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It's Dark and Hell Is Hot

 
Album Review: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
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It's Dark and Hell Is Hot

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  • Artist: DMX
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: May 12, 1998
  • Type: Contains explicit content
  • Genre: Rap

Review

Just as rap music was reaching its toughest, darkest, grimmest period yet, following the assassinations of 2Pac and Biggie in the late '90s, along came DMX and his fellow Ruff Ryders, who embodied the essence of inner-city machismo to a tee, as showcased throughout the tellingly titled It's Dark and Hell Is Hot. Unlike so many other hardcore rappers who are more rhetorical than physical, DMX commands an aggressive aura without even speaking a word. He showcases his chiseled physique on the arresting album cover and trumpets his animalistic nature with frequent barking, growling, and snarling throughout the album. He also collaborates with muscular producers Swizz Beatz and Dame Grease, who specialize in slamming synth-driven beats rather than sample-driven ones. Further unlike so many other hardcore rappers from the time, DMX is meaningful as well as symbolic. He professes an ideology that stresses the inner world -- characterized by such qualities as survival, wisdom, strength, respect, and faith -- rather than the material one that infatuates most rappers of his time. It helpes that his album includes a few mammoth highlights ("Ruff Ryders' Anthem," "Get at Me Dog," "Let Me Fly," and "I Can Feel It") as well as a light, mid-album diversion ("How's It Goin' Down"). The long running length of It's Dark and Hell Is Hot does wear you down after a while, since nearly every song here sans "How's It Goin' Down" hits hard and maintains the album's deadly serious attitude. Even so, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot is a tremendous debut, laying out DMX's complex persona with candor, from his faith in God to his fixation with canine motifs, and doing so with dramatic flair. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Intro (Lyrics) James Mtume, Irv Gotti, Earl Simmons DMX (4:09)
Ruff Ryders' Anthem (Lyrics) K. Dean, Earl Simmons DMX (3:34)
Fuckin' Wit' D (Lyrics) Alphonso Mizell, Larry Mizell, Earl Simmons, A. Fields DMX (2:18)
Storm (Skit) Mad Man, Earl Simmons, A. Fields, Waah Dean DMX (0:58)
Look Thru My Eyes (Lyrics) Earl Simmons, A. Fields DMX (3:53)
Get at Me Dog (Lyrics) Earl Simmons, A. Fields DMX (4:03)
Let Me Fly (Lyrics) Manuel Alejandro, Ana Magdalena, Earl Simmons, Richard "Younglord" Frierson DMX (4:12)
X-Is Coming (Lyrics) Earl Simmons, A. Fields DMX (:01)
Damien (Lyrics) Earl Simmons DMX (3:42)
How's It Goin' Down (Lyrics) Earl Simmons, A. Fields DMX (4:42)
Mickey (Skit) Earl Simmons, Rajah Winn, A. Fields, Waah Dean DMX (0:24)
Crime Story (Lyrics) Irv Gotti, Earl Simmons DMX (3:47)
Stop Being Greedy (Lyrics) Michael Masser, Earl Simmons, A. Fields DMX (3:37)
ATF (Lyrics) Earl Simmons DMX (1:55)
For My Dogs (Lyrics) Earl Simmons DMX (4:11)
I Can Feel It (Lyrics) Phil Collins, Earl Simmons DMX (4:13)
Prayer (Skit) Earl Simmons DMX (2:31)
The Convo Jerry Gillespie, Ed Penney, Earl Simmons DMX (3:33)
Niggaz Done Started Something (Lyrics) Earl Simmons, David Styles, Jason Phillips DMX (5:09)

