DMX, Woodstock ’99: a landmark for rap and American realism | The Guardian

The rapper could have faced hostility at the overheated, febrile festival but capitalised on one of rap’s biggest ever audiences with a show of awesome powerEvery couple of weeks on Twitter someone posts a video clip of DMX’s performance at Woodstock ’99, usually with a wry caption (“DMX performed for planet earth. Goals”) that references the never-ending crowd, crossing their arms into a sea of Xs.Dripping with sweat and wearing a pair of beaten up Timberland boots and blood-red dungarees, the New York MC (real name Earl Simmons) growls viscerally before launching into raw hood anthems such as Get at Me Dog and Damien. The crowd of 200,000 mostly white concertgoers shout back combative lyrics such as: “What the fuck you gonna do / When we run up on you?” They sing along to Ruff Ryders Anthem as if it’s an American standard, rather than a song that’s been out only a year. Continue reading…

The rapper could have faced hostility at the overheated, febrile festival but capitalised on one of rap’s biggest ever audiences with a show of awesome power

Every couple of weeks on Twitter someone posts a video clip of DMX’s performance at Woodstock ’99, usually with a wry caption (“DMX performed for planet earth. Goals”) that references the never-ending crowd, crossing their arms into a sea of Xs.

Dripping with sweat and wearing a pair of beaten up Timberland boots and blood-red dungarees, the New York MC (real name Earl Simmons) growls viscerally before launching into raw hood anthems such as Get at Me Dog and Damien. The crowd of 200,000 mostly white concertgoers shout back combative lyrics such as: “What the fuck you gonna do / When we run up on you?” They sing along to Ruff Ryders Anthem as if it’s an American standard, rather than a song that’s been out only a year.

Continue reading…