Few artists in Hip-Hop history have matched the intensity, emotional depth, and spiritual duality of Earl Simmons, better known to the world as DMX. From his raspy bark to his soul-baring verses, X didn’t just make music—he unleashed it. With a discography that bridges gritty realism and spiritual warfare, the Yonkers legend left behind a catalog that’s equal parts pain, prayer, and power.
Videos by According2HipHop
Here’s a celebration of DMX’s Top 20 Songs, a journey through the barks, growls, cries, and prayers that defined a cultural icon.
1. Get At Me Dog
The track that introduced X to the masses in 1998 with It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot—grimy, menacing, and aggressive. A declaration of war and a raw call to action. Over a haunting Dame Grease beat, DMX snarled his arrival to the game with unapologetic authenticity.
2. Slippin
Perhaps DMX’s most vulnerable moment. “Slippin” is a lyrical cry for help—detailing depression, trauma, and the ongoing fight for redemption. It’s more than a song; it’s therapy, laid bare over a melancholic groove. It’s the track that made you feel like you knew X.
3. Ruff Ryders’ Anthem
The song that launched a movement. Swizz Beatz’s iconic synths met X’s militant delivery, resulting in an anthem that transcended Hip-Hop. With its chantable hook and rebellious spirit, it became the official soundtrack for the Ruff Ryders revolution.
4. Stop Being Greedy
Duality personified—DMX raps with two personas, good and evil, over a haunting sample of Diana Ross. This song set a standard for storytelling and psychological exploration in rap music.
5. How’s It Goin’ Down
X’s softer side. A gritty street romance wrapped in soulful production. This track showed DMX’s range, revealing a rare tenderness in his catalog without sacrificing the edge that made him who he was.
6. Ni**az Done Started Somethin (feat. The Lox & Ma$e)
An underground favorite that brings Yonkers and Harlem together. The beat is cinematic, and the verses are classic. DMX closes the track with one of his most aggressive performances, stealing the show among elite company.
7. Damien
The birth of a trilogy and one of Hip-Hop’s darkest concept records. A conversation between DMX and the devil (played by himself), this haunting dialogue explores temptation, morality, and consequences. It’s horrorcore with a message.
8. What These Bihes Want (feat. Sisqó)**
A club banger turned cultural phenomenon. X’s legendary name-dropping verse still gets quoted today. Equal parts comedic and chaotic, this track became a surprise crossover hit, showcasing his personality beyond the pain.
9. It’s All Good
From …And Then There Was X, this underrated cut rides with an infectious energy and a grimy bounce. X flows effortlessly, reminding listeners he didn’t just bark—he had bars.
10. My Ni**as
A street loyalty anthem. It’s an ode to day-ones, riders, and those who stood by X through the darkest moments. Raw, real, and relentlessly hard.
11. We Right Here
Post-prison X still had something to say. A rugged anthem of presence and persistence, “We Right Here” became a rallying cry for staying grounded in your roots, no matter how high you rise.
12. Let Me Fly
A spiritual plea masked as a street sermon. “Let Me Fly” explores DMX’s inner war—freedom or death, purpose or pain. It’s a defining example of his rare balance of faith and fury.
13. What’s My Name
The ultimate identity record. X reintroduced himself with force on …And Then There Was X, cementing his presence as Hip-Hop’s alpha. No one barks on a beat like this.
14. Who We Be
A deeply poetic list of life’s harsh realities. The repetition in this track feels like a meditation—or a sermon. “The pain, the dirt, the rain…” It’s one of the most powerful hooks in DMX’s catalog.
15. Where The Hood At?
A return to form. This aggressive anthem was X in full street preacher mode. Armed with a driving beat and unforgettable one-liners, it reminded fans of his dominance in the early 2000s.
16. When It’s On It’s On
Another slept-on cut that bleeds Yonkers energy. The flows are tight, the storytelling is vivid, and the hook hits with violent finality. X’s voice alone makes it unforgettable.
17. I Can Feel It
Inspired by Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” this track uses that haunting energy to channel pain, paranoia, and premonition. X’s performance feels urgent—almost prophetic.
18. Some X Sh**
A ferocious B-side for the heads. “Some X Sh**” feels like DMX in his rawest, uncensored form—a pure representation of his untamed style.
19. Make A Move (1994)
Before the fame, X was already out for blood. This early track shows the potential that labels initially overlooked. The hunger is palpable.
20. Tales From the Darkside
A deep cut that encapsulates DMX’s connection to storytelling. Sinister and reflective, this track feels like the soundtrack to a hood horror flick told through DMX’s lens.
Jay-Z Recalls Wild DMX Story
With a career in the music industry spanning more than two decades, X had become peers with some of the top names in hip-hop. One of those peers was Jay-Z as both their careers began peaking around the same time. During an appearance on LeBron James’ show, The Shop, Hov reminisced on the impact the X, had on audiences across the globe. And even with Jay already establishing himself as arguably the top rapper in the game, X still proved to be a tough act to follow.
“X is about to go on, and I’m like, I wanna see. X is going before me. And then he goes (growls), and the f—ing arena goes crazy. First of all, it’s deafening, and I’m like, ‘Oh s—,'” he said.
“He has a thing, like an Alize and Hennessey mix, it looks like blood, like he’s drinking blood, and he’s running back and forth. Halfway through the show, and then he takes his shirt. And the whole crowd goes wild.
“He’s going nuts, right? And I’m like, ‘S—.’ First, the guys are going crazy, now the girls are going crazy. And then he gets to the end, and he starts a prayer. Now they’re crying, the whole arena is crying. And they’re like, ‘OK, now you go.’”
