Four days after DMX was released from Gilmer Federal Correctional Institution, Big Boy’s Neighborhood revisited a 2017 interview with the Ruff Ryders legend.
During the conversation, X touched on his his addiction to cocaine, which plagued him for years. Although he said he no longer indulges in the highly addictive narcotic, he admitted he still drinks alcohol occasionally.
“I don’t do anything,” he said. “I’ll have a drink here and there. That was never a problem. That’s about it. Cocaine [was the problem]. I think we kinda knew that was the problem. Anybody in here that didn’t know? Of course it was problem. I got in trouble and all that shit. It’s not worth it. I spent too much time doing things. It’s just not worth it.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, X weighed in on the current state of Hip Hop and agreed with Big Boy that it’s up to him and other pillars of the culture to represent Hip Hop correctly.
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“Hip Hop is a lifestyle. I think [it’s being misrepresented],” he said. “Whoever can [represent it correctly], not just myself but whoever first has the insight to see it and the talent and the ability to do the right thing, then it’s all of our responsibility.”
When Big Boy suggested mainstream rap all sounds the same, X quickly chimed in with, “They all promoting drug use. If that’s what you wanna do, that’s your business. But you ain’t gotta promote it like it’s cool, make it cool. Now you have kids walkin’ around like, ‘Oh I’m poppin’ Molly.'”
X also made it clear he credits his faith for being able to make it through the dark times he’s experienced throughout his life.
“That’s when God shows up more, when I can’t figure a way out,” he said. “When I can’t see a way out. My faith has always told me that. I wasn’t able to imagine my way out, but I knew there was a way out. I knew God had it. I wasn’t so much testing it, it’s just that he allowed me to get all those things and show me they weren’t going to make me happy. I begged God for fame when I just wanted to be heard.”
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The “X Gon’ Give It To Ya” architect was released from prison after serving roughly one year for tax evasion. He will be under supervision for the next three years and must pay $2.3 million in restitution to the IRS.
