It's Dark and Hell Is Hot

It's Dark and Hell Is Hot is the debut studio album by American rapper DMX. It was released on May 12, 1998[2] by Ruff Ryders and Def Jam.[3] It was supported by four singles—"Get at Me Dog", "Stop Being Greedy", "Ruff Ryders Anthem" and "How's It Goin' Down", in order of release—and their accompanying music videos.

It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 12, 1998 (1998-05-12)
Recorded199698
StudioNew Horizon Sounds Studio, Inc.
(Capitol Heights, Maryland)
Power House Studios, Soundtrack Studios, Chung King Studios, Quad Recording Studios
(New York City, New York)
Genre
Length65:10
Label
Producer
DMX chronology
It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
(1998)
Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood
(1998)
Singles from It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  1. "Get at Me Dog"
    Released: February 10, 1998
  2. "Stop Being Greedy"
    Released: March 7, 1998
  3. "Ruff Ryders' Anthem"
    Released: May 5, 1998
  4. "How's It Goin' Down"
    Released: June 9, 1998

It primarily includes production from Dame Grease (13 tracks) and PK (8 tracks), in addition to production from Irv Gotti and Lil Rob (2 tracks), Younglord (1 track; add.), and Swizz Beatz (1 track). The album is widely considered a classic among hip hop fans and critics.[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Entertainment WeeklyC[6]
Los Angeles Times[7]
Muzik[8]
Pitchfork9.0/10[9]
Q[1]
Rolling Stone[10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[11]
The Source4/5[12]
Spin6/10[13]

It's Dark and Hell Is Hot was met with positive reviews from music critics. 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."[5] 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."[12]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and sold 251,000 copies in its first week in the United States.[14] The album was certified 4x Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on December 18, 2000.[15]

Track listing

Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"
4:10
2."Ruff Ryders' Anthem"
Swizz Beatz3:34
3."Fuckin' wit' D"
2:18
4."The Storm (skit)"
  • Simmons
  • Blackman
  • Fields
  • Joaquin Dean
  • Mad Man
  • Dame Grease
  • PK
  • Waah (add.)
  • Mad Man (add.)
1:01
5."Look Thru My Eyes"
  • Simmons
  • Fields
  • Blackman
  • PK
  • Dame Grease (co.)
3:51
6."Get At Me Dog" (featuring Sheek Louch)
  • Dame Grease
  • PK (add.)
4:03
7."Let Me Fly"
4:13
8."X-Is Coming"
  • Simmons
  • Fields
PK4:19
9."Damien"
  • Simmons
  • Blackman
Dame Grease3:42
10."How's It Goin' Down"
  • Simmons
  • Fields
PK4:43
11."Mickey (skit)"
  • Simmons
  • Fields
  • J. Dean
  • Rajah Winn
PK0:25
12."Crime Story"
  • Irv Gotti
  • Lil Rob
3:48
13."Stop Being Greedy"
  • PK
  • Dame Grease (add.)
3:37
14."ATF"
  • Simmons
  • Blackman
Dame Grease1:56
15."For My Dogs" (featuring Big Stan, Loose, Kasino and Drag-On)
Dame Grease4:11
16."I Can Feel It"
Dame Grease4:13
17."Prayer (skit)"SimmonsDame Grease2:32
18."The Convo"
  • Simmons
  • Blackman
  • Barry Alan Gibb
  • Maurice Ernest Gibb
  • Robin Hugh Gibb
  • Ed Penney
  • Jerry Gillespie
Dame Grease3:34
19."Niggaz Done Started Something" (featuring The Lox and Mase)Dame Grease5:14
Total length:1:05:15
2000 reissue bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
20."Ruff Ryders' Anthem" (Live)
  • Simmons
  • K. Dean
Swizz Beatz2:57
Total length:1:08:12
Notes
  • Track listing and credits from album booklet.
  • "X-Is Coming" features additional vocals by Jamie, Warren and Randy.
  • "I Can Feel It" features additional vocals by Nardo.
Sample credits
Courtesies

Chart positions

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[24] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[26] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. "DMX: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot". Q. No. 167. August 2000. p. 124.
  2. Pendleton, Tonya (March 20, 1998). "New & Improved Ready To Take Over". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, PA, USA. p. F19. His album, "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot,'" comes out May 12.
  3. "DMX | Biography, Albums, & Streaming Radio". AllMusic. December 18, 1970. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  4. "50 Greatest MCs of Our Time (1987 - 2007)". Rap.about.com. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  5. Birchmeier, Jason. "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot – DMX". AllMusic. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  6. Mukherjee, Tiarra (July 17, 1998). "It's Dark and Hell is Hot". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  7. Baker, Soren (May 31, 1998). "DMX, 'It's Dark and Hell Is Hot,' Def Jam". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  8. McPhail, Pete (August 1998). "Cam'ron: Confessions of Fire / Charli Baltimore: Ice / DMX: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot". Muzik. No. 39. p. 63.
  9. Pearce, Sheldon (March 5, 2017). "DMX: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  10. Lewis, Miles Marshall (June 18, 1998). "DMX: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 2, 2007. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  11. Ex, Kris (2004). "DMX". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 248. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  12. "DMX: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot". The Source. No. 106. July 1998. p. 151.
  13. Gonzales, Michael A. (August 1998). "DMX: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot". Spin. Vol. 14 no. 8. p. 143. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  14. "Now! 22 Ends DMX's Billboard Winning Streak". MTV. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  15. "Gold & Platinum Searchable Database - December 18, 2015". RIAA. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  16. "DMX Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
  17. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  18. "DMX Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  19. "DMX Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  20. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  21. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  22. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  23. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  24. "Canadian album certifications – DMX – IT'S DARK AND HELL IS HOT". Music Canada.
  25. "British album certifications – DMX – IT'S DARK AND HELL IS HOT". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type IT'S DARK AND HELL IS HOT in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  26. "American album certifications – DMX – IT'S DARK AND HELL IS HOT". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 20, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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