INGLEWOOD, CA - OCTOBER 04: DMX performs onstage during the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour at The Forum on October 4, 2016 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Live Nation)
<p>Roommates, less than a month ago, the legendary Earl &#8216;DMX&#8217; Simmons <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/dmx-passes-away-at-50/">passed away</a>. The news stirred people all over the world, but most predominantly here in the Unites States. Thousands <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/dmxs-public-memorial-to-be-held-at-the-barclays-center-next-weekend/">attended his funeral</a>. DMX built a career filled with musical hits, awards, cultural staples, acting credits and heartfelt inspiring moments. And that&#8217;s saying the absolute least about his historic accomplishments. Among that list is one track that gets outside going every time: &#8216;Ruff Ryders&#8217; Anthem.&#8217; On Wednesday, the iconic track hit the 23-year mark.</p>
<p>In honor of the day, DMX&#8217;s Instagram account posted a clip of the anthem&#8217;s official music video. The 55-second video has an old-school, home movie filter on it that shows the date and different times. The video begins with a single sentence calling the song &#8220;a global anthem.&#8221; It ends with the open-ended statement &#8220;STAY TUNED.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;1998. This song, my voice, my spirit defined a movement&#8230; this anthem became the soundtrack to the lives of DMX fans around the world,&#8221; the caption said.</p>
<p>The official Instagram account for Ruff Ryders Entertainment, DMX&#8217;s record label, also shared two videos to <a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/jadakiss-holds-food-giveaway-in-yonkers-new-york-in-honor-of-dmx-video/">commemorate</a> the day. The first video is a 28-second clip of the official music video. The second clip shows the late artist giving an interview. In his own words, DMX shared his experience writing &#8216;Rudd Ryders&#8217; Anthem.&#8217;</p>
<p>&#8220;That was Swizz Beats&#8217; first record and that was one of the fastest songs I wrote. I wrote it in about fifteen minutes and I actually didn&#8217;t want to write it. I didn&#8217;t want to do that song.&#8221;</p>
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<p>When DMX dropped &#8216;Ruff Ryders&#8217; Anthem&#8217; on April 5, 1998, he changed the game. The track is DMX&#8217;s third single from his debut album &#8216;It&#8217;s Dark And Hell Is Hot.&#8217; This album, which perfectly captures DMX&#8217;s signature aggressive sound, took DMX to the top! According to Billboard, the album <a href="https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9550921/dmx-rapper-ruff-ryders-dead-dies">reached number one status</a> on the Billboard 200 chart at the time. Later that same year, DMX graced fans with a second album &#8216;Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood.&#8217;</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m glad I did do it. I listened&#8230;Swizz was like &#8216;yo just do it&#8217;&#8230;and it worked out,&#8221; DMX said in the video shared.</p>
<p>Roommates, what&#8217;s your<a href="https://dev.theshaderoom.com/kanye-wests-yeezy-balenciaga-tribute-t-shirt-raises-1-million-for-dmxs-family/"> favorite DMX</a> track?</p>
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