Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that the show explores some serious subjects, including suicide. DMX is on a quest to reexamine and improve his life, but his problematic behavior has a way of catching up with him; suffice it to say that he's not exactly a strong role model. What's more, each episode is laced with bleeped-out curses, and some of it is just plain boring. For dedicated DMX fans only.
Families can discuss feeling secure and confident. When is it normal to feel sad or depressed, and when is it a problem? Why is it important to work hard while being prepared for moments of failure? Families can also talk about DMX's experiences and history. What's brought him to this point? What choices could he make differently over the course of the show? Do you consider him a role model?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Lucy Maher
In DMX: SOUL OF A MAN, mega-successful rapper/actor DMX (Romeo Must Die) takes viewers behind the scenes as he reexamines his life and relocates from Yonkers, New York, to Carefree, Ariz.
The rapper, born Earl Simmons, has had numerous run-ins with the law, including two arrests for driving well above the speed limit (once while on Valium). In each of the series' six episodes, he attempts to reevaluate his life and figure out how to get himself back on track.
This involves moving to the Arizona desert, opening up about his parentless childhood, and doing some self-reflection with the help of people he meets along the way. In a disturbing finale, DMX hits a particularly low point and admits to having considered suicide but snaps out of his funk after meeting a woman who, after the deaths of her three kids, found solace in his music.
While DMX fans will want to tune in, those unfamiliar with the rapper may be left scratching their heads. Many scenes feature DMX on his cell phone, and it's often extremely difficult to make out what the person on the line is saying, even with the addition of subtitles. What's more, the scenes in which viewers see the rapper go about his life (grocery shopping, pumping gas) are rather dull.
Between the frequent swearing (harsher words are bleeped), DMX's very questionable status as a role model, and some of the series' heavier content, this one's not for the younger set.
Looking for more "celebreality" shows? Try Gene Simmons Family Jewels or So NoTORIous.
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ViolenceDMX gets angry with his managers and curses them out, but there's no physical violence. |
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LanguagePlenty of bleeped-out cursing; other words, like "bitch," aren't bleeped. |
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Social BehaviorAlthough the show's overall message is that even those who misbehave and have a sordid past can find redemption, DMX's behavior -- he's irresponsible and inconsiderate, and he winds up in jail -- overshadows some of the positive aspects. |
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