DMX’s ‘Party Up’ Was a Response to Kurupt’s ‘Calling Out Names’ Diss Track, Says Xzibit

DMX’s “Party Up (Up in Here)” became the biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit of his career at that point in 2000, but many didn’t know the blaring anthem was a response to Kurupt.

Xzibit, who’s sampled on Kurupt’s “Calling Out Names,” joined DJ HED’s Effective Immediately earlier in June, where he revealed how shocked he was when initially finding out that X’s “Party Up” was a subliminal Kurupt diss, as both rappers had romantic ties to Foxy Brown.

“What was crazy was when I found out that ‘Party Up’ was the answer to ‘Calling Out Names,’” Xzibit said before giving Drake some suggestions for his battle with Kendrick Lamar. “That’s what Drake should’ve did. He should’ve made a ‘Party Up.’ Nah, but he tried to get down and knuckle up with it. I keep telling n—-s, don’t get into fights with n—-s who like to fight.”

“‘Party Up’ was a response to Kurupt,” Xzibit continued before reciting DMX bars from the track. “You wack, you twisted, your girl’s a ho/ You broke, the kid ain’t yours and everybody know… They were fighting over Foxy Brown. We need to do a hip-hop 101.”

“Calling Out Names” arrived in 1999 and found the West Coast rapper sending several shots at DMX, Irv Gotti and Ja Rule.

“And I’mma start callin’ y’all b–h n—s by name/ Mothaf—k D, Mothaf—k M, only X I know is Xzibit or RBX, extraordinary/ Tryna snatch my b—h/ You can have the b—h,” Kurupt raps.

DMX responded with “Party Up (Up in Here)” on his … And Then There Was X album in December 1999. The Swizz Beatz-produced track became a single in 2000 and went on to reach No. 27 on the Hot 100 and cracked the top 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Rhythmic Airplay charts.

Fans of DMX can expect more music, as a posthumous album titled DMX Features from the Yonkers native’s estate is set to arrive this summer.

Listen to Xzibit talk about DMX’s “Party Up (Up in Here)” just shy of the 48-minute mark below.