In the months before his death, DMX had been talking about new music — namely, a nearly finished upcoming album set to feature Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Pop Smoke, the Griselda Crew, Alicia Keys, Usher, and even Bono. Now, it looks like the late New York legend had even more in the works. The posthumous DMX song “Been to War†is out today, April 16, a week after the rapper’s April 9 death. It features longtime collaborator Swizz Beatz and fellow New York rapper French Montana, and will be featured in season two of the Epix series Godfather of Harlem, which premieres on April 18. “I’ma march to the beat, I’m my own drummer / Let’s get it on baby, we can go to war all summer,†DMX boasts on the track, in his signature gruff voice.
DMX’s last album was 2012’s Undisputed, but in 2019, the rapper re-signed to Def Jam Recordings, where he broke records with his first five albums. After his death, tributes poured in from across the hip-hop community — including Swizz, who wrote, “I’m truly beyond devastated !!!!!! But I’m so happy my brother is no longer in pain . I watched him take everyone’s pain and make it his own ðŸ™ðŸ½ I send my love and support to his entire family ðŸ™ðŸ½ My brother we will never let them forget your name and you will live forever.†Swizz continued to pay tribute to DMX with pictures and messages on his Instagram Story ahead of the release of “Been to War.â€