A PURE LEGEND

Styles P speaks on the competitive nature of New York City rappers, says "the power of the streets" is underestimated.

Prior to the release of the Lox’s The Trinity EP last year, the Yonkers-based trio had not released an official project in years, and when the EP was released it took fans of the group by surprise.
Released on December 17, The Trinity followed the release of another surprise project, Beyoncé’s self-titled, fifth studio album. While speaking with DJ Envy of Hip Hop Nation, Styles P revealed that the release of Beyoncé’s album served as a motivator for the release of their own EP.
“That was another thing with the Lox. We not just gonna be doing no slave, coon, buffoonery shit,” Styles said. “Coming out for niggas and not eating. That’s not how we was raised. We was raised to get a dollar. You know what I’m saying? So, that was our plan then we actually seen Beyoncé did [that]. I woke up I was like ‘What the fuck is everybody tweeting about Beyoncé for?’ You know what I’m saying? Then I seen what she did and I was like ‘Oh shit, we really fucking doing this.’ Great minds think alike…We just wanted to shoot back like letting niggas know we really was coming."
Styles P and Sheek Louch again confirmed that the Lox are no longer signed to Interscope Records. Both emcees seemed optimistic about the group’s latest label move with Styles P commenting on “the power of the people.”
“Let me tell you something about this industry, man,” he said. “The power of the streets is always underestimated, man. The power of the people and the power of love. Like when you focus on what everybody else is focused on and you in the rat race with everybody else for whatever the fuck rat race you in. You get caught up in that shit. When you remember—when you stay real and your fans know you was real and they know how you keep it and you always keep it one-hundred, they can believe in your brand. You always real and you can always stand that fuckin chance.”
“Wherever they wanna go I’m a hundred-percent with it,” Sheek Louch added. “[As] long as it’s—and not necessarily the money, wherever we go to I just need it—I need them to understand the LOX. On what they need to do for us.”
Late last week, the Lox’s own Jadakiss was pictured in the studio with fellow rapper 50 Cent. According to Styles P, the two rappers do have a record together and Fifty dropped off another record he might personally appear on.
“We was chopping it up. Him and Kiss had a record. He dropped off another record I’mma fuck with,” Styles P said. “Just kicking it, man. I think the beautiful thing right now about New York I think is just the—I seen Maino a couple of weeks [ago]. Maino and Busta in Brooklyn. It’s just the feeling of—New York we competitive. We’re supposed to be competitive. Like you know what I’m saying? I don’t want Maino doing better than me on a song. I like the nigga. I got love for the nigga. That’s my nigga, but if we on a fuckin song I’m not on no ‘Hey, let me be tender and me and Maino is the best pals right now.’ That’s my nigga. I’m fuckin with him. We both gon’ try to eat on this mothafuckin record though. You know what I’m saying? And that’s what it’s about it. But you salute—I salute what he does. And I salute everybody who deserves to be saluted. And that’s how it should be in the city. This is the Mecca. I think a lot of people have woken up.”
Jadakiss was the first to speak on the Lox’s departure from Interscope, referring to the rappers as “free agents” during an interview with The Breakfast Club this month.
“We’re actually free agents right now, for about a week now,” Jada said. “Maybe two, week and a half. We handled busi