Insofar as rap crews are concerned, there are few as respected and prolific as The Lox. The trio made up of Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch have been in the game for a minute now, and while the landscape has changed since their seminal debut Money, Power & Respect, their status and ability has never faltered. The group's legacy was recently recognized with a cover on XXL's 20th Anniversary issue, which highlighted many of hip-hop's most iconic and influential artists. Now, The Lox returns with some new music, produced by Jimmy Dukes and Smiley's People, and fans will no doubt love the group's latest effort.
Over an inspirational and high-octane instrumental, Styles P kicks things off in full-on reflective mode with the opening line "I say a prayer then hit a roach, money and respect, go an get em' both." It's fair to say that Styles has definitely earned both money and respect, but that doesn't stop the New York rapper from remaining ambitious. Sheek Louch slides in for the second verse, continuing with the same opening motif that Styles initiated, and grappling with his own internal struggle. One thing about the Lox that hasn't changed is their relationship with the streets, and it's clear that their past actions are still influencing them today.
Jadakiss closes things off with a politically charged third verse, rapping "Trump wilin' out on Twitter how he get the votes? When you do the same thing you get the same results." Jada has never been shy to enter the political discourse - remember his infamous "Bush knocked down the towers" line in "Why?"If you're feeling this, be sure to catch The Lox on their tour with Griselda Records, which brings them through Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland and Buffalo. You can catch the tour dates in the album artwork.
Quotable Lyrics
Back blocks where I got my scars from
And perfect is something that I am far from
Good health over fame over stardom
I'm just tryin' to hold it down till Allah come