At one Point DMX was considered better than Hov

[10:31]

As someone who was in high school during that time what you said is false. X was THAT guy. Hov stand re writing history again

Facts.

X came hard out the gate. The momentum was so strong Def Jam had no choice but to release Flesh of My Flesh the same year

Belly
It’s Dark & Hell is Hot
Flesh of My Flesh

And DMX was out of here

 

[JustCKing]

No one outside of NY gave a damn about those HITS. X had people worldwide singing ruff riders anthem.

You the type of guy that only started calling reasonable doubt a classic because ya daddy hov told you to years later.

I live outside of NY and Jay had hits here since 1996

Reasonable Doubt isn't even my favorite Jay album.

 

[JustCKing]

As someone who was in high school during that time what you said is false. X was THAT guy. Hov stans re writing history again

Both X and Jay were huge in 1998. I am not a Jay Z stan, but you clearly are an X stan.

 

[Absolut da poet ®]

DMX was the hottest rapper out at one point. But NOBODY was saying he was "better" than Jay. There's a difference.

^this.. X had huge buzz and a lot of juice in the hoods based off those videos he was doing
and the grimy sound he had

 

[YoungMoneyCashMoneyBoy]

Nothing jay ever put out topped IDAHIH.

Jay has zero depth just like beyonce. Airhead music.

 

[Calmye]

He still better than Jay. Hes just a crack head

 

[JYoung24]

DMX was the hottest rapper out at one point. But NOBODY was saying he was "better" than Jay. There's a difference.

Yes they were

 

[JYoung24]

Dmx is better now

 

[JYoung24]

yeah, i think statistically Jay-Z might be the best of all time.

Statistically that cac emenim is

 

[JYoung24]

Eh. X had 2 number 1 albums going into 99... i just dont get how jay was seen as the headliner because 98 was dmxs year even tho jay ended up trabslating that buzz into a lifelong career.

Aint no nikka, money aint a thang and hard knock life? Only had one real solo hit (which for the life of me i dont understand why it was so popular... annie sample made it). RD was BARELY poppin like that and vol 1 is a known lukewarm flop. Most of vol 2 popped off late i to 98 into 99.

Dmx had more hits. Meth def had more hits.

Jay to me was never THE guy until like blueprint but he always knew how to position himself so he seemed bigger than he was which is why he still on top today. It was a rocafella tour which is why dame was spazzin in dvd which makes sense why he the headliner but imo dmx def deserved a co headline spot atleast.

I thought they were co headlines

 

[TheDarceKnight]

Jay is probably my favorite rapper in his prime, but in 1998 at least where I was, DMX was considered a notch above. He dropped his first two albums that year, and Volume 2 by Jay was fire, but even one of the biggest songs on it featured X, and on Blackout on Flesh of My Flesh, Jay and X's verses were pretty neck and neck.

I thought Jay pulled away from X with Volume 3 in 1999.

Now, Jay was always the more technical emcee, and probably a better lyricist on paper, but It's Dark And Hell is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh era DMX was raw as fukk and was basically everyone's favorite rapper. He had the same charisma of like a Tupac at that time. Every feature and every verse at that time was just a breath of fresh air. Looking back I skip a lot of joints on the FLesh album because of the production, but I listened to Hell is Hot just last week and didn't skip anything.

 

[TheDarceKnight]

ain't no debate. DMX was the hottest rapper out those years. Jay had the biggest "single" with Hard Knock Life, but DMX was more popular. people were looking for the next "2Pac" and X was the closest thing.

something that sticks out to me was the 1999 Superbowl was in Miami. they had the superbowl concert down here, basically the Hard Knock Life tour PLUS Diddy, Mase, Mary J, and a whole bunch of other people. shyt was crazy

anyway, as we're waiting for the concert to start all we heard was "DMX, DMX!!" chants. then it would be "STOP, DROP, shut em down open up shop..." chants. then WE WANT X, WE WANT X. this happened before the show started, during the breaks between acts, and right before X came on stage.

This.

Yeah, Jay always was very good at selling himself like he was slightly bigger than he was, and props to him for that. IMO Jay really took over the rap game on Blueprint, and I would even accept arguments that on Volume 3 or Dynasty he basically became the "King of New York" because X was starting to fall off a little bit with album quality, and then Blueprint just really cemented him into that spot. Jay had been planting the seeds for a long time though.

When X was hot though? There hasn't been anyone in the past 20 years that comes to mind that was as hot at X was in their first year on the mainstream besides 50 Cent. In fact when 50 was leading up to Get Rich or Die Trying people were saying he was "DMXing the game."

 

[FlyRy]

jay z was never the hottest rapper.

:blankman:

 

[QuintessentialMan]

X was better from 97/98-01/02.
Then he lost focus and i guess the drugs.....but DMX at his highest was incredible. Movies too. He was on another level.

 

[No Hook]

Grew up listening to both of them. X was more popular but he was never a better rapper than Jay