The Culture

It's Dark and Hell is Hot

March 21, 2022 Jeff and Anthony Episode 87
The Culture
It's Dark and Hell is Hot
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Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

The guys take a deeper look at DMX's classic debut album, It's Dark And Hell Is Hot, and discuss it's significance and it's place among the greatest rap albums in Hip Hop history.

Topics Discussed:

  • Break down of the It's Dark And Hell is Hot album
  • DMX contradictory lyrics
  • Will Smith comments
  • Kanye vs. D.L. Hughley
  • Mase dissing Diddy

Featured Song:
Intro - It's Dark And Hell Is Hot - DMX

Referenced Links:
Will Smith Says 'There's Never Been Infidelity' In His Marriage With Jada Pinkett- Smith | Hot97

D.L. Hughley Responds After Kanye West Threatens to ‘Hurt’ Him | Complex

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Jeff:

Yo yo yo, thank you for tuning in Episode 87 of the culture. I'm your host Jeff here with my man and what's goodie

Anthony:

another day in the valley How about stuff chiller

Jeff:

actually worked out to him trying to get back into routine. So actually just came back from the gym kind of fatigued.

Anthony:

Left. Put your burgers into routine Big

Jeff:

shout out to coach crew. Appreciate you. Once again, this episode is sponsored by hydro niq hydration. Go cop that shit. But yeah, well we're gonna get into today and

Anthony:

I had no idea and abroad was the second album. Eminem, Eminem. It was at the Marshall Mathers. No, no, I said yes. He said pick two art. He said Eminem and DMX. I said, Do you want to break down the Marshall Mathers LP, or do you want to break down his darker intellitype and newage going but that's we're gonna talk about today. I think you just have problem time and time, I think we realize the history of hip hop and like it's, we complain about the albums now. Like, like the albums that come out. Like we kind of want to talk about them. And we sort of feel them but not really like when's the last time in Brooklyn down was like the Nozman. I think

Jeff:

we broke down NAS versus the reasonable doubt versus Illmatic. Remember that?

Anthony:

Right? No, no. But I mean, in one sense, like when we talk about an admin that like, in the last month really, really, really talked about, and that was what qingzi through? Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I was just kind of going to the album that the sound Lauren, the lyrics, everything just because kind of like marveling at it, but I think we grew up in a marvelous time where it was like, I wouldn't necessarily say like, it was the pinnacle of hip hop. I'm not gonna disrespect people before us. But it was a particular way where it was a lot of interaction between pretty much every segment of America it had to south with, you know, luta Outcast ti Dungeon Family. East, we don't even need to speak of the Midwest, you had, you know, Bone Thugs, people like that the South had, you know, zero Bun B, MC, and out west, you know, Dre, Snoop Dogg pound people like that. Cope, we were wrong, and a lot of albums came out. So the thing that I'm gonna, like, bring out is like, what did those albums mean to us? I think that's why I kind of picked on those two, I'm sorry about Midwest, Eminem is included in that as well. But I just picked this one because I think this is just something that we're going to do from time to time because we want to kind of give you an understanding of how we view hip hop, from our individual's perspective. So there's a few things here some categories and stuff like that. We want to talk to them break down and figure out from there. So for this one, it's gonna be DMX is dark,

Jeff:

and halachah to be my all time favorite rap album. Of all of them. Yeah, I think we did. We did an episode number we broke down our top five and this one was number one for me.

Anthony:

I know. Okay, so it's number one. Like, what did this album? What does this mean to you?

Jeff:

This came out in 98. So I'm, what am I I'm like an eighth grade. I'm like, and I was, you know, I was a freshman. I was a freshman in high school. So I was a freshman in high school that she was there was New York, it was gritty This is his debut album, but we already knew him. That's the thing that's that was that's one of the things that separates the maximum like you know, he was already in so many features before he even had a solo you know, I'm saying he was doing features with the locks he was doing, you know, bad boy features with mace. He was in features with Jay Z and J rule.

Anthony:

24 How to Live money cash, all that shit. Oh, 4321

Jeff:

he was in for three to one we allow Method Man and Redman cannabis. Yeah. He was in he was in the moment. Yeah. Money, casuals. He was in 24 hours to live with the bad boys. And there was another bad boys was the other 125 was to live

Anthony:

money powders back when he partners tell me money. Perfect. Yeah. So did he know my features? So he was like, Oh, he's dope. And you let you in a way like when all the features in doesn't have an album just like who the hell right?

Jeff:

And then he drops two albums and 98 and both of them go platinum. He's the last person to do that. And Tupac did it before him. And he kind of like reminded me of Tupac too. You know, I'm saying with the ball head. He was a passion. You know, I mean, like, it wasn't even about his lyricism. You would never say the max is the best lyricist or the you know, just like Tupac, but you felt his shit. Like when he said some shit. You felt it? You know, I'm saying and

Anthony:

I think I think he's by far better lyricist and pop. Yeah. Like, I think a lot of people get caught up in histrionics the voice the growl in the bark. Like, I think that's why I chose to go back and re listen to this album like he can. He can rap and he can storytel and he can do Cillian be fun poetry

Jeff:

he could write, he could pray. He can talk about violence like to talk about God.

Anthony:

Like, I think what it meant to me, like I said, like one day, we want to have an episode where we're going to talk about that year 19 And eight when all those albums came out, you said that was the best album a year in hip hop right? To me. Yeah. And like, it's like, we're gonna break it down. Like we're gonna break it down. Like the biggest one today is going to elicit one of these episodes, but like I said, he's only got to hit it twice. Here to it, you know, it's dark in Halifax and flushing my flesh, blood, my blood, I you're hearing this guy who's always on a feature, and a funny thing about it, and let me think about this correct. But on most of the features, he's always the last one.

Jeff:

I think that's by design. 25. And when, in the 90s, the formula was, I mean, I've now I don't think they follow any formula today, but in the 90s, the formula was, you sent you know, when there's a lot of features everybody sends in their verse, whoever had the best verse, They were put that person last. You know, ello sent me, you know, an aloe coochie song, he always went like, he wasn't playing that shit. He was like, I'm going

Anthony:

about it. That's the only way but my album, especially, like cannabis shooting, like,

Jeff:

like, he Oh, yeah, motherfuckers but for the most part, whoever everybody thought had the best verse, that person went last, and most of the time it was DMX and all his features.

