DMX: Number One Nearly All the Way

DMX is a true rapper through and through. He has one of the classic rap albums from the 1990s under his belt, but what has always defined him was his true street cred growing up in Yonkers, outside of New York City. Call Yonkers what you want-a dump, for instance-but DMX had his trials and travails growing up there. He oftentimes turned to crime and violence to survive, so the story goes, but also turned to hip hop to get away.

And try to get away he did. At first, DMX was not the most successful rapper in the 1990s. His first big record label signing was with Columbia Records in the early 1990s, and he actually managed to release a couple DMX songs at this time: "Born Loser" and "Make Move." What happened with them? Neither broke any records. What happened with Columbia? They let him out of his contract, and then he got arrested for having drugs on his possession.

But a light at the end of the tunnel appeared in 1997 for him, when DMX got signed by another rap label, this time Def Jam. While with Def Jam in the early years, he started rebuilding the DMX name by guest starring on other people's songs. You can listen to DMX, for instance, on "4,3,2,1" by LL Cool J, or on "Money, Power, Respect" by the LOX.

Big in His Own Right

Soon after getting signed to Def Jam, DMX was able to make his own music again, and get the respect and money he had worked hard to get since getting out of Yonkers. The first DMX song released on Def Jam was "Get at Me Dog," which ended up going gold. That was followed up by a full DMX record called "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot," which came out around May 1998. He sold 4 million copies of the record and had it in first place on the charts.

The next DMX record was even bigger. Out by the end of 1998, it was called "Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of my Blood." This record went triple platinum and was another number one hit for him. Guest starring on it were the LOX, Mary J. Blige, and even Marilyn Manson. DMX followed this up with being on the Ruff Ryders record later in 1999, which was called "Ryde or Die."

By 1999, another DMX record was released. This one called "And Then There Was X." Again, he had a number one hit record on his hands, and a top ten DMX song came out of it, called "Get at Me Dog." Other DMX songs included "What These Bitches Want" and "Party Up." Success continued to follow DMX with each subsequent album release, including "The Great Depression" in 2001 and "Grand Champ" in 2003, all number one albums. By 2006, though, his "Year of the Dog" was his first record not to go number one.

From DMX to Hip Hop Music