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DMX has accepted the devil as his friend, connecting to chorus, he is now blind to the truth by all the material possessions and cannot see that Damien is the devil, “the snake, the rat, the cat, the dog. How you gonna see him if you living in a fog”. He takes various shapes and forms and DMX cannot see past his facade.
Let my soul rest, take my breath
If I don't fly I'ma die anyway
I'ma live on, but I'll be gone any day DMX – Let Me Fly
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And yo, it's cold on his level, 'cause it's twice as deep DMX – Let Me Fly
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Possibly a reference to ‘the nine circles of hell’ from Dante Alighieri’s 14th-century epic poem Divine Comedy. The ninth, last and “deep"est circle is where "the devil” is trapped in the frozen center of hell, waist deep in ice-“cold on this level cause it’s twice as deep”, being further below the other circles.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
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What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
What is this?
The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.
To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.
“Damien” is a story, with characters voiced by DMX, highlighting the relationship between DMX and a character named Damien, with whom the rapper makes a deal which involves committing acts of violence in return for fortune and fame. It turns out that this “Damien” that DMX has been conversing with is, in fact, The Devil in disguise; luring DMX with fame and fortune as a rapper only to try to make DMX do things he doesn’t agree with, with Damien later trying to convince DMX to shoot one of his own friends. Think of it as a modern, rap version of Faust.
“Damien” is also the beginning of a trilogy (With The Omen and Damien III.
Fun Fact: The name Damien in context with the story is actually a reference to the horror classic “The Omen”, with Damien, spoiler alert, actually being the Anti-Christ.
(Damien from The Omen)
“Damien” is the beginning of a trilogy (The Omen and Damien III) where X sells his soul exchange for fame and riches. Initially X has to do some favours which he grows uncomfortable with. In Damien III, X eventually ends his relationship with Damien.
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Damien is the devil, proofed upon the fact that it’s the name of the devil in the 1976 released movie “The Omen”
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This is a good annotation because the way this song was structured it might have sounded like Damien was the devil and dmx’s evil alter ego. IN the omen the woman crying symbolizes that that was dmx’s mom and he was supposed to go to hell. Thats what it sounds like to me.
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Just an correction. Damien was not the Devil. He was the Anti-Christ.
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This is more of a Faustian deal and not necessarily a mob or mafia allegory, but more of a modern retelling of Faust with DMX making a deal that he doesn’t realize the extent of the agreement until its too late and his soul no longer is his.
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Damien has something to do with the devil and evil deals. Hence Dmx not wanting to do what said evil wants. And you can hear who seems to be the Devil at the end.
Damien is the devil
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@genius-editorial-board can one of you fix description? Bout to get off and this isn’t bout Mafia it’s about Damien being the devil’s son
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@gamemast15r can you propose an edit mate? I’m not familiar with the back story
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@Theonlydjorkaeff I just did, can you peep it?
The song also has echoes of Robert Johnson and the Faustian myth of him selling his soul to the devil at a crossroads to achieve success.
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Damien is also Dmx’s own account of the music business. In the case “Damien” refers to music executives pushing fame and fortune to hip hop artist in exchange for them committing acts of violence on wax. DMX was signed to Ruff Ryder management headed by Dee and Waah (double meaning of Damien or D) and the “murders” X commits refers to severed friendships and alliances he’s had to end in order to achieve commercial success as a rapper.
I believe Damien also alludes to his experiences with his mentor, whom he looked up to as a child, who is known to have given him his first blunt and laced it with crack.
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Plus, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that “Damien” is similar to “demon”.