Anthony:

But I mean, that's what me x is like he, even though he's on a track with, you know, the locks. Mace mean Did he wasn't really on it. But he has the most remember voice. I remember in the video, like he's in like the mud or dirt or some shit. Anyway, he puts like dirt in this facing that just just wrapping his ass off. But I mean, that's what X was for you. And that's what he is. And that's the weird thing about him. Like, he was a rapper, but he didn't fit the mold of what that time was, I think, when I'm thinking about it in the sense of like, what it meant. It's like, it's it's an era of glitzy rap, a bunch of so hooks or 70s albums that those beats converted to hip hop for this generation. But it was something. I mean, I know it's in the title, but something like dark and gritty about it. Like he was a man with something to say. He made sure that he said it. And he said it in such a way like it had to capture your attention. Like he was one of the few rapper could like say that that's the weird thing about like, like the late 90s, early 2000s. There's a bunch of rappers that came out, a lot of them came and went. But there was something about him that capture your attention. Like, I think I might be like the Tupac thing. There's something that like you're hearing him like growl, bark doing all sorts of but you just don't know his story. And do like you get a glimpse of it on this album that see what who he really is. And that's like, the thing about it like that. That's what drew me to bet. Like, that's what it meant to me. Like he was the one guy in that era that kind of stood out different from everybody else. Like there was a lot of people who imitated J like so you had Jr who was kind of imitating you know, Tupac or whatever. But no one even attempted to try to with X he just went to MCI and once you heard that out and hear that like the anger and the darknesses you hear the rapping head like you get some of the best production Swiss has ever done here. That's why I meant so much to me, man. Like this is just some different I

Jeff:

had to get into it then. It has not it has 19 tracks. Some of them are skits he got like three or four skits on the intro.

Anthony:

That was that was that was a thing back in the day.

Jeff:

That's why today there's only like seven eight tracks and albums. There's no skits. But anyway, yeah, he starts off with the intro which to me is one of the dopest intros. Remember we did the episode about intros. This is one of the done Denton one to one to come through gun who that was one of the hottest intros of all time. That was like a whole song in itself.

Anthony:

You know, you know as far as when box was coming out to the record.

Jeff:

It was one of those songs that like hypes you up.

Anthony:

It's on my hair here. No those bells ringing it's like you ready to go like

Jeff:

met the man had released to delve that sounded like something out of a Rocky movie. You know Eminem has you know like the tilaka labs that's like a you know workout so but then the mix had that intro to darken hell as hot

Anthony:

but it wasn't a typical intro usually typical intros like a skit or something else like that no my man had like it was like a whole four minute record. It was so weird like like this like this is what we're doing from the RIP like always say like one of the best openings ever was really what like what up gangster but like what up gangster technically is not stupid but what up gangster is actually the second album on it not the first because the very first you hear like two quarters dropping and then the clip Luton and they count that like that's the end of the session comes in. Yeah, like we play for very beginning here like two quarters, two quarters hitting the ground. Here like it was

Jeff:

actually I have to interact because somebody corrected. Somebody sent me a message when we did that. Episode and I never brought it up. It's actually not two quarters. It's actually 150 cent coin number those. I might have one of those somewhere.

Anthony:

Yeah, but like, but but see

Jeff:

is only one coin it's the one big 50 cent coin that they just did just drop. And then but

Anthony:

but you hear the sound twice?

Jeff:

Oh no, we have to look into that.

Anthony:

I sweat. I know we're gonna get into that shit right now if you called me crazy like I heard I play the shit so many goddamn times awesome until like no it's 150 cent piece. Well the folks run around with a 50 cent fee 50 cent 50 cent alright

Jeff:

think that's one of one.

Anthony:

So you trying to say is one point All right. All right. All right,

Jeff:

let's get back to Max's darker Hello. What's your favorite guest verse on there? He doesn't really have that many maybe he has chic loose.

Anthony:

Is that that many? It's not me. But I like Mason on negative thoughts. Um,

Jeff:

yeah, that was tough. He started and that's the one daughter the album dope with the intro and ends it was probably one of the best songs on there. doozy Yeah, and started something that shit with the locks and mace. And you know, he had to put them on because they put him on

Anthony:

before and you know, we're not going to talk about it this week. People I'm sorry to disappoint y'all. But next week, we're gonna have a conversation about whatever the hell's going on with bad boy and everybody bitten about the money not picking a

Jeff:

bad boy. Why did Mays just come out with a diss Song

Anthony:

Dog that's why I said we're gonna talk about it because between him and Freddy P everybody everybody who has worked for the lie everybody who fuck with Diddy loon went to jail

Jeff:

shine came out I came but shine I came out of jail converted converted into Islam all of a sudden

Anthony:

and he went to believe yeah he don't even live

Jeff:

in this country. He's like he's in the government out there right he's like he's like some shit or whatever.

Anthony:

What like like he's an elected official like like

Jeff:

likes but you know I mean like, and then you know mace happened to amaze loom you mentioned and shine Mifune shines some of them with puff that they end up going to jail and then they come out and they just convert it right Mason's up broke the first he went into religion number he went into religion became a pastor. He found God that she was in pain from Russia was on paying a bill so he came back in and join G unit

Anthony:

it wasn't enough time for like you know not enough money I go back and I'm trying to get I'm trying to get from underneath the thumb here y'all go like I'm trying to get this money you're not doing supposed to do anymore money's collection plate, but whatever it is about me

Jeff:

he he and why is he using auto tunes? Yo

Anthony:

like, I don't know. And I do not care. Like I guess he's trying to be hit with the kids.

Jeff:

JC killed auto tunes years ago and I know you're not supposed to be using that anymore. Let me use my factor is it like what rappers used? Like how many rappers do you know use auto tune? Like we know singers use it and use it little Wayne has used it

Anthony:

yeah when you refuse to use a god damn all this little rubbish is retarded.

