DMX's top greatest hits!

Do you know the best DMX songs that actually made him a big name? Earl Simmons, better known as DMX, is an American rapper and actor. Six of his albums in a row have debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 charts, an unprecedented phenomenon... DMX flatly refused to be denied. He growled, barked and banged on the door of the production room until they let the "dog eat dog" in. The Mount Vernon native released his first track, "Born Loser," in 1992. It was followed by "Make A Move" but not a worldwide success... But that all changed in 1998 with the release of It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, which sold over 4 million copies worldwide... Later Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood and ...And Then There Was X were released to repeat the success of the debut! Today, DMX is talked about as the first artist with two platinum albums released in the same year.

DMX's wealth doesn't explain his popularity, but there were many reasons why his music resonated. His gruff voice, sullen and smoky croak - the whole image, the style was unmistakable. The intensity and charisma of his performances never waned, which could be heard in every literal growl and bark, every shocking scream... And in popular singles like "Ruff Ryders Anthem" and "Party Up (Up in Here)," DMX chose beats as aggressive and loud as his own performance. DMX also offers a compelling duality. He was hard and vulnerable, physically indestructible but clearly a broken man haunted by a traumatic childhood. The albums, backed by big, riot-inducing singles, included a plethora of songs full of pain, anger, violence and remorse... DMX may tap-dance in your face at the slightest provocation, but he would be genuinely remorseful after fleeing the scene.... The sins of the present were always juxtaposed with their potentially eternal consequences... He was a project pastor, reminding people of the demons on his shoulders when he told them to believe in God.

The timing of DMX's incredible album run couldn't have been better. He filled a void in New York rap. It was the end of the "jiggy era." Jay-Z was a businessman who had literally taken over neighbourhoods, started a record label, bought clubs and made multi-million dollar business deals... His and his kind's lifestyle was unattainable and DMX represented the gross opposite. He composed anthems for those in his projects jumping on quad bikes and pulling up behind bars. Even at the peak of his career, he was at his best in a plain t-shirt... DMX became a star both in and out of the studio and on stage... He starred in box office-leading action films! However, even without the films and soundtracks DMX has appeared in, his catalogue remains as large as it was in the late 90s and early 2000s. So as soon as he walked through the studio door, it was clear to everyone that the world would never forget him... Let's take a look back at his biggest hits.

"Get at Me Dog" (1998)

His domination of the charts began with the song "Get at Me Dog", which made his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot famous. In this track, the rapper lays his soul bare, recalling how he had to rob people if that's what it took....

"Get at Me Dog" is an anthem for the predominant majority of black Americans, who so often face poverty and the despair it breeds....

"Ruff Ryders Anthem" (1998).

This track was the fourth single from the album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot. Today it is one of the 100 greatest hip-hop songs according to VH1. Of particular note here is the beat from the then unknown Swizz Beatz: you can almost see Swizz pounding out a strange melody, and the drums, which seem to be beaten with his knuckles....

That said, the tune is not interrupted by DMX's voice, which plays each menacing line with an almost lively rhythm...

"All I know is pain,
All I feel is rain.
How can I maintain when my mind is in chaos?"

"Party Up (Up in Here)" (1999)

There is no DMX song better than "Party Up (Up in Here)", both commercially and in terms of popularity. It was a huge success on the radio, in clubs and in films (for example, the song is heard in the film "Chase in 60 Seconds").

Once again, DMX's success is partly due to Swizz Beatz, whose rhythm for "Party Up" is the aural equivalent of setting off a fire alarm. It roars from start to finish, furious and thunderous... DMX, as usual, seamlessly combines the intensity of the beats with the ferocity of his lyrics. Every second it's as if he's preparing to storm...

"Who We Be" (2001)

The second single from DMX's fourth album The Great Depression, "Who We Be" is one of the rap singer's most personal and profound singles... It exposes the poverty of black neighbourhoods, as well as the injustice of a predatory system and the ephemeral nature of fame... You can hear the pain in literally every word.

DMX's presence on the microphone was so convincing that he worked best alone, that is, solo... And whenever he appeared next to his colleagues in the hip-hop scene, all attention turned to him alone... A telling example: the track "24 Hours to Live":

DMX gets a sixth and final verse, offering a memorable answer to the introductory question, "If you had 24 hours to live, what would you do?" The rapper promised to reconcile with his mother and spend time with his child and girlfriend ...

"Tear It Up" (2004)

In 2004, Yung Wun approached DMX to work on his Billboard chart-topping single "Tear It Up". And DMX brought the song out! No voice could get through him, he growled, he wheezed.....

He certainly made this track...

"How It's Goin' Down" & "What They Really Want"

DMX doesn't make love songs. If you had to pick two great DMX songs that deal with matters of the heart, it would have to be "How It's Goin' 'Down" and "What You Want." The former is probably the most sensitive song DMX has ever done. He loves the woman he's having an affair with, but he doesn't want to destroy her family....

However, in "What They Really Want," DMX plays it cool. But he is also sincere... DMX has never lied. Perhaps his honesty is one of his most redeeming qualities.....