Years ago, The Lox found a home with Bad Boy Records. The New York rap trio was featured on a number of the label’s hits, but somewhere along the line, things began to grow sour between Sheek Louch, Styles P, Jadakiss, and the label’s head honcho, Diddy. The rappers petitioned to have The Lox released from Bad Boy, even speaking with radio stations to air out their grievances, but it wasn’t until Styles P reportedly threw a chair at Diddy did they all agree to part ways.

Theo Wargo / Staff / Getty Images

The Lox recently revisited that incident when speaking with HipHopDX, and Styles P was remorseful about how everything went down. “The moment with tossing the chair at Puff was a combination of being really f*cking stupid and really f*cking angry,” said Styles P. “I think for me, Big was always the barrier, and the mediator, and the middle person. He was always able to make things make sense to me. So I think when Big passed, it was just kind of really hard for me to deal with it and see certain things.”

While Styles may feel bad about those moments filled with tension, he still stands by everything he said about Bad Boy and Diddy at the time. “We don’t regret anything at all. It was like us saying you want some of this old man,” he added. Sheek Louch chimed in, “Man it’s a part of the history, baby. To be honest, if you would’ve known how many artists and MC’s came to us after that saying, ‘Yo, we should’ve did that,’ or ‘We wish we would’ve did that. It was still a very dumb thing to do, but it felt good to do because I think a lot of people wanted to do it. But they ain’t have the balls.”

“It made us who we are,” added Jadakiss. “It showed us, like he said, it might have not been the smartest thing to do today. But we was young, we was rebellious, and we was savage mode.” Meanwhile, make sure to keep an ear out for The Lox’s forthcoming record, Living Off Xperience, that’s set to hit streaming services sometime this year.

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Although he’s hailed as a rap icon, the late Biggie Smalls only has two albums under his belt. The slain rapper lost his life to a drive-by shooting back in 1997, and his family, friends, and loved ones are left to speculate a life and career that could have been. On his second and final album, Life After Death, Biggie collaborated with his fellow Bad Boy artists The Lox to deliver the classic track “Last Day.” Over the years, The Lox member Jadakiss has shared stories about his times with Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace, and he recently bestowed a few more memories with People’s Party with Talib Kweli.

“We would just go inside his session and pick his brain,” Jadakiss recalled. “Ask him mad questions, just ask him about all type of sh*t. Ask him what was he thinking when he wrote certain verses. Ask him what to expect. He told us Puff was gonna do a lotta things we didn’t like, but he was gon’ make us stars. That was actually a reality.”

Jadakiss added that Biggie was a big supporter of The Lox and admired their work ethic. “He had big plans for us working together,” the rapper added. “As you can see, we was one of the only rare features on the Life After Death project. Wasn’t too many. For us to be young, new artists, to be on that album was a big thing for us.”

Biggie told Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P to always be hungry in the rap game and to “never take no days off.” Jadakiss also said that after Big performed at the Apollo Theater with Mase and Junior M.A.F.I.A., the late rapper told him that he needed that show because he only had $200 to his name.

“That’s one thing I might do. Sh*t come across the table that other artists might not do and if it ain’t too much going on, Imma take it,” Jadakiss said. “I always remember him saying that.” Check out the clip of Jadakiss talking with People’s Party with Talib Kweli below about being in the studio as Notorious B.I.G. recorded his classic and final album Life After Death.

The Lox rapper Styles P is allowing the public into his world and marriage to Adjua Styles. The veteran rapper and his wife of 25 years are currently featured on Marriage Boot Camp, and they’ve been addressing the issues in their marriage that has caused their relationship to become stagnate. They’ve endured infidelity, monotony, and the suicide of their 20-year-old daughter five years ago. 

Jemal Countess / Stringer / Getty Images

In a recent episode, the Marriage Boot Camp couples addressed their intimacy issues and how they respond to one another in the bedroom. Adjua admitted that after Styles P had an affair, she withholds sex when she feels like it. “So, now it’s like, okay, can’t screw my wife, she wanna use sex as a weapon,” Styles P said. Adjua added that their communication changed, thus shifting their connection, as well. “It’s not healthy,” she said. “It’s less kindness.”

“I was very less kind,” Styles P admitted. “I felt guilty…more failure than guilt.” Then, using hand puppets of themselves, they lavished each other in compliments in a heartwarming—yet awkward—scene. “No matter what, we’ll make it through because we have each other,” the rapper said. “I’m sorry.” Check out the brief clip of Styles P and Adjua Styles below.

