It's Dark And Hell Is Hot

Description

Watching DMX--baldheaded and shirtless, tattooed and musclebound--as he simultaneously goes platinum and gets arrested on rape charges (both of which occurred within weeks of this album's release), one can easily see the Yonkers, New York, rapper as a Tupac in training. And he's certainly no stranger to dumb thuggery on his much-anticipated debut. But unlike Tupac, who tempered hard-core beatdowns with party pick-me-ups, DMX is strictly business, part of a street reaction against the Puff Daddy-fueled, late-1990s slew of lightweight pop-rap crossovers. With a name too true for its own good, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot could occasionally use a cool breeze of levity. That said, the record is not without merit; despite the album's largely standard-issue beats and rhymes, both DMX's forceful voice and solid production have moments of greatness. At times DMX even manages to squeeze memorable hooks out of this otherwise claustrophobic release. --Roni Sarig With his raw energy and dark sex appeal, DMX (or Dark Man X, or Dark Man of the Unknown as he is often called) is headed for the stars - and beyond. The 21-year-old Yonkers native has been a lyricist for years; his creative flow, combined with his raspy voice and electric rhyme style is particularly fresh and innovative. His 1st single, "Get at Me Dog," has already become NY's anthem for the streets, and the "buzz" is expected to quickly intensify to a roar. It's Dark and Hell Is Hot is a psychotic concept album that celebrates bloody style over creative substance.... While the often rough minimalistic beats can be infectious, they still don't mask the fact that his lyrics are often plain ugly. -- Spin