In the last few days, the legendary hip-hop artist DMX has been mourned by the world. We take a look at the legacy he has left behind.
A musician will always be a musician. There is never a stage too big or too small for talented musical individuals.
Through this notion, music has the greatest ability to live on, even after the artists have left the solid grounds of earth.
From impacting communities around the world to captivating emotions depicted through the avenue of song, music has been a great asset to individuals’ lives for centuries.
The power of music can be seen through a wide range of different genres. Who could forget the sombre melody of My Heart Will Go On by the vocal icon Celine Dion or the vibrantly trendy sounds of Shake It off by country pop artist Taylor Swift, music from all genres can be influential to many people’s lives!
The dynamic world of hip-hop has brought inspiring individuals to the forefront. From issues surrounding social injustice to reclaiming social stereotypes through experiences in the form of rap, hip-hop remains to be the voice of generations. One strong voice was rapper DMX.
DMX was a prominent member of the hip hop collective Ruff Ryders.
The musical collective embarked on a journey of artistic excellence through ground-breaking projects such as the 1998 quadruple-platinum, Is Dark and Hell Is Hot, and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood making DMX one of the biggest global rappers.
As being the only musician to have albums chart No.1 on Billboard 200 five times consecutively, while remaining one of the most celebrated artists in all of hip-hop, DMX is a hip-hop legend.
DMX: The Creative Genius
Born Earl Simmons December 18th, 1970 the creative rapper and monumental actor had a troubled life.
Through constant abuse from family members to various arrests at a young age, the rapper used his troubles to propel his hip-hop creativity.
According to Wikipedia.com, hip-hop is a genre of popular music developed in the United States by the inner-city African American and Latino Americans of the Bronx, New York City beginning in the 1970s.
The art form has grown into a strong musical force not only in the music industry but various avenues in marketing and other entertainment sectors.
With an aggressive nature, DMX aided in molding a sound of rap that inspired the sounds of the century.
The rapper had a humble musical beginning by distributing demos to music listeners on street corners.
In the rap world, demos are short demonstrations used to showcase the capabilities of the artists as preparation for a full recording project.
This was in hopes of solidifying a strong connection to the music industry. After his strong self-promotional skills, DMX was signed by Columbia Records at the age of 22.
With his core audience coming from New York’s underground hip-hop scene, DMX was signed to Def Jam in 1998. His single Get at Me Dog made monumental waves in the music industry.
That following year, the project And Then There Was X was nominated for a Grammy along with reaching Platinum status six times.
Party Up!
Years later, projects The Great Depression in 2001 and Grand Champ in 2003 birthed popular tracks such as Where Tha Hood At and “Who We Be” while maintaining a substantial incline to the top of the charts.
The fame and love for music, also allowed the musician to embrace his Christian beliefs and further this public persona through a positive outlook on religious faith.
However, long use of addiction, prison, rehab, and relapse sheltered the artists from his inner struggles and led to his slow demise.
DMX additionally developed a prominent force in the acting world. From feature films such as Romeo Must Die, Belly and Cradle 2 the Grave with Chinese born Singaporean film actor, Jet Li.
DMX was known to bring an abundance of charisma to every role he played.
“Y’all gon’ make me lose my mind, Up in here! Up in here!”
The lyrics of one of my favourite party songs, Party Up by DMX, still rings proudly in my ear.
With an infectious beat and vibrant lyrics, this exciting energetic song will turn a relaxing evening into the best night of the year!
A week after overdosing and suffering a heart attack, the 50-year-old rapper died in April 2021 at White Plains Hospital in New York.
From his amazing mark on the music game to becoming an influential figure in the hip-hop world, music will never be the same.
However, the global music world will continue to play the legendary iconic material and remember him as one of the most talented forces of entertainment.
Photos: Shutterstock
More hip-hop goodness right here:
Support us!
All your donations will be used to pay the magazine’s journalists and to support the ongoing costs of maintaining the site.
Share this post
Interested in co-operating with us?
We are open to co-operation from writers and businesses alike. You can reach us on our email at [email protected]/[email protected] and we will get back to you as quick as we can.
