As DMX struggles with addiction and arrest an unofficial street album entitled Mixtape is released in his absence. Containing material that was intended to be released on his unreleased album Walk With Me Now and You’ll Fly With Me Later, California’s Siccness Records, who has previously released similar work by AZ, Sheek Louch and Freeway, sometimes charting, now links with the ’90s Rap superstar. After being released from his contract with Columbia Records, X brings forth Mixtape. With a bland, perhaps apt title, Mixtape sees the Yonkers dark man, who’s fame never drove him out of Timbs and a hoodie, return with a gritty, gutter-inspired record.
DMX starts the project with a prayer. The tone and delivery of the prayer differs from past projects. So when he asks the lord for help to fight addiction, its downright eerie considering the situation that DMX is currently in. Track two, “Put Em Up” 
(released online last year as “The Way It’s Gonna Be”) is classic DMX over high-energy ’70s Rock-sample production which he shreds to pieces. It is the highlight of the project, with The Dog reclaiming the energy and command he left with And Then There Was X. The track, which clocks in at a short 2:35 seconds, still enables the listener to work up a sweat. The remainder of the album features less than stellar production and repetitive content. Lyrically, DMX stays close to the street and far away from his personal life. It’s strange to listen to an entire DMX record and not get the introspection that we’ve grown accustomed to. Where track like “Slippin” made us love X, tracks like “This is That” make us push the skip button. “Boy Back Up” doesn’t work from the sample and production to the content. Without getting a glimpse of the man and his soul, it is easy to compare this project to past ones critically.
The album’s effort feels like a post millennium Mike Tyson fight. The first few rounds are filled with excitement (see “Prayer” and “Put Em Up”) where our hopes for a successful return peek. After that, the remainder of the fight spirals down and borders on heartbreaking and depressing. It’s hard to tell if it is the inner demons that are preventing a return to former form or a lack of the creative urge that greatness requires. Whatever it is, average tracks like “I’ve Seen” are unacceptable for an artist like DMX. Even though X is nowhere near top form, he somehow manages to produce an effort that many people will deem mediocre and maybe some even label good. The Dog’s talent is evident and the respect that he has garnered from his peers is highlighted by guest appearances ranging from Loon and Mobb Deep to AZ and Keith Murray. Unfortunately, as above average as the last few X projects have been, the great albums that preceded them will not allow us to settle for less.
While X is sitting in the belly of the beast withdrawing from the life that he knew on the outside, his fans are forced to wait patiently for a grander return. Though even critiquing Mixtape seems misplaced at this time, the Dog still has a space set at the table of Hip Hop. Ultimately this album is more about what he could do than what he does. The man who spearheaded the Ruff Ryders movement that gave us D-Block, Swizz Beatz and Eve still clearly has great music left in him, though not completely developed here. Until that day comes Mixtape will have to hold us over
gud
How’s this shit legal?
its just something for the fans that they havent heard before nothing great but fans will appreciate it
Real X Shit!!!!!!!!
THIS CRACKHEAD IS! THE LEGEND OF THE FALL OFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!Darkman X got progressively worse after each album. The Great Depression should of been called the death of dmx’s career.
the music ya’ll makin’ gon’ make it the great depression
Damn X, it is sad to see someone you grew up listening to in his situation.
Keep your head up nigga.
X! Keep Your Head Up! You Gotta Show The Industry How Dark It Really Is Again! FREE DMX! DOUBLE R!
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Get well X..we need the music your capable of!
what!!!!
arr! arr!!
nigga we at a restaurant
X was what got me through Ida B…….shoutout to the WELLS, it’s the soul of the man in the hood strung across lyrics..ima always ride for Dbl R, and that’s on 74 joe
had some good tracks, I thought it was better than the review made it sound but nothing like the material he knowingly released. But for a handful of unreleased tracks it aint bad. Besides, X is a legend like him/it or not.
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good tape
Garbage. Only reason X makes music anymore is so he can keep buying rock…Crackhead!
You are a disrespectful asshole. DMX has done more great things for Hip Hop & people than your simple minded fake critic ass will ever bring to fruition. You are one of those shit heads who speak foul of others while discreetly being the scum of the Earth that does not want others to succeed. X has at least three 5 Mic albums, acclaimed movies & book, what do we know you for? Jack shit…
just cuz he DMX
1st off FUCK YOU Luke Gibson
we are talking about music, and in music your less than a peace of shit next to the living legend DMX
your in no position to critique this man
and to the rest of you,
if you think X fell off just remember:
PUT EM UP !
ALREADY !
and STFU
are you really expecting this mixtape to be FIRE like a DMX album ?!
idiotssssssss
Dmx is the number one rapper off all time, only real niggaz who listen to real music and understand the lyrical content, fuck the beat
Feel the lyrics, feel what he be goin through
Dmx is the best story teller. If your the type of person who listen to akon, lilwayne, souljaboy, n all those type of rappers, do not even comment here
As he said, anyone can be a rapper by talking over music, Dmx is an artist, a legendary artist.
Keep yo head up nigga, stay strong and walk long