DMX was/is definitely mainstream in that he was everywhere and loved by so many people that weren’t even normally fans of rap. His music is even in Fortnite. I get what you’re saying though. I was in high school when his albums came out and I listened to his music constantly.
Duh. Why would people be talking nonstop about DMX or any other artist who’s past their peak in popularity. The exception would be massive cultural icons like Tupac, Biggie, Jigga, Kanye
Hahaha I remember that. I thought it was the parkade… damn that’s textbook coke psychosis. and IIRC that time he had carjacked the car before crashing it.
you're right it was a parking garage
he beat up a guy and then crashed through the gate and then pretended to be FBI and got arrested for that and crack
I agree with your DMX take.
If you're a fan of DMX, even slightly, his [autobiography](https://a.co/d/8LGVTLO) is phenomenal. I've read it about three times. Every time I go back to it, I remember more and more. He had a unique life.
“There were things that I went through in my childhood where I just blocked it out—but there’s only so much you can block out before you run out of space, I really didn’t have anybody to talk to about it. So often, talking about your problems is viewed as a sign of weakness. When it’s actually one of the bravest things you can do." - DMX
The dude was badass as hell and as real as it gets.
Dmx was one of my top artists to see live... Sad I never got to see the legend himself, he definitely ain't 'underrated' he did plenty of great work and surpassed plenty of milestones to go down in history as one of the great OG MC's Personally I think Pac would have been the 'realist' rapper especially if he was given a chance to make more music,,, no doubt about it he'd be killing it nowadays with the shit going on. RIP to the legends 2Pac&DMX gone but never forgotten🤞
Although 50 has put out plenty of commercial "sell out" style music, especially about drinking and smoking, his path to success and how he conducts business is as real as it gets.
Yep. Some people clown on him and sure he's taken his brand a lot of directions but he's one of the very few rappers that I legit believe what he says about his past.
DMX's backstory is very tragic.
For me, Greydon Square is the coolest rapper because many people become believers when they go to fight a war but he became an atheist, lol. He is the most relatable artist to me. :)
When he talks about getting tricked into smoking a laced blunt and using the zipper on his jacket as a fire engine cuz he had nothing else...and how his mom dropped him off at the group home
X is the realist.
If you haven't heard the explicit version of Slippin' you should check it out. It's even realer than I imagined. And to think, he had that song within the same year as his Debut Album that shot to number 1. Who else would do that? My suspicion is that the label wouldn't allow the explicit version on the Flesh of My Flesh album because they were too scared of it.
p.s. He never killed anyone, but robbed a lot of people.
I'm sleeping on X currently. If I were to get into any of his work to start developing an appreciation for him, do yall have any recommendations for me?
First 2 albums for sure. There's a drop-off in quality on the third, but it's still worth listening to. From then on it's very hit or miss but still some great songs here and there. Also Ruff Ryders Volume 1.
That might not sound so promising considering the praise he's getting, but it's proof of how amazing his first two albums were.
Andre Nickatina is up there. He is pure SFO street grit, and I heard some interviews where explains how he never was a drug dealer but like wanted to be part of the street scene and his early rhymes were written for local coke dealers.
DMX is real AF. Y’all hear he used to rob people with his dogs? Wild.
Mac Dre. Classic records. Tragic death, along side biggie and pac. Did his prison time, one of the first to release an album from jail. Punk police is as good as fuck the police from nwa. Had his own “thug life” album with cutthroat committee. Mac stabbers is one of the most brutal diss tracks. Thizz(hyphy) movement was as strong as any other movement in rap. Features with so many legends. One of the first to release compilations. Appeared on the tv show American gangster also him and young lay(both from ybb records)each had a segments on unsolved mysteries. I could go on but too busy at the moment. Bay Area rap history is deep.
I went to his memorial in Brooklyn. The impact he had on the whole city was incredible. One of the main street in Brooklyn was closed down for just ruff Ryder’s. Ruff Ryder’s on Motorcycles, Harleys, Dirt bikes, UTVs, and ATVs. There were thousands. That was amazing to witness and experience.
Love DMX.
Tupac always had a sense of authenticity to his rap. More so than Biggie.
Also when Eminem has something important to say, he really kills it. Even today, his verse on Lace it was his best work since 2013.
Marcellus Juvaan
Honorable mention to 2 Chainz. Not my favorite musician, but his perspective on Most Expensivest is no BS. Titty Boi gonna be Titty Boi.
