At the end of August, Swizz Beatz released “Just In Case,” featuring DMX and Rick Ross. The song was a companion to Godfather Of Harlem series, with the hit-making producer curating the soundtrack. It also marked a milestone in a comeback year for X.

The Yonkers, New York representative began his 2019 behind bars in a West Virginia prison. Since a January 25 release, X has toured in celebration of his benchmark debut album, returned to Def Jam Records, and according to a new GQ magazine feature, plans to make his most significant album in 15-plus years.

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“The standard that I hold myself to is the same: Better than everything I hear. I need to be better than everything that I hear. And I can hear it. They winning with that? Oh, I’m good. If you don’t give people something incredible to listen to, they’re going to listen to whatever,” X told Mark Anthony Green regarding the music he is making now.

With that, X appears with Ross in the “Just In Case” music video. It begins with Forest Whitaker in character as “Bumpy Johnson” from Godfather Of Harlem. Swizz introduces the two rappers who take on the scene. Flashing back to 1963, they do just that, in an Uptown club. After Ross, X vents his frustrations with rappers who talk about it, but don’t live it. He condemns snitches, fakes, and phonies, with palpable anger.

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The three artists don all black with shades, toasting to the good life. While Ricky and Swizzy have been on the up throughout the last decade, this raised glass is especially poignant for a DMX that appears to be returning to form.