I remember hearing DMX for the first time on Mase’s Harlem World album and thought ‘who is this guy?’ I thought he brought a different energy and then I heard him on Money, Power Respect and then he carried that momentum to his debut solo album (thread).

When we needed a star in hip-hop in ‘98, X stepped up as I thought he was a bit of a hybrid between Biggie and Tupac. He had that charisma that people gravitated to. That led him to become the hottest musical act in ‘98 and ‘99. Flesh of my Flesh and The Ruff Ryders album was