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No matter his acting abilities, DMX is a natural for the silver screen. Ever since his album debut, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, the former Earl Simmons has flaunted a flair for the dramatic, and his work ethic is one of the toughest in hip-hop. He must have been especially busy filming, since the soundtrack for Cradle 2 the Grave, his first starring turn (with Jet Li), has only three features for DMX himself. Taking up the slack, fortunately, are some of the hottest rappers circa 2003: Eminem, with a track featuring DMX as well, plus 50 Cent, Foxy Brown, Clipse, and Drag-On. The leadoff track is DMX's own "X Gon' Give It to Ya," a typically grandiose contribution that compares pretty well to the rest of his work but doesn't sound too special. Eminem's self-produced "Go to Sleep" is an extremist (even for him) murder fantasy that goes down in a hail of screams and bullets, while "My Life (Cradle 2 the Grave)" finds Foxy Brown turning curiously reflective (and more than just a bit poignant). Surprisingly, amidst the raft of big names, DMX affiliate Drag-On steals one of the best tracks, "Fireman," an off-kilter track that blows through a pair of contrasting percussion lines, borrowing from "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "Pusherman," but sounds completely original nevertheless.
CONDITION: NEW! Minor crease lower left cover.
TRACK LISTING
1. X Gon' Give It to Ya
2. Go to Sleep
3. What's It All For?
4. Follow Me Gangster
5. Stompdash**outu
6. Do Sumptin
7. My Life (Cradle 2 the Grave)
8. Fireman
9. Drop Drop
10. I'm Serious
11. Right/Wrong
12. It's Gon' Be What It's Gon' Be
13. Hand That Rocks the Cradle
14. Won't Be Coming Back
15. C2G
16. Focus
17. Slangin' Dem Thangs
18. Off the Hook
19. Getting Down [*]
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