Jay-Z talks about meeting DMX during a rap battle in the Bronx.
The late DMX’s posthumous album “Exodus” is finally here which featured appearances from Snoop Dogg, Nas, Usher, The LOX, Lil Wayne, and more. The project also features Jay-Z, who assisted DMX on the song called “Bath Salts” along with Nas. Now, Jay-Z appeared on the premiere of the new season of HBO’s “The Shop” where he talked about a lot of things, including memories with DMX. He recalled boycotting the Grammys in his debut year because they snubbed DMX.
The ego rivalry between DMX and Jay-Z, two of the most iconic rappers of all time, is well-known. The east-coast rappers were originally members of the band Murder Inc, and travelled with Jay-‘Hard Z’s Knock Life Tour,’ alongside Ja Rule, Method Man, and Redman, throughout cities. Jay-tune Z’s ‘Money, Cash, Hoes’ from Vol. 2… ‘Hard Knock Life’ featured the late rapper DMX, who made a lot of noise. While the duo’s extraordinary abilities had the potential to set new records, it was their competitive attitude that precipitated the schism, which began with their Bronx Battles in the early 1990s and continued well into the present.
“By the way, the first time I boycotted the Grammys was for him,” says Jay-Z. “We both came out that year. He didn’t get nominated. He dropped two albums, had two No. 1 albums in the same year. They didn’t even nominate him. I won that year for the Rap album, so my first Grammy win, I wasn’t there. I wasn’t even in the building because I boycotted it for him. So, there was a competitive thing but it was big love. He was so competitive with me. I never met a human being more competitive with me. Ever. Not even my big brother. No one.”
Then Hov revealed how he met DMX, who helped him improve stage performances. “We met battling. That’s how we met. We were in the Bronx, in the pool hall. After that battle, he went to like, a show. He got on stage and said, ‘Jay-Z, where you at?!'” said Jay as everyone laughed. “I was like, this guy is nuts. He was just all passion.”
“He improved my stage show. Remember, Rap tours weren’t going out at that time. There were no Rap tours. Maybe the Fresh Best in the ’80s, but there were no Rap shows. Me, DMX, Method Man, Redman, Ja, The Lox—this tour is packed. The first night, 360 sold out. Everyone has a great show. Meth and Red are flying in the audience. Incredible performance, everyone’s destroying it.”
Check it out below.
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