“Now, what y’all wanna do? Wanna be ballers? Shot-callers? Brawlers?” You don’t have to be a fan of hip hop to know where those lyrics are pulled from. “It’s All About the Benjamins” dropped way back when in 1997, but it’s still a relevant hip hop, party jam. The Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie-produced classic had multiple versions that featured Diddy, Notorious B.I.G., Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Lil Kim. Diddy’s bars are some of the most memorable from “It’s All About the Benjamins,” and Jadakiss talked about penning Puff Daddy’s lines during a recent visit with People’s Party with Talib Kweli.

According to Jadakiss, he was just minding his business, spittin’ a few bars when Diddy overheard him. “I already had that rhyme,” the rapper said of Diddy’s verse. “He heard it and was like, ‘Nah, that’s me. Let me get that rhyme right there. He took that and put that on ‘Benjamins.’ Me and [Sheek Louch] didn’t like the ‘Benjamins.’ He almost forced us to record the verses that we have on there. We didn’t really understand what that beat…it [didn’t] grasp us at the time. We wasn’t eager to just record it.”

Yet, Diddy had a vision and knew it would be a hit. “That’s what makes Diddy Diddy,” Jadakiss added. “That really was like, our first commercial and ‘hood hit that catapulted us besides the mixtape stuff that we was doing.” Diddy’s final “All About the Benjamins” verse wasn’t how it was initially penned, because Jadakiss also revealed that the rap mogul “did about four versions of it.”

Check out what else Jadakiss had to say below, including bits about Mase writing for Kanye and how he felt about being mentioned in Yeezy‘s 2005 hit “Touch the Sky.”

Following a last-minute delay, Jadakiss has officially released the fifth studio album of his legendary career, Ignatius. A recurring placement on top ten lists from the barbershop to the booth, Jada’s prolific catalog and deadly bars have earned him respect in a game where steel sharpens steel. Many might even call him the blacksmith — an inspiration to the likes of Pusha T, a collaborator to legends like Nas, Eminem, Jay-Z, DMX, Ghostface Killah, and countless more. You can hear his laugh the moment you read about it. Jason Voorhees during hunting season.

Being a longtime fan of Jadakiss, I jumped at the chance to interview the LOX lyricist following his “Fuck Cancer” event at the end of November last year. A second conversation was then scheduled in February, once the album’s initial release date was inching closer. As such, today’s feature arrives in two parts, both of which span topics ranging from Ignatius, the man behind the album’s title, and Jada’s own wide-ranging career.

Check it out now, and show some love to one of hip-hop’s most formidable lyricists of all time. This conversation has been edited for clarity. 

Johnny Nunez/Getty Image

PART ONE

Originally recorded on November 27th, 2019. 

Hey Jada, how are you?

How you doing?

How’s your day going so far?

It’s alright, I just got to Detroit.

You and Fuck Cancer just put together an event honoring your friend Icepick. How’d that go?

It was cool. It was dope. Nice turnout.

How did you end up linking with Fuck Cancer?

Swizz and my man Rob Walker. They plugged us in, we did a little piece a few months back on Icepick.

Looking back on Icepick and everything he helped build –I’ve been seeing his name for years, since I was buying Ruff Ryders albums– how did you guys first meet and develop such a close friendship?

We met when he was doing jewelry. He’s also a jeweler, that’s why his name is Icepick. He was doing jewelry on 125th and Harlem. Ruff Ryders hired him. We had a close relationship working on all those compilations, group albums, and solo albums. When Ruff Ryders kind of went down, I hired him to work with me.

What was his dynamic like in such a big group like the Double R? He’s clearly impacted so many people within the Ruff Ryders camp, working with you, Eve, DMX.

He’d just get things done. He was the person who’d go get the features, go get the producers, go get everything you wanted. He’d make it happen.

Was he ever giving creative input?

A little bit. He was more of my A&R slash partner. He’d go get me production, get me different sounds. He’d do all the running around, the fieldwork. Sample clearances. He’d do everything.

Was there ever a feature you didn’t think would come through, only for Icepick to make it happen? Was there ever a feature he wanted you to do?

On the Kiss Of Death album, we were trying to wrap the album and we needed Snoop. Snoop was in New York at the time, at a party. Pick actually went to the party, came back and brought Snoop back to the Sony studio and got him to lay the verse. He got him to leave the party and lay the verse on a song called “Shine.” That was the beginning of his dopeness. He’s been doing that kind of thing ever since. He’d always drag me to the studio if I didn’t want to go. He always had good insight on things.

Looking toward your upcoming album Ignatius—

That’s his real name. That’s his government name. Ignatius “Icepick” Jay Jackson.

Were you working on that album before his passing?

