DMX Says He's 'Grounded,' Ready For Comeback

DMX Says He's 'Grounded,' Ready For Comeback: "

'The streets won't let me forget that they need me and I need them,' MC says.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Shaheem Reid

DMX


Photo: MTV News

Is the Dog really back? That's the word according to DMX. The booming, barking MC has made headlines for all the wrong reasons during the past few years, but after serving time in an Arizona jail, X has been nothing short of a model citizen.

But now he's getting back to what he does best: rapping. X hopped on the Ruff Ryders remix of Jadakiss' 'Who's Real' and recently performed at VH1's 'Hip Hop Honors,' displaying his trademark sneer during his turn in the spotlight for 'Party Up.'

'I'm hungry, I'm grounded,' X told MTV News from the red carpet. 'I've always been grounded. But I'm hungrier. There's so much bullsh-- out there. I'm not gonna get into the names. You know who you are. There's so much bullsh-- out there. The streets won't let me forget that they need me and I need them.'

The Yonkers-bred MC said he plans to deliver two albums soon and wants them to drop on the same day. He didn't go into detail, but the former Def Jam superstar could be reviving his plan to release a traditional rap album as well as a gospel album.

DMX's longtime producer Swizz Beatz spoke to Mixtape Daily and said that he is getting back to form quickly. Swizz will likely serve as executive producer of the next X album. But don't get excited just yet — Swizz said he first wants to secure the ideal situation for the only rapper to release two #1 albums in the same year.

'I wanna have the proper setup where he's getting a fair chance and the most attention and most respect right now,' Swizz explained. 'I'm not putting nothing out until we have the lineup together, which we're close to having, and the streets are going to witness that raw uncut street element. X was doing $16 million movies and sleeping outside, just because that's where he felt comfortable. He's the realest in the game. He never was on no jewelry, no cars. X, he's one artist that I truly know is a real artist. It don't get no more real than X.'

Related Artists

• 
  DMX
  

"