DMX Album: “It's Dark and Hell Is Hot [PA]”

DMX came on the scene in 1998 with his first album "It's Dark and Hell is Hot". This album still remains one of my favorite hardcore rap albums of all time. DMX came out straight grimey on this one, dropping extreme rhymes over some gritty production. During the same year X dropped "Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood" (which is a great album, but it doesn't quite measure up to this one), "And Then There Was X" in 1999, "The Great Depression" in 2001, and "Grand Champ" in 2003 (by far his worst album to date). Darkman X started to slip after "FOMFBOMB" but never completely fell off. "Here We Go Again" is scheduled to drop sometime in the next 10 years, but an exact release date is uncertain. However, this album remains his best to date, and hasn't been topped by X yet.

The album starts off with an intro. The next track is the widely known "Ruff Ryders Anthem". "Stop, drop, shut em down open up shop, ohhhh, noooo, that's how Ruff Ryders rooollll" When you hear this song you just gotta sing along to it. What more can I say about it? "F*ckin Wit D'" brings X's energy out to the fullest, especially on the hook. If this song doesn't get you hype I don't know what will. His rugged voice matching with his energetic flow is crazy on this one. "Look Thru My Eyes" is a track about why he does what he does. He's telling you to look at where he came from, and see if you wouldn't be exactly like him. "Get At Me Dog" is all about being a killer. "Let Me Fly" is one of the best tracks on here (honestly that doesn't really say much considering most of these tracks are great). It's more of an introspective track, and the chorus is stellar. I found this on repeat often. "X Is Coming" is just straight grimey. The beat is dark and creepy, and X provides some extremely hardcore lyrics. The chorus uses the song that's from A Nightmare on Elm Street (that "One, Two, Freddy's comin' for you" except Freddy is replaced with X). I love it! "Damien" is one of my favorite songs of all time. It's part 1 to a 3-part series, where the second part, entitled The Omen is found on FOMFBOMB, and Damien III is found on And Then There Was X. On this track, X meets Damien (really the devil) and Damien lures him into doing crime and being evil. However, DMX runs into a tight spot by the end of the track. This one is a classic. "How's It Goin Down" switches things up a bit, where X raps to the ladies. It's more mellow than the rest, but the song is tight nonetheless. "Crime Story" is just that, a crime story with a laidback beat and laidback rapping as well. "Stop Being Greedy" is another hardcore track, "ATF" is a shorter, freestyle type track, again about crime. This is fast paced with an intensified flow.

"For My Dogs" is a standout track for me because partially, in a way, I can relate to it. It's about being there for your friends, or "dawgs" as many MC's put it, and to be ready to lay anyone down for messing with them. I'm just like this; nobody better mess with my friends or they're messing with me. I'll lay it all on the line for them which is what this song is about. "I Can Feel It" is another emotional song. It samples Phil Collins' In the Air Tonight, and his lyrics are exceptional. "Prayer" is a VERY emotional skit. DMX has a talk with God on this skit, there's no music, just X spilling out his heart. I'm an atheist myself, but I was almost moved by this skit. It's just powerful. His voice is strong. "The Convo" is another good song. I like the chorus on this one. The lyrics are good too. "Niggas Done Started Somethin" wraps the album up exceptionally.

It's Dark and Hell is Hot is an almost perfect album in my honest opinion. DMX has a nice blend of introspective, hardcore, and emotional tracks, and it doesn't get redundant as some of his later albums did. This is DMX in his rawest form; he never quite reached this level again with his other albums. His lyrics are great throughout the whole album and the production is rugged and dark. Hip Hop needed a hardcore album like this to slow Puffy's Bad Boy bubblegum pop-rap movement down. Don't overlook this album if you don't already have it. It's worth a purchase. Definitely a 5 star classic.

