DMX Reveals That He Initially Didn't Like "Ruff Ryders' Anthem"

BYAron A.Updated on September 26, 20223.9K Views

DMX performs at Masters Of Ceremony 2019 at Barclays Center on June 28, 2019 in New York City.

It appears as though DMX's comeback is well underway.

DMX is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever touch the mic but legal and personal issues have deterred him from his career in the past few years. However, this year, following his release from prison, he's gotten back on track. He appeared at Kanye's Sunday Service, landed a new role in an upcoming film, and as revealed last week, just re-signed with Def Jam. With his new album on the way, he recently caught up with GQ where he broke down some of his most iconic songs.

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Some of the greatest songs in history have been flukes. Such is the case with DMX's iconic track, "Ruff Ryders' Anthem." The rapper recently gave some context behind the song and revealed that he was incredibly reluctant to actually create it in the first place.

"I wrote it in 15 minutes," DMX said. "I actually didn't want to write it. I didn't want to do that song. The beat was simple and repetitive. So many other songs had so much substance, and this song was like, fucking ABCs, like elementary."

With the mastermind Swizz Beatz by his side, he was eventually convinced to hop on the song. "I'm glad I did do it," he said.

The rapper also discussed some other classic songs like "Party Up," "What's My Name," and more.

About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.