Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have taken the reins in commandeering some of the hip-hop battles that have taken place on Instagram Live during the coronavirus quarantine. Most recently, DMX has revealed who he would like to go up against in a hit for hit competition.
During a conversation with N.O.R.E. and DJ Efn of the Drink Champs podcast on Wednesday (May 6), X was asked who he would like to compete with and said Jay-Z. After simply replying "Jay," N.O.R.E. followed up to clarify, to which DMX responded, "Yeah, who you think? Who you think, nigga?"
Now, although X is open to go hit for hit against Hov in a battle, the two New York rappers haven't always been on the best of terms. Despite DMX, Hov and Ja Rule being the rulers of Def Jam back in the 1990s, forming the trio Murder Inc. and gracing the front and back cover of the June 1999 issue of XXL, things eventually went sour between X and Jay. Back in 2010, the Ruff Ryders rapper called out Hov during a freestyle X did at show in Arizona.
However, the dust eventually settled. In 2016, X said during an interview on The Breakfast Club that he was open to burying the hatchet with Jay-Z. "Of course it could happen," the Yonkers, N.Y. native said at the time. "As strong as I am, to walk around holding anger, it wears you down. I don't got time to be mad at nobody, man. Unless there's a situation right here, right now, then, you know. Even then, it ain't a whole bunch of talking about it. Whatever we gon’ do, let's get to it and get past it. But to hold on…I'm mad at him because of this…It wears on you and I got too much other shit to focus on."
Months later, DMX, Jay-Z and Ja Rule reunited backstage at Beyoncé's final Formation World Tour stop in New Jersey with DJ Khaled, who was her opener.
DMX against Jay-Z in a Verzuz battle is something rap lovers will surely pull up for.
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