Jeff:

Like that part of me I shouldn't be using it is stupid.

Anthony:

Jay Z kill all the time. And he stopped me from getting my mind to be like this all the time to go and get this disorder.

Jeff:

Right back to the DMX album. Yeah, I agree. The mace What does mace How does Mason's verse going?

Anthony:

Ah, you know what?

Jeff:

Now you know who I think got the best verse in the album, or the guest verse. I'm gonna go with um I'm gonna go with Jada on that same song saying send alumna slot packing up Sunday God

Unknown:

it's not a game you can one in my case late games Grace Jays make his name Joining us now plug in we're gonna have a chump coffee village call from

Jeff:

your union. That was that was murdered me. I was pretty boy.

Anthony:

Yeah, I like home and world but just like Alright, so I've got me in a bunch of hard things on this record. I can't come here with a shiny coat dancing around you. Right you right Norma, we gotta go ahead let this get off. You write us the best verse. Like, it doesn't make sense for you to do anything else. Like, and that's why I have all of them. I like the thing about like, having the locks on albums is just that they're all good. And people would like they're going to gravitate toward Jada because of the voice. But they're always all good. So I generally like try to avoid when there's a lock thing going on. If someone else is there, I see if they can out top them. If they don't, then I'm going to pick 123. But it sounds like Jade is like the easy choice. It's like kind of like how you if this? Like Like, if there's a record and methods on there, you're probably going to put him right. Probably. I mean, it's not a guarantee what it's favorable that you do. So the thing with the locks is that whenever you do that, you're probably going to pick Jada. And it's not dismissing the rest of them but like I said the raspy voice to flow it sticks with you But for this one not it's just that that old murder mystery. I've been dying to hear that shit. Not perfect. Yes, that's my shit.

Jeff:

Now the Emax on that same song has ill verse too

Anthony:

but um so you got to close so I get it. He was like

Jeff:

I like pussy but not up in my face will give me three feet because when we keep no more than three deep homie see sheep I like the power he's like I got an army of 730 fitters so for

Anthony:

that noise man, like we're going to be talking about in the next 25 minutes so don't worry about extra garden

Jeff:

730 Onwards and the only beef I have with his verses that he contradicts themselves

Anthony:

because because it's it

Jeff:

goes I have because he goes I like pussy but not up in my face. So give me three feet because when we creep no more than three deep homie see sheep right. Then later on an essay verse he says, I got to almost 730 and words 30 Words I like to Murray Edwards like, okay, so wait a minute, though. You say you only wrote like no more than three D but now you got 30 Cats which so like All right, next

Anthony:

one is you got the NASA BT X like the honesty of everything that he went through. And it was the and this was the genesis of it. Like before he started getting really in depth about the things he was going through. I mean, I think I mentioned that later. But but that's what made him him. And you were to start to get the beginning of it. Like cuz I said the other one before you heard him rapping and stuff, which you never quite knew who he was. You just wait for the album. Like, I know that guy's good. But what is he going to bring to the table then he does. It's like, okay, that's who he is. Now, it makes sense. So yeah, no, that's just some action. Like you don't get contradiction on a bunch of his albums. No one is more contradictory to him is to pop but that's kind of the nature. I think just the honesty of the given the good and the bad of them, or something that seemed to work.

Jeff:

I think we got two versions of him we got the pre Death Row version. And then we got the angry Death Row version of him when he was more violent. You know, I'm saying after coming out of jail when after being wrongfully accused all the time of shit. And obviously you have should night here. So, you know, I don't know what song doesn't belong in this album. And I'll tell you which one I think and I like this song too. Just dope the hook is catchy. X is coming boon to it's coming for you what? Because it's so no Island, and now no DMX is violent. But that song is like extra violent. He's talking about raping girls. He's like, if you got a daughter, older than 15, I'm a rape. I'm like, Whoa, ex relax. Like I just ignore that song. I try to ignore the fact that he even said some of the things he says on and just keep rocking

Anthony:

auto word, we got a category for that new problem. Like for me, it's actually crime story. But that's like the storytelling joint. Right. But I think what you're getting throughout this album is a man who's hard and gritty. And he does have the ability to tell a story, which I think you'll see later on his career. I think it doesn't fit the motif of everything that's here. But he's telling you tell his stories in other ways. But this is like a straightforward trying to be big kind of thing. Like he's trying to prove to you like I can rap but I can also be a storyteller. Which isn't necessarily your strength is his role innocence. Honestly, it's the strength is like in crime stories. Not bad. It just doesn't. It's actually really, really good. It just doesn't fit to what I think the general motif of the album is here. Like all this is like is emotional. It's it's religious. It's spiritual. It's angry. It's, it has little small moments of joy as violent as fuck. And then you get to store like, like, he's like he's trying to like, flip the flow to the right way to turn like this ramen and just do some Slick Rick shit, which is he's very capable of. And I'm not again, I'm not saying that it's bad. This doesn't fit this here. No, I mean,

Jeff:

I guess. Like, I

Anthony:

don't hate. I don't hate it just that as a matter of fact, because we're gonna get to that in a minute. I think he tells a better story and own other tracks than he does this one. Like this is again, crime so we're not shitting on it. I'm saying it doesn't fit with the general idea motif. Or anything that's going on TF IDF is

Jeff:

another storytelling song. Yeah, that

Anthony:

the ATF bumbu that ATR.

