DMX - We Right Here

What this video is

Released in August 2001 as the lead single from DMX's fourth studio album 'The Great Depression,' 'We Right Here' arrived at the apex of DMX's commercial dominance — a period in which he had placed five consecutive albums at #1. The video's Baltimore location shoot distinguished it geographically from the New York-centric Ruff Ryders canon, broadening the label's street-cultural footprint. Directed by J. Jesses…

Why it matters

A canonical entry in early-2000s East Coast hardcore rap video production, 'We Right Here' exemplifies the Ruff Ryders visual template: rapid editing, street-location realism, and performance-crowd integration. As the lead single of DMX's fourth album, its video represents a deliberate stylistic…

The director

J. Jesses Smith is a hip-hop/R&B music video director who has directed over 200 music videos across a 15+ year career, working with artists including DMX, 50 Cent, Eve, Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, Lil' Kim, Mos Def, and Tupac. He received two MTV Video Music…