Credits

Prince Charles (Mixing), DMX (Main Performer), Rich Keller (Engineer), Rich Keller (Mixing), Ken Ifill (Mixing), John Wydrycs (Engineer), Charles "Prince Charles" Alexander (Mixing), Kevin Crouse (Mixing), D'Anthony Johnson (Mixing), Irv Gotti (Producer), Irv Gotti (Executive Producer), Jonathan Mannion (Photography), Lil Rob (Producer), Mad Man (Producer), Nardo (Vocals), Rajah Winn (Producer), Young Lord (Producer), Justice Johnson (Engineer), PK (Producer), Schamika Grant (Vocals (Background)), Swizz Beatz (Producer), Dame Grease (Producer), Dame Grease (Engineer), Dame Grease (Mixing), Jamie ? (Vocals), Randy ? (Vocals), Warren ? (Vocals), Lovey Ford (Vocals (Background)), Patrick Viala (Engineer), Waah (Producer), Waah (Executive Producer), Dee (Executive Producer)
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Wikipedia: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
It's Dark and Hell is Hot
Studio album by DMX
Released May 19, 1998
Recorded 1997-1998
Genre East Coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop, horrorcore
Length 65:15
Label Ruff Ryders/Def Jam
Producer Damon Blackman
Irv Gotti
P.K.
Swizz Beatz
Professional reviews
DMX chronology
It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
(1998)		 Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood
(1998)

It's Dark and Hell Is Hot is the debut album of rapper DMX, released May 19, 1998 on Def Jam subsidiary Ruff Ryders Records.[1] The album featured four singles with music videos, "Get at Me Dog", "Stop Being Greedy", "How's It Goin' Down" and the "Ruff Ryders Anthem". The album is widely considered a hip hop classic by numerous hip hop fans and critics, mainly due to its revitalization of the hardcore rap mainstream scene, after Puff Daddy and Bad Boy Entertainment briefly dominated the charts with their pop-orientated and sample-reliant songs.[2]

Contents

Music

Style

Before the album was released, DMX collaborated with producers Irv Gotti, P.K., Dame Grease, and Swizz Beatz. Each producer utilized their particular style while creating the album's instrumentals. It's Dark and Hell Is Hot features gothic instrumentals created mostly by P.K.; DMX raps mostly about violence. DMX is commonly known for his rough voice; "dog barks" and "dog growls" are featured throughout the album. Many of the songs on It's Dark and Hell Is Hot are made up of dark beats and harsh lyrics, showing anticipation of violence. Compared to aggressive songs like "Intro", tracks like "Ruff Ryders' Anthem", "How's It Goin' Down" have a lighter theme and delivery. The album also features more introspective tracks including "Let Me Fly", "For My Dogs", and others. "Damien" is a story, with characters voiced by DMX highlighting the relationship between DMX and the Devil, with whom the rapper makes a deal which involves committing acts of violence in return for fortune and fame.

Lyrical themes

The lyrics of It's Dark and Hell Is Hot is known for featuring very extreme lyrics about violence with songs like "Intro","X-Is Coming", and a lot more. The album is still known for DMX's painful past life when he was younger which is known on "Look Thru My Eyes" and "Let Me Fly". More topics are included like love, rage, stories, and God. Unlike many hip hop albums DMX features prayers which are dialogues with him and God.
Rolling Stone critic, Miles Marshall Lewis, talked about the lyrics in "X-Is Coming" and he quoted these lines from the song: "If you got a daughter older than fifteen, I'm a rape her/Take her on the living-room floor, right there in fronta you/Then ask you seriously, 'What you wanna do?'". In his response for his reaction to the extreme violent writing ability of DMX, he answered: "Even within the context of a hardcore rap album, DMX goes beyond the pale".[3] Some of DMX's most-violent lyrics, inspired by horror, crime, and hardcore rap created a style that would dominate a portion of the rap industry. The earliest examples of these lyrics would be the unreleased songs "Gotti Style" (Featuring Ja Rule), "Read About It" (Featuring Ja Rule), many unreleased freestyles, and his verse on Mic Geronimo's 1995 song "Time To Build" with appearances by an early Jay-Z and Ja Rule.

Reception

Critic reviews were largely positive. Allmusic commented that "Unlike so many other hardcore rappers who are more rhetorical than physical, DMX commands an aggressive aura without even speaking a word".[4] Sputnikmusic lauds that "(DMX's) music flows perfectly, with little to no redundancy. This is an excellent trait, and something more hip-hop albums should feature." "Leading Hip Hop Magazine, The Source, described the album as "a mind-gripping opus that fully encompasses the appeal of one of rap's newest sensations".[5] Referred to as one of the best debut rap albums, critics called the album a necessary introduction to one of the greatest hardcore rappers in hip-hop. DMX was praised for his imagery, stories and lyricism.

