There are no pension plans for hip-hop legends, who must all inevitably face the prospect of aging into the veteran career stages. Unfortunately for so many of our favorite rappers, the game isn't exactly designed to see them strive long term. Of course, some are shrewd enough to take measures into their own hands, developing a deeper understanding of the business end of the music industry. But others, like DMX, can fall victim to the trappings of temptation presented along the road to rap superstardom.
Jadakiss Confirms That DMX Is In A Great Place">Kevin Winter/Getty Images
We've long seen the emcee battle his demons, facing addiction and struggling to stay financially afloat. Yet this year, it would appear that DMX has finally found peace, once again finding his footing in the studio and the game at large. His triumphant battle with Snoop Dogg was a testament to that, not to mention the fact that X has been holed up in the studio working on his upcoming album. Fans recently got a taste of what he's bringing to the table on The LOX's recent single "Bout Shit," and today, Jadakiss opened up about DMX's current state of mind on Hot 97.
"His grandmother lived on our block," says Jada, when asked about his relationship with X. "He was always at his grandma's crib so he was always around our neighborhood since we was little little little kids. X was already famous in Y.O. He was already an icon around the town. He was making tapes, and he would come and give you a DMX tape, where he recorded over some old Luthor or some old Jay-Z. One side would be The Temptations and the other side would be twelve X freestyles."
When asked whether the creation of "Bout It" was an in-studio effort, Jadakiss confirms that it was. "We family, Rosenberg," he states. "We hands on. DMX is happy, he's in a great space. He's about to do it again, if you ask me. His mind is right. His energy is right. He's showing up early. He's wearing what the stylist asks him. He's doing podcasts. Energy is ill dog. I've known X my whole life!" "When you see him fat like that, it's a good thing too," chimes in Sheek, with a laugh. "I've seen him with five-hundred million, I've seen him with five dollars cash," continues Jada. "He's happy. He's happy right now and that's the best thing."
Styles echoes Jada's assessment, contextualizing things by stating that DMX was struggling with addiction during the height of his career. "I have the utmost admiration for him, coming from where we from and going through that, and being able to sell millions, I mean multiple millions of records," says P. "That shows his craftmanship, his work ethic, his drive. It shows a lot of things."
Check out the full conversation below, and check back on Friday August 28th for The LOX's Living Off Xperience album.