Jeff:

Yeah, he does the one where he's having a conversation with God. I like that one combo,

Anthony:

right? Right. Like I said, he's telling the story, but felt better in other ways. I mean, like the index is that again, I'm gonna keep repeating this because I don't want to get mad at me. crime stories dope. But I think that of all the stories he's trying to tell him that the other ones are better, because those the other ones seemed more personal. This seemed like it's like a movie script shit. Like we did this we did that we did. We did a and b, so led to C and D If you did excellent why the other one like to have a conversation with God, so on and so forth, it's different. But for me, like, if I was one of them, it's probably that

Jeff:

right now. The best song to me, I can tell you what my favorite song is. Let me fly for several reasons. It's like poetic to me, but also has the sample I like to sample the beat. He samples and old Jose Jose, my mom told you about this, which is something that I grew up listening to because my dad listen to old Mexican singer. Name, I like how to help them, right. I was like, I was like, Damn, that be sounds familiar. And I remember having the CD. And I would go and look at the credits, you know, and each song would tell you what, you know, who they sampled, and it would say like sampled Jose, Jose, I'm like, Oh, shit. So it just made it like extra special to me, because I'm like, I grew up listening to this beat because my dad, and now I'm listening to some shit even though we might you know, my dad won't condone me listening to this violent shit. But it's like it came full circle. And then the lyrics are dope. And the thing I liked about DMX to some that Greg gravitated towards, and he's heard him say before in interviews, like he always wanted to end his verses with like an impactful or a memorable line. You know what I'm saying? If you notice that all his songs always end with like a catchphrase. Or you know, and this one, he goes, he finishes it off with another song completed is another thought captured. Let me do my thing. I got it locked with his rap shit. And then it ends like that. And you're like, oh, you know? I don't know. It might seem simple, but it was just hard at the time. I was like, oh, that's just like, like, like, you

Anthony:

know what it's like in the song.

Jeff:

He's on the soundtrack to the belly movie with with NAS and met the band. And he's eating again. He has the last verse on that song. The grand finale, and he ends it you know, this is the shit that hits hard. You either the last one standing or the last one to fall, and it just hits you hard. He just ends it like that, you know, be like, oh, yeah, get him.

Anthony:

Yeah, you know, it's, um, it's like, I'm like Jay Z. And what more can I say? Like him? He likes a microwave. Yeah. Let's see what happened when I no longer this fuck did you hear the mic? It's like, right. It's hard.

Jeff:

I can I can imagine like Dame dash in the studio. Like yeah, we're gonna leave that part. We're just gonna leave that in. That's just hard.

Anthony:

J like I asked. I asked you dang this thing. Don't worry about it.

Jeff:

Oh, yeah, that's my favorite on there. Let me fly.

Anthony:

Favorite. It's not. It's not good at me dog. I love that song. But I think I think it was like, it was weird when it came out. He just kept playing it over and over and over and over and over again. Get me done.

Jeff:

Now. That's not what they played over and over was, um, the Roughriders anthem.

Anthony:

Both of them could remember coming when it first came out. The first video that I shot was getting the Club opened open. I know what they did.

Jeff:

They even did a remix to Roughriders anthem, and I started putting all the people in it. Don't write. My name is drag on. I'm the youngest bumpkin bunkers. I still don't know why you said

Anthony:

my dog's youngest. Like, why are you sounding like him? Shut up.

Jeff:

I get like,

Anthony:

my favorite song on this album is my favorite song. This album is Damian. Oh, let's try it. Remember for me before we talk about the whole like storytelling thing. Like Like, that's the one right there. Cuz like I said, it's like he's playing the characters. And I remember when it first came out, someone's like, Who's the other do with DMX? I said, No, that's exactly what they're like bullshit. I said, No, no, no, it's he's doing a different voice. It's not

Jeff:

a couple songs on here. Yes, right.

Anthony:

Right. But that one is so distinct. You can't tell one from the other. And it's pretty much a bot. He does

Jeff:

that he does the ingredient but he and long enough like one is like the evil him and one is like the column here. And I just always asked like, Yeah, who's featured on he's like, now they used to tell me like now it's just him just that's like, damn.

Anthony:

And before when I said that, um, the other track was like, the beginning trying to, like get a full understanding of him. Like, this is like, let me fly like way more personal. But this is like the introduction to you kind of getting an understanding of like, how he thought of it like, because, like what, like we didn't know his life story at this time. We didn't like barely anybody knew his name. Nobody knew who the fuck Earl Simmons was everybody knew DMX. So seeing this guy and him telling the story about you know, all he trying to do is rap and everything else like that. And then all of a sudden the devil comes. We don't think of the devil just think as a friend like, I'm gonna put you on I'm gonna take care of him get all this done to worry about you're gonna be successful as hell you're gonna be doing all kinds of like, if you're like, you know, to get to this point to really be the star. I've got to sell my soul and not even knowing that he's selling the soul at that point. He has no idea he's been like this my man my man, God gonna take care of me. He told me everything is going to happen you know I'm rich and also the shit but by the time he figures it out it's too late like you don't social soul to the devil to be to star and it's reflective of his life because it's like it's the same thing. Like, I think the man just wanted to rap. I don't think he wanted to be a star. I think he wanted to rap and get rich. And like you said, you see in rock and concerts, all this other stuff and he's confessional and everything else like that. Like to attain that level of success, a part of his stuff had to be sacrificed. Like said, this is like the genesis of it. This is where it begins, where you kind of get a sense, like, you know, he's talking about crazy final shooting everything else like that, but like part of it, like, had to sell a piece of myself to get to this point. And like the like, and that like, that's one beat. I know. It's not by Tim this time. I'm sorry, not by Swiss. I think it's by Dane grease, I believe. Like, say it's just Erias foot. It just keeps going all the way through. And he's having this conversation with this guy who thinks his friend, but it's the fucking devil who he's selling his soul to, and like say he's a rapper and in the in the fucking song. The guy tell them like, you gotta go kill somebody from like, wait, wait, wait, wait, hold up. No, but the first time he does it without a problem. He goes, he goes to murder somebody but it's like, I need to go kill your friend. Yeah. Like no, no, that's a man. I mean, you know, Jim man said Come on. Come on, dawg. I'm your biggest friend. Now I'm a big fan. As you say whenever do give me right hand that's what you said. Hey, now nothing but trouble ahead. Like not he realized like he wants him to go kill his friend like you want to you want to do what you need to do. You gotta go handle some chips for me. That's crazy to me. But that's to me. My favorite song on its

Jeff:

best song might actually be can I fill it with a sample? Every night? I feel Collins I can feel it. Huh? Like is mad deep Matt personal. The one line that stands out from now he goes I was traded the chance of being a child with a father for talent and being able to survive when it's harder. My balance on the high beams of life keep my dreams and strife. That's why I hit these motherfucking streets at night come out. Like he just ends every versal so poetic. You

Anthony:

know, he does he does it. Like every everything is punctuated. And when you have a guy that can do that consistently. And that's why people love them. That's what that's why it's why you love DMX. I guess at least the next question like for this, like, what's the legacy of this album?

