The Great Depression cover art

  Studio Album · No. 4

The Great Depression Songwriting Credits by DMX

2001 Def Jam Recordings / Ruff Ryders Entertainment 17 tracks 72 min

Produced by Dame Grease, PK, Swizz Beatz, Kidd Kold, Just Blaze

Def Jam Recordings / Ruff Ryders Entertainment Hardcore hip hopEast Coast hip hop
88%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 15 of 17 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 15 / 17 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 17 tracks with documented writers, by whether DMX carries a lyricist or composer credit.

88%
15 trackswritten by DMX 2 tracksoutside writers
DMX's roles on this album

Share of the 17 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist88%
Composer12%
Producer35%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

17
Tracks
4
Lyricists
8
Producers
1 million
US Copies Sold
2001
Released
Data Insight

The Great Depression is DMX's fourth straight No. 1 debut, and he keeps writing all of his own raps while widening his producer pool to include Just Blaze alongside Swizz Beatz and Dame Grease. "Who We Be" is the album's centerpiece, written by DMX over a Swizz Beatz-style production, and "I Miss You" turns a Faith Evans feature into a tribute to his late grandmother. His authorship over the lyrics stays complete even as the music broadens.

DMX's fourth studio album, released October 23, 2001, through Def Jam Recordings and Ruff Ryders Entertainment. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. The album marked DMX's expansion into self-production, with several tracks credited to DMX directly alongside his usual collaborators. "Who We Be" and "We Right Here" were the lead singles. Just Blaze produced "I'ma Bang" in one of his earliest high-profile credit appearances. Stephanie Mills appears on "When I'm Nothing" and Faith Evans on "I Miss You," bringing soul vocals to two of the album's most emotional moments. DMX wrote all his own lyrics throughout; the Prayer IV again closes the album.

Track Listing & Credits 17 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Sometimes
DMX Earl Simmons DMX DMX
2
School Street
DMX Damon Blackman Dame Grease DMX
3
Who We Be #60
DMX Mickey Davis Black KeyMelvin Armstead DMX
4
Trina Moe
DMX Damon Blackman Dame Grease DMX
5
We Right Here
DMX Mickey Davis Black Key DMX
6
Bloodline Anthem
DMX Brian Collins DMXKidd Kold DMX
7
Shorty Was da Bomb
DMX Damon Blackman Dame Grease DMX
8
Damien III
DMX Anthony Fields PK DMX
9
When I'm Nothing
DMXStephanie Mills Damon BlackmanJames MtumeReggie Lucas DMXDame GreaseBlack Key DMXStephanie Mills
10
I Miss You #86
DMXFaith Evans Brian Collins Kidd Kold DMXFaith Evans
11
Number 11
DMX Anthony Fields PK DMX
12
Pull Up (Skit)
Not documented Thom BellPhil Hurtt DMX DMX
13
I'ma Bang
DMX Justin Smith Just Blaze DMX
14
Pull Out (Skit)
Not documented Thom BellPhil Hurtt DMX DMX
15
You Could Be Blind
DMXMashonda Kasseem Dean Swizz Beatz DMXMashonda
16
The Prayer IV
DMX Earl Simmons DMX DMX
17
A Minute for Your Son
DMX Kasseem Dean Swizz Beatz DMX

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 22 contributors

D
DMX
Writer · Producer
On this album15 written
DB
Damon Blackman
Writer
On this album4 written
AF
Anthony Fields
Writer
On this album2 written
BC
Brian Collins
Writer
On this album2 written
ES
Earl Simmons
Writer
On this album2 written
KD
Kasseem Dean
Writer
On this album2 written
MD
Mickey Davis
Writer
On this album2 written
PH
Phil Hurtt
Writer
On this album2 written
TB
Thom Bell
Writer
On this album2 written
FE
Faith Evans
Writer
On this album1 written
JM
James Mtume
Writer
On this album1 written
JS
Justin Smith
Writer
On this album1 written

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1999 100%
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2006 100%
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2012 100%
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Frequently Asked Questions The Great Depression

Did DMX write The Great Depression himself?
Yes, the lyrics. DMX wrote all of his own raps on the album. Producers including Just Blaze, Swizz Beatz, and Dame Grease made the music and hold the composer credits.
Who wrote Who We Be by DMX?
"Who We Be" was written by DMX and was the album's signature single, reaching No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its rapid-fire list of hardships became one of his most quoted songs.
Who is featured on I Miss You by DMX?
"I Miss You" features R&B singer Faith Evans and was written by DMX as a tribute to his late grandmother. It reached No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Did The Great Depression by DMX debut at number one?
Yes. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 440,000 first-week copies, DMX's fourth consecutive chart-topping album. It was certified Platinum.
When was The Great Depression by DMX released?
The Great Depression was released on October 23, 2001, through Def Jam and Ruff Ryders. It was DMX's fourth studio album.
What genre is The Great Depression by DMX?
It is a hardcore and East Coast hip-hop album running about 72 minutes. It pairs DMX's aggressive material with more reflective, emotional tracks.

Sources

Wikipedia: The Great Depression MusicBrainz: The Great Depression release group Cover Art Archive: The Great Depression front cover Cover Art Archive: The Great Depression by DMX