One of DMX’s hit songs had a chance of not being released, according to Swizz Beatz. During an interview with SiriusXM’s “Hip-Hop Nation,” the producer spoke about how DMX wouldn’t have been on “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” if the rapper hadn’t lost a bet.
“I was Atlanta in school and then they got the project to where it was, and then I came in last minute with ‘Stop Drop.’ [DMX] lost a bet or I wouldn’t even been on that album,” Beatz said. “But he didn’t lose the bet because that song ended up changing all of our lives. He technically won the bet for my Uncle D and that changed all of our lives. So it was just enough to do what it needed to do.”
Beatz said the song came from them just being young and motivated, and it turned out to be a big hit.
“That song commercially went bigger than everything at the time. Then we came immediately with our sound next after that and Dame Grease and PK [were] a part of that as well,” Beatz said. “I wanna get [them] they [sic] props. I’m in a comfortable space to give people they [sic] props. At those particular times, we was [sic] definitely bumping the little heads, but we was [sic] all a part of making history at the end of the day.”
“Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” was the third single from DMX’s 1998 debut album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot. The song made it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 16 following the rapper’s death.