Jeff:

I mean, it's like I said, it came out in an era where the game was inundated with like metallic you know what I'm saying? This comes out now and it's automatically a five Mike you and it was a five mike back then it comes out now and it's automatically blowing everything out of the water but back then you know you have Wu Tang you have Matt Redman, Nas Jay Z, like all these people was out. And the Terror Squad pun, Fat Joe, and somehow he managed to stand out and went platinum comes out with another one and his platinum wasn't as good as this one. This was you know, the best one. I think this album cemented his legacy bro. As one of the goats in New York. Like that was right after this album dropped right after Biggie died. So everybody's like Dan, who's gonna take over you know, now that you'd like the magazine's would have the cover they would have like NAS met the man and Jay Z on the cover with crowns on and Busta Rhymes. Mm hmm. Before a little bit of DMX was was cooking he was eating all of them for like a two year stretch

Anthony:

it to me. Was it solidified Roughriders like, like, like every album? No, I'm sorry. I apologize. Every every recording label needs a franchise star. Right? The reason why people hype death row has been the best because they had if you think about it, probably for franchise players. Snoop Dre Park Snoop Dre pop no five Snoop Dre pop 50 and Eminem. If I have five of them that one time another like like own label with TDE think a Kendrick would would like to defend me think outcasts grant hustlers ti what else was out there? I don't know if you'd call it a franchise player what? Cash Money you might say juvenile but probably little Wayne Roughriders isn't Rough Riders until x like they needed this tube like she did

Jeff:

when this when this album dropped the locks went to dairy and there was like yo we need you to get take us out of this contract immediately. We're going over there we went over there.

Anthony:

I might fit I mean it wasn't wasn't really a it was a small roster but I mean it was them the locks even with Dragon gone. It's not bad. But I mean but but he was a he's a shining star like after this everything that follows like

Jeff:

but he was on Def Jam. They were they was distributed by Def Jam and he was on Def Jam right he carried Def Jam for a couple years. Because it was like him met demand right man. You know I'm saying Ja Rule.

Anthony:

You know, cook, cook. It was a time where like everybody had to leave him like Rockerfeller have labeled them being tied to label like, like, what? Uh, what Cassidy Cassidy had to label? Well like full surface or something like that some shit. Like everyone like you got you got to hit you got to leave but you got to hit you got a you want to label you could label to right. But the whole thing that everybody needs a franchise plate like if all the shit fell apart like can we release an album from this person and keep the lights on? And x was that for them? Like that's the lasting impact of that like, like we I mean, can you name like five labels off the top of your head right now?

Jeff:

I can't I mean Def Jam is still around, fella.

Anthony:

But um, but But I mean, establish acts that are really up and performing right now. Because Because even rocker filming really in it because what's the rock nation?

Jeff:

Yeah, but then you have, let's say, but then you have like Interscope and then you have a bunch of other labels underneath it. You didn't say rush at GE and ask the man right. It's all on the endoscope.

Anthony:

Right. In the scope of the parent company. There's the ones that are needed, but we grew up in an era where like, you know, he was either, you know, either cash money and no limit. You see the bad boy at Rockefeller? Like the only one that comes to mind is TDE but that's really because of Kendrick and Dreamville. And that's really because of Cole. What the fuck is the name of Drake's label? Oh, Bo OBO.

Jeff:

Right, but yeah, whatever.

Anthony:

It'll hit like it used to but like I said, that the fact that you could build something around it, but those guys had that name, they still are running off of that legacy of having, you know, like, like TDE is there people wondering what's the future of TDE if this is going to be Kendrick last album on it and like I said once once X gun to a thing like his legal and you know drug Trump like a pyramid

Jeff:

scheme these labels now let you signed I signed to you and then I create some shit under my name and then whoever signed is under me and you're eating from me and him and I'm eating from him and then so it was like a chain

Anthony:

and in the end nobody gets paid for the parent company controls it all work. You get your template set up but that's what your here's your cut. And that's about it. Do I own no I own everything you own the shit.

Jeff:

Anyway, where does this album belong on the greatest of all time? That to me is top five is Doc and hell is hot. I have it at number one, but that's just my personal preference, but I think it should be top five. I think it's a classic. There's really no skippable unless you want to skip like the skits. I think every song is dope.

Anthony:

I think it's laughing like I think oh boy

Jeff:

shit. To me this has to be a tough we're just talking rap.

Anthony:

I just just purely wrap up somewhere at least top 10 Cuz cuz I mean, I can honestly put Lauryn Hill above

Jeff:

miseducation as an overall album. Yeah, it's more complete.

Anthony:

Right? I can honestly put Illmatic above him. I might be able to put it was written above it. I can put the blueprint above it. I can put ready to die above it.

Jeff:

I don't know 36 chambers?

Anthony:

I can Yeah, I can put 36 above it. I can put a criminaI above it. I know but I know it's a personal II degree yours because I said you think it's the best of all time so it can't be lower. And ain't gonna be top 20 That's ridiculous, but I mean, I'm thinking about it in a very, like I'm just thinking of albums off the top of my head. It's better than it's better than get rich or die trying. Is it better than Marshall Mathers? Maybe

Jeff:

there's a lot of skippable I mean every Eminem album that's why I can't put it I can't put any Eminem above this because I'm not really skipping in on a DMX album. I'm not an M has a lot of goofy shit that I skip you know I'm saying I don't

Anthony:

think you know what, as a as a cohesive piece of art is better than the chronic Yes, as a cohesive I want to make sure that people understand me clearly. As a cohesive piece of art. It is better than the thing is to like go back to the chronic is like it's a bunch of great fun, but it's man it's a lot of a lot of squabbles but

Jeff:

DMX album is like in fact here books so yeah, max out my thing he made sure like every song could be a single, every single song on it could have just picked blindly like let's do this one and this one and that one any song they pick could have been a single.

