EARL SIMMONS ~ aka ~ DMX

It's Dark and hell is hot 4 out of 5
Flesh of my flesh, Blood of my blood 4 out of 5
And then there was X 4 out of 5
The great depression 2.5 out of 5
Grand Champ 3.5 out of 5
Year of the dog again 2.5 out of 5

Its dark and hell is hot was the 1st CD from DMX. This CD took it back to the streets with Ruff Ryders Anthem & Get at me Dog. Fly away showed us a softer X and Stop being greedy showed us the hardcore X. No one rapped with more conviction, every word seemed like his last breath, every word made us beleive again.

Flesh of my flesh,blood of my blood
Rob all night
Guest appearance by Marilyn Manson on the Omen
Bring your whole Crew

And then there was X
Party up
What these bitches want "featuring Sisco"
What's my name

The Great Depression
This CD was the great depression of RAP music. DMX was a rapper turning actor and his heart was not in this one.

Grand Champ
Where the hood at
Get it on the floor
Don't gotta go home "featuring Monica"
Guest appearance by 50 Cent
This CD brought X back to the streets

Year of the dog again
We in here the 1st song on the CD really makes you think DMX is back, back to the Ruff Ryders Anthem, back to what he does best especially when he spits lyrics like these:
Five #1 albums the dogs got his swagger back, We dont bark no more we bite,20 million records sold while you are struggling to go gold".
You have a cluster of songs together that really do not get you too excited like, its personal, Come thru, and wrong or right. These are all too distorted with background music that drowns out X. At times it almost seems like they were recorded in someone's basement. Then there are glimmers of greatness once again with songs like Give em what they want a fast upbeat track where X is in his element, and Walk these dogs where flashes of the old DMX come out but he is not quite there. Then there are two songs for the ladies Baby mother and Dog love where X just isn't convincing where as Tupac could hit it hard and slow it down if needed and be convincing at both. Blown away is another good song on the CD where we get to see the inside of DMX and what he is going through. DMX is at his best when he is real. Lord give me a sign the 1st single off the CD is good but not great. X is talking to the lord in the song asking for advice and help and once again he bears his soul and this is why we love DMX. We want him to keep it real, take us back to Ruff Ryders Anthem. Overall the CD isn't up to its potential everyone expects more from the man who did bring us five #1 albums afterall.