Return Of The Lox – New Album Filthy America…It’s Beautiful Out Now 12-28-16

Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Jadakiss have been flirting with the possibility of a full-on reformation of The Lox for a few years and the release of Filthy America…It’s Beautiful this month closes the deal.  The tracks deliver tough street reporting and timely observations and includes cameos by Mobb Deep and Fetty Wap.  Gucci Mane appears on the wicked Secure The Bag that closes the record.  

This is the first full-on album from the Yonkers trio since We Are The Streets in 2000 and only the third since their debut Money, Power, and Respect hit in 1998.  The opening salvo came three years ago with The Trinity EP that made it clear The L-O-X were back in business.  That was followed by The Trinity 2nd and 3rd Sermons in late 2014 setting the stage for appearances this year as part of the Bad Boy 20th Anniversary Tour. The final step was signing with Jay Z’s Roc Nation.  The interview took place at Roc Nation’s sexy offices on Broadway a few blocks south of Times Square.

Camaraderie and rivalry may be equal parts in The Lox recipe.  When I suggested the three brought out the best in each other, Sheek said he wanted to beat both of his mates’ lyrics but ultimately it was the three of them going against the world.  Styles compared their collaboration to a basketball team, “It’s all about the win for the team but there’s nothing wrong with being the MVP…but don’t be mad when your brother gets the MVP.”  

The release of What Happens this summer that addressed the deaths of black men at the hands of police can now be looked at as more of a one-off than a preview of the new disc.  Styles made it clear that the new album is not political despite its name.  Here’s a bonus interview bit in which he explains the title of Filthy America…It’s Beautiful.

Jadakiss Talks New Album Top 5 Dead Or Alive

Jadakiss gave his fans a present this season with the release of his first album in 6 years: Top 5 Dead Or Alive.  The title begs the question – who are the top 5 MCs of Hip Hop and is ‘kiss one of them?  The bust that is featured on the cover of the record and that the man  brought with him to the NY1 Chelsea studios suggests Jadakiss feels he has earned a spot.  However, when I asked him he said he did not make his own list.  He has appeared in a handful of top 5s though that have emerged from prominent MCs since the album dropped; enough to earn him the tag ‘your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper’…

Plenty of features on the new album from Puff Daddy to Jeezy to Nas to Future.  Swizz Beatz is featured on the album’s first single Jason.  A song that taps into the anger over the seemingly endless string of Eric Garners and Michael Browns – and whose video is featured in this report. Jadakiss is in the juice business these days as well with 3 Juices for Life locations; 2 in The Bronx and 1 in his hometown of Yonkers.