I was working on a project. We were just gathering production, getting beats together. It wasn’t going to be the Ignatius project, that came after his passing.

Did the direction of the music change in light of it?

Definitely. It all went around him. Going back to the last question, he always wanted me to do a feature with Pusha. Just me and him. Me and Styles have a song on the Clipse album, but he wanted me and Pusha to work just me and him. He always wanted me to do a song with John Legend, I got that on this project. Production from Pitchshifters, they did “One More Mile To Go” on the Top 5 DOA project.

There’s a lot of things inspired by him. That’s why I named it after him, to give myself some closure from his untimely demise. He’ll still be with me in spirit, but I can move on and do other stuff.

My condolences. I can’t imagine losing such a close friend. Was the writing process ever particularly difficult on this album?

The intro, the outro, the song with John Legend. Even some regular songs. Just thinking about him will put you in a somber place, a dark place. But I didn’t want the album to be all somber. That’s why the first single is “Me.” Soulful, not sad or nothing. The album’s not sad, it’s just in his name. A couple of sad moments there.

When you guys used to talk about music, was there a particular style he liked to see from you? A favorite verse or track?

Nah, he was always trying to find that next big hit. He always wanted me to be bigger and better every project, every opportunity.

I recently say you make an analogy to hip-hop being a Ferris wheel, with the goal being to get as many go-arounds as possible. To sustain that longevity. Looking at your own career — platinum records, unanimous respect from your peers– is there anything you’re still looking for?

Just to give the fans good music. I was able to buy my mom a house off hip-hop. Put my oldest son through college. My second oldest kid is about to go to college in a year or two. I’m pretty much happy with my achievements and accolades as far as financially and respect from my peers. Those that passed before me, the Bigs, the Puns. I’m pretty much cool. I just do it cause of the passion. It’s still a lucrative way to take care of my family and enjoy life, but for the most part it’s the passion still.

How’s The Lox’s documentary coming?

Dope, it’s going to shock everybody. You gonna see a bunch of different sides of me, Styles, and Sheek that’s never been really seen by the public. There’s some sad moments on there also. That’s how life is, there’s going to be ups and downs in life. A lot of people keep those things private, which they should, but it’s a documentary about us. We had to share some things with the people.

When’s that dropping?

It’ll probably come out at the beginning of the year. February, March. After my album comes out. It’s going to come out with the new Lox album.

Anything you’d like to share about Ignatius moving forward?

Make sure you absorb it. For all the fans, I appreciate the D Block support, the Jadakiss support. Check out that new Styles album that’s out now, Present. Look out for the new Lox album coming out after my solo album. As far as the Ignatius project, if you know me, if you knew Icepick and his history working with Ruff Ryders and The Lox, you know the significance and importance of this album. You’ll appreciate it if you really sit down and listen to it.

Looking back, how do you feel about the Ruff Ryders movement?

The Ruff Ryder movement was very therapeutic for my career. Those my big brothers. They took us somewhere we wanted to go in hip-hop. A world tour, making big records. Making a lot of money young. Doing things like that. It’s beautiful to be a part of that. It’s like being a part of the Lakers, the Bulls, the Dallas Cowboys. One of them teams that’s America’s favorite, for a nice amount of years. Especially to be a part of that so young.

The Ruff Ryders movement was legendary.

The Ruff Ryder movement was very therapeutic for my career. Those are my big brothers. My managers. They took us somewhere we wanted to go in hip-hop. As far as seeing the world, making big records, making a lot of money young. Doing things like that. It’s beautiful to be a part of that. It’s like being a part of the Lakers or the Bulls or the Dallas Cowboys. One of those teams that’s America’s favorite for a nice amount of years. Especially to be involved in that so young.

Man, I got Volume 3: In The R We Trust for Christmas one year. I listened to that so many times.

[Hearty Laugh]

That actually put me onto your music in the first place. Kiss Tha Game Goodbye dropped, and then Gangster And A Gentleman dropped. Both those albums are classics to me. Just wanted to say that. I’m a big supporter of everything you’ve done.

I appreciate it, definitely.

PART TWO

Two days before the initial release date of Ignatius on February 26th.

Hey, how are you doing?

How you doin’ brutha?

I’m doing pretty well. Can’t complain. You in the studio?

Yes.

Nice. What are you working on?

Just tightening up some last little things on the album I had to lay on top of the masters. Couple words, couple tweaks.

Are you excited for the big release?

Hell yeah, always excited. Always thankful. Always honored to still be in this position twenty-plus years later.

Could you walk me through what it’s like to put out a big release into the world? You’ve been working on this for a long time and it’s got a lot of emotional weight as well.

The recording process is always the easiest process, the least stressful. It’s when it gets to the end, where we at now — closing out of an album with the samples and the payments and the producer splits, who did this and that. That’s when it becomes a headache. That’s when you just want to throw in the towel. But for the most part, it was one of the easier albums to make. I think that’s because of the aura. The energy of Icepick was with me, making it.

And you got the Pusha T collaboration! I know he really wanted you guys to link up and drop something, and the track is crazy.

Appreciate it.

How did you come up with the concept of “Hunting Season?”

That’s just how I felt when I got the track. My in-house producer, he actually picked the track from another in-house we got. He was like ‘yo unk, this track right here is one of the most knocking-est tracks I heard in a minute. I’m bringing it to you.’ As soon as he threw it on, I was like damn.

“Hunting Season” just came to me. I recorded my part and sent it to Push. We actually recorded it months ago. He was on me to put it out, like ‘when are you going to put it out?!’ I was like dawg, I gotta finish the whole album first! He had a relationship with Icepick as well. Pick used to work at Star Track for a minute. Double families.

I like how you’re warning people you have a crossbow and bear traps in your arsenal. You really are Jason.

I tried to keep the comparisons of really hunting. Talk some real talk on hunting.

You even have all the good strategies. I’d be scared at that point. The bear trap line in particular.

[Laughs]

Theo Wargo/Getty Images

With this being a brand new album, I want to take it back to the beginning. When did you first realize you had a skill for rapping, for putting words together? What was the scene like when you were a kid?

Coming from Yonkers, it’s north of the boroughs. We always had a chip on our shoulders cause they always called it upstate. We never got the recognition that The Bronx, or Brooklyn, or Manhattan or Queens or Staten Island got. They always overlooked us. One of the gripes we always had was: ‘we going to show them how nice we are.’ Make them know about this demographic where we from.

I started off just snapping on my friends. Around seven, eight years old. Maybe nine, ten. Maybe even eleven, twelve. That’s how I started with it. One of my bigger homies used to make me rhyme. We used to rock with one turn-table. He would come with all sorts of makeshift beat machines and ways to provide the production. I would just be doing what I could do.

As I got to junior high school I got better. In high school, me, Sheek, and Styles were making tapes. We started hustling to pay for the studio. And then once we were able to make good enough songs for a demo, we gave it to one of the dudes that was in our everyday entourage, my manager Marco. He’s actually Mary J. Blige’s first cousin. The rest is history. He passed it to her while she was on tour with Jodeci and Puff. That caused Puff to set up the meeting. The rest is history.

Was there something specific about the Yonkers sound that was setting it apart from the other boroughs?

The way that we was spitting! You hear the young Lox. You hear the young DMX. That took the world by storm! Whatever’s going on in Yonkers. Mary on top of that — we busted the door down.

Getting into the industry, it must have been a major change from what you were used to. Did you ever feel overwhelmed?

We was definitely overwhelmed. But we was hungry, thirsty to get in the game. We didn’t learn as much as we should, which caused us to sign the contract we signed. It was all a learning experience. But we was more eager to just rap. We didn’t care about the business. We didn’t know none of that stuff, publishing, splits. We was just trying to rhyme. Hit hard and as fierce as we could. Any time we could.

Look back at that whole era, it feels like there’s this notable sense of healthy competition. There were song structures you don’t quite see anymore. Posse cuts! You, Styles, Sheek, DMX, Jay-Z on the same track, killing verses — was that competitive spirit always there? That chip on your shoulder?

It’s still always there, due to the politics of game. The stuff the people want to see and hear. There’s always a sense of hunger and fierceness in it. You gotta look at it like that, cause you know — somebody always trying to steal your spot. Steel sharper steel. Sometimes you have to sharpen your own steel.

On that note — I wanted to ask about your relationship with Biggie. What brought you guys together? Was it an artistic thing, a genuine friendship?

It was both. Artistic and friendship. We were like his little brothers! He was happy we was on the label. He had big plans to work with us and do big shit with us in the future. As far as music and touring and things of that nature. The sky was going to be the limit for us. He welcomed us on Bad Boy with open arms.

He was a master at his craft. A great storyteller. It’s cool to know he saw something in you guys. I can see how you forged that bond. Moving away from the Bad Boy era, how did you end up connecting with Ruff Ryders?

Ruff Ryders was our managers when we were on Bad Boy. After we got on, and DMX got on, they got their own label. The object for us was to get back home and make the music we wanted to make. Which would be on Ruff Ryders label. And that’s what we were able to do.

Was a solo album always part of the plan?

Nah. They presented that after. The solo album wasn’t in the plans for nobody until it was presented.

Were you looking forward to that at the time? Especially when Kiss The Game Goodbye started taking shape…

Yeah, I was cool with it. The people wanted it. You gotta give the people what they want. It wasn’t forced, they asked me for it.

Do you still look back at that album today?

I loved it. I loved making it. I loved the times, the budgets they gave. I loved everything that had to do with it. Those were the golden eras. The great years.

One of my favorite songs of yours was on that album — Show “Discipline” with Nas. Did you record that together?

Yeah, we recorded that together in L.A. In the Interscope studios. It was dope.

A song that has come to be representative of your story is “Feel Me” off that album. What was it like opening up to an audience that might not have known that story?

It was exciting for me. The fans want you to open up to them, and I was giving them me. Feel me?

Moving through the early millennium, when everything was so big — album budgets, CDs were selling, music videos were the most popular way to discover new music — how do you look back on the Kiss Of Death era?

It was beautiful. There was even more money being spent. It was royalty. Those were the royal days. The money they were spending, they wasn’t saying no to nothing. We were making so much money and they were spending the same.

Streaming really changed the game. Do you ever miss the CD days?

Yeah, and no. I like this new digital shit. But I liked the CD era, it was the best era for me. In the same token, there’s still a lot of money on the table.

Plus the convenience. It’s mostly good, but sometimes the deeper cuts don’t always get enough shine. When you own the CD, it’s easy to live with the whole album. Now, I can listen to songs from Kiss Tha Game Goodbye and songs from Ignatius in the same five-minute span.

Yeah.

Back to Ignatius — did you have a specific writing process in mind, given the importance of the subject matter?

It depends. But this project was very meticulous. Usually I’m meticulous but if it’s an on-the-go type of situation, if that’s what the beat is saying, we make it happen. But for the most part, I like to sit down and be particular.

When you’re piecing together a project like this, do you have the structure in your mind already?

I build it piece by piece. Throw a storyboard up and start to build around it. Make sure all the songs fit.

In terms of collaborations, you’ve recorded with every hip-hop legend in the game. Is there still someone on your bucket list?

My all-time bucket list track is with Andre 3000 and Stevie Wonder.

That would be monumental.

Correct.

It sounds pretty specific. I assume you’ve thought it through.

Stevie Wonder on the hook. Me and Andre 3000 have the same birthday so we base the song around there somehow.

I have one last question for you, and it’s about you and Styles’ juice bar.

Juices For Life, baby.

Who is the bigger juice connoisseur — you or Styles?

Styles is definitely the bigger juice connoisseur. I’m actually learning from him. He damn near a doctor right now. He knows so much about the remedies and tonics. Blac seed oil and things like that. I learn from him as we go.

Juice of choice?

They switch up. Yesterday I had a banana shake with a bit of peanut butter in it. Tasted awesome so I’ma be on that for the next two or three days.

Anything else you’d like to share before the album drops?

Look out for the tour — they’re routing that now. Look out for the merch. I appreciate everybody who supports Jadakiss, D Block, LOX, So Raspy. Anything affiliated.

Stream Ignatius right here.

Yonkers very own, Jadakiss stopped by Genius’ For The Record to discuss an array of different topics but, one story caught the attention of many hip-hop purists regarding Styles P‘s verse on Jay Z‘s “Reservoir Dogs.” During the interview, the 44-year-old emcee recalled the instance where Jay Z had requested himself and his Lox brethren to come to the studio to be featured on a song on his iconic LP, Vol 2… Hard Knock Life (1998).  Theo Wargo/Getty Images

While The Lox were willing to collaborate on the track, which also featured Beanie Sigel and Sauce Money, they had just landed from a flight and requested if they’d be able to drop off their bags. Unfortunately, Hov wasn’t patient enough to be willing to fulfill their request as Jada recalls:

“So we’re like, ‘That’s cool. We’re gonna go home, put our luggage (away).’ And they were like, ‘Nah, (Jay Z) wants you to come there right now.'” Jada continued, “We ain’t got carry-ons. We got big shit we had to check. So that put us on edge a little, ’cause we always lookin’ at it like, ‘If (Hov) just landed, would he just come to the studio with his luggage? No!’ But that was a good edge.”

Jadakiss remembers The Lox obliging and Sheek Louch and Beanie Sigel laying down their verses the first evening. Styles P recorded his contributions to the track the following day, but still held some animosity towards Jay for having them come straight to the studio after a tiresome flight. The Ghost kicks off his “Reservoir Dogs” verse rapping:

“I don’t give a F*CK who you are, so F*CK who you are
I don’t care about a pretty bitch, watch or a car
I don’t care about your block and whoever you shot
I don’t care about your album and whenever it drop
I don’t care about your past if I did I woulda asked”

Jadakiss told Rob Markman:

“He was going at Hov on there. Hov was like, ‘Well, it sounded like you talking about me on it.'”

The “Show Discipline” rapper also revealed that he moved back the release of his album, Ignatius (2020), in the wake of Pop Smoke and Kobe Bryant’s deaths. He also spoke on Ignatius being a memorial album for Ruff Ryders’ very own, Icepick Jay and stated that he removed his single “Hunting Season” featuring Pusha T out of respect for the recently slain 20-year-old rapper. 

Check out Jadakiss’ full On The Record interview with Genius in the video provided below. 

Yonkers very own, Jadakiss stopped by Genius’ For The Record to discuss an array of different topics but, one story caught the attention of many hip-hop purists regarding Styles P‘s verse on Jay Z‘s “Reservoir Dogs.” During the interview, the 44-year-old emcee recalled the instance where Jay Z had requested himself and his Lox brethren to come to the studio to be featured on a song on his iconic LP, Vol 2… Hard Knock Life (1998).  Theo Wargo/Getty Images

While The Lox were willing to collaborate on a the track, which also featured Beanie Sigel and Sauce Money, they had just landed from a flight and requested if they’d be able to drop off their bags. Unfortunately, Hov wasn’t patient enough to be willing to fulfill their request as Jada recalls:

“So we’re like, ‘That’s cool. We’re gonna go home, put our luggage (away).’ And they were like, ‘Nah, (Jay Z) wants you to come there right now.'” Jada continued, “We ain’t got carry-ons. We got big shit we had to check. So that put us on edge a little, ’cause we always lookin’ at it like, ‘If (Hov) just landed, would he just come to the studio with his luggage? No!’ But that was a good edge.”

Jadakiss remembers The Lox obliging and Sheek Louch and Beanie Sigel laying down their verses the first evening. Styles P recorded his contributions to the track the following day, but still held some animosity towards Jay for having them come straight to the studio after a tiresome flight. The Ghost kicks off his “Reservoir Dogs” verse rapping:

“I don’t give a FUCK who you are, so FUCK who you are
I don’t care about a pretty bitch, watch or a car
I don’t care about your block and whoever you shot
I don’t care about your album and whenever it drop
I don’t care about your past if I did I woulda asked”

Jadakiss told Rob Markman:

“He was going at Hov on there. Hov was like, ‘Well, it sounded like you talking about me on it.'”

The “Show Discipline” rapper also revealed that he moved back the release of his album, Ignatius (2020), in the wake of Pop Smoke and Kobe Bryant’s deaths. He also spoke on Ignatius being a memorial album for Ruff Ryders’ very own, Icepick Jay and stated that he removed his single “Hunting Season” featuring Pusha T out of respect for the recently slain 20-year-old rapper. 

Check out Jadakiss’ full On The Record interview with Genius in the video provided below. 

The modern hip-hop landscape feels like fertile ground for lone wanderers. Though it wasn’t always. There was once an era in which rap crews reigned supreme, gangs roving the game waving their own respective flags. Especially at the turn of the century. Every superstar seemed to have their own loyal band. Interesting dynamics and standout members proved inevitable — all part of the fun. Any hip-hop head in their late twenties can likely rattle off names like D12, G-Unit, State Property, The Lox, Bravehearts, Disturbing Tha Peace, Tha Eastsidaz, and the St. Lunatics. Some have delivered hip-hop classics; others have faded from memory.

The rap crew has been a mainstay in the game since the late eighties, since Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella united to form NWA. Years later came Wu-Tang Clan, arguably the greatest band to ever bless the culture. The product of ten emcees, disparate in styles though united in vision, the Shaolin warriors achieved commercial and critical dominance. Likewise did legendary groups like Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia have untold impact on the culture, their influence on production trends and flow-schemes evident now more than ever. Cam’ron, Mase, and Big L fought record label attention as Children Of The Corn, their movement shattered by Big L’s untimely murder. The Hot Boys, a New Orleans based collective helmed by the notorious Birdman, brought a new bounce to the table. Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown, and Nature joined Dr. Dre for The Firm, a mafioso clique that ultimately floundered under the weight of expectation.

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The list goes on. To shine a spotlight on all deserving parties would require far more than a single article. But there is one interesting pattern worthy of exploration, one that really came to manifest in the early millennium. The idea that a commercially successful rapper had a band of little homies waiting in the wings, ready to be put on. Was it a label-fuelled movement? Perhaps; you can bet the Interscope powers that be were salivating at the thought of a D12 album, especially if it didn’t impact Em’s contract as a solo artist. Business aside, the arrival of a crew often introduced new dynamics, undoubtedly fueled by a good-natured sense of healthy competition. Upon listening to D12’s Devil’s Night and St Lunatics’ Free City, there’s a certain edge to both Eminem and Nelly, culminating in some of their rawest and most effortlessly confident work.

Such results wouldn’t be possible without capable colleagues and standout members. For D12, it was Proof, the architect behind the Dirty Dozen’s vision; and of course the gruesome Bizarre, but he’s a standout for reasons beyond technical prowess. For St-Lunatics it was the original schoolboy, Murphy Lee, the high-school prodigy who had a decent solo career in his own right. Those familiar with the group might be quick to vouch for Ali’s prowess, but Murph’s marketability gave him leverage once the crew hype faded. And in most cases, such a fate is not a matter of if, but when. Sadly, rap crews often benefit most from one illustrious centerpiece; if one of the supporting players can find solo success, it’s akin to a late-game Hail Mary catch. Sometimes the buzz is so ridiculous it impacts everyone in the vicinity. It happened to Lloyd Banks, who carved his way from G-Unit’s punchline king to a respectable solo artist with a classic to his name. Young Buck found similar success in his own right, with Straight Outta Cashville serving as a respectable look for the Nashville emcee. 

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Circumstances matter. When a group arises on equal footing, as was the case when Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek formed The Lox in the mid-nineties, the established dynamic allowed for a smooth transition into solo waters. Especially for Kiss and Styles, who explored new artistic depths on their debut albums Kiss Tha Game Goodbye and A Gangster And A Gentleman. Such cases skew closer to the Wu-Tang model, in which no discernible skill-based leader is selected by default. It’s the reason The Lox has been able to thrive for as long as they have, despite boasting only three crew albums to their name. Same goes for the Diplomats, who formed in 1997 after the dismantling of Cam’ron’s Children Of The Corn. With Cam, Jim Jones, Freekey Zeekey and later addition Juelz Santana operating on more or less equal footing, the healthy competition from within allowed each member to forge solo careers on their own merit. Sadly, tension ultimately destroyed the group from within, an inherent risk when four capable emcees move forward with no authoritative leader calling the shots. 

The rise and fall of the Diplomats echoes that of a newer group, the lyrical powerhouse that is Slaughterhouse. At the time of their formation, Royce Da 5’9”, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Crooked I were all accomplished lyricists, despite having never sustained long term success in the mainstream. Benefitting from the combined attention of their already established solo fanbases, the group was all but unburdened by the pressure of breaking an artist into the mainstream. The raison d’etre was simple: strive for lyrical excellence in the spirit of hip-hop tradition. Pure in theory, albeit naive: rather than pursuing the mixtape route, the group signed with Shady Records and attempted to reinvent themselves as commercially ble. In this case, it could be said that a case of “too many cooks” brought upon their downfall; others might argue that ego and creative differences played a role. As of this moment, their lost sophomore album Glass House remains an urban myth, forgotten until that one fateful day it leaks from the bluest ether.

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Such sharp demises are the risk when no clear group hierarchy exists. In some ways, the “little homie” model is the more sustainable option, though the ceiling is significantly lower. Look no further than Ludacris’ short-lived Disturbing Tha Peace family, though it ultimately gave us Tity Boi. Or Nas’ Bravehearts, whose main contribution to the game was “Oochie Wally” — do with that what thou wilt. In hindsight, it’s rare for a group (not to be confused with a duo) to sustain a lengthy and creatively fulfilling career. Even a modern-day quartet like Black Hippy, comparable in many ways to Slaughterhouse, never found the time nor motivation to link up for an album. Heavyweight stars seldom do — does anybody remember the short-lived promise of CRS, the Thom Yorke sampling trifecta of Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams?

Yet today’s era has brought several exciting movements into the fold. Borne of vision-chasing principles previously seen in the likes of Wu-Tang Clan and The Diplomats yet instilled with a contemporary desire to shift culture, SpaceGhostPurpp’s Raider Klan was among the most impactful early movements to benefit from the internet. In 2008, the hazy and eclectic producer united with artists like Kadafi, Dough Dough Da Don, the late Jitt, and eventually Denzel Curry and Yung Simmie. Drawing influence from their environment of Carol City, Raider Klan’s impact went on to stretch beyond music, encompassing the community and providing like-minded artists with a means of expression. Though with massive collectives of this nature comes another risk, that varying degrees of both talent and motivation will lead to varying degrees of success and sustainability. 

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When that does end up happening it need not tear a crew apart. Even as clear standout members begin to thrive as solo artists, some groups remain tethered by a sense of familial loyalty and mutual artistic respect. The A$AP Mob comes to mind, as brought to life by visionary creative Yams in 2006.  Inspired by a shared desire to push several facets of artistic culture ranging from music to fashion, the Mob united several like-minded New Yorkers under one banner. Though A$APs Rocky, Ferg, Twelvvy, Nast, Ant, and producer Ty Beats have all experienced different career trajectories, the Mob and by extension Yams’ memory represents a shared ideology above any well-defined creative goals. A similar vibe was felt during the rise of Odd Future, the primary creative outlet for a young Tyler, The Creator. Originally formed in 2007, Odd Future’s formative lineup consisted of Tyler, Hodgy Beats, Jasper, and Left Brain, who quickly found their music gaining steam. As the band of outcasts gained notoriety, Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis, and Frank Ocean added their minds to the creative brain trust. Unlike the Mob, however, Odd Future is more or less inactive, fondly remembered for the spirit they once represented. 

And so it goes. Though the rap crew all too often meets an untimely and unamicable end, few go out without leaving a profound impact on the fans. Sometimes, if luck would have it, the dust might even settle to reveal a classic album or two. It’s hard not to look back on all the movements come and gone and not feel a pang of nostalgia. Past, present, or future, what’s your favorite hip-hop crew? 

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Once upon a time, The Lox was signed to Bad Boy Records. Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P would grow disenchanted with their deal because their style wasn’t meshing well with Bad Boy’s sound, but parting ways was easier said than done. Jadakiss recently revealed that Diddy decided to let them go after a heated exchange resulted in Styles P throwing a chair at the mogul, but the group was still at odds with Puff over their publishing. 

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Back in 2005, The Lox visited Hot 97 and chatted with Angie Martinez about their gripes with Diddy. The group talked about signing over most of their publishing to the Bad Boy founder when they inked their contracts, and things took a turn when Diddy called the station to discuss their concerns. An angry Jadakiss told Diddy he’d throw a refrigerator at him, but thankfully, no one has had furniture tossed their way.

Recently, former Bad Boy rapper Mase took to Instagram to publicly call out Diddy for not selling him his publishing. He said that Diddy talks about “black excellence,” but when Mase approached Diddy with $2 million, Diddy allegedly rejected the offer because someone else was interested. Diddy has yet to respond to the allegations, but MRECK TV caught up with Jadakiss to get the rapper’s thoughts on Mase’s beef with Diddy.

“I think Mase got a good enough relationship, he can go talk to Diddy,” Jadakiss said. “The way we did it on the radio with Angie [Martinez], that was different. We was young kids. We ain’t understand business the way we do now, being business owners and fathers and grown men about it. Mase gotta better relationship with Diddy than we actually had, so he can go talk to him.”

“In his defense, I don’t know how it was going down so he’s doing what he gotta do,” the rapper added. “I just know I would handle it different at this point in life. When we did the whole ‘Let The Lox Go’ campaign we was still teenagers. Twenty-years-old, early twenties. Everybody’s grown men known and they know right from wrong… You can go talk to a man as a man and handle your differences, settle your differences without this foolishness or without social media.” Check it out below.

Prior to being known as The Lox, the New York hip hop group went by The Warlocks. Sheek Louch, Styles P, and Jadakiss endured a name change at the hands of Sean “Diddy” Combs when he inked a deal with them in 1995, and they were happy to adjust because it was during a time when Bad Boy Records was in its prime. 

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However, years later, The Lox members were ready to leave Bad Boy because their more hardcore rap style wasn’t blending well with the label’s creative direction. They did their best to legally be released from their contract, but Jadakiss reveals what led to Diddy finally letting the rappers move on with their careers with Bad Boy in their rearview.

Jadakiss took a trip down memory lane with HipHopDX and revisited some 1990s moments. “[Diddy] just changed our name and just walked out the room,” Jadakiss said with a smile. “At that time he was like MJ in his prime so it was like, everything he said was golden so we was young hungry whippersnappers coming from Yonkers. He knew a lot about marketing and said Warlocks wasn’t marketable and Lox was more marketable.”

Then, he shared how The Lox managed to break ties with the label. “It was probably after the argument with Diddy,” Jadakiss revealed. “When Styles threw the chair at Puff. I ain’t sure, but that was probably the last straw for that. Prior to that we was…conversations amongst the group and things of that nature, but after that little incident happened, I think that’s when we decided to part ways.”

Watch the rapper’s full clip below and listen to how his friend was responsible for giving him his rap moniker.