Jadakiss

Jadakiss Supports Irv Gotti For Def Jam President

03 Nov 2011 06:53:20 EDT

'He said a lot of stuff that doesn't get said,' Jada tells MTV News of Irv's 'RapFix Live' appearance last month.
By Alvin Blanco

Irv Gotti has another endorsement in his quasi-campaign to become president of Def Jam: Jadakiss thinks the producer and executive would be a good fit at the storied record label.

The Yonkers rapper "loved" Gotti's early October appearance on MTV News' "RapFix Live," when he insisted he was the "best man" for Def Jam's currently vacant presidency.

"It was one of the best 'RapFix' [interviews] ever," Jada told MTV News. "He said a lot of stuff that doesn't get said. He was able to [vent] without hating on the record labels or channeling any hate. ... Everything he said — me being on the inside looking out and him being on the inside looking out but now on the outside looking in — I think he nailed every point. I think everything he said was excellent, and almost everything was true."

'Kiss is signed to Def Jam — releasing his latest album, The Last Kiss, in 2009, as well as the retail mixtape I Love You (A Dedication to My Fans) in May 2011 — on the label. The "We Gonna Make It" rapper hasn't spoken to anyone at the label about his support for the Murder Inc. founder, but he did mention agreeing with Irv's point that suits at any record label need to better relate to artists in order to earn their trust when it comes to making career decisions.

"Def Jam and every other label, it ain't that they're bad record labels; it's just sometimes they don't understand the artists that they have," Jada explained. "It's hard for somebody ... when you not coming where I'm from every day. ... You live a whole totally different life than me, but you telling me this ain't the record. That ain't really what's up, and that sometimes happens. It doesn't always happen, but sometimes that's what happens, and that be the conflict of interest."

When it comes to label drama, 'Kiss has had more than his fair share. Upon entering the rap game as a member of the LOX, with Styles P and Sheek Louch, the group was signed to Bad Boy Records. But after discontent, the trio managed to leave Bad Boy and sign to Ruff Ryders via Interscope Records in 1999.

'Kiss would release a pair of solo albums (2001's Kiss the Game Goodbye, 2004's Kiss of Death) on Interscope before Jay-Z, then Def Jam's president, inked him to Roc-A-Fella in 2007. That said, he's learned a thing or two about navigating record-business politics.

"I have a problem sometimes, but I'm always able to work it out, 'cause I understand that it's a business first," 'Kiss said of any creative friction that may arise between him and Def Jam. "That word 'business' is very strong. You can't take that personal. You can't let that intertwine with your feelings, and you gotta just come to some agreeance. There's always a way to work it out without running to the Internet or badmouthing the employees or something. For the most part, they show me love, so I just show the same love and respect back. Even if I disagree with something, if I bring it to them and we're not able to work it out, I just try to work it out myself, opposed to flipping — unless it's something that pissed me off to the point of no return," he laughed.

Are you surprised by Jada's support of Irv Gotti for Def Jam president? Let us know in the comments!

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Chris Brown, Meek Mill Rock Powerhouse '11 Show

30 Oct 2011 12:44:16 EDT

Chris Brown, Meek Mill, Wale, Big Sean, DJ Khaled performed rollicking sets at Power 99's Powerhouse '11 on Friday at Philly's Wells Fargo Arena, where Rick Ross was notably absent.
By

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Jay-Z And Kanye West's 'Otis' Gets LOX Makeover

04 Aug 2011 18:23:52 EDT

Jadakiss and Styles P tell MTV News they jumped on the Throne single the day it premiered on Hot 97.
By Rob Markman

When the Throne dropped their single "Otis," MCs across the rap world took notice. Many sought out the song's instrumental in an effort to do their own freestyle version of the Kanye West and Jay-Z collaborative single. So far, DMX, Freeway, Young Chris, Tinie Tempah and Skillz have tried their hand at the beat. For Jadakiss and Styles P, the decision to take on the Watch the Throne single was an easy one.

"It was a mean beat, it was a mean song, something both of us liked, and we felt like it was a New York song. It was hot," Styles P told MTV News.

Jadakiss said he knew he and Styles had to take on the song the same day the Otis Redding-sampling track premiered on Hot 97. "[Funkmaster] Flex was playin' it," Jada explained. "After about the 99th time, I was like, 'I think we gotta go in on this. I gotta call SP,' " he said. "When I called him, he was listening to it in the background, and he said the same thing I was tellin' him. That made it crazy: He was thinking the same thing I was thinking."

There was one problem, however: Producer Kanye West had not released the instrumental, so Styles called on Boston producer DJ Statik Selektah, who recreated 'Ye's beat from scratch. "He sent it over nice and looped up, so then once we got it, [it took] maybe like 24 hours [to record]," 'Kiss said.

On the original "Otis," Hov and Yeezy flow back and forth, rhyming eight bars at a time before passing the mic. That particular tactic is most effective when the two collaborating artists have chemistry: The better the chemistry, the better the exchange. It's the type of chemistry that Jada and Styles, who make up two-thirds of the Yonkers, New York, trio the LOX, have displayed for the better part of their 15-year career.

Regarding how he and his partner decide who rhymes what and when, Styles explained there are "mad different ways to do it. It depends how it feels."

Jada added, "With 'Otis,' we wanted to follow their format and then switch it," noting the difference between the LOX version and the Throne version. "They were doin' eight [bars a piece], so we did an eight, then fours, then twos."

By the close of the track, the duo went from rhyming eight-bar verses to going line-for-line in a lyrical show of camaraderie. "Usually, we make it a little more in and out than that," Styles said. "But we still did it at the end."

What do you think of Styles and Jada's version of "Otis"? Sound off below!

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Jadakiss, Styles P Laugh Off LOX And Detox Comparison

03 Aug 2011 13:13:31 EDT

'Nah, we ain't longer than Detox,' Styles tells MTV News, comparing group's first album since 2000 to Dr. Dre's long-awaited project.
By Rob Markman

When the LOX dropped their last album, We Are the Streets, the world had just finished breathing a collective sigh of relief, thankful that their computers didn't crash in the Y2K scare. Not that the Yonkers, New York, rap trio made up of Jadakiss, Styles P and Sheek Louch haven't been busy dropping solo albums and mixtapes over the past 11 years.

"Paperwork, paperwork, it ain't on us. All I'm gonna say is, LOX-wise, you hear how many verses we do, freestyles we do, songs we do, LOX songs we drop here and there," Styles P said about the group's long-awaited third album. "Due to common sense, it's paperwork. When the paperwork pans out, you got LOX. That's all I'm gonna say. We would've been gave y'all LOX."

The LOX got their start on Diddy's Bad Boy Records in 1997 after they dropped their debut single, "We'll Always Love Big Poppa." The song stood as a dedication to the Notorious B.I.G. after he was murdered earlier that year. In 1998, the group dropped their debut album, Money, Power, Respect, but soon after, they became disgruntled with their label and organized a "Let the LOX Go" campaign to be let out of their Bad Boy contract. Diddy eventually obliged, and the threesome dropped their sophomore album on Ruff Ryders in 2000. Aside from the group effort, each member dropped a number of solo albums on various labels, leaving entangled contracts that are now getting sorted out.

"It's a lot of heads involved with the new LOX album. You got Ruff Ryders, you got Bad Boy, you got Interscope. It's a lot of politics in one set of paperwork, but it's gettin' close," Styles said.

If Dr. Dre's Detox is rap's longest-delayed LP, then the LOX aren't far behind. Jada and P are amused at the comparison. "Nah, we ain't longer than Detox. We close! We right behind it; we ain't neck and neck, though," Styles said, laughing at the notion that his group could eclipse Dre's drought if the producer's album is dropped this year as planned.

Jadakiss begged to differ, starting a little debate with his rhyme partner. "We passed Detox," 'Kiss proclaimed.

"Nah, they said Detox was coming in '99," Styles argued.

Despite common misconceptions based on the album's title, it was 1999 when Dre dropped his 2001 LP. Work on his third album was said to have started in 2003, but details are sketchy. Jada suggests a joint Dr. Dre and LOX album release to satisfy the fan's demand. "We need to do a double album: the Detox and the new LOX album," he joked.

After a few laughs, Jada got serious and said the group was close to a breakthrough in the legal holdups, but he wouldn't nail down a specific label where the album would be released. "Big shout-out to J Records, Geffen Records, Atlantic, Warner," he said. "Big shout-out to all of these labels."

What are you expecting from new LOX music? Let us know in the comments!

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Styles P Preps World's Most Hardest MC Mixtape

02 Aug 2011 20:24:11 EDT

LOX partners Jadakiss and Sheek Louch will be featured on release, the Ghost tells Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman

Don't Sleep: Necessary Notables

Mixtape: The World's Most Hardest MC

Headliner: Styles P

Key Cameos: Jadakiss and Sheek Louch

Real Spit : The LOX's Styles P is a busy man. In between running his juice bar in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx, New York, and penning a new fiction novel, the Yonkers rap vet is prepping a mixtape that he's looking to release within the next two weeks and he plans to follow that with his fourth studio album in September.

