The first taste of DMX’s highly anticipated posthumous album, Exodus, has been delivered in the form of “Hood Blues,” a new single featuring Griselda artists. Released on May 24, the Swizz Beatz and Avenue Beatz-produced track includes guest verses from Conway the Machine, Benny the Butcher, and West Side Gunn and samples “Shady Blues” by Lee Mason and His Orchestra.
On “Hood Blues,” each rapper takes a verse, delivering their individual, gritty styles, rapping in full detail of their past, present, and future street life. X takes the track home as the last set of bars on the track.
“I got that cannon that’ll remove your head and shoulders (ni**a)/ Cats that play in the street (man), get ran over (Rrr)/ I’ma make you hand over everything you got, I’m not the average (motherfu**er)/ Do damage ’cause I’m a savage.”
Exodus is due for release on May 28. Swizz Beatz revealed the project’s 13-song tracklist which includes a collaboration with New York City rap titans Jay-Z and Nas as well as features from Lil Wayne, Moneybagg Yo, Alicia Keys, Usher, and more.
“Let’s get to the magic,” the producer wrote on Instagram. Exodus will be DMX’s first solo full-length studio album since his 2012 release, Undisputed.
Exodus comes less than 50 days after DMX, legal name Earl Simmons, passed away. VIBE previously reported the Grammy award-winning rapper died at the age of 50 on April 9 after experiencing a heart attack. The Yonkers-bred artist was placed on life support and hospitalized for a week before his death.
“Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end,” Simmons family said in an official statement. “He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him. Earl’s music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time. Please respect our privacy as we grieve the loss of our brother, father, uncle, and the man the world knew as DMX.”
Hear DMX’S “Hood Blues” below.