For more infomation >> Phi tiêu Batman | How to make a Batarang Batman (the dark night) - Duration: 8:55. 
For more infomation >> Unboxing Dark souls Remastered Xbox one (Catalán) Subtitulado by EMB - Duration: 8:41. 
These days, it's easy to dismiss Earl Simmons as a man on his last legs.
Since his debut 20 years ago, the artist known as DMX has been arrested for everything from
drug possession to impersonating an FBI agent.
It's been a hard life for the embattled MC, a tragic tale of supreme talent sabotaged
by poverty, childhood abuse, drugs and mental illness.
As with many tortured artists, DMX would have his own demons to thank for the rise and fall
of one of the most fascinating careers in hip-hop.
From its birth in the Bronx during the 1970s, hip-hop has often been described as an outlet
for the disenfranchised.
It was home to honest reflections of the social, economic and political realities of marginalized
peoples.
DMX has always stood out as one of its darkest geniuses, no different than Edgar Allen Poe
in literature.
As it was to the legendary writer, the theme of darkness is equally central to the life
and art of Dark Man X.
First, let's go back a little bit.
Hip-hop was in a weird place in 1997.
Fans and critics were reeling from the devastating losses of Biggie Smalls and 2Pac which left
a massive hole in the game.
Music had moved out of the streets and into the shiny suits of acts like Puff Daddy, Ma$e
and Will Smith.
For big-time music executives like Irv Gotti and Lyor Cohen, signing someone who looked
and sounded like DMX was very dicey.
We're talking about a man with one the most unconventional voices in all of music.
His ultra-aggressive delivery and animalistic ad-libs clashed heavily with the flashy rap
at the top of the charts.
Yet and still, Def Jam took a chance on the gritty product that was DMX.
His debut album, It's Dark and Hell is Hot, dropped on May 12th, 1998.
It shot to the top of the Billboard 200 with 251,000 copies sold in the first week and
went 4x platinum in just over two years.
It also paved the way for the Bronx MC to become just the 2nd rapper since 2Pac to land
two platinum selling albums in the same year.
With that being said, It's Dark and Hell is Hot was much more than just a commercial
and critical success.
It was a sonic masterpiece that introduced a new rap heavyweight, revived a floundering
label in Def Jam and changed hip-hop as people knew it at the time.
Four years earlier, Nas' Illmatic introduced a thoughtful and technically brilliant brand
of inner-city storytelling that inspired evolution.
DMX replicated this in 1998 with a menacing and violent documentary.
His willingness to expose personal demons onstage, during interviews and on wax appealed
to people who were either captivated by darkness or looking to find meaning in their own suffering.
The kind of fascination that surrounded DMX's debut transcends both time and genre.
Kurt Cobain, Eminem, Tony Soprano, Omar Little and The Joker have all exposed America's
never-ending appreciation for complicated and imperfect anti-heroes.
On the song, "F***** wit D", DMX opens up about his own mental illness.
Amazingly, he's able to dig a bit deeper on "Stop Being Greedy" with a manic rap
that shines a light on the highs and lows of his bio-polar disorder.
His most incredible display of dark artistry comes in the standout track "Damien",
a head-spinning, back-and-forth battle between X and the personification of one of his demons.
Here, the suffering MC comes to the realization that by embracing his consuming darkness for
fame, he's sold his soul to the devil.
The greatness of this track can be seen in its influence on Kendrick Lamar
who cited that his encounters with Lucy, or Lucifer, on To Pimp a Butterfly were inspired
by "Damien".
In addition to representing different levels of Hell, a closer look at these songs reveal
that while not the most technical of MCs, DMX was an incredible storyteller.
From Slick Rick to Outkast, certain rappers have excelled at mixing rhymes with gripping
stories over the span of an entire song.
Backed by the perfectly menacing production of Dame Grease, P.K. and Swizz Beatz, Dark
Man X was able to dole out memorable tales of crime in "ATF", love in "How's
it Goin' Down" and redemption in his "Prayer" skit.
Songs like the "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" and "Get at Me Dog" highlighted his flexibility
by proving that he could write radio anthems with the best of them.
Given his fall from grace, I felt that it was important to remind people why Earl Simmons
is one of hip-hop's most important figures.
His numbers, talent and influence are undeniable.
His infectious energy was apparent to me the moment he stepped onto the scene in LL Cool
J's unforgettable "4,3,2,1".
When it comes to content and production, X's debut is a perfect exercise in organized chaos.
To this day, his journey through the lowest depths of humanity remains captivating and
disturbing.
It captures his descent with enough skill and authenticity to match the likes of something
as great as Goodfellas.
By giving an unforgettable voice to the darkest corners of society, It's Dark and Hell is
Hot solidified the Bronx MC as one of rap's premier street prophets.
In addition to bringing Def Jam back from the dead, this album ushered in the return
of the rap crew with Ruff Ryders, a talented collective that brought us Eve, Swizz Beatz
and the return of The Lox.
It also led to the emergence of street talents like 50 Cent and Camron who came with crews of
their own.
DMX sits with the likes of 2Pac in my top 5 because of his honesty as an artist.
Both MCs were not afraid to rage against the machine in one song and cry for forgiveness
in others.
Both persisted through challenging lives and careers.
They also stood tall in the face of a demise that they predicted in their own music.
Dave Chappelle once said that the worst thing you could call somebody was crazy because
it's dismissive.
I too believe that some strong people suffer because of their sick environments.
Few make it out completely, some not at all.
Remember that the next time Earl Simmons is on the news for something other than music.
Đăng ký:
Đăng Nhận xét (Atom)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét