The Lox

Gathered in Yonkers, New York, The Lox bring Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch together around a New York rap with a direct tone, rooted in East Coast hardcore hip-hop, with tight writing, street narratives, and a constant focus on vocal performance. Formed in the mid-1990s, the trio first drew notice in Mary J. Blige’s orbit, then signed with Bad Boy, where The Lox appeared on several of the era’s standout tracks, notably alongside Puff Daddy, Mase, or Mariah Carey. This early period led to Money, Power & Respect in 1998, before a public split with the label and a stint with Ruff Ryders, more in line with the group’s rugged identity. The Lox released We Are the Streets in 2000, an album that confirmed a rougher, rhyming-centered style, with contrasts in timbre across the three voices and a sober aesthetic. After a long phase during which each member also developed solo careers, The Lox resurfaced periodically on stage and in the studio, then returned with the EP The Trinity in 2013, followed by the albums Filthy America... It’s Beautiful in 2016 and Living Off Xperience in 2020. Remaining associated with New York rap scenes, The Lox continue to embody a classic form of group rap, founded on the complementarity of MCs and the precision of the collective.