Irv Gotti ushered in Def Jam Recordings’ mid- and late-1990s renaissance through his work with Jay Z, Ja Rule and DMX, among others.
But the producer and label executive says that the rest of the Def Jam executive staff, Jay Z, Dame Dash and others didn’t believe in DMX, who, for several years, outsold Jay Z and Ja Rule.
“First meeting I ever had, I was like, ‘We gotta sign DMX‘ and they laughed at me,” Irv Gotti says of the Def Jam brass during Complex’s “Jewels From Irv Gotti: How Def Jam, Jay Z, & Dame Dash Didn’t Believe In DMX.”
“Jay and Dame did not believe in DMX,” Irv Gotti adds of then-Roc-A-Fella Records partners Jay Z and Dame Dash elsewhere in the clip, noting that Jay Z said that people in the hood wouldn’t want to listen to DMX because Jay felt the music DMX made was depressing.
DMX and Jay Z collaborated several times throughout the late 1990s, most notably teaming up in 1999 for the “Hard Knock Life Tour.” At the time, it was the first Rap tour to play in areas in approximately a decade.
For additional Jay Z coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
Yeah so Jay doesn’t believe in an artist. Then gets them to feature on his albums n songs when they’re hot. Like 50 said he really uses people.
Ummm…….Alchemist send that beat to Ras Kass BEFORE Jadakiss too? And Ras Kass Label didn’t want to pay intime?
This is why HOV is number 1 in the game. Uses people, holds back other artists careers, uses ghostwriters but it doesn’t matter. We love the ruthless dudes, take charge winners who fuck you over and you must accept their greatness. That’s why dudes like Nas will keep taking L’s, be broke and HOV flying on Beyoncé’s private plane.
Bet you wont say that in Q.B. YOU PUSSY!
Fake-Z
He didn’t believe in Kanye as a rapper either. But he believed in Tru life
Didn’t he boycott the fact that It’s Dark and Hell is Hot wasn’t nominated for a Grammy?
Remember Jay burning D album Yr of the Dog that was some shady shit, X got more classics than Hov
Dmx was way better than Jay z.
50 cent offers to suck jay z’s dick for a hamburger
Dmx was one of the realist rap niggas ever was,,niggas would be scared when the dog was out the cage,,even Jay-Z,so nigga please..Jay-Z knew better than start shit cause x would slap fire outta him too for yapin..
Wth r u talkin about. No one said that Jay wanted to beef with Dmx. Jay and Dame just didn’t believe that X was ggoing to move the world the way that he did. Niggas always makng nothin into something.
Maybe jay just didnt want to sign a crackhead no matter how ‘hot’ he was AT THE TIME
Jay didnt want anyone to be bigger than him. He knew Dmx would be and thats why hes didnt wanna sign him.
True news DMX only ever saw a few million for his albums, minus the budget and other hidden costs, X was set up from the get up.
Dmx show everybody that he was worth listening to through his music regardless of how another person feel about u as look as the fans feeling u that’s all that matters the music is saleing and Jay-Z and dame should already know how that go becuz they had to go through the same as dmx did coming through some pretty bad trying time’s in the hiphop game.
Hov wanted to keep X on the bench. Unfortunately X got in his own way while Hov kept it consistent, gotta give him credit for that. X should be mentioned with Jay n Nas tho for sure.
Word, if dmx wasn’t a crack head, he damn sure would be right up there with Eminem, jz, and biggie.
Dmx was one of the rawest mcs, too bad the drugs brought him down.
X been a crack head tho before J became PR tho
At least DMX got on on his own. People love hating and downplaying people like DMX who has problems until they get their ass beat by the dog.
X a legend, got classic albums
X has made so much better music than J. It was just an excuse from J because he didn’t want the competition.
Jay purposely blackballed X, when Jay retired became prez of jef dam, he promised X, he would have the number one spot at def jam, while X was doing time. X got out, n jay lied, kept pushing DMX shit back, he fuxkd up his whole business at the time, bcuz X was a powerhouse
In hip hop, jay saw him as competition, cuz he knew that retirement of his was a huge PR stunt to sell more albums , as ppl actually believed as his last. FOH, jayz a grimey mofo.