"I'll probably drop a mixtape next week, the week after that, real soon: The World's Most Hardest MC and then Master of Ceremonies will be like September," Styles told Mixtape Daily on Monday.

Throughout his career, the Ghost has built a reputation for keeping his raps rooted in the street. Never one to water down his sound, on Most Hardest MC, P promises to once again deliver uncompromised hip-hop. "It's just gonna be hard. It's gonna be like the old feel, but kind of a new feel," he said before revealing that he will collaborate with his LOX partners Jadakiss and Sheek Louch for the tape. "Expect another crazy in and out with me and Kiss. Expect a joint with me and Louch. I'm just gonna kinda go ape on it."

Last week, Styles and Kiss released a freestyle over the beat to Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne single "Otis." While the LOX rendition has quickly become a fan favorite, Styles insists that for his mixtapes, there will be no retreads.

"I'm gonna do original beats," he declared. "The mixtape game kinda switched now, because I don't want the Feds knockin' at my door for using Weezy and Jay-Z and Kanye and everybody's beats, so you kinda gotta go original."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Jadakiss Tells Fans I Love You With New Retail Mixtape

16 May 2011 17:28:33 EDT

I Love You (A Dedication to My Fans) 'is all original music,' Jada tells Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman

Mixtape Daily Main Pick

Artist: Jadakiss

Mixtape: I Love You (A Dedication to My Fans)

Real Spit: You don't last over 14 years in the game without garnering some serious fans. For his next trick, Jadakiss offers up I Love You (A Dedication to My Fans) to show his appreciation.

"I wanted it to be different than The Champ is Here," Kiss said, referring to the mixtape trilogy that helped make him a fan favorite. "One aspect of the difference is all original music. It's not me destroying other people's beats, which you're used to hearing.

"It's just some original cuts, some joints for the ladies, some heartfelt joints for you to zone out to. It takes you on a journey. I call it a good summertime introduction CD."

Led by the single "Hold You Down," featuring Jada's new R&B artist Emanny, I Love You showcases a softer side of the Yonkers, New York, MC, with many of the cuts aimed at his female following. Things aren't all lovey-dovey however: The Neptunes-produced "Lil Bruh" is a cautionary track that warns young hustlers of the streets' pitfalls.

Styles P makes an appearance on "Lay Em Down," as he and Jada trade back-and-forth bars in true LOX fashion. NY newcomer Fred the Godson jumps on the celebratory "Toast to That."

I Love You, which is set for a Def Jam retail release on May 24, also features Rick Ross and Trae Tha Truth.

Joints to Check For

» "Hold You Down" - "It's featuring my new artist: R&B sensation Emanny. It's good radio-friendly, it's good for the clubs, it's good for the chicks. It's a good way for me to break him — introduce him to the world on a bigger level, bigger scale."

» "Lil Bruh" - "My man Icepick [Jay Jackson] was telling me about Pharrell had this song and he let us get the files and move it around, do a little remix and use some of the words for the hook. It came out to be pretty good."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Jadakiss

Jadakiss Promises 'More Joints For The Ladies' On I Love You

09 May 2011 18:40:44 EDT

'Kiss tells MTV News his lady followers on Twitter helped inspire the May 24 retail mixtape.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Steven Roberts

Jadakiss' witty punch lines and raspy flow have made the rap veteran a fan favorite, and now the LOX frontman just wants to show his appreciation. On May 24, Kiss will drop his retail mixtape I Love You (A Dedication to My Fans) as a token of his gratitude.

MTV News caught up with J-to-the-mwah last week and got the exclusive from the Brooklyn set of Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group video for "600 Benz".

"We tell everybody 'I love you' — waiters, flight attendants," Kiss explained about the inspiration for the tape's title. "I just said, 'Yo I'm gonna name my next mixtape that, I Love You,' and make it a dedication to the fans."

When it comes to hip-hop mixtapes, Jada has made some of rap's most lauded with his The Champ Is Here trilogy. The first of the three dropped in 2004 and was filled with street-centered songs like "Games People Play" and "The Passion of Kiss." And while he promises I Love You will have material for the streets, Kiss said the new tape will be more a variation on what fans are used to getting from him.

"It's different than the Champ Is Here versions. It got some more feeling music on there. A few more joints for the ladies," Kiss said. "You know just some good ride-out music, you don't gotta touch it. I think it's 10 or 11 tracks — whatever it is, you can just let it rock, though. No tags on it; it's just all the way through good music. The Champ Is Here is its own entity. When I'm in Champ Is Here mode, that got its own brand. But this I Love You is just something I was feeling," Jada added about the project, which will be released on Def Jam.

