratch 

Two things DMX is great at are anthem tracks and deeply painful emotional tracks. He gives the latter on this track, making you feel his pain. It’s dark and inspiring at the same time. Unfortunetely like “My Life” he gives the chorus after each line which takes away from the lyrics a lot.

18. Gotta Go (skit) 

A phone call about some guy defending himself for cheating.

19. Don’t Gotta Go Home ft. Monica – Production: BAM and Ryan 

A cliché track in rap these days to have a relationship song between a hard rapper and the innocent R&B singer. Cliché but it’s still good on this track. The beats are average at best, Monica shines with the chorus and DMX flows well with her.

20. A’Yo Kato ft. Magic and Val – Production: Swizz Beatz 

A tribute track for DMX’s fallen friend Kato. Meaningful tribute with a great chorus by DMX. Talks about his life with Kato and how he’ll miss him. Nice tribute track, one of the album’s better moments. 21. Thank You ft. Patti LaBelle – Production: DMX, Ron H. – The production is surprisingly ill coming from DMX. It’s a little too much to have X and Patti Labelle singing at the same time, but when apart they deliver a hiphop version of gospel music.

22. The Prayer V – Production: DMX 

Another installment of X’s prayer, but this time with the production all uptempo, is it a song or a prayer? It’s nothing like the original four’s deepness in words and lyrics.

23. On Top ft. Big Stan – Production: Mac G 

Bonus track that maybe should’ve been left off. It’s just another average DMX song that doesn’t contribute much to the album. The lyrics and flow by X are good but the chorus is annoying.

While this album doesn’t have many failures, it’s still not the DMX of old. It’s an improvement overall over the “Great Depression” but minus a couple great tracks in “Where Da Hood At” and “Shot Down”, most of the album is very average from DMX. Five Time Grand Champ? No. Three time champ. If this is his finale album, it’s hard to make of how he went out. Maybe he is tired of the game and doesn’t have that fire he used to. He attempted to give us some old DMX, but after a 4 year career in the limelight, it sounds a little like he lost the motivation he used to have.

The album is grimier than his past appearances, but maybe they should have included some unreleased tracks that would have boosted the feel of the album such as “Do You” and “They Want War”. Not a bad album, it’s a must for any DMX fan, but it’s not the greatness overall expected of DMX.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

 

In my opinion, DMX has always been a tight rapper. I like that raw and aggressive style of rapping. Most rappers that’s got that kind of style fail to get the flow right, but DMX has always handeled it well. This is DMX’s 4th album

 

1. Sometimes (Skit)

2. School street

DMX’s giving shoutouts to his homeboys over a really tight beat. A very nice way to start off the album.

3. Who we be

“They don’t know who we be” is the message of this song. DMX’s attacking the raw beats, telling people who they are and what they do. It’s a nice track and DMX’s is doing what he’s doing good.

4. Trina Moe

DMX is sounding like a battle rapper on this track. I guess this track is a diss to some people… He’s not mentioning who tho. The production is cool and the hook is very catchy so all in all “Trina Moe” is a good track.

5. We right here

If I’m not wrong, “We right here” was one of the singles from this album and that’s a good choise. Production isn’t exactly blazing but it’s cool. The way DMX is flowing over it is making it sound much much better than it really is tho. The hook’s catchy too so I can see why they made this a single.

6. Bloodline Anthem

“Bloodline Records” is the record label now formed by DMX. I guess this is meant to be their anthem. The rock influenced beat is cool, DMX’s doing a good job, and the hook is nice too. It’s not one of those super hits tho.

7. Shorty was da bomb

“Shorty was da bomb” is about a girl DMX was with for one night, and then she got pregnant… She’s not doing what he’s telling her to do, she’s telling all her friends that DMX is her baby father etc. It turns out that someone else was the father since she had been pregnant for a longer time than she said, tho. It’s a tight song and DMX is showing that he’s a good story-teller.

8. Damien III

DMX and Damien are discussing all kinds of shit over a tight beat. Things are getting hostile there for a while but at the end of the track they’re cool. Excellent track and one of my favourite tracks on this album.

9. When I’m nothing (Feat. Stepha)

The production on “When I’m nothing” is a combination of 80’s pop and east coast rap today. It’s a cool track but not one of my favourites. I didn’t really like Stepha’s hook.

10. I miss you (Feat. Faith Evans)

As soon as there’s a track about someone missing an other person, is seems like they get Faith Evans on it. DMX is talking about his grandmother who apparently passed away. It seems like his grandmother meant a lot to him and it’s a deep track where he’s talking about the past, and about how things are now. Faith Evan’s singing that it’s gonna be ok… as usual.

11. Number 11

“Number 11” is dedicated to DMX’s enemies. There’s not much more to say about this track than that production is tight, and DMX is raw.

12. Pull up (Skit)

13. Ima bang

When I’m listening to “Ima bang”, I’m remembering how DMX could have been the king of New York right about now. DMX had it all going but he couldn’t keep it up all the way to the top of the N.Y game. On this track he’s showing us why we thought he could be the king of New York in the first place. With an aggressive tight ass flow and a catchy and at the same time raw chorus to a tight rock influenced production, the message I get out of this is that DMX ain’t out of the game just yet…

14. Pull out (Skit)

15. You could be blind (Feat Mas).

“You could be blind” was one of the tracks that got stuck on my mind when I first bumped this album. The bass-guitar loop is really catchy and Mas on the hook is completing DMX’s raw flow with a catchy hook. The only bad thing I can say about this track is that it could have used a little more mixing… but then again I might be wrong.

16. The Prayer IV

DMX is doing the traditional praying-on-his-album shit. Man it’s time to take that shit outta your albums.

17. A minute for your son

This track is basically DMX rapping to God or some shit like that. It seems like he’s putting a track like this on every album… the track is tight but I’m tired of hearing DMX talking to God.

18. BONUS TRACK 1

Dj Kay Slay shouting as if this was a mixtape is starting off the track… that’s a minus. After that some Bloodline Records artists are coming in, possibly freestyling, on old DMX beats.

19. BONUS TRACK 2 (They don’t want no problems)

Since this track isn’t listed on my booklet I’m just gonna guess that it’s called “They don’t want no problem”. It’s once again Bloodline artists but this time DMX is coming in, flowing some over the beats. It’s got a tight beat but it annoys me that they didn’t list these tracks…

20. BONUS TRACK 3

I guess these 3 bonus tracks was to promote Bloodline Records, DMX’s label. The third bonus track is better than the first two but it’s no banger. Sounds like some synth shit they just made in a minute for them to flow over. It’s cool tho – 20 tracks is better than 17.

 

This album is a tight album, there’s no doubt about that. DMX usually spit raw and aggressive shit, and usually Ruff Ryders are putting out tight beats, so combining them can’t really go wrong… Unless you do it 4 times in the exact same way.
This DMX album was said to be his best album this far… Well it’s not. If this would have been his debut album I’d probably have thought so, but it’s his 4th album and all previous albums have been exactly the same.
You got one track where he’s mad as *****, dissing everyone. You got an other track where he’s talking to god, one party track, one shoutout track, one track about how hard life is etc. It’s all the same.
I’ll grade this album 3 out of 5. There is no way that this album can be below average, but it’s too much like DMX’s old albums. I was hoping that DMX would take it to the next level, but he failed. If you don’t own a DMX album I strongly suggest you get this one, but if you got his past 3 albums you might aswell go buy an other album.