Editing DMX (section)

===1998–2000: Debut album and commercial success===
DMX recorded tracks from April 1997 to January 1998 for his debut album. During this time, his guest appearances on [[Mase]]'s singles "[[24 Hrs. to Live]]" and "Take What's Yours", [[The Lox]]'s single "[[Money, Power & Respect (song)|Money, Power & Respect]]", and Def Jam labelmate [[LL Cool J]]'s single "[[4, 3, 2, 1 (LL Cool J song)|4, 3, 2, 1]]" created a strong buzz for his upcoming album.<ref name="allmusic"/> In February 1998, he released his debut major-label single "[[Get at Me Dog]]" on [[Def Jam Recordings]]. The single received an [[RIAA certification]] of gold.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Vozick-Levinson |first1=Simon |last2=Buford |first2=Jayson |last3=Hoard |first3=Christian |last4=Ihaza |first4=Jeff |last5=Leight |first5=Elias |last6=Reeves |first6=Mosi |last7=Sheffield |first7=Rob |last8=Vozick-Levinson |first8=Simon |title=DMX: 16 Essential Songs |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/dmx-best-songs-1149785/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=April 9, 2021 |access-date=April 9, 2021 |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413134003/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/dmx-best-songs-1149785/ |url-status=live }}</ref> His first major-label album ''[[It's Dark and Hell Is Hot]]'', which included the single "[[Ruff Ryders' Anthem]]", was then released in May 1998. The album debuted at number one on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart in the U.S. and sold over six million copies.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Preezy |title=DMX's 'It's Dark And Hell Is Hot' Tracklist, Ranked |url=https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/dmx-its-dark-and-hell-is-hot-tracklist-ranked-587279/ |work=[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]] |date=May 23, 2018 |access-date=April 9, 2021 |archive-date=April 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409162401/https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/dmx-its-dark-and-hell-is-hot-tracklist-ranked-587279/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 1998, he released his album ''[[Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood]]''. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and went multi-platinum.<ref name=yahoodmx/> DMX became the only rapper alive to have his first two consecutive number-one Billboard 200 albums within a one-year period (seven months by calculation) and the first since [[Tupac Shakur]];<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=2023-07-10 |title=Here's the First Rap Album to Top the Billboard 200 in Each Calendar Year (Complete List) |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/first-rap-album-number-one-billboard-200-year-complete-list-1235368726/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US |archive-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016173110/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/first-rap-album-number-one-billboard-200-year-complete-list-1235368726/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McIntyre |first=Hugh |title=DMX Was A Pioneer Among Rappers On The Albums Chart |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2021/04/09/dmx-was-a-pioneer-among-rappers-on-the-albums-chart/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=October 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231023025412/https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2021/04/09/dmx-was-a-pioneer-among-rappers-on-the-albums-chart/ |url-status=live }}</ref> DMX's record would later be surpassed two different times in 2020 by [[YoungBoy Never Broke Again]], who made the number one position with two albums in six months (a month down by proxy, making it the fastest) and also had three number one albums in ten months between 2019 and 2020, also beating another ''Billboard'' record by DMX involving a quantity of number one rap albums within a year.<ref name=":0" />

He released his third album ''[[... And Then There Was X]]'', on December 21, 1999.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://genius.com/albums/Dmx/And-then-there-was-x | title=...And Then There Was X | publisher=[[Genius (website)|Genius]] | access-date=January 7, 2024 | archive-date=April 11, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411153115/https://genius.com/albums/Dmx/And-then-there-was-x | url-status=live }}</ref> It was his third album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. Its most popular single, "[[Party Up (Up in Here)]]", became his first top ten hit on the [[rhythm and blues|R&B]] charts, and was nominated for a [[Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance]] at the [[2001 Grammy Awards]].<ref name="grammyawards" /> The album was certified six-times Platinum, and was also nominated for [[Best Rap Album]] at the 2001 Grammy Awards.<ref name="allmusic" /><ref name="grammyawards" /> In 2000, DMX also made a cameo appearance in the [[Sum 41]] music video for "[[Makes No Difference]]".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/dmx-rode-an-atv-in-sum-41-s-video-for-makes-no-difference-01f2vy1p5fah | title=DMX Rode an ATV in Sum 41's Video for 'Makes No Difference' | first=Ryan | last=Phillips | work=[[The Big Lead]] | date=April 9, 2021 | access-date=April 10, 2021 | archive-date=April 10, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410043805/https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/dmx-rode-an-atv-in-sum-41-s-video-for-makes-no-difference-01f2vy1p5fah | url-status=live }}</ref>

In late 2000, he joined other Hip Hop and Nu Metal artists on the [[Anger Management Tour]]. Appearing alongside [[Limp Bizkit]], [[Godsmack]] and Sinnistar for the second half of the tour from November 24 to December 19, 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Limp Bizkit Add Anger Management Tour Dates |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/em6xds/limp-bizkit-add-anger-management-tour-dates |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505171953/https://www.mtv.com/news/em6xds/limp-bizkit-add-anger-management-tour-dates |archive-date=May 5, 2023 |access-date=2024-04-08 |website=MTV |language=en}}</ref>