'Kiss also credited his recent Twitter activity as a motivating factor for the new project. "I be on Twitter a little more now, I got a lot of lady followers. I just wanted to do something for them as well as my homeys," he explained. "My brothers in jail, my homeys in the street — I always got some stuff on there for them."

Will you buy Jada's upcoming mixtape? Tell us in the comments!

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Jadakiss

Rick Ross Says Wale Gets His Shine In '600 Benz' Video

09 May 2011 14:26:10 EDT

Maybach Music Group Bawse talks to MTV News on New York set.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Steven Roberts

The Bawse is putting in overtime. While setting up the release for his Maybach Music Group compilation Self Made, Rick Ross and his MMG rap outfit have already dropped a number of videos, including "Pandemonium" and "Play Your Part." Now, Ricky Rozay has tapped Jadakiss and his new signee Wale to star in the upcoming "600 Benz" video. MTV News was invited onset in Brooklyn, New York, and got to chop it up with the biggest boss of them all.

"I'm going back to the essence of that gritty street music, but at the same time, it's motivation. We wanted to make sure the whole video was based on Wale, making sure everybody sees what he brings to the table," Ross said of the D.C. rapper he recently signed, along with Meek Mil and Pill.

Ross' vote of confidence is encouraging for the young Wale. "I grew up in sports; I'm very competitive. I know when I'm down, and I know when I need to catch up," he said. "I know when I'm on defense, and know when I'm on offense. I got the ball the now, and it's time to score."

In an attempt to seize the moment, Wale plans to drop his sophomore solo LP on Maybach sometime after Self Made is released and is even ready to drop a second album this year if the label approves. As of right now, however, he is focused on "600 Benz," which features Jadakiss and Ross.

Though Ross' reference to "work" on the hook to "Benz" suggests the track is another in a long line of Rozay's dope-boy anthems, Wale — who isn't known for his street credentials — explains his take on the song.

"The hook could make you think it's about one thing, but the song is really just about ambition and aspiring and working," he said. "I know what it's like to be working and get a paycheck every two weeks. When you got a muse or you got a goal, or you got something that you really wanna get, it's a special feeling."

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DJ Khaled Brings A-List To 'Welcome to My Hood' Shoot

01 Apr 2011 12:59:20 EDT

Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Twista and Rick Ross gather for remix's video.
By Alvin Blanco

DJ Khaled can always count on the support of his A-list rap buddies when he's making his "movies." MTV News caught up with the Miami-based DJ and recording artist in New York City on the set of the video for his "Welcome to My Hood (Remix)."

Always in promotion mode, the Palestinian (by way of New Orleans) revealed that his new album is going to be available by the summertime. "It's a historical event, man," Khaled told MTV News. "We the Best Forever, the album, June 28th. This remix is just a sample of some of the things I'm 'a be doing on the album."

We the Best Forever will be Khaled's fifth album and his first since signing to Cash Money Records last year. The original version of "Welcome to My Hood," produced by Khaled, the Renegades and the Nasty Beatmakers, is the album's lead single and features Rick Ross, Plies, Lil Wayne and T-Pain. The remix's roster features a hip-hop who's who with added verses from Waka Flocka Flame, Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes, Ace Hood, Jadakiss, Bun B, the Game and Ludacris.

"I'm happy to be a part of it," said Ludacris, wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with an image of the late Nate Dogg. "I just left a movie set, and now I'm on a video set. We just continuing making moves, believe that."

Dancehall artist Mavado is on the remix as well, but according to Khaled, his part will be filmed in Jamaica because he was unable to obtain a travel visa. Other performers at the NYC shoot included Ace Hood, Busta Rhymes, Twista and Rick Ross, who noted that his Maybach Music Group compilation album, Self Made, will be in stores May 24.

Fat Joe revealed he is working on new material. "We in the studio right now; we doing the new album," he said. "We doing a mixtape with Pharrell — it's crazy. Darkside 2: I'm giving it out as a mixtape for the street, and I'm coming with the album. It sounds amazing right now."

Joe Crack also mentioned a "My God" remix with Pusha T is in the pipeline. Khaled is part of Joe's Terror Squad and all of his previous albums were released via Koch Records (now E1 Entertainment). Thanks to his new alliance with Cash Money, which is distributed by Universal Motown, We the Best Forever will be Khaled's major-label debut. It should make paying the bill for bringing a dozen artists, including cameos, together for one video easier to handle.

"We're definitely in overtime, and overtime costs a lot of money," Khaled said. "But I'm real passionate about my music. I'm real passionate about winning. I'm real passionate about all my supporters out there. So, we shooting this video for you. It's a remix. We shooting this to show you this is real hip-hop right here."

Are you a fan of DJ Khaled? Tell us in the comments below!

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