Anthony:

Yeah, it's not better than doggy style. It's not better than Bill for cubing length. So that's why it's in the 10s

Jeff:

in the 10 is definitely his best lesson definitely the next best word,

Anthony:

right so So alright, so we'll do a solid right right now since this is the first album we've done like this, right now it's one because there's only one we'll try another album right and we'll try to see if like the baseline which is going to be hard. The baseline is Is this better than is dark and peloton and that's see this decision you're gonna disagree with me a bit. Actually think flesh my flesh blood. My blood is better. No, it's darker. He got more commercial hits. He got slippin Yeah. I mean, I asked you to revisit this but like I said, once I started going down a rabbit hole, I started listening to all of this shit. Give it you know what, when when you're on your travels, just give it a try. Just give it a try. It's not it's not going to shake you because I know you're very very, very firm your convictions about the shit that you like, correct, but I'm just saying give it

Jeff:

a little bit of travels. Yeah, I'm definitely going to Florida. I mean, by the time this episode airs, I would have came back already. I'm only going for a couple of days.

Anthony:

Yeah, don't don't miss Tanisha a lot of people might know this okay.

Jeff:

And the final question for this album is what's the worst bar and like I said, is going to come for me it's going to be that song that I mentioned. X is coming. I mean, I want to delete the whole song but it's like Gucci while he while he to me like nah, like, it's I hate that song so much. I want to delete it from memory. But then check this out. He goes and one party goes if I'm coming in the house and I'm gunning for your spouse to send a bitch back to her maker. And if you got a daughter older than 15 I'm a raper. Like why x y that's pedophilia. First of all. Second of all, rape is a crime that you don't really want to commit. You're going to go to jail X he says take her on my living room floor right there in front of you that ask you seriously what you want to do. Frustrating isn't it? When they killed me but I'm gonna kill you. Now watch me fuck just a little while longer please will you like oh no, that was just so cringe. Like, I want to delete that from my memory.

Anthony:

Like I don't got to say anything else because I mean, we're both on the same wavelength. Like oh, no, because like I said, you start going this rabbit hole what is it?

Jeff:

And I think every I think everybody's favorite artist has a song or a line that they would like Oh, I wish you could take that back like why did you say that? Like I bet you right now if you go back and listen to some art Kelly join you but like Oh, you shouldn't have said that. Oh, because it probably hits different now. When you're talking about AJ none but a number yes it is

Anthony:

but it was a whole thing on the internet talking about how Wow Oh cool. J was like, listening to like, like you like you remember that they're doing a video right to where an arrow comes out like in a girl sitting on a car he just has he just haven't had a bottle of Hershey's chocolate with him. Just put it on the thighs and licks it on like this nigga is why he is and like I said, and you know how everybody loves a lover like like the whole song is about dirty man. Is it more than a man that's my mission? I gotta take you from your man that's my mission if he's loving bro he got to handle competition like what the fuck? Maybe I come down five months because he drink too much smoke to win the blunt to not be

Jeff:

talking about taking your girl out you always want to take your girl I always already makin like yo that steroids man like calm the fuck down. We get

Anthony:

it. Yeah, the lounge and join the whole thing is by him. No. In even in the video like the dude leaves. Oh, come to the crib like a bicycle

Jeff:

came in and he was still took

Anthony:

his man pulled up I made pedals up there in a BMX pool at that house. Like I'm gonna knock this down real quick. Oh, it was foul. It was a dirty Mega Man. But he was what but he's the goat so I'm not gonna argue about it. But it's hilarious.

Jeff:

His wife be in the backstage while he's performing on stage doing a shin throwing flowers at the girls waiting for him to marry 400.

Anthony:

Now, come home to me later,

Jeff:

call me. Let's take a quick break. Because when I come back, I want to talk about a specific celebrity that I'm tired of defending tired of it now.

Unknown:

All right. Thanks for listening to the culture podcast. We'll be right back after a quick word from our sponsors.

Jeff:

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Jeff:

represent a culture. Like the culture podcast. Check it out, man. So the person I'm talking about you've I've defended him so much on here. I've gotten credit for so much shit. You've made fun of me

Anthony:

for my cough. Yeah, I'm taking my mic turn microphone laughing up. sigh cool. You've made

Jeff:

fun of me for defending him so much. I've defended his fucking movie choices. I've defended all types of shit. I'm talking about Willard Smith. Will Smith was on with Gayle King and by the way they need to stop having these interviews with Gayle King Gayle King makes you say all types of shit.

Anthony:

That's funny learning from Oprah to learn from Oprah with this she will

Jeff:

she's like Vlad and never never got she'll make you come out and say all types of shit. And then when you look back, like damn, I shouldn't have said that. Anyway, so he goes on with Gail Kim and he has the audacity and the nerve, the unmitigated gall to say are alright, Steven A to say. There's never been infidelity in his marriage with Jada Pinkett Smith. Like, are we supposed to believe this shit? We saw Jada. On TV. Tell you to your face that she was fucking with another dude.

Anthony:

He's not lying. He's not long.

Jeff:

Okay, well check this out. Then he goes on to say there's never been infidelity in our marriage. He told Kim mentioning that. He and Jada talk about everything and we have never surprised one another with anything. Okay, so you're saying it's an open marriage? Is that what you're saying?

Anthony:

What I'm saying? Is that all the shit talking about August Alsina and everything else like that? You're Not You can't have that kind of bond with your wife. It's just I don't think it was a sneaker surprise. She probably fucked that man plenty of times. And then told were like, I fucked August. See infidelity to me is like doing some shit then the person has to do like some research and find out later that you did lie about it before you

Jeff:

write like no I did it. I did it.

