DMX, A Troubled Genius Who battled Artistic Demons

My first encounter with the musings of Mr.X, I was about 7 to 8 years old, and I was profoundly shocked. I happened to be attending a birthday party of a “rich” cousin, the birthday was being hosted by our aunties then new younger boyfriend.

And the then eldest son to my aunty, an “ear-ringed” up and coming artist at the time was “bumping” (listen to with a lot of enjoyment) to this, the DMX music, on the latest technology at the Time which I believe was called the CD changer.

I was already part of a first growing economic gap, and I was not even away of what was transpiring, that my parent’s were right on the fence of this economic divide between the middle class and the poor in country that has kept widening since.

It was the early 90’s and already my cousin’s were enjoying the benefit’s of having two parent’s in the parliament, owning a house in Nakasero, owning a Mercedes Cross sport, Holidays abroad; and of course, The privilege of owning AN ORIGINAL DMX CD! Needless to say, they were living the 90’s dream that would still be an exciting one present day.

Of course I was much too young to understand all these societal complexities and contradictions, and apparently I for one was  having some difficulty digesting the lyrical contents of this DMX fellow, and out-rightly bamboozled that my “ear-ringed” up and coming artiste of a cousin was “bumping” this DMX music on the loud speakers and going as far as singing a long.

Everyone at the party, didn’t seem to have any problem digesting this, the DMX strong message promoting violence, and doing things I would rather not discuss with you, dear reader! His rawness hit like a strong foul stench that clouded my developing childish mind.

To my outmost surprise, my Cousin had not yet gotten a beating, for listening to this explicit content! He was rapping along scot-free! What would my grandfather think of MR.X? Going around shouting all sorts of profanities and threatening people in ways I didn’t even know were legal. Obviously I was in way over my head with this modern eccentricity and privilege.

Most of my holiday’s as a child were spent in the village: hunting and enjoying the vast majority of village sport and activities, under the guardianship of my grandparents who both retired teacher’s, were both tested and proven disciplinarians.

Under their stewardship, I was taught to be obedient, conflict was better resolved in the most civil of manner’s. Indeed I was a very compliant student of life. The music menu mostly comprised of Kadongo Kamu, with some Pepe Kale, Koffi Olomidde, Afrigo band, Paulo Kafero, a real 90’s musical cocktail playing on the caste tapes or tuned in station at the time, on my precious grandfather’s radio, that is if my jaja (grand parent) wasn’t listening to news or national programs at the time. And now here was MR.X yelling at me, telling me to act a fool, and lose my mind up in here!!

My late grandfather a former head master(May His Soul Rest In Peace), would definitely have a lot to say to MR.X, that would probably end up in a good old fashioned teacher beating, and my grandmother would probably have to take him away in his sorrowful state, and bribe him to stop crying with a cup of hot porridge, and popcorn’s. To my 8 year old self, MR.X was obviously a very ill mannered person that needed some serious disciplining!

Dear reader, you see Hip hop is a relatively new genre that only started in the early 70’s in the Bronx borough of New York City, and faced a lot of mainstream media and radio play resistance. The main message it portrayed was one of violence and rebellion against all forms of police brutality and social injustices.

Long after slavery was over and racism issues were still being reconciled, there was no conclusive solution to what should be done with the descendants of our great grand parents that were shipped off and sold like commodities centuries ago. The only facilities that most of the descendants were able to afford were the ones in the Bronx of New York(a black Ghetto community), with most of the residents possessing little to no education, surviving on mostly odd jobs and crime in order to support their impoverished families.

Therefore, hip-hop was more than just music, it was a movement to the like’s of MR.X, it was a platform for them to express their grievances, it was years of bottled up anger after years of slavery and injustices, a venting and copying mechanism, it was a way of life, stories were being told through the artistes music.

When these artiste’s were talking about shooting, or being shot at, likely hood is that this shooting actually happened in real life. Their communities were marred with so much violence, the peak of this violence was witnessed in the late 90’s when Tupac Shakur(2pac) 25years old at the time on September 7 1996 was executed at a drive by shooting, he was shot at Forty Times! Barely six month’s later, on March 9 1997, his biggest musical rival Christopher Wallace(Notorious B.I.G) was also shot at four time’s with the final shot being close range and fatal, he was only 24 years old.

Earl Simmons also known as Dark Man X alias DMX was a product of a jaded community and upbringing. Simmons went through a disjointed childhood that included being beaten by his mother and her various boyfriends so badly that he lost teeth and sustained numerous bruises and cuts on his face. Due to poverty, he slept on the floor with roaches and mice crawling over him in the night.

Even in his earlier adult life and later on, MR.X had several run in’s with the law, being arrested on several occasions for crimes like animal cruelty, illegal possession of weapon’s, possession of drugs and several other offenses, with him on one account even escaping from a cell after being arrested for stealing a dog from the junkyard.

DMX’S pure genius therefore was in crafting all this pain and adversity in to art, and selling it for millions of dollars. With such a husky and hoarse voice that demanded attention and respect, even on some occasions making growling dog sounds on his records, going as far as even barking sometimes!

With a very troubled personal life with 15 children from 9 different women. It will be very interesting to learn that DMX shared a common character trait that most gifted people over the life times seem to face and that is that they are often misunderstood and not able to fit in society properly.

They usually possess an above average intelligence, sharpened  by the adversity and extremities that they go through in their life’s. what differentiates them from the rest of their peers is that they turn this pain around, refuse to adhere but instead convert this negativity into a message of hope through a specific art form. It is a typical underdog story, forged through the fire!

So we learn, that the funniest people are usually the saddest, but instead of choosing to be defeated, they bring out their terrible experiences through the most comical of versions. Though they also seem to have trouble in their personal lives through this “panel beating process” that they undergo, which manifests change of their views, opinions and perspectives on life. They rarely conform to the norms.

Another vivid example would be Richard Pryor(December 1, 1940 – December 10, 2005) arguable the most talented black comedian of our generation. Despite all his talent, he also suffered similar artistic demons, having been raised in a brothel run by his grandmother, his mother being a former prostitute. Pryor went on to defy the odds, winning several accolades including an Emmy award, five Grammy Awards and he went on to make millions of dollars!

Pryor too struggled in his personal life. Pryor had seven children from six different women, got married seven times to five different women, with some marriages lasting as long as just two months! And in One incident, Pryor literally set himself on fire! Later going on to make several jokes and stand up shows about the nearly fatal experience, going on to say that he wanted to see what would happen?

A disconnect seems to transpire between these artistically gifted minds and society and the known societal norms. Their art is some sort of inner battle between them and the world, even after they achieve vast amounts of success and wealth, they don’t find contentment and satisfaction, an emptiness consumes them, as they try to fill this bottom less void. As if playing with an invisible self destruct button and constantly stretching the societal norms and boundaries.

As an adult now I occasionally “bump”(to listen with a lot of enjoyment and pleasure) to this DMX music, and over the years, it has become some what therapeutical, and while you may not exactly go on to engage in some of the actions he explains in his lyrics, you get to understand that, it is okay to get angry sometimes, and to vent along to his lyric’s when you are going through a bad day or time.

All this negativity and anger is released, and a sudden calmness overcomes you after listening to his music, and you get the courage to soldier on, and go on with the day today struggles of the world and this life, as you look for possible ways to navigate through it. That was MR.X’s gift to us and it is one that we shall have forever.