If you grew up in the late 90’s, you were blessed to witness the raw talent of true hip-hop.
Before auto-tune, plastic surgery, and ad-libs, there was artists that honed in on their craft making instant classics. The lyrics, production, and overall quality was something that blessed the airways of every radio station. Michael Jackson provided out of this world vibes, LL Cool J was the ladies’ man, and plenty of lyrical assassins were able to murder beats.
Competition
With the likes of Jay-Z, Jarule, and Eminem, the competition for the top dog in hip-hop was at an all-time high. To this day, there is still plenty of open speculation between the closed battle of Jay-Z and “X”. Few individuals that acknowledge being at the battle leave little debate that any of the two emcees won that battle. Some going as far to claim that it was a classic that was ruled a tie. “X” was seen as special, and had more influence than any other artist besides Michael Jackson towards the end of the ’90s. That individual is also better known as DMX.
Triumph Through Struggle
“DMX” provided an instant spark of energy whenever he laced a track. His pedigree of talent stood out in studio features, and performances nationwide. The hunger in “X”, showed the immense struggle that he experienced before getting to the point of stardom. His backstory was that of a troubled man who was in and out of prison, looking to be embraced for who he was. Many felt that DMX‘s life would end in tragedy due to alcohol and substance abuse. Regardless of his issues, his following was organic and he developed a place of relevancy amongst the world of hip-hop. Despite his troubles with the law, DMX is still seen as an idol in the hip-hop community.
Consistency
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, “X” was arguably the face of culture and entertainment. From selling millions of cd’s to summer singles, it was evident that “X” had a stronghold on the music industry. He even went into action on the big screen in action movies such as Romeo Must Die, Belly, Cradle 2 The Grave, Exit Wounds, and plenty more.
Top artist of this era such as “Drake”, have given credit to DMX in regards to being an influence while growing up. Throughout all of his ventures, DMX has worked with everyone from Aaliyah, Nas, Jay-Z, Jet Li, and many more. The value of “X” could never be diminished and continued to grow in just about every aspect of his career. Long after his issues were plastered on tabloids, the artist is still able to fill seats at various venues. With more than a strong following, DMX will always go down as a legend on the mic.