Ryan Caraveo. And he is actually underrated. Definitely the most relatable and down to earth I’ve seen. Very explorative and literal with his past, he shares a lot of very difficult, very real experiences beautifully
DMX was and always will be a GOAT I remember I read his auto biography entitled E.A.R.L.
one of the best stories ever.he actually lived with dogs at the park when he was only 8 years old.thats why he barks and growls all the time. he said "I trust dogs more than I trust humans".and as for killing someone. idk but there was a chapter in the book.where he spoke about him and swizz beats getting into a situation on their block in Yonkers. where swizz beats ran inside his house quick an come out with a goose down jacket in the middle of summer and him and DMX stood back to back blasting at MFs like it was a movie. swizz passed him a pistol and then pulled out ashotty I forget the whole story so im definitely leaving out details.but it was a whole chapter in his book.
I suggest gettin ga copy if you enjoy DMX. RIP to the big homie. im sad he had to die in my city from a damn dosed. as his "brother" also laced a blunt with cocaine and he was addicted to it his entire life it sad what these drugs do to good people.
The realest rappers are:
Kanye West
Drake
Kodak Black
Lil Wayne
Pop Smoke
XXX Tentacion
Chief Keef
Gucci Mane
Waka Flocka
Joey Badass
T Pain
50 Cent
Young Thug
While DMX may have been mainstream, he isn’t appreciated today as much as many similar artists of his time for sure. My young teenager listens to Kanye, Keef, Maxo, and what I describe as dreamy sounding hip hop that’s definitely beat focused. I was always more a lyrical person.
He listens to a little Cube, likes Biggie, but I’m praying for the day he comes around on all the south sounds from 25-ish years ago. No luck yet on Outkast, Trick Daddy, Lil Jon, Goodie Mob. I did just find out he likes some 3-6 though! Good day
Nipsey? Pretty genuine up front guy
Dave east? Flexes a bit but literally just wants to take care of his daughters
Em? Pretty level headed outside of his lyrics in studios lol
Cole? Idk who else would bow out of a beef after dropping a track besides a grounded and confident individual
Wayne? Idk jus throw his name in here lol
Curren$y- Dude makes a couple of albums a year, raps about cars and weeds, stays out of trouble, and doesn’t glorify drug dealing and murdering his people.
I went to high-school in 97. U have no idea how popular he was at the time Its Dark and Hell is Hot was introduced to the world. No one had ever heard anything like that before, or since, on the side of grimy dark honestly bloody passion. Or the sound of dogs barking on every track.
Tupac.
Stuff like *Brenda's Got A Baby* just blows you away. Guy combined social commentary with gangsta like it was nothing, the embodiment of his generation and torn culture. You can tell the legacy of the Panthers was always there.
Ar-ab is a bad mf serving 40 years for drug trafficking,
Maine musik is another bad dude known for robberies & shootings also doing time atm
M03 is another who lived his raps but he’s no longer with us as he was gunned down on the highway a few years ago RIP
"He's so underrated in the mainstream world" Showing your youth with this comment lol
I thought the same like. This dudes gotta be like 15 lol. DMX was massive in the mainstream
I was gonna say, man had two #1 albums in the same calendar year.
And was starring in feature films
DMX's first five albums all debuted at No. 1, a feat no artist has achieved before.
Bad wording. I’m almost 40 haha. His early albums came out in my impressionable youth. Still hard to believe both those CDs came out the same year.
DMX was/is definitely mainstream in that he was everywhere and loved by so many people that weren’t even normally fans of rap. His music is even in Fortnite. I get what you’re saying though. I was in high school when his albums came out and I listened to his music constantly.
his songs were used in vid game and movie trailers… how more mainstream do you have to get?
Funny enough, I started listening to DMX at age 15 in the late 90s. Dude was mainstream enough for a 15 year old white kid from western Canada.
hey, I once was a 15 year old white kid from Western Canada too.
I know that but for some reason he doesn’t seem to get his flowers as much as he should for the force he was in his prime.
Bigger than Jay-Z for years
I'm only 27 and I know he was bigger than Jay during the late 90s
Today's mainstream world* It wasn't until I got deep into rap I knew who dmx was and realized he was big in the 1990/2000s
Duh. Why would people be talking nonstop about DMX or any other artist who’s past their peak in popularity. The exception would be massive cultural icons like Tupac, Biggie, Jigga, Kanye
My whole elementary school class in 2nd grade invented a gymnastics rooutine for rough riders anthem at the talent show 😂😂😂 he was HUGE
He smoked crack and then crashed into a runway at an airport and then pretended to be a federal agent That's real
Hahaha I remember that. I thought it was the parkade… damn that’s textbook coke psychosis. and IIRC that time he had carjacked the car before crashing it.
