Year of the Dog...Again [PA]

Performer: DMX
Artist: Swizz Beatz; Amerie; Busta Rhymes; Jadakiss; Styles P.
Producer: Elite
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel: DMX (rap vocals); Jadakiss, Amerie, Styles P, Swizz Beatz, Busta Rhymes. Sorry Snoop, but contrary to popular belief, DMX is the man most directly responsible for making "dog" the new "dude." Since his explosive 1998 debut, IT'S DARK AND HELL IS HOT, DMX has been a force to be reckoned with. His ferocious flow and signature growl have made him one of the most consistently successful and frequently imitated vocalists in the rap game. After a three-year break (more than enough time for an MC who used to put out three CDs every two years), X returns with THE YEAR OF THE DOG...AGAIN. With amped-up synthesizer beats from Swizz Beats, Scott Storch, and Elite, X comes out hard from the gate and does what he does best--namely spitting hardcore lyrics with hooks that stick in your head all day. Overall, his seventh full length release follows the formula of his past success, and hard-hitting street anthems like "We In Here" and "Give 'Em What They Want" are tempered by softer, R&B-laced ballads like "Dog Love" and "Goodbye." Guest appearances abound from fellow MCs Busta Rhymes, Kashmir, Big Stan, Jinx, Jadakiss, and Styles P as well as R&B songstress Amerie.

Rolling Stone (p.98) - 3 stars out of 4 -- "[The album] thrives on a classic formula: Swizz Beatz's compressed, head-drilling fanfares and DMX's adrenalized, gland-chewing rhymes." Entertainment Weekly (p.68) - "When consumed by paranoia and spiritual crises, DMX can still play the conflicted protagonist with conviction." -- Grade: B XXL (Magazine) (p.173) - "Clearly, X's poetic touch remains intact."

Like pop stars in the days of yore, late-1990s hip-hop icon DMX has made his mark both as a recording artist and as an actor. His charisma and intensity serve him as well on screen as they do on record, and he has appeared in such popular films as ROMEO MUST DIE and EXIT WOUNDS. Musically, the artist formerly known as Earl Simmons employs rough-edged lyrics and a spitfire delivery that make him seem like a sonic force of nature. Like any hardcore rapper worth his salt, DMX has had his brushes with the law, but he's never let legal difficulties stand in the way of his career.

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