The Bronx music producer says DMX wouldn’t have hopped on “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” had ‘X’ not have lost a bet.
Swizz Beatz says DMX only made “Ruff Ryders' Anthem” after losing a Bet
Swizz Beatz talks DMX losing bet lead to “Ruff Ryders' Anthem” being released.
The executive music producer has revealed that the Late Yonkers rap legend lost a bet in order to get on ‘Ruff Ryders Anthem.’
Swizz Beatz recently spoke about his late friend DMX while a guest on SiriusXM’s Hip-Hop Nation and confirmed X wasn’t a big fan of the “Ruff Ryders Anthem” beat to begin with. The majority of the album’s production was handled by Dame Grease and PK.
So I was in Atlanta in school and then, um, they got the project to where it was at and then I came in last minute with ‘Stop Drop,'” Swizz told host Gray Rizzy. “X lost a bet or I wouldn’t even been on that album, you know what I’m saying? But he didn’t lose the bet because that song ended up changing all of our lives. So he technically won the bet for my Uncle D and you know that just changed all of our lives. So it was just enough to do what it needed to do.”
Beatz continued. “You know, like that song commercially went bigger than everything at the time. And then we came immediately, uh, with our sound next after that and Dame Grease and PK was a part of that as well. I wanna get [them] they props cuz they, people they feel that they don’t get they props. I’m in a comfortable space to give people they props. At those particular times we was definitely bumping the little heads and things like that, but we all was a part of making history at the end of the day.
“It was all musical stuff. Wasn’t no street vibes like that, you know what I’m saying? And so I was young and hungry. They was young and hungry. They had to get it. I had to get it. So that’s like when you look at the whole thing, it was just really based on that, you know what I’m saying?”
On May 5th, 1998, the Swizz Beatz-produced classic was actually a major stylistic departure for the Yonkers lyricist. Fueled by Swizzy’s Atlanta influences, which stemmed from his time spent in the thriving hip-hop hub, the instrumental was not exactly well-received by X — at least, not at first. Hard to believe, given how many people have come to appreciate the timeless banger as one of his definitive tracks. At once intimidating and infectious, X’s militant delivery showcased a superstar’s versatility — not to mention the eternally important ability to navigate the mainstream without sacrificing his artistic identity.
It’s safe to say that there will never be another artist like DMX. Rest in peace to one of the greatest to ever do it, and be sure to give “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” a spin in his honor.
Comments