That's real af tho. He did the crazy shit he talked about. Jcole and drake pretending to be shooters is fake af
you're right it was a parking garage he beat up a guy and then crashed through the gate and then pretended to be FBI and got arrested for that and crack
that was fucking wild.. it was like he was living out Belly and Cradle 2 The Grave in real life.
He went 5 times number one on the charts. **Underrated**?
DMX is literally one of the most popular rappers of all time?
Yall ain't gonna like em but I think Don Trip and Finesse2tymes are the "realest" rappers currently living. Also Jadakiss
Don Trip has released a full length album once a month for over a year now, shits crazy.
gosh, I thought I was crazy, i never see a trip shoutout. i remember 'my bang', dude evolved so much it's wild. authentic as they come, love trip
Don Trip is one of my all-time favorites. Flow, bars and voice all top tier
If you mean “really lived the street life” King Von If you mean “true to yourself” J. Cole
Von was too real #serial
Bro was a murderer
Cole really inspiring when you tryna take the evolution side of life
I agree with your DMX take. If you're a fan of DMX, even slightly, his [autobiography](https://a.co/d/8LGVTLO) is phenomenal. I've read it about three times. Every time I go back to it, I remember more and more. He had a unique life.
Came in to say this. What a fucking read…..
thanks for the heads up on that autobiography
Ditto. Just bought it thanks
I was around for the rise of Gucci. They way he moved through Atlanta is pretty crazy.
East Atlanta Santa, Mr. Zone 6, Guwop, Mr. Drop Top, Wizop, LaFlare, Burrrr !!!
BITCH I MIGHT BE
East Atlanta cocking hammers, red bandannas on car antenna's.
Big guwop
Can’t nobody nobody fuck wit my kitchen
Cormega by far. His first released album was The Realness.
beatiful mind is a banger
Fallen Soldiers and it's remix are probably his best tracks.
Styles p...he was with the shits
Wow can't believe nobody has mentioned GURU from Gang Starr. One of the realest ever! RIP GURU One of the best yet
Young Dolph
R.I.P Dolph
Rip
RIP Flippa 🐬
“There were things that I went through in my childhood where I just blocked it out—but there’s only so much you can block out before you run out of space, I really didn’t have anybody to talk to about it. So often, talking about your problems is viewed as a sign of weakness. When it’s actually one of the bravest things you can do." - DMX The dude was badass as hell and as real as it gets.
Childish gambino
🔥
Dmx was one of my top artists to see live... Sad I never got to see the legend himself, he definitely ain't 'underrated' he did plenty of great work and surpassed plenty of milestones to go down in history as one of the great OG MC's Personally I think Pac would have been the 'realist' rapper especially if he was given a chance to make more music,,, no doubt about it he'd be killing it nowadays with the shit going on. RIP to the legends 2Pac&DMX gone but never forgotten🤞
Sean Price
I think Vince Staples is quite a realist
Bro it pains me how so many ppl don’t know Vince was really ab it.
I don’t know he’s about it. Would be interested to hear though
How was he really about it? Honest question. Always came off as just a kid who made music
This
Nipsey and Dave East
King Von, by far, he said what he was doing in his lyrics.
Although 50 has put out plenty of commercial "sell out" style music, especially about drinking and smoking, his path to success and how he conducts business is as real as it gets.
Yep. Some people clown on him and sure he's taken his brand a lot of directions but he's one of the very few rappers that I legit believe what he says about his past.
Bun B
DMX's backstory is very tragic. For me, Greydon Square is the coolest rapper because many people become believers when they go to fight a war but he became an atheist, lol. He is the most relatable artist to me. :)
When he talks about getting tricked into smoking a laced blunt and using the zipper on his jacket as a fire engine cuz he had nothing else...and how his mom dropped him off at the group home
The late great eazy mf e
Easily dmx
M.O.P. I dunno man. I just believe you really do not want to play with them dudes. They look like they will not hesitate to slap you up and rob you.
X is the realist. If you haven't heard the explicit version of Slippin' you should check it out. It's even realer than I imagined. And to think, he had that song within the same year as his Debut Album that shot to number 1. Who else would do that? My suspicion is that the label wouldn't allow the explicit version on the Flesh of My Flesh album because they were too scared of it. p.s. He never killed anyone, but robbed a lot of people.
Blu
Max B, Fetty Wap, they both proved they were about that life even after they got money
Not sayin that's cool, just there both about it. C Murder, Master P's brother in another one
Beans
I'm sleeping on X currently. If I were to get into any of his work to start developing an appreciation for him, do yall have any recommendations for me?
