DMX - Exodus (Discussion Thread)

[Awesome Wells]

Cats kill me with this hate talk. Why we can’t think a nikka is wack? It’s not hate I think swizz is garbage

albums would’ve probably sounded better if both grease and swizz did it

I have no hate for swizz at all that nikka actually from my hood in the Bronx

Swizz had a nice run during the late 90's, and that's when he was at his best. But in just being honest, he's pretty limited talent-wise. Any producer in Hip Hop would say the same. Everyone knows. But X has always been his way to shine. Thing is, there were other people that made better records with him and based on his moves, he wanted to push those people out of the process on this project, to make it more about himself overseeing everything. Anyone that's ever met Swizz or pays attention, knows he's all about the look.

Grease was working with X on new shyt for years. He played songs on IG. But the minute Swizz got the nod for executive producer up at Def Jam, Grease couldn't even get dude on the phone anymore. This is someone that he kept under his wing when he first started. He said Swizz unfollowed him on social media and all that, lol. It's industry shyt. Make yourself out to be the only one that championed X and pretend that no one else was there. I've known dude forever, used to go up to Jackson Ave to ride BMX bikes with him back in the day. But he definitely moves a little funny when it comes to business. X deserved better, but this is more about Swizz raising his own profile through X.

 

[spliz]

Truth is, Grease was executive producer on X's last couple albums. They're family. Grease has been working with X for years on new music, but he and PK have had beef with Swizz over business shyt for years, over Swizz taking credit for tracks he didn't do. Grease never went anywhere. They were all working with X over the years when he was going through it. X was staying with Grease at his crib during that stretch, and the reason why they have issues, is because Swizz tries to make it seem like he's been the only one in X's corner all these years. Grease was behind all the business on X's last couple of projects and was giving X beats for free.

When X started working on this album years ago, he had tracks with Grease that they recorded at Vacant Lot. When they took the album back to Def Jam and got the budget for it, Swizz was named executive producer and cut all the tracks that Grease did off the project. He and X had done around 25-30 joints over the last few years. And that's been the issue with those two and the issue PK has with Swizz too because he blocked all of X's OG producers from the project once he got at the helm, but he brought in recycled beats from other dudes. Both Grease and PK have been online talking about this way before X passed, when Swizz flew X out to Cali to record at Snoop's spot. When Grease was executive producer on those last couple of X albums, he still brought in Swizz. When Swizz got the look, he cut both of the OG dudes out.

Damn. If this is true Swizz is fukked up for that.

 

[up in here]

Swizz had a nice run during the late 90's, and that's when he was at his best. But in just being honest, he's pretty limited talent-wise. Any producer in Hip Hop would say the same. Everyone knows. But X has always been his way to shine. Thing is, there were other people that made better records with him and based on his moves, he wanted to push those people out of the process on this project, to make it more about himself overseeing everything. Anyone that's ever met Swizz or pays attention, knows he's all about the look.

Grease was working with X on new shyt for years. He played songs on IG. But the minute Swizz got the nod for executive producer up at Def Jam, Grease couldn't even get dude on the phone anymore. This is someone that he kept under his wing when he first started. He said Swizz unfollowed him on social media and all that, lol. It's industry shyt. Make yourself out to be the only one that championed X and pretend that no one else was there. I've known dude forever, used to go up to Jackson Ave to ride BMX bikes with him back in the day. But he definitely moves a little funny when it comes to business. X deserved better, but this is more about Swizz raising his own profile through X.

Breh, you right and you wrong. Swizz is absolutely limited talent wise, but you can’t say he only had shine cause of X. Swizz was already making a name for himself at the same time X was getting on, and he has maintained a decent career working with other artists. And he has always reached back to work with X over those same years.

I can tell by your posts you are taking a lot of what Grease has said as fact. But here’s the thing, Swizz and Grease have their own relationship and issues in the past. and Swizz and X have their own relationship too. Over the years when X was in and out of jail and rehab he has mentioned a lot of times he wants to get back in the studio with Swizz and lock in. It looks like with this last album they finally were able to make that happen. So if Swizz didn’t want to use the tracks X did with Grease, that’s perfectly understandable, as they were obviously taking it in another direction. It happens. Grease had a chance to do it with X his way already. It seems like they didn’t want this project to just be another rehash of that one.

This time it was Swizz’s turn to EP and it’s honestly a pretty good project. And if we being honest, Grease ain’t on the level that Swizz is, he just ain’t. and he can’t push a project the way that Swizz can and nobody at Swizz level was really trying to fukk with X like that for a minute. This is true.

you say Swizz is all about the look, well perhaps he wanted to make sure X got the right look this time around.

