Rest In Peace, Earl "DMX" Simmons!

DMX, a rapper known as much for his troubles as his music, has died, his family announced in a statement. He was 50. "We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX, birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50-years-old at White Plains Hospital with his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days," family's statement read in part. "Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end," the family continued. "He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him." The artist had been hospitalized since last week when he suffered a heart attack at his home in New York, according to his longtime attorney, Murray Richman. - CNN. I've kept my thoughts in a draft waiting to find the right words, but they never came... Fortunately, the homie Big Ghost once again put to words what I couldn't... "Fame is a funny thing... By not really knowing the people who we become fans of n start to admire n sometimes idolize...we start to form our own ideas, opinions, perceptions, n misconceptions about em. I mean...the people in our actual daily lives can be hard to figure out... You probably got friends n family members that you think you KNOW...but does that really always mean you know em LIKE THAT? You got superheroes in comics who got secret identities... We see em without the masks or costumes. We see both sides of the em. We see the shit they think about in the little speech bubble clouds n whatever. We even get origin stories. So now we can guess every move they make next? Nah.. people are complicated. Even fictional ones. But real people... thats real complexity. When you add celebrity n (super)stardom to the mix...you get fed a public persona, stories, tabloid rumors, sanitized PR spins, straight up lies etc etc. As far as DMX...he lived his life in the public eye. He was open about a lot of it. We saw the rawness...the flaws...the tragedies...the wins...the glory... But did we know him? Did anybody? I really wanted to shift the focus from his troubles to the triumphs...to the happier moments of his public life. To the acts of kindness he displayed. To the love he showed others. Countless times. But access to social media makes that kinda hard to do. For every word of praise you see for DMX you can find at least two words from mfs who want it to be known that he was NOT in fact a perfect saint... That he was a drug addict or always going to jail for some shit he didnt need to really be going to jail for...that he invested money unwisely...that he had mad children by different women...that you should save your prayers for somebody who more worthy of your concern. But damn. What is prayer for if it aint for sinners? Is that not the idea? If we only ever grieved for the faultless there would be nobody to mourn in this world. Get it right tho.. DMX wasnt perfect. He was great. One love Earl." It hurts to say... R.I.P., DMX. Photos: Jonathan Mannion.

DMX "Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood" (1998)

Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood - On the heels of his multi-platinum debut It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, DMX unleashed his dogs again on an album overflowing with raw energy and spiritual catharsis. The irascible Yonkers MC, 27 at the time of this recording, continues the Ruff Ryder legacy on this follow-up release. DMX's canine split-personality flow is like none other, not only rhyming over tracks, but barking expression over explosive beats. Production here--by Swizz Beats, PK, DJ Shok, Dame Grease--is mostly stripped-down, pure high-tech drum machine and synthesizer combinations that are sure to inspire emotional and adrenal responses in listeners. Although DMX is no new jack, he is part of a no-frills new breed of MCs that hold nothing back on the microphone: emphasis is on emotion rather on wordbending. Standout cuts include "Blackout," with guest appearances from fellow hip-hop heavyweights the Lox and Jay-Z; "Coming From," a duet with the queen of hip-hop/R&B, Mary J. Blige, which stuns the ears with a haunting piano loop; "The Omen," a bout with the devil featuring the demonic Marilyn Manson on the hook; and the opening cut on Side B, "Slippin'," an introspective look inside DMX's struggle to stay on top of his art while dealing with the perils of his reality. This is a very spiritual album, a testimony to one artist's struggle with the manifestations of good and evil. The final cut, "Ready To Meet Him," a conversation between DMX and his god, punctuates this realness." - All Music Guide, 2001. Revisit X's classic album below...

Jonathan Mannion also adds, "22 Years Ago Today: December 22, 1998, Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood was released. A few weeks prior, the magnificent DMX and I created visuals that would shake up the world. Arresting and disturbing, perhaps, on the surface... these images require you to go deeper. The primary meaning for me, because I deeply care about my friend, X, was that he be Divinely protected and covered with His blood. We checked all the boxes with this unforgettable set of images. Often emulated, the original still stands strong as the source and blueprint." Follow HERE.

Jay-Z "Reasonable Doubt" (June 25, 1996)

"With the release of his Roc-A-Fella debut LP, Reasonable Doubt, Shawn Carter (a.k.a. Jay-Z) moves from hip-hop sidekick to Mafia-style front man, blowing up the spot with vivid tales about the economic reality fueling what's left of contemporary ghetto politics. In terms of subject matter, Jay-Z isn't saying anything new. It's the same ol' criminal melodrama that you hear on so many rap LPs nowadays. Titles such as "Friend or Foe," "Politics As Usual" and "Can't Knock the Hustle," featuring Mary J. Blige on vocals, could have been on any number of hip-hop wannabees' LPs, but what makes these tracks stand out here is the slick way Jay-Z flips lyrics. He flows like he's conversing of street survival. His lyrics create cuttingly clever rhymes that ride bomb tracks provided by Clark Kent, Primo, Big Jaz and others with effortless perfection. In addition, Reasonable Doubt has guest spots filled by Brooklyn's Finest playa, Notorious B.I.G., the velvet smooth Foxy Brown, Big Jaz and newcomers Memphis Bleek and Sauce Money. The down side of the album is that while Jay-Z has great MC skills and slamming beats, he mars the LP with an almost religious disrespect for women with songs like "Cashmere Thoughts" and "Ain't No Jigga." Aside from that, Reasonable Doubt has some really thought-provoking songs. Two of my favorites are "Regrets" and the outright eerie "D'Evils." On the latter song, Jay-Z delves into the conspiratorial powers behind the eye on the dollar bill, suggesting that they are the real culprits controlling the ill behavior of so many poor people committing crimes in America. Overall, Reasonable Doubt is a very solid LP. And while many around the country may want to indict Jay-Z for his gender politics and violent content, I seriously doubt if any of them would have a chance of convicting the brother for dropping a wack album." - The Source, 8/96 // Listen HERE and as always, hit the tags for a lot more content.