Anthony:

Like no nothing ever happened. And then it did it cuz now you got risk just like you fuck Margot Robbie. Okay, cool. Right, but they don't talk about that. But because it's nothing to really discuss you probably, Jada. Um, I'm going to cover this I'm going to I'm going to Marvel house and just knock it back real quick. You know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, I like coming from behind like pulling women's here. Instead you cut August off what's one try some different like, alright, we'll have fun, make good choices. And that was it. Don't bring that over simple competition. Yeah, just just make sure you're clean, buddy. Like yes, absolutely. When I'm done, I'm going to get tested now. I'm going to test it out for warranty. I'm going to test for herpes and COVID and I'll make sure I don't come back unless I got a clean bill of health. Love you babe. Love you kill your next month I'll take care of the kids enjoy the movie.

Jeff:

And he goes I have decided that chatter about my life can be of a benefit to people he said. I think that chatter is the first stage to having a real conversation and being able to truly explore that some of the things in your heart are loving or poisonous. I will I'm just saying Man You're making me look crazy out here bro. Okay, and now from now on, hold up and now he's doing What's that movie he's doing with Michael GB Jordan part two of im ledger which makes no sense. I Am Legend Parker.

Anthony:

Bye. Explain that. Explain.

Jeff:

I know what it is gonna end up being a prequel it has to because he fucking died first of all there was nobody left.

Anthony:

Yeah, but nobody wants to hear about before the apocalypse started that makes

Jeff:

no sense to me that it has to be a prequel

Anthony:

it because like in the end, he blows himself up if he somehow survived that shit. I'm like I'm walking out of matter of fact I'm not walking in there that's your bed come on HBO Max not going to see that

Jeff:

survives that and they might as well just throw him in the next fucking fast and furious join with Vin Diesel and he could just jump off of buildings.

Anthony:

If he is I Am Legend and he got blown up. He's basically fighting zombies in a wheelchair. I'm out. I'm out walking right out. This has gone too far. Like again, let me make this point real quick. You ever heard of the term radical honesty? No. Okay, you know how you know how like, like, we have a tendency to lie even like small little white lies or whatever. It's like very radical honesty. It's to have a conversation with somebody or even a group of people where it's like, it's no holds barred like you say whatever you think and whatever you feel like and not because sometimes, there's things that you want to say but you try to find a way to phrase it in a way Not to hurt the other person's feelings, radical honesty, like, you know, man, fuck these feelings, like, I'm gonna tell you exactly what I think and what I feel. I'm going to try to put it in an understandable way, but there's not going to be any flinching on my part. I think they try to practice radical honesty within their relationship. But whenever they get in front in front of the press, they both freeze up. Like, I think people have a pretty clear understanding for what they're describing is an open marriage. But neither one of them really want to say it. Like, just say, if that's what it is just, you know, say, but they won't they give hints to give in your Windows is kind of sort of like this, but not really, you know, there's never been an infidelity thing, even though you sat at that table and cried, and it seemed like, you know, you're pissed off because your wife was cheating on you or something like that. But it wasn't cheating. Because basically, you kind of give the cosign for them to go ahead and do whatever they're going to do. Because it's open, but they never ever, ever fucking say it. Like, you're, you're being honest to a degree, but you're not being fully honest. I think that's the frustrating about willing Jaya, like, we just want you to say it. I mean, I want them to say it, it won't change my opinion of either one of them. As a matter of fact, I honestly don't care. But to keep acting like, you know, we're different. And we're radical, but you're not really, you could be honest to each other behind closed doors. And people kind of get a hint or a sense of it. But you just won't say it out loud. Just let us know. And you're gonna You might catch these jokes with some other shit, but you got to go and let this happen. Could if they did no, go ahead and sit and get out the way. You won't have to be, you know, being pissed off at will right now.

Jeff:

But the person you thought I was going to talk about, I'm going to talk about him now. Okay, because I'm done with this gentleman to Kanye. Now, he tried to start before do hewgley Because you know, do hula goes on the ladder, you know Vlad always asking you a question that he makes you say some shit. So he asked him about Kanye, you know what I'm saying? And he went on to say, you know, whatever. He's stalking her or whatever he gave his opinion. So Kanye didn't take the lightly he, he responded. He addressed the comments. But at one point, he said I can afford to hurt you in referring to him as a drug addict. And I'll read the whole post that kind of gets kinda taken to like Twitter and Instagram. He's got all his business out there. Can you say we're gonna stop letting practicing drug addicts be used by leftists to Willie Lynch our future black people with our own opinion are not allowed to speak in public. I am the glitch DL. God does not like you. You have no favor. Your family hates you. Oh my god. I would hate to be related to somebody who used to be famous. Now you're just known as a broke pawn at least Oprah got billions allegedly come on leftists y'all got to do better than do this. Yay. Bring the real smoke baby show your real face Charlemagne Just don't hit the same. Just don't hit the same do he? Who you're gonna get now God is with us and you send DL to be against us. You've lost? No brilliant Hebrews. Well, what is he talking about? No brilliant. Hebrews will bow to y'all no more only dumb as drug addict. House Edwards. Don't play me and don't play with God. Anybody this is this is a godly person. This is how they talk.

Anthony:

Continue continue continue.

Jeff:

You've lost over blah blah blah. Don't play me and don't play with God anybody related to do call Chris McLean at Adidas for Yeezys they not Fredo we running a business over here. He just getting ran. You see skeet missing work. Anybody else want to play with me? Please, please please for the love of God come and get me. Let's see how it turns out. And then of course, he'll be responded to that is just too bad that you acted like a nut won't stop Pete from Boston one.

Anthony:

Ah, cute.

Jeff:

He say No way in hell, I'd ever be scared of a dude who wears know what I did last summer boots.

Anthony:

I was gonna do went.

Jeff:

Oh, he goes and it weird that Kanye supposedly has all these goons who will kill for him. But not one of them will get his prescriptions filled. Here's a thought while you're on your way to kill me in Calabasas How about somebody dropped by CVS and pick up his Xanax? Yeah, she gotta stop bro. She is hilarious. But eventually somebody could get hurt man because these people got fans and you know, the loyal fans are crazy sometimes.

