Marking three years since DMX passed away in April 2021, hip-hop specialist DJ Cable has assembled this mix to honour the far-reaching legacy of the New York MC—and the label, Ruff Ryders, that he called home. “DMX’s impact was phenomenal, he’s a hip-hop icon,” says the Essex DJ. “Not only was he the first living rapper to release two [US Billboard] No. 1 albums in the same year [It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood], his energy and delivery remains unmatched. His music spoke to everyone from all walks of life, and he was never afraid to put his pain on record. There will never be anyone else like him, and you can easily see that a lot of artists these days have been influenced by him, directly or indirectly. [Ruff Ryders mean] just straight-up hip-hop bangers. It’s that timeless street music, with some of the hardest beats of all time.” While DMX was a figurehead for the label, the catalogue, of course, runs much deeper—with this mix also featuring classics from Eve, The LOX (Sheek Louch, Styles P and Jadakiss) and Swizz Beats (“His solo stuff in the late 2000s knocks”, says Cable). “If you need something to pick up you up and give you some good energy, hopefully this mix does the job,” he says. “We all love nostalgia, so I hope this is a nice trip down memory lane. As well as the obvious classics, there’s a bunch of joints people will have forgotten about. For those who might not be familiar with all of the tracks, hopefully it allows them to discover more of the Ruff Ryders back catalogue and the artists too.” Read on for more of Cable’s thoughts on some of his selections. DMX, “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” “It’s their defining track, and has now become this timeless hip-hop classic that transcends all age groups and demographics. Another one that I knew I had to put in there was ‘Slippin’’. That might be X’s best track ever.” Noreaga, “Banned From TV” (feat. Big Punisher, Cam’ron, Jadakiss, Nature & Styles P) “One of those bangers that just makes you want to throw a chair across the room when it comes on.” Jadakiss, “None of Y’all Betta” (feat. Sheek Louch & Styles P) “I’m a huge LOX fan, so I wanted to fit in as many of their joints as possible. As much as I love their catalogue, ‘None of Y’all Betta’ is probably my favourite track—I’m a big fan of DJ Premier, and that beat is just ridiculous. Sheek’s ‘Good Love’ and Styles’ ‘The Life’ are also personal favourites.” Mariah Carey, “We Belong Together” (feat. Jadakiss & Styles P) [Remix] “This might be one of the best hip-hop/R&B remixes of all time.”