DMX's past feuds: How rapper's beef with Jay Z and Ja Rule shattered their dreams of Murder Inc
DMX, Jay Z and Ja Rule made one of the most hip-hop iconic groups of all time, 'Murder Inc'. However, the group was short-lived as the reported constant feuds between heavyweight rappers Jay Z and DMX made it impossible to go on. Here's a look at the past beef between the incredibly talented hip-hop artists and where it all went wrong.
'Murder Inc' was formed in 1995 by Irv Gotti and it comprised of East Coast rappers Jay-Z, DMX and Ja Rule. The hip-hop supergroup reportedly first made its official appearance in Mic Geronimo's song 'Time to Build'. Later the trio went to make 'Murdergram', a track for 'Streets is Watching'. But the group couldn't go on for a long time as the feud between Jay Z and DMX, partly fueled by their historic 'Bronx battle', brewed further.
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The beef that shattered Murder Inc
Irv Gotti, the man who helped form 'Murder Inc', opened up about what happened with the band. He said, "They always had friction because they battled and X, like, hated him," Gotti added, "Jay didn’t really give a f**k but they was always on some competitive s**t. That’s just the truth." According to Gotti, Jay Z aka Hov felt DMZ made 'depressing' music and it would not succeed. But later the collaborative work of DMX and Gotti impressed Jay-Z. "Jay, especially, he looked and seen what I did with X," Gotti revealed, "And he was like, ‘Woah. Holy s**t. That s**t worked.’"
The Bronx battle
In the early '90s, Jay Z and DMX participated in a rap battle in an intense face-off that took place in Bronx, New York, pool hall. Gotti recalled the incident in an MTV interview in 2011 admitting, “X hated Jay because it was the one battle that he said it wasn’t absolutely sure in everyone’s mind that he won.” In another interview, rapper Ja Rule said, “We couldn’t get X and Jay in the same room, from long ago, their storied battle on the pool table, guns out (and) all of that,” and added, “We tried to deliver that album. It was a situation where egos all just played a part in its demise.”
'They Want War'
After the breakup of Murder Inc, DMX was vocal about slamming Ja Rule and accused him of copying his signature 'gruff' style of delivery, among other issues. Later, DMX also went on to make a diss track titled 'They Want War' where he rapped, "Yo, you remember the first time we rocked sound stage/ When the world was ready to let the dog out the cage?/ Covered the whole crowd rocking from here to there/ All you said was "throw your hands in the air!"/ You'se a hype man - (What) I started you dude/ You have b*****s part of your crew that's harder than you/ Let me tell you what - in jail say across that table/ That you are the cutest b***h on your label!"
However public the feud was, Ja Rule didn't reason to the diss track, a report said. Later, in a peace offering after DMX was released from jail in 2005, DMX said, "Gotti came to me in jail and said I want to make peace with you and him. I was like, 'Alright Gotti, let's do it."
As Murder Inc, the trio successfully made only two singles with a bunch of appearances in different tracks. The two singles namely 'Mudergram' and 'It's Murda' weren't considered big hits but the hip-hop connoisseurs appreciated the trio's chemistry and believed that the group had the potential to be one of the biggest rap groups of all time.
Currently, DMX is admitted in a hospital with life support as millions of fans pour messages for the rapper. DMX's family is soon to make a statement about his present condition while his manager Steve Rifkind uploaded an Instagram video turning down claims of the rapper's demise. He said, "Everybody, please stop posting the rumors. DMX is still alive. Yes, he is on life support. But, please, it's not helping anybody by having seen these false rumors." He assured the fans saying, "Let the family relax for a night. You will be hearing a statement from the family sometime tomorrow."