born loser

Within his family, too, he’s cast as the born loser — the twin whose nutrients were absorbed in the womb by his older brother.

Soon after, “Born Loser” became the lone song released as part of DMX’s false start with Columbia Records.

“Born Loser” was not a hit, but as a punchline rap where DMX makes himself the punchline, it would foreshadow the self-eviscerating rhymes of rappers like Eminem and Fatlip: “They kicked me out the shelter because they said I smelled a/Little like the living dead and looked like Helter Skelter.”

After years spent as a ruthless battle rapper, mixtape hustler and early beneficiary of The Source magazine’s Unsigned Hype column, DMX and the nascent Ruff Ryders label released the rarely heard “Born Loser” on a handful of 12-inch records.

His first single, “Born Loser,” lived up to its title; he struggled to break through before switching to Ruff Ryders/Def Jam Records, which released his 1998 debut album.