Though The LOX are largely associated with the Ruff Ryders movement, the legendary trio originally got their start as part of Diddy's Bad Boy Records. Despite the fact that the label was one of hip-hop's most popular at the time, The LOX weren't exactly a stylistic fit, later departing the label under less than amicable terms. Despite the nature of their split, The LOX's stint on Bad Boy led to the release of their 1998 debut Money, Power, & Respect, an album that officially turns twenty-three today.
In honor of the milestone anniversary, it feels appropriate to highlight the project's title track, which features the heavyweight presence of DMX (who was in the midst of enjoying a legendary year) and Lil Kim, a longtime friend and collaborator of Bad Boy legend Notorious B.I.G. Off the bat, hip-hop heads will likely recognize the iconic instrumental, one that calls back to a distinct and beloved era, when the golden age was slowly transitioning into the shiny new millennium. Lyrically, each party holds it down as you'd expect, with each young New York rapper showcasing the chemistry that would later come to define the Double R.
Check out this classic tune below, and show some love to one of the game's greatest groups of all time.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
Only time could tell how the clock ticks
I'm really loved here but I'm still a hostage
Two personalities check the posture
Smoke out the mouth clear out the nostrils
Think of death, the life seem scary
I'm passin' graveyards seein' people Hail Mary
- SP