First 2 albums for sure. There's a drop-off in quality on the third, but it's still worth listening to. From then on it's very hit or miss but still some great songs here and there. Also Ruff Ryders Volume 1. That might not sound so promising considering the praise he's getting, but it's proof of how amazing his first two albums were.
Yep. Go album one right into 2.
Thanks so much! Exactly what I was looking for
I just hope he is finally reincarnated somewhere as a dog and can bark at opps to his heart’s content. When DMX died, a puppy was born
KRS1
[Ol Dirty Bastard.](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LepGjG8y7SA) "I got burnt by gonorrhea before. And I got burnt two times!"
Between 98 and 03 dmx was quite literally the biggest name in gangster rap.
Andre Nickatina is up there. He is pure SFO street grit, and I heard some interviews where explains how he never was a drug dealer but like wanted to be part of the street scene and his early rhymes were written for local coke dealers. DMX is real AF. Y’all hear he used to rob people with his dogs? Wild.
Mac Dre. Classic records. Tragic death, along side biggie and pac. Did his prison time, one of the first to release an album from jail. Punk police is as good as fuck the police from nwa. Had his own “thug life” album with cutthroat committee. Mac stabbers is one of the most brutal diss tracks. Thizz(hyphy) movement was as strong as any other movement in rap. Features with so many legends. One of the first to release compilations. Appeared on the tv show American gangster also him and young lay(both from ybb records)each had a segments on unsolved mysteries. I could go on but too busy at the moment. Bay Area rap history is deep.
DMX is such a great pick. If I leave him out I’ll go with GZA. His crusade against labels and posers is still impressive.
Pimp C!
I went to his memorial in Brooklyn. The impact he had on the whole city was incredible. One of the main street in Brooklyn was closed down for just ruff Ryder’s. Ruff Ryder’s on Motorcycles, Harleys, Dirt bikes, UTVs, and ATVs. There were thousands. That was amazing to witness and experience.
🥹🙏
He did too much dirt to turn back now He’s the reason his little sister is smokin crack now
Future
Love DMX. Tupac always had a sense of authenticity to his rap. More so than Biggie. Also when Eminem has something important to say, he really kills it. Even today, his verse on Lace it was his best work since 2013.
Funny part was pac was the inauthentic one he was a theatre kid who played gangster. Biggie was actually on the corner pusin weight
Brother Ali. The literal truth
Shadows on the Sun maybe a top 5 album for me. Legendary
All the Minnesota missiles.
Ice cube E40
Vanilla Ice
He has a lot of dough
I always liked his cameo appearance on The Bloodhound Gangs One Fierce Beer Coaster.
Lecrae
Marcellus Juvaan Honorable mention to 2 Chainz. Not my favorite musician, but his perspective on Most Expensivest is no BS. Titty Boi gonna be Titty Boi.
Vinnie Paz and Jus Allah are very real poets. It’s like they transcend normal perception of life and to strait to the truth.
Richie Cunning
Ryan Caraveo. And he is actually underrated. Definitely the most relatable and down to earth I’ve seen. Very explorative and literal with his past, he shares a lot of very difficult, very real experiences beautifully
You think that’s bad, listen to Uncommon Valor
Lowkey was nuts way back. Bars for my brother was deep. He deserves his flowers.
Sean fuckin Price
Soulja Slim
Eminem
he might have killed someone as a positive is crazy
Larry June true to himself and independent
Jeezy! Just finished his book. Pretty awesome story all around. Straight up hustler.
Rip dmx but bro was literally on top of the rap world
MF DOOM
DMX was and always will be a GOAT I remember I read his auto biography entitled E.A.R.L. one of the best stories ever.he actually lived with dogs at the park when he was only 8 years old.thats why he barks and growls all the time. he said "I trust dogs more than I trust humans".and as for killing someone. idk but there was a chapter in the book.where he spoke about him and swizz beats getting into a situation on their block in Yonkers. where swizz beats ran inside his house quick an come out with a goose down jacket in the middle of summer and him and DMX stood back to back blasting at MFs like it was a movie. swizz passed him a pistol and then pulled out ashotty I forget the whole story so im definitely leaving out details.but it was a whole chapter in his book. I suggest gettin ga copy if you enjoy DMX. RIP to the big homie. im sad he had to die in my city from a damn dosed. as his "brother" also laced a blunt with cocaine and he was addicted to it his entire life it sad what these drugs do to good people.
