Jadakiss is a product of his environment. That’s not a testament to the streets of Yonkers, New York, which groomed him into MC that he is today. Rather, it’s walking the beaten path of label politics and industry buffoonery that has kept the lyricist overtly aware of his surroundings.

He entered the rap game at a time when the climate consisted of living legends like Biggie, Tupac, Nas, and the Wu-Tang Clan. He and his fellow LOX members, Sheek Louch and Styles P. were under the wing of Christopher Wallace until his untimely death in 1997. A year later, the LOX released their debut album Money Power Respect with the Lil’ Kim-assisted title track, propelling the Album to No. 1 on the Billboard Rap charts.