Anthony:

Yeah, the things that he found on that deal live in Calabasas and somehow dropped it he thought he dropped deals address and that's a shit I don't find funny. Because you know, he's there, his family's there and you keep trying to take like, you know, everything would be cool. He did the same thing. Like you shouldn't have to tell people to not cause harm to Pete Davidson. But you're the one riling them up. But then you do the same thing and you go to like to DL and you go ahead and leave the dress and some other shit like that. The game that you're playing is that if someone comes to that door, and he's home, and he thinks game plan, they're gonna get shot, and if they get shot that's on Kanye. And the whole this is what this is what I can't stand about motherfucker. I hate when a nigga says that he's a god. No you're not. You know why? If I shoot you in the fucking head, I guarantee you, you will not rise from the dead. If I stab you, I guarantee you will bleed you bleed just like me. You're not God, you might have godly intent. But the whole thing is that everything that you're saying and everything that you're doing goes against the same book that you preach from. You're threatening harm to your family, you're threatening harm to Pete, who's with your wife, who might be around your children, so it might happen to them because you won't let her the fuck go she's let you go let her go. Let her go please, for this for the sake of your own sanity and for the sake of your children let her go because apparently she doesn't want anything to do with you at all. And then when you keep asking me you want to keep going back to the thing that you're showing and everything else that you just seem more and more erratic. Like I'm like, same thing he put on something a couple of days ago. Like basically like like Kim Williams, he has kids and she literally put on into the comics like Kanye like like knock it off like you were you just took them to school yesterday. Like he creates this narrative to make it seem like he's the victim. He's the guy fault and then just people the sycophants that cosign everything that he does, and it's dangerous. It really is because you shouldn't be doing and saying things like that if you got to. Here's the thing that and that's what I think Congress fallen off a little bit. Like before, I thought was a really good rapper. Now, man, even if production is meant, like, if you want to rap putting on wack like everybody else to give us the bars. That's what all great rappers do when they go into anything that anyone they can, they can make it lyrical, and so on, so forth like that. You're not doing that. They're making a social media war, you've made two videos killing the man twice, you're going to do he'll do because he disagrees with you. I think he's saying that, you know, you're basically you're not a man of God, and so on so forth. Well, because he's being honest about something. And like I said, You keep saying like, I don't need to be on medication, but everything that you're saying you're doing, it sounds erratic, it sounds like the town. It sounds like the tone, and the words and the thoughts are man who obviously needs to be on some type of medication. And the fact that people still call someone is bullshit, just because he's the star. So it's more about society than it does about him. Because they allowed him to continue on with his sickness, and allowed him to say these things and then try to find understanding and what he's saying and is nothing clear and coherent about what he's doing. He's dropping an album that's never dropped, you know, to do shit on time. He's arguing with Pete Davidson. The only thing he has time for is to make music of the same video twice of him murdering the same man. It makes no sense to me. It makes no sense of what he's doing. And the thing is that a guy like DL Hughley, you might think whatever you might think of him, he's been successful in his career. He's also a comedian. Like I said, them I have boots not freezing not frightening. Nobody them we call I Know What You Did Last. I know you did last summer boots them shits. It's a good joke. And deal has a bunch of them like you really don't want to go back and forth with them or no bullshit like this, but I don't even know if you're the kind to let this shit go or grow the fuck up. I don't know which curse word you need to choose. But she got it. She was one of them.

Jeff:

And apparently Paul Logan is offering 30 million to see Kanye and P get in the ring. I'll probably pay for that shit. I'll pay to see ski whoop Kanye exact. I think I'll pay for

Anthony:

that. I took you know, I'm telling you. He's six foot four gay five foot six. That reach him. Fuck him up with that job, man. What's wrong with him? But like 30 mil when but kinda got to be like, I'm not taking$30 million. I'm not doing it. Nick a shout out, go go mix Puglia sneakers.

Jeff:

Oh, no. And it's sad. The whole thing is sad. We make fun of him. And we joke when he needs to get help. And hopefully, you know, hopefully there's a right happier. And

Anthony:

even what I was saying like I'm not saying everything that I'm saying as a joke in any way, shape or form. Is he one of the most talented musicians of our generation? Yes. Is he a man who probably needs help? Yes. Is he a man in a very difficult for us if his life? Yes. Is he doing more damage to his own reputation and his own family? Did he has before? Yes. Like I don't like I understand how people will get jokes off. That's just how society works. But it's not a laughing matter when you threaten a man's life who happens to really care about your wife. And that little text chain. He told him how great a mother Kim is and how strong she is and so on and so forth. He's supportive of her he's loving of her. And all you want to do is try to tear him down. He wants to see her happy with him or without he understands how great Kim is. I'm gonna leave him out because I don't want to get into the details of whatever people might think of her as a person. But she's still the mother of your children. If you can't treat them, especially I'd seen a document and seeing how much he he idolized and adored his mother. You can't treat the mother of your children with that kind of decency and respect and adoration. I don't know what to tell you figure this shit the fuck out.

Jeff:

But I I'm gonna end with a quote from Kendrick Lamar. And he said, you can't have people listen to you unless you come to their world and then bring them to yours. Yo Go check out the hydronic hydration go check out Audible man get that free trial go check out our website man the culture dot one and go check out the blog. Thank you for tuning in appreciate you peace

rap music playing:

Intro- Its Dark and Hell is Hot - DMX[verse one]One two one two, come through run through Gun who, oh you don't know what the gun do Some do, those that know are real quiet Let me think you wanna try it, fuck around and start a riot Niggas gonna buy it, regardless because I'm the hardest rap artist and I'ma start this Shit up foreal, get up and feel, my words I make herbs split up and squeal Ill is all I've been hearin lately Niggas hate me, wanna duck tape me and make me put their brains on the wall, when I brawl Too late for that 911 call Niggas stay beefin but a lot of them bluffin But not me because I'ma nigga that can get out of them cuffs You think a lot of them tough Not just for frotin When I hit them niggas like 'What you want?' the battle turns into a hunt

It's Dark and Hell is Hot album
Jeff is done defending with Will Smith
Kanye vs. D.L. Hughley