How's It Goin' Down

"How's It Goin' Down" is a song by American rapper DMX, released as the fourth and final single from his first album, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot. The song features vocals by R&B singer Faith Evans and was released to radio on June 9, 1998. The song was a modest hit, peaking at No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100. It contains a sample of "God Make Me Funky" by the Headhunters from the 1975 album, Survival of the Fittest.

Music video

Directed by Hype Williams, the video was filmed in June 1998 in Harlem, New York City. The music video provides a visual depiction of the song's story, detailing DMX's affair with the a woman named Tenika (played by video model Liza Rivera) who is already in a relationship with the father of her two children. It features cameos by then-unknown artists Eve, Ja Rule, Drag-On and Irv Gotti, all of whom would rise to prominence in the following year.

Interpolations and samples

Canadian rapper and singer Drake incorporated the lyrics to the chorus of "How's It Goin' Down" in his own song, "U with Me?" from the album Views. American rapper Moneybagg Yo sampled "How's It Goin' Down" in his song "Scorpio". J. Cole also interpolated the lyrics to the chorus on his song "Life Sentence" from his 2026 album The Fall-Off.

Charts

Certifications