All I have to say is Dmx is the greatest and this cd is awesome. All of yall out there that hate Dmx are just stupid. X's voice is incredible. I love it. No matter what anyone says I will always love Dmx's music and if anyone wants to listen to some real rap you need to go out and buy this cd eventhough it is a little old. You won't be able to stop playing it!

the true heads of hiphop, 85% aren't feelin DMX but "its dark and hell is hot" -i thought it was a good start for X. X aint the best lyricist, but i wouldn't rank him at the bottom.

My favourite songs would have to be:

Look Thru my Eyes - isn't it obvious? what its like being DMX

Let my Fly - good song, but its a little slow, still..sall good

Damien - this would be the best song out of all of it. it's most like a conversation between X and damien (the son of the devil?)

if you like this type of music, or this style, then go buy the album. dont just jump on the bandwagon.

DMX is definitely one of my favorite rappers. Not quite 2Pac, Nas, KRS-One and a few others of my favorites, but probarly in the top 10.

I bougth this in early '01, a few years after it's realese, and it was worth the money, no doubt. I got a classic album, but it also introduced me to a rapper who has now becomen one of my favorites. This album bangs from start to finish.

The intro to "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot" is one of the best intros ever, listen for yourself. It's more like a song, with a hard-banging beat and with X's rough and loud voice (which is one of the reason I love this cat). Another thing I love about this album besides X's voice and the dark production, is the few guest apperances, he mostly does the job himself. Even though he got a few, which is also a good thing. They all do a great job. My favorite cuts has to be : Intro, Ruff Ryders' Anthem, Damien, Stop Being Greedy, F----- Wit' D, Look Thru My Eyes and Let Me Fly... but their basically all hot, I mean you can actually even listening to the skits. I'll stop now, but I'll end by saying get this if you're into rap/hip-hop 'cause this is in my opinion a street classic. After this, I promise you will get hyped up to get another X album, it's that good. Classic.

A lot of rappers claim to be hard in this rap game. Earl Simmons a.k.a. DMX doesnt have to say that he is hard or that he is a gangster. The way he acts and his life says it all. Its Dark and Hell is hot is his first and best cd of the five. The beats, lyrics, and everything about it is genious.

The thing I love about X and his music is the passion in it. He has gone through a lot as a person and you can tell. His music is filled with anger, sadness, happiness, and prayer. Growing up in the projects in yonkers and going in and out of jail has made him the man he is today. A lot of people in the industry just rap about things that they havent been through or seen. X just tells the truth and his life. Thats being real.

You dont ever have to fast foward through any song on this cd. Every track is good. Here is a list of the tracks.

1. Intro- This is the intro into the cd. The beat is very dark.

2. Ruff Ryders anthem- This was the second single of the album. This song introduced him to the world out of New York. This was the summer jam of 1997.

3. F*ckin wit D- Not one of the best songs on the cd but a good one.

4. Storm (Skit)-Two guys talking about how DMX was robbing people.

5. Look thru my eyes-My personal favorite song on the cd. Very passionate song.

6. Get at me dog-1st single of the cd. Very big song in New York. Fist song that X started barking on songs.

7. Let me Fly-Another great song filled with emotion.

8. X is coming-Dark song with a really hard beat.

9. Damien-Another Great song. Conversation with himself and his inner demons.

10. Hows it going down-Kind of a slow r&b song. But it is still a great song.

11. Mickey (skit)

12. Crime Story-Good song with kind of a jamican style beat.

13. Stop being greedy-Great hardcore song with X changing the style of his voice from verse to verse

14. ATF- Great song that has X running from the 5-0

15. For my dogs-Great song with fellow label mates on it

16. I can feel it-Great song sambled over Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight"

17. Prayer (Skit)

18. Convo-Great song with X having a conversation with God

19. N*ggaz done started somethin-Finishes the cd with a bang. Has other rappers and X's verse might be the best one on the album.

So if you want to own a great rap cd buy this classic.Im gonna end with my favorite thing he says of the album, "If you love something let it go if it comes back to you then its yours if it doesnt youll never know, hold me down baby.