Track listing

# Title Producers Featured Guest(s) Time Sample(s)
1 "Intro" Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob 4:09
  • Contains a sample of "Beyond Forever", as performed by Mtume
  • Contains audio excerpts from the film "Tales from the Hood"
2 "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" Swizz Beatz 3:34
3 "Fuckin' wit' D" P.K. and Dame Grease 2:18
  • Contains a sample of "Shifting Gears", as performed by John Hammond
  • Contains a sample of "Rockin' for My Hometown", as performed by K-Solo
4 "The Storm (Skit)" 1:00
5 "Look thru My Eyes" P.K. and Dame Grease 3:50
6 "Get at Me Dog" Dame Grease and P.K Sheek Louch 4:03
  • Contains a sample of "Everything Good To You (Ain't Always Good For You)", as performed by B.T. Express
  • Contains a sample of "Will They Die 4 U?", as performed by Mase featuring Puff Daddy and Lil' Kim
7 "Let Me Fly" Dame Grease and Young Lord 4:12
  • Contains a sample of "Lo Dudo", as performed by Jose Jose
8 "X-Is Coming" P.K. 4:18
9 "Damien" Dame Grease 3:42
10 "How's It Goin' Down" P.K. 4:42
11 "Mickey" (Skit) 0:25
12 "Crime Story" Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob 3:47
  • Contains a sample of "Easin In", as performed by Edwin Starr
13 "Stop Being Greedy" P.K. and Dame Grease 3:37
  • Contains a sample of "My Hero Is a Gun", as performed by Diana Ross
14 "ATF" Dame Grease 1:56
15 "For My Dogs" Dame Grease Drag-On, Big Stan, Loose & Kasino 4:12
16 "I Can Feel It" Dame Grease Nardo 4:13
17 "Prayer (Skit)" 2:31
18 "The Convo" Dame Grease 3:33
  • Contains a sample of "Nights on Broadway", as performed by The Bee Gees
19 "Niggaz Done Started Something" Dame Grease The L.O.X. & Mase 5:09
* "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" [Live] (German Bonus Track) Swizz Beatz 2:57

Sales

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Canadian Albums Chart 15
U.S. Billboard 200 1
U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 1

The album debuted at #1 on The Billboard 200, and sold 251,000 copies in its first week.[6] It was certified 4x Multi-Platinum by RIAA on December 18, 2000.[7]

Preceded by
The Limited Series by Garth Brooks		 Billboard 200 number-one album
June 6 - June 12, 1998		 Succeeded by
City of Angels (soundtrack) by Various artists

References

  1. ^ DMX - discographyallmusic. Accessed October 25, 2008.
  2. ^ Henry Adaso DMX on 'Top 50 MCs of Our Time'about.com. Accessed October 26, 2008
  3. ^ Miles Marshall It's Dark and Hell Is Hot review & interviewRolling Stone. Accessed October 26, 2008
  4. ^ Jason Birchmeirer 'It's Dark and Hell Is Hot review'allmusic. Accessed October 26, 2008
  5. ^ It's Dark and Hell Is Hot review & user reviewSputnikmusic. Accessed October 26, 2008
  6. ^ 22 Ends DMX's Billboard Winning StreakMTV. Accessed February 20, 2009.
  7. ^ DMX gold&platinum dataRIAA. Accessed October 26, 2008
v • d • e
DMX
Studio albums
Compilations
Soundtrack
With the Ruff Ryders
Singles
"Get at Me Dog" · "Stop Being Greedy" · "How's It Goin' Down" · "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" · "Slippin'" · "It's On" · "What's My Name?" · "Party Up (Up in Here)" · "What These Bitches Want" · "Do You" · "No Sunshine" · "We Right Here" · "Who We Be" · "I Miss You" · "X Gon' Give It to Ya" · "Where the Hood At?" · "Get It on the Floor" · "We in Here" · "Lord Give Me a Sign" · "Come Thru' (Move)" · "Already"
Guest Singles
"Money, Power & Respect" · "Come Back in One Piece" · "Go To Sleep" · "Tear It Up" · "Streetlife" · "Touch It Remix" · "Yonker's Anthem"
Filmography
Belly · Romeo Must Die · Exit Wounds · Angel: One More Road to Cross · Cradle 2 the Grave · Eve · Third Watch · Never Die Alone · DMX: Soul of a Man · Father of Lies · Death Toll · Lords of the Street · Last Hour · The Bleeding · DMX: This Life of Mine
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