DMX - The DEFinition Of X

DMX is one of those cats in the rap game that you know is real. Year in, year out we’ve sat back to the ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem’ and believed him when he said ‘X Gonna Give it to You’. And he always did. 10 years after he dropped the former, Def Jam release his Greatest Hits album on his behalf, a collection of 20 tracks including those aforementioned and a host of other classic tracks.

1998 debut ‘It's Dark and Hell Is Hot’ hosts the early part of this CD, with the melodic Swizz Beats produced ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem’, street tracks ‘Get at me Dog’ and ‘Stop Being Greedy’ and, for the ladies, ‘How’s It Going Down’ all being included.

There’s a steady mix of thumping club tracks, such as ‘Get it on the Floor’ and ‘Party Up’, and brutal outcries in the form of ‘What’s My Name?’ and ‘Where The Hood At’. Darkman X shows variation when it comes to chilling narratives, epitomised by ‘Slippin’.  where he showcases the thoughts of a man recalling his downfall due to drugs: “Wasn't long before I hit rock bottom/ N*ggas talkin shit like damn look how that rock got him.”

Simmons rhymes with conviction and the sense of belief in what he’s saying. You can call DMX many things – ‘Crazy Earl’ was common during his childhood – but one thing he is not is ‘fake’, spending his teen years behind bars and known to drop to his knees in tears and in prayer during concerts. This CD portrays all aspects of both X’s mind and music, particularly in songs such as ‘The Rain’. His mindset fails to be hypnotised by the alluring dollar signs and fame gains – a rarity.

Despite having moved to Sony Records in recent months, Def Jam had rights over this one, and it seems they got it mostly right. It’s not perfect though; Mr. President Jay must have had some input as to the inclusion of ‘Blackout’ since, well, he features on it. A nice song maybe, but suited better to a greatest hits album may have been solo tracks such as the ‘Damien’ series.