 

[FreshAIG]

Breh, you right and you wrong. Swizz is absolutely limited talent wise, but you can’t say he only had shine cause of X. Swizz was already making a name for himself at the same time X was getting on, and he has maintained a decent career working with other artists. And he has always reached back to work with X over those same years.

I can tell by your posts you are taking a lot of what Grease has said as fact. But here’s the thing, Swizz and Grease have their own relationship and issues in the past. and Swizz and X have their own relationship too. Over the years when X was in and out of jail and rehab he has mentioned a lot of times he wants to get back in the studio with Swizz and lock in. It looks like with this last album they finally were able to make that happen. So if Swizz didn’t want to use the tracks X did with Grease, that’s perfectly understandable, as they were obviously taking it in another direction. It happens. Grease had a chance to do it with X his way already. It seems like they didn’t want this project to just be another rehash of that one.

This time it was Swizz’s turn to EP and it’s honestly a pretty good project. And if we being honest, Grease ain’t on the level that Swizz is, he just ain’t. and he can’t push a project the way that Swizz can and nobody at Swizz level was really trying to fukk with X like that for a minute. This is true.

you say Swizz is all about the look, well perhaps he wanted to make sure X got the right look this time around.

Grease is a far better producer than Swizz. When you say he can't put a project together like Swizz, what do you mean? Swizz has nothing close to "It's Dark" in his catalog.

Swizz "sound" is way bigger than Grease, as far as hit making, I'm concede that, but quality?

 

[Ziggiy]

Damn. If this is true Swizz is fukked up for that.

I mean if this was the album DMX truly wanted to make I don’t see how its too fukked up.


I’m sure there were a LOT of producers who had songs with X. But ONLY Swizz really locked in with him and got an entire album finished. Everybody likes to throw around the “Who was there for X?” When so and so tragedy happened but Swizz by all accounts really WAS there for X and helped him knock out this final project. So I honestly don’t see why Swizz would be beholden to put Dame Grease produced songs on the album if Swizz was the one DMX entrusted to do the project when he was alive.


That would be like Nas and DJ Premier finally completing their album and god forbid something were to happen and Pete Rock decided to feel some kind of way because Premo didn’t put any songs on the album that Rock and produced with Nas. Makes no sense

 

[spliz]

I mean if this was the album DMX truly wanted to make I don’t see how its too fukked up.


I’m sure there were a LOT of producers who had songs with X. But ONLY Swizz really locked in with him and got an entire album finished. Everybody likes to throw around the “Who was there for X?” When so and so tragedy happened but Swizz by all accounts really WAS there for X and helped him knock out this final project. So I honestly don’t see why Swizz would be beholden to put Dame Grease produced songs on the album if Swizz was the one DMX entrusted to do the project when he was alive.


That would be like Nas and DJ Premier finally completing their album and god forbid something were to happen and Pete Rock decided to feel some kind of way because Premo didn’t put any songs on the album that Rock and produced with Nas. Makes no sense

Bruh it just doesn’t make sense for him to put a bunch of beats from other nikkas on the album and leave Grease and PK off especially if they got joints too. I can’t think of any reason he would do that. He could’ve even co produced some shyt with them Ionno fam. shyt seems weird. I’m not a nikka to just auto bash Swizz but if that’s true that is kinda strange. It would’ve made most sense for shyt to come full circle back to his first album with the producers n all that. I STILL don’t understand the Moneybagg Yo feature especially since Pop Smoke was originally on it. It would’ve made more sense to put another young NY cat on it imo. I don’t see X co-signing that feature.

 

[Ziggiy]

Bruh it just doesn’t make sense for him to put a bunch of beats from other nikkas on the album and leave Grease and PK off especially if they got joints too. I can’t think of any reason he would do that. He could’ve even co produced some shyt with them Ionno fam. shyt seems weird. I’m not a nikka to just auto bash Swizz but if that’s true that is kinda strange. It would’ve made most sense for shyt to come full circle back to his first album with the producers n all that. I STILL don’t understand the Moneybagg Yo feature especially since Pop Smoke was originally on it. It would’ve made more sense to put another young NY cat on it imo. I don’t see X co-signing that feature.

Swizz said Pop Smoke’s verse was used already so they had to take him off.

 

[spliz]

Swizz said Pop Smoke’s verse was used already so they had to take him off.

I’m not criticizing them taking him off. I’m criticizing who they replaced him with. shyt didn’t fit. It’s the clear worst song on the album cause of it.

