Jadakiss

Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), known professionally as Jadakiss, is an American rapper from Yonkers, New York.

Jason Terrance Phillips was born on May 27, 1975, in Yonkers, New York, and had an interest in hip hop from an early age.

At age 12, he began hustling after his parents asked him to earn his own money.

He began freestyle rapping for money after watching other people do it on the street corner.

While freestyling, he eventually met longtime friends Sheek Louch and Styles P.

Phillips quickly developed a small underground fanbase and at the age of 12, entered himself into a freestyle competition in Florida where he attracted the attention of the owners of Ruff Ryders.

Along with Styles and Louch, he formed a group known as The Warlox, and the trio began rapping together.

They eventually met Mary J. Blige, who, impressed with their lyrics, handed their demo to Puff Daddy, who signed the group to his label Bad Boy.

Upon signing with Bad Boy, Puff Daddy shortened the group's name from The Warloxs to simply The Lox.

He began his career in the 1990s as one third of the rap trio The Lox alongside Styles P and Sheek Louch.

They made their first appearance on Main Source's 1994 LP Fuck What You Think on the track "Set it Off."

They immediately began writing and performing on hit songs with fellow Bad Boy artists, including Puff Daddy's "It's All About the Benjamins" and "I Got the Power", Mase's "24 Hrs. to Live", Mariah Carey's "Honey", Mary J. Blige's "Can't Get You Off My Mind" and The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Last Day".

The group developed a close relationship with B.I.G., during which time Jadakiss especially was taken under his wing.

The Lox's first hit song was a tribute to The Notorious B.I.G. in the wake of his 1997 death, titled "We'll Always Love Big Poppa".

The song was chosen as the B-side to Puff Daddy's smash hit B.I.G. tribute song "I'll Be Missing You", and received widespread commercial success, achieving multi-platinum status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The group released their debut album, Money, Power & Respect (1998) for Bad Boy Records, while its follow up, We Are the Streets (2000) was released for Ruff Ryders Entertainment, an imprint of Interscope Records.

The success and reception of the song opened the door for them to write more of their own songs, and in 1998, the Lox released their debut studio album, Money, Power & Respect.

The album was both a commercial and critical success, peaking at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and went on to achieve platinum status.

Though the record was successful, The Lox grew unhappy with Bad Boy and Puff Daddy's glossy, radio friendly production, feeling it conflicted with their grimier street aesthetic.

Following the release of their debut album, the group left the label to sign with Ruff Ryders.

They released their second album, We Are The Streets, in 2000, through Ruff Ryders.

The album was once again a success, peaking at number 5 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 on the US Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

It featured production from Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, and spawned one single, "Ryde or Die, Bitch", featuring fellow Ruff Ryders artist Eve.

During the group's hiatus after their second album, Jadakiss signed with Ruff Ryders as a solo act to release his first two albums, Kiss Tha Game Goodbye (2001) and Kiss of Death (2004).

Both were met with positive reception and the latter peaked atop the Billboard 200.

Jadakiss began embarking on a solo career in 2001 and his debut album, Kiss Tha Game Goodbye, was released in August 2001 on the Ruff Ryders/Interscope label.

The album featured popular guests and producers such as DJ Premier, The Alchemist, DMX, Eve, Snoop Dogg, Nas and Swizz Beatz and was commercially successful, going on to be certified gold by the RIAA and selling over 200,000 copies during its first week of release.

Despite commercial success, the album received negative reception from critics who criticised the album for being repetitive and uninspired.

Jadakiss has acknowledged the criticism as valid, saying the record was done less out of inspiration but rather out of contractual obligations to Bad Boy.

The album produced three singles, "We Gonna Make It" featuring Styles P, "Knock Yourself Out" and "Put Ya Hands Up".

Jadakiss followed this album with Kiss of Death, released in June 2004.

It features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Eminem, The Lox, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Nate Dogg, DJ Quik and more.

His song "Why?", featuring Anthony Hamilton and produced by Havoc of Mobb Deep, became one of the year's biggest hits, spawning a remix featuring Styles P, Common and Nas.

"Why?"

remains Jadakiss' biggest hit, peaking at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song also garnered controversy for a line in which Jadakiss claims that he believes George W. Bush planned the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Another single from the record, "U Make Me Wanna," featuring Mariah Carey peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

His third and fourth albums, The Last Kiss (2009) and Top 5 Dead or Alive (2015) were released through Def Jam Recordings and peaked at numbers three and four respectively on the chart.

Both albums peaked within the top five of the Billboard 200 and received critical praise; their two subsequent albums, Filthy America... It's Beautiful (2013) and Living Off Xperience (2020) were released through Jay-Z's Roc Nation saw continued positive reception.

He released the collaborative album with hometown rapper Fabolous with Friday on Elm Street in 2017, and his fifth solo album, Ignatius in 2020.