By REBECCA BARRY
(Herald rating: * *)
This is supposedly the last album from the throaty, canine-obsessed MC, DMX. Yet unlike Jay-Z's swansong, Grand Champ is the nail in the coffin of a career that has been quietly sagging since his multi-platinum debut, It's Dark and Hell is Hot.The horn-smothered beats and gospel vocals sound dated, the profanity unjustified — on F — Y'all he says the F-word about 50 times — and while he is still a ferocious lyricist, there's nothing that suggests he has anything particularly profound to be ferocious about.
Where the Hood At, the club banger that makes the biggest impact, is tainted by homophobic lyrics, and what's with the urban crossover attempt with Monica on Don't Gotta Go Home? This certainly cements his reputation as a tough-guy MC but it doesn't say much for his creativity — his style hasn't evolved one iota. One for the dogs.
Label: Def Jam
<I>DMX:</I> Grand Champ
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