 

[Awesome Wells]

Bruh it just doesn’t make sense for him to put a bunch of beats from other nikkas on the album and leave Grease and PK off especially if they got joints too. I can’t think of any reason he would do that. He could’ve even co produced some shyt with them Ionno fam. shyt seems weird. I’m not a nikka to just auto bash Swizz but if that’s true that is kinda strange. It would’ve made most sense for shyt to come full circle back to his first album with the producers n all that. I STILL don’t understand the Moneybagg Yo feature especially since Pop Smoke was originally on it. It would’ve made more sense to put another young NY cat on it imo. I don’t see X co-signing that feature.

Exactly.

X was living with Grease in NY for over a year recently and working on mad music. Did a couple albums worth of shyt. And then Swizz asked him to fly to Cali to start recording at Snoop's studio. Like PK said, Swizz was isolating X from other people who may have influence over him. All the shyt that Grease and PK did for X didn't make the album, and then random producers started getting calls from Swizz to send songs. Some of which, already had vocals on them. Joints that were years old. He had acapellas that he threw on the album from Hov, that were 10-11 years old. He was willing to do all of that, but intentionally kept all of the OG Ruff Ryder producers off the project. But when Grease was overseeing X's last few projects, he made sure to bring Swizz in. It's wild.

 

[spliz]

Exactly.

X was living with Grease in NY for over a year recently and working on mad music. Did a couple albums worth of shyt. And then Swizz asked him to fly to Cali to start recording at Snoop's studio. Like PK said, Swizz was isolating X from other people who may have influence over him. All the shyt that Grease and PK did for X didn't make the album, and then random producers started getting calls from Swizz to send songs. Some of which, already had vocals on them. Joints that were years old. He had acapellas that he threw on the album from Hov, that were 10-11 years old. He was willing to do all of that, but intentionally kept all of the OG Ruff Ryder producers off the project. But when Grease was overseeing X's last few projects, he made sure to bring Swizz in. It's wild.

Exactly. And I’m not even mad at him using Bath Salts even tho he butchered it by taking off the hook n all kinda shyt. But that’s prolly more of a gift from Nas to X. On some love shyt. But if Swizz willing to use old ass Hov verses and old X verses. Being that Nas was the only one to record a new verse for it. He could’ve scrapped that Moneybagg track since Pop Smoke couldn’t be cleared. And put a Dame Grease joint on there. Then added a PK track on there. shyt would’ve been full circle. I don’t get why he would do otherwise if not for the reasons u stated. And I’m pretty sure Swizz loved X to death. I’m not even questioning that. But u right. He prolly wanted all the credit. Or he got some personal issue with Grease and PK. Sucks because they ALWAYS got the best out of X. On top of the fact the album ain’t even mixed and mastered properly and some X verses could’ve done better with a few retakes to perfect it. I just don’t get it.

 

[DarkandHellisHot]

Swizz said Pop Smoke’s verse was used already so they had to take him off.

I mean, the track its pretty much old stuff and used by X. I know its different but still, he could use it i guess. At least if X was alive, i doubt he will change it after talk about it already.

 

[jensyao]

 

[DaHNIC82]

I know there’s gotta be more songs like that in the stash.

Theres like 40 or 50

 

[DarkandHellisHot]

Judging by what divinebars said years ago, he was releasing a gospel album during the time he released Still Scratching, Blood red and other one. When X get out of jail years ago, he talked about it too. Thing is, divinebars always tried to be a clone swizz hype and barely anything released after he talks or announce. Still scratching only out because it got leaked first and mixing wasnt on point.

 

[NormanConnors]

Truth is, Grease was executive producer on X's last couple albums. They're family. Grease has been working with X for years on new music, but he and PK have had beef with Swizz over business shyt for years, over Swizz taking credit for tracks he didn't do. Grease never went anywhere. They were all working with X over the years when he was going through it. X was staying with Grease at his crib during that stretch, and the reason why they have issues, is because Swizz tries to make it seem like he's been the only one in X's corner all these years. Grease was behind all the business on X's last couple of projects and was giving X beats for free.

When X started working on this album years ago, he had tracks with Grease that they recorded at Vacant Lot. When they took the album back to Def Jam and got the budget for it, Swizz was named executive producer and cut all the tracks that Grease did off the project. He and X had done around 25-30 joints over the last few years. And that's been the issue with those two and the issue PK has with Swizz too because he blocked all of X's OG producers from the project once he got at the helm, but he brought in recycled beats from other dudes. Both Grease and PK have been online talking about this way before X passed, when Swizz flew X out to Cali to record at Snoop's spot. When Grease was executive producer on those last couple of X albums, he still brought in Swizz. When Swizz got the look, he cut both of the OG dudes out.

25-30 tracks


And as far as the rest....just when i decided to renege and give Swizz props for being a standup guy