Just like everybody in the last couple of weeks, I too went through a moment of going through DMX’s discography (R.I.P. DMX). This leads to this week’s Song of the Week: DMX‘s “Who’s Next (X-Clue-Sive)” off DJ Clue‘s The Professional 2 project. Here are a few thoughts:
- Having a flatline sound on the hook (as well as gunshots) is one of the most late 90’s/early 00’s mixtape things ever.
- Bill Goldberg’s historic undefeated streak ended at WCW Starrcade 1998 in December (#FROHorsemen) with this song technically coming out in February 2001. It’s hard to believe that the “NEXT?!” part of the song wasn’t influenced by the WWE Hall of Fame wrestler.
- I understand that DMX was just trying to rhyme with “M to the X” but the line “Most y’all niggas is straight sex” is still kinda suspect. Was this a thing people said in Yonkers in the early 2000’s?
- Speaking of DJ Clue and Ruff Ryders, wasn’t “Ryde or Die”, which has the Ruff Ryder roster rapping over “Head Banger” by EPMD, suppose to be on The Professional 1 but at the last minute, they switched it out with the “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem (Remix)” with “Ryde or Die” appearing on Ruff Ryders’ Ryde or Die Vol. 1 compilation. Or did I just imagine that?
- Now thinking about it, I probably should have made “Ryde or Die” the Song of the Week, I like that song a lot too. Drag-On was spitting.
- Speaking of “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” shout out to Action Bronson for using the DMX track to help with his wife birthing his child. Cool story.
Okay. Rest in Power to DMX. Check out the Song of the Week below.