(NewsUSA) – The Dog is back and is in the house. And while his newest (and much anticipated) album has yet to drop, DMX is giving his fans a taste of what’s to come by releasing “The Weigh In,” — a free EP online download.

In 1998, the rapper first hit the hip hop scene with a pair of fresh, innovative albums, “It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot,” and “Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood.”

Over the years, however, the New York-born rap artist has spent more time in and out of jail and battling drug problems than he has on a stage or in a studio.

Fast-forward to present day, and it appears that the Dog is more interested in his music than his legal woes and may be on the road to redemption. He recently told MTV News that it’s time to be professional for the sake of his career.

“It’s a good thing,” X said in the interview. “I wish it was always like that, but you can’t really worry about what people think, what they say … the focus is on taking the music seriously, as a job, [and] less trouble.”

The trouble he is referring to is the merry-go-round of facilities he has been a guest of since 2000, including a recent arrest last year for speeding and driving with a suspended license. Prior to that, he found trouble in Arizona in November 2010 on charges of violating his probation.

X has said of his new EP that it is an “appetizer” for fans and a prelude to the “main course,” that being, his new album, “Undisputed,” slated for release Sept. 11, 2012.

And as if fans needed any prompting to download the EP for any other reason than X himself, both Snoop Dogg and Tyrese are featured on the recent release as well.

Whether this new attitude is pure spin or actual desire on X’s part to remain on the straight and narrow, remains to be seen, but one thing seems certain — that fans are willing to forgive anything simply because he of who he is.