Jadakiss is an iconic New York hip-hop artist who made his name as part of the hip-hop group The LOX. Comprised of Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P, The Lox had great success in the late-1990s and early-2000s, and its members also received critical acclaim as solo artists.
However, before he pursued a solo career in the 2000s, Jadakiss and his crewmates were signed to Diddy’s Bad Boy Entertainment. The collective released music through the label but also worked behind the scenes, and in an appearance on Smoke DZA’s The Personal Party podcast, the musician (real name Jason Phillips) revealed that he hated writing for Diddy.
The LOX had a tough time while signed to Bad Boy as their rough and rugged style of lyricism didn’t fit well with the label’s luxurious, opulent aesthetic. Diddy, Lil Kim, and other acts on the label projected a lavish lifestyle. However, this was the mainstream desire at the time, epitomised by Biggie Smalls.
Unfortunately, the Yonkers native was not a fan of this approach to music and, as such, found it difficult to pen lyrics that emulated Diddy’s style and swagger as it was so far from his own at the time. Over time, this frustration led to anger and deep unhappiness for Phillips.
The LOX act ghostwrote several tracks for Diddy (real name Sean Combs), including, ‘All About the Benjamins,’ ‘Victory’ and ‘Senorita.’ However, he didn’t enjoy it. Speaking to Smoke DZA, Phillips stated, “I really hated it. I used to feel like it was taking away too much of me. I didn’t know how to morph. It ain’t like he was a n*gga that I knew my whole life, and I could describe him how I think he should be.”
He continued, “I ain’t feel like I could write the bars for myself and give it to him because I didn’t feel like it fit it. He had too much money. I was still extra grungy, and my mind couldn’t think about that much Versace or being on that type of financial level, so it used to conflict with me writing for him. But [Diddy] used to tell me, ‘Give me the shit that you would say for you.’ But I’m like, ‘It ain’t gonna fit for you.’ He used to know how to make it work. Until I got older and realised how easy it was.”
Phillips wasn’t the only member of The Lox who was unhappy with their treatment under Bad Boy. Jada, along with Sheek Louch and Styles P, had a raw, aggressive and gritty creative vision. However, Bad Boy was known for its swanky, clean-cut, radio-friendly brand of hip-hop.
The trio eventually exited their contract and moved over to Ruff Ryders Entertainment. The home of DMX and aggressive, raw hip-hop. You can hear Jadakiss talk about his tribulations while ghostwriting for Diddy in the video below.
