There are few emcees that have brought authenticity like DMX, and Ol' Dirty Bastard was one of them. While they are two vastly different artists, they are both Rap icons who were never shamed into being silenced about the struggles in their journeys. What you saw was what you got, and it's unfortunate that we lost two of the most real, and talented, artists to ever pick up a mic.
RZA reflected on DMX's legacy during his recent conversation Ebro Darden on Apple Music. The filmmaking Wu-Tang icon spoke about his "though-provoking" film Nobody and the return of Wu-Tang: An American Saga's second season, but he took a moment to walk down memory lane with X and ODB.
“The first time I heard him was on the radio, with ‘Where My Dawgs At?’ That was ripping through New York on HOT97…and I knew automatically that it was a real dude on the mic," said RZA. "I don’t like to compare artist to artist, but if I was to compare energy as far as realness and rawness, I’d have to compare him to ODB."
"It was real, it wasn’t fabricated, he continued. "When I had the chance to meet the brother, his spirit, his purity, it’s just pure. I just caught a spine tingle right there just thinking about his purity.” Rest in peace to ODB and DMX. Check out RZA and Ebro below.