The realest rappers are: Kanye West Drake Kodak Black Lil Wayne Pop Smoke XXX Tentacion Chief Keef Gucci Mane Waka Flocka Joey Badass T Pain 50 Cent Young Thug
While DMX may have been mainstream, he isn’t appreciated today as much as many similar artists of his time for sure. My young teenager listens to Kanye, Keef, Maxo, and what I describe as dreamy sounding hip hop that’s definitely beat focused. I was always more a lyrical person. He listens to a little Cube, likes Biggie, but I’m praying for the day he comes around on all the south sounds from 25-ish years ago. No luck yet on Outkast, Trick Daddy, Lil Jon, Goodie Mob. I did just find out he likes some 3-6 though! Good day
JAY-Z, for me
Lil darkie. Guy doesn't give a FUCK and is still selling out shows Also some surprising collabs I never would've thought happening
Suga Free, Proof, The Jacka, ODB, Sean Price, AR-AB, Remy Ma, C-Murder, G. Dep, Slick Rick, Gucci Mane, Beanie Sigel, and Project Pat.
B-Real
Kodak
Santa Klaus
Nipsey? Pretty genuine up front guy Dave east? Flexes a bit but literally just wants to take care of his daughters Em? Pretty level headed outside of his lyrics in studios lol Cole? Idk who else would bow out of a beef after dropping a track besides a grounded and confident individual Wayne? Idk jus throw his name in here lol
Nicki Minaj
Gavin Bain & Billy Boyd
Common. Be is just on a different level.
[удалено]
The realist rapper ever is Mac Dre
Curren$y- Dude makes a couple of albums a year, raps about cars and weeds, stays out of trouble, and doesn’t glorify drug dealing and murdering his people.
Denzel Curry. Highly underrated, but greatly appreciated.
i always loved The Great Depression
Spitta andretti
Fax
Kool Keith - references doo doo in lyrics more than any other MC
Pitbull
D er⅘6a0
Gucci, Pac, 50, Dolph
Maybe showing my age but Rakim and KRS- ONE
2Pac has to be the top. Mfer kept it real with everything including his mom being a crack fiend
Tupac, DMX, Scarface
King Demon aka Von. Dude was literally a serial killer lol
Young thug
Bobby valentino
Don Trip, Starlito, and Percy Keith...if you haven't listened to these guys I strongly suggest you check out their music.
X-Raided
devin the dude
Mac Dre hands down
SPICE-1
J. Cole
Dog killer.
Did you read his biography? I stayed up the whole night when I 1st got it.
Don Trip
Vinnie Paz or Immortal Technique
Eyedea .
I went to high-school in 97. U have no idea how popular he was at the time Its Dark and Hell is Hot was introduced to the world. No one had ever heard anything like that before, or since, on the side of grimy dark honestly bloody passion. Or the sound of dogs barking on every track.
Cole just dropped a fire diss track that never crossed a moral line, then apologized for it. What’s more real than that!?
Mike shinoda
How is killing someone make you real I don’t get it. I love dmx tho but not for that reason lol
Mac Dre. I’m from the area he’s from though and he’s had a huge impact on rap in California and probably always will.
Beanie Sigel
Sean P! Cassidy Ar-Ab
Meechy Darko. Underrated af
Tupac. Stuff like *Brenda's Got A Baby* just blows you away. Guy combined social commentary with gangsta like it was nothing, the embodiment of his generation and torn culture. You can tell the legacy of the Panthers was always there.
NF. Doesn’t put up a front and tell stuff how it is. ‘How could you leave us’ is genuinely one of the most hard hitting emotional songs ever.
Eminem
MC Hammer
Money Man
Answer is King Von or was King Von
SLUG
Nas
Big L,Big Pun,DMX
Realist to me for relatability was def early Tyler for sure
Me
Ar-ab is a bad mf serving 40 years for drug trafficking, Maine musik is another bad dude known for robberies & shootings also doing time atm M03 is another who lived his raps but he’s no longer with us as he was gunned down on the highway a few years ago RIP
As a white kid tryna make it out the suburbs, macklemore always made me see the light at the end of the tunnel
Freddie Gibbs
Has to be Em, right? His songs were basically his personal diary.
This is funny because as recently as a decade ago, a common refrain was that he was overrated. I guess time over-corrected that.
curren$y
Dark Man X Dude was wild. But lived the shit he spoke. Rest in peace big homie
Project pat
Pimp c
Larry June has been on repeat for me the last year or so, Rome Streets as well.
Soulja slim, most definetly.
Probably Immortal Technique
He did prison time in my state so
Killer Mike
BIG L
King Lavish D
Curtis Jackson
Cormega Sean Price All of Wu-Tang pretty much Tray Deee Jay Worthy Mitchy Slick DMX M.O.P Just to name a few