It's Dark and Hell Is Hot

It's Dark and Hell is Hot
Studio album by DMX
Released	May 19, 1998
Recorded	1996-1998
Genre	Hardcore hip hop, horrorcore, East Coast hip hop, gangsta rap
Length	65:10
Label	Ruff Ryders, Def Jam
Producer	Dame Grease, Irv Gotti, P.K., Swizz Beatz
Professional reviews
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DMX chronology
Unleashed & Unreleased (1998) It's Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998) Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood (1998)

It's Dark and Hell is Hot is the debut album of American rapper DMX, released May 19, 1998 on Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings. The album featured four singles with music videos, "Get at Me Dog", "Stop Being Greedy", "How's It Goin' Down" and the "Ruff Ryders Anthem". The album is widely considered classic by numerous hip hop fans and critics.

Music

Style

Before the album was released, DMX collaborated with producers Irv Gotti, P.K., Dame Grease, and Swizz Beatz. Each producer utilized their particular style while creating the album's instrumentals. It's Dark and Hell Is Hot features gothic instrumentals created mostly by P.K.; DMX raps mostly about violence. DMX is commonly known for his rough voice; "dog barks" and "dog growls" are featured throughout the album. Many of the songs on It's Dark and Hell Is Hot are made up of dark beats and harsh lyrics, showing anticipation of violence. Compared to aggressive songs like "Intro", tracks like "Ruff Ryders' Anthem", "How's It Goin' Down" have a lighter theme and delivery. The album also features more introspective tracks including "Let Me Fly", "For My Dogs", and others. "Damien" is a story, with characters voiced by DMX highlighting the relationship between DMX and a character named Damien (The Illuminati), with whom the rapper makes a deal which involves committing acts of violence in return for fortune and fame. The relationship represents the classic allegory of a mafia dilemma and being forced to make a decision on something you are uncomfortable with a la Scarface when he has to bomb a car with kids inside.

Lyrical themes

It's Dark and Hell Is Hot is known for featuring very extreme lyrics about violence with songs like "Intro","X Is Coming", and a lot more. The album is still known for DMX's painful past life when he was younger which is known on "Look Thru My Eyes" and "Let Me Fly". More topics are included like love, rage, stories, and God. Unlike many hip hop albums DMX features prayers which are dialogues with him and God.

Rolling Stone critic, Miles Marshall Lewis, talked about the lyrics in "X-Is Coming" and he quoted these lines from the song: "If you got a daughter older than fifteen, I'm a rape her/Take her on the living-room floor, right there in fronta you/Then ask you seriously, 'What you wanna do?'". In his response for his reaction to the extreme violent writing ability of DMX, he answered: "Even within the context of a hardcore rap album, DMX goes beyond the pale". Some of DMX's most-violent lyrics, inspired by horror, crime, and hardcore rap created a style that would dominate a portion of the rap industry. The earliest examples of these lyrics would be the unreleased songs "Gotti Style" (Featuring Ja Rule), "Read About It" (Featuring Ja Rule), many unreleased freestyles, and his verse on Mic Geronimo's 1995 song "Time To Build" with appearances by an early Jay-Z and Ja Rule.

Reception

Critic reviews were largely positive. Allmusic commented that "Unlike so many other hardcore rappers who are more rhetorical than physical, DMX commands an aggressive aura without even speaking a word". "Leading Hip Hop magazine The Source, described the album as "a mind-gripping opus that fully encompasses the appeal of one of rap's newest sensations". Referred to as one of the best debut rap albums, critics called the album a necessary introduction to one of the greatest hardcore rappers in hip-hop. DMX was praised for his imagery, stories and lyricism.

The album has gained significant commercial success, selling more than 5 million copies worldwide. The album sold 251,000 copies in its first week; debuting at number one on the Billboard Top 200 chart.

Track listing

#	Title	Producers	Featured Guest(s)	Time	Sample(s)
1	"Intro"	Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob		4:09	Contains a sample of "Beyond Forever", as performed by Mtume Contains audio excerpts from the film "Tales from the Hood"
2	"Ruff Ryders' Anthem"	Swizz Beatz		3:34
3	"Fuckin' wit' D"	P.K. and Dame Grease		2:18	Contains a sample of "Shifting Gears", as performed by John Hammond Contains a sample of "Rockin' for My Hometown", as performed by K-Solo
4	"The Storm (Skit)"			1:00
5	"Look thru My Eyes"	P.K. and Dame Grease		3:50
6	"Get at Me Dog"	Dame Grease and P.K	Sheek Louch	4:03	Contains a sample of "Get The Bozack", as performed by EPMD Contains a sample of "Everything Good To You (Ain't Always Good For You)", as performed by B.T. Express Contains a sample of "Will They Die 4 U?", as performed by Mase featuring Puff Daddy and Lil' Kim
7	"Let Me Fly"	Dame Grease and Young Lord		4:12	Contains a sample of "Anda Y Ve", as performed by José José
8	"X-Is Coming"	P.K.		4:18
9	"Damien"	Dame Grease		3:42
10	"How's It Goin' Down"	P.K. and Dame Grease	Faith Evans	4:42
11	"Mickey" (Skit)			0:25
12	"Crime Story"	Irv Gotti and Lil' Rob		3:47	Contains a sample of "Easin In", as performed by Edwin Starr
13	"Stop Being Greedy"	P.K. and Dame Grease		3:37	Contains a sample of "My Hero Is a Gun", as performed by Diana Ross
14	"ATF"	Dame Grease		1:56
15	"For My Dogs"	Dame Grease	Drag-On, Big Stan, Loose & Kasino	4:11
16	"I Can Feel It"	Dame Grease		4:13	Contains a sample of "In The Air Tonight", as performed by Phil Collins
17	"Prayer (Skit)"			2:31
18	"The Convo"	Dame Grease		3:33	Contains a sample of "Nights on Broadway", as performed by The Bee Gees
19	"Niggaz Done Started Something"	Dame Grease	The L.O.X. & Mase	5:09	Contains a sample of "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", by Grover Washington, Jr.

Sales

Chart (1998)	Peak position
Canadian Albums Chart	15
U.S. Billboard 200	1
U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	1

The album debuted at #1 on The Billboard 200, and sold 251,000 copies in its first week. It was certified 4x Platinum by RIAA on December 18, 2000.

Preceded by The Limited Series by Garth Brooks

Billboard 200 number-one album June 6–12, 1998

Succeeded by City of Angels (soundtrack) by Various artists

See also

• List of number-one albums of 1998 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B albums of 1998 (U.S.)