Grand Champ

DMX is through. After this, his fifth album, the gravelly-voiced rapper claims he’s dropping his mike and AK-47 for good and picking up a Bible. Whatever. We’ll believe it when we see it, since Dark Man’s lyrics have been known to stomp Commandments like mouthy rivals. (He already hinted at his departure way back in his song “Fuckin’ Wit’ D”: “Yeah, it was wrong, dog, but I slid/I’ll repent one day, just not right now/You hear my shit all in the street/I’m kinda hot right now.”) But Grand Champ is still one loud day of reckoning, as DMX unleashes lyrical fire and brimstone on ferocious bangers like “Where the Hood At,” “We Go Hard,” and “Shot Down,” featuring the bullet-scarred 50 Cent and the recently-released-from-prison Styles. He may have gotten religious, but he sure as hell hasn’t gotten soft. His rage ceases only for “Ayo Kato,” a moving tribute to a slain friend, and the shouted- (not spoken-) word track “Prayer V,” wherein the retiring rapper counts his many blessings. If DMX remains true to his word, Grand Champ will stand as one grand finale.