The rapper known as DMX may be facing his share of legal trouples but during his career he’s amassed a discography that ranks up there with hip-hop’s elite. Here, in no particular order are the top ten DMX songs.
Get At Me Dog, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, 1998
The first single from DMX’s multiplatinum debut album, the raucous Get At Me Dog set the stage for his wild success as well as gave audiences perhaps the purest distillation of his aesthetic.
Stop Being Greedy, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, 1998
No song epitomized the duality reflected in many of his later works more than Stop Being Greedy, its use of dual voices paralleling Biggie’s infamous Gimme the Loot (from his classic 1994 debut Ready to Die).
What They Want, …And Then There Was X, 1999
This track, featuring Sisqo of Dru Hill fame and Party Up are like the Yonkers MC’s biggest pop hits, but on this track DMX manages to bring the same street sensibility as any of his earlier work with an over-the top hook, adlibs, and a ridiculously catchy beat make this one of the strongest records in DMX’s catalog.
Ruff Ryders Anthem, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, 1998
Perhaps DMX’s most anthemic record, Ruff Ryders Anthem set the stage for not only DMX’s success but the entire Ruff Ryders movement and propelled the profile of then-little known producer Swizz Beatz into the stratosphere.
How’s It Going Down, It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, 1998
The one moment of semi-calm on DMX’s otherwise frenetically violent debut, How’s It Going Down presents a somewhat softer side of the Yonkers MC, as he chronicles the vagaries of a relationship.
Party Up, …And Then There Was X, 1999
Much more commercial than many of his previous singles, DMX’s high energy nonetheless translates quite well to the uptempo track.
Ain’t No Way, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, 1998
Another example of the synchronicity between producer Swizz Beatz and Dark Man X, this understated track is one of the hardest most sinister tracks the Yonkers MC has ever released.
Slippin, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, 1998
Despite its classic status and its look into the tortured psyche of DMX, many fans did not have as much of a sense of Earl Simmons the man versus DMX the rapper. This song, showcasing DMX at his most personal, is insightful, deep, and evocative.
Where the Hood At, Grand Champ, 2003
One of the strongest records from DMX’s post 90s run, Where the Hood At is redolent of Ruff Ryders Anthem with a rousing hook, gratuitous shots at Ja Rule, and a hard-charging beat from Tuneheadz that sounds like Swizz Beatz in its prime.
Who We Be, The Great Depression, 2001
After a raft of records comprised of boasting, street anecdotes, and anthems, this single from DMX’s fourth album provided a surprising bit of social commentary, while managing to retain DMX’s trademark inspired aggressiveness.
Honorable Mentions
• No Sunshine
• Blackout featuring Jay-Z and The L.O.X.
• Shorty Was the Bomb
• Coming From featuring Mary J. Blige
• Ready to Meet Him
• ATF
• D-X-L featuring The L.O.X. and Drag-On
• We Right Here
• Shot Down featuring 50 Cent and Styles P.
• We Right Here
• We in Here
• Get it on the Floor
• Lord Give Me a Sign
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