Jonathan Mannion on The Making Of Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt

Clipse "Next" Feature in Vibe Magazine (September, 1999)

"You can't deny that in the hip hop game it ain't where you're at, it's where you're from. Virginia, VA-bred duo Clipse understood this just as much as the next MC, but these siblings found themselves in an awkward position after the off-the-hook video for their debut single, "The Funeral," came out in May. "A lot of people thought we were from New Orleans after they saw the video," says Terrence "Terrar" Thornton, chuckling, as he downs buffalo shrimp at Mahi Mah's in Virginia Beach. "We just thought that a [party-style] funeral procession would be a perfect theme." Terrar pauses before adding, "And the video wasn't shot in New Orleans, it was shot here." Technically, Terrar, 22, and Gene "Malice" Thornton, 27, moved from White Plains, NY, to Virginia as children. Still, they hope that their home state will finally be recognized as a major part of the South's hip hop renaissance, especially with the release of their extremely banging debut, Exclusive Audio Footage [East/West/Elektra]. "Virginia is South, but now it's not considered the dirty South," says Terrar. "I guess we're too close to New York," Malice chimes in with a sarcastic grin." Cont'd below the video...

"Clipse landed their record deal after production team the Neptunes (best known for producing Noreaga's "Super Thung") played Elektra executives a tape of songs that would eventually end up on Clipse's debut. "We played them "Stick Girl" and "Got Caught Dealin'," says Pharrell Williams, one half of the Neptunes. "Malice freestyle his [rhyme] live over "The Funeral" track. [The execs] heard that and snapped." Exclusive Audio Footage signifies the arrival of Virginia's unapologetic street voice. Missy and Timbaland are the state's polished party brokers, and MCs Mad Skillz and Lonnie B are its highly stylized wordsmiths, Clipse are a punch to outsiders' grills. "You've never heard hardcore vibe come out of Virginia," says Terrar. "And that's what we represent -- Virginia's raw street perspective. Nothing more, nothing less." Just how we like it: nice and dirty." Vibe Magazine, 9/99 // In more recent news, congratulations to Pusha T on the birth of his first son, Nigel. God bless! Oh... and, as my man Supa says, "I would love hear a Good vs. Evil-type concept album from Clipse. Both could stay in their current element..." and that would be dope as hell. I'll wait for it!

Jay-Z "Next" Feature In Vibe Magazine (August, 1996)

I always dug Vibe's 'Next' series - they didn't hit the mark with every prediction, but if you go back through past issues, they were on point quite often. In August of 1996, Jay-Z was one of their 'Next' featured artists, which suggested he was on the verge of blowing up. Ironically, also in August of 1996, Fat Beats had moved to their final home at 406 6th Ave, which was just a stone's throw from the Pizzeria Uno mentioned in the article. I remember the grand opening party that August, but since this interview was probably done in July, I can only assume Fat Beats wasn't open just yet or I'd be curious if they walked across the street, lol. Anyhow, back to Jay-Z, who released his debut album, 'Reasonable Doubt' in 1996 - Looking back, it feels like a safe play to say he was on the verge after releasing 'Reasonable Doubt,' but keep in mind, it didn't go platinum until February 2002. Similar to Nas' classic, 'Illmatic,' it didn't sell huge numbers out the gate and only went platinum after more commercial records crossed over into the mainstream. That said, it's a classic today and Jay-Z is on top of the game as an artist and music mogul. Props to Chairman Mao. Listen below...

DMX "Flesh Of My Flesh..." (Vibe, 2005) / Cover Art

Vibe: Cey Adams, Creative Director: "I was concerned about the similarities between DMX and Tupac with his shirt off, so photographer Jonathan Mannion and I thought we should do something really literal: a blood bath. But because DMX was such a loose cannon, we were afraid to ask whether he wanted to do it. If you present an artist with an idea, especially something that could be perceived as sacrilegious, they could just turn on you - and the record company is not going to protect you. But in the end, he was excited about the idea. Jonathan mixed up this concoction of Kool-Aid, Jell-O, sugar, and food dye to make the blood. I assumed the cover would be really controversial and we wouldn't be able to rack it in Wal-Mart, but I don't remember it being that big of a deal. Anytime you're working with DMX, it's memorable. You have to earn his trust, and you have to convince the whole posse it's cool. It's ridiculous to have to convince the guys sitting around eating craft services that the cover is a great idea, but that's the way it works in hip-hop." Photo by Jonathan Mannion.

Black Rob "Rhymin' & Stealin'" (The Source, 1/99)

"If you listen to today's emcees, anybody within a stone's throw of a mic or within driving distance of a project building professes his/her thugdom - that elusive element of street credibility that continues to have rappers padding their lyrics with "real life" tales of murder and madness. So if the question is, "Will the real bad boy please stand up?" the answer may very well be Black Rob. With roots deeply entrenched in the soil of Spanish Harlem, Black Rob has feet firmly grounded in the streets. His lyrics managed to push through the cracks between the sidewalks to see national sunlight via Mase's "24 Hours To Live" and his own "I Dare You," and now he has an album full of Life Stories to share with the world." In the interview include in The Source back in '99, Black shares that it was Puff who gave him his stage name ... the hold ups between when he got signed to when he's finally set to release "Life Story," future plans, as well as his influences, some back story to his album, reppin' Spanish Harlem, and among other things, how he manages to fit in over at Bad Boy. Read the full interview above and below. - The Source, January 1999. Photo by  Jonathan Mannion.