Swizz says DMX’s new album was tragically meant to be his big comeback

For DMX’s longtime collaborator, friend and Ruff Ryders crewmate Swizz Beatz, making his posthumous album “Exodus” — which drops on Friday — was supposed to be the start of a big comeback for the late rapper.

“We did the whole album — the album was done — before he passed,” said Swizz, 42, who served as both executive producer and producer. “It’s not an album that was pieced together after he passed. We had plans to do a two-month cleansing and workout [program] before we came with the album. He was gonna re-brand himself with new photos of him looking the best that he could look … But unfortunately we didn’t get to that part.” Sadly, the New York native — born Earl Simmons in Mount Vernon and raised in Yonkers — died at 50 on April 9 after suffering a heart attack on April 2 brought on by an overdose.