We made the trek up to Yonkers recently to listen to the album and chat with the L.O.X.—probably the friendliest-but-gangsta dudes in all of hip-hop. They got so-called “street cred” for days yet are all legitimate family men with kids. In our latest Complex 7, we spoke to Jada, Sheek and Styles about past break-ups, family trips, and shiny suits, as well as which L.O.X. member would win a group fistfight…

Interviews by Jaeki Cho
#1: WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER ONE DEAL-BREAKER FOR A POTENTIAL GIRLFRIEND?

Jadakiss says: She just has to have a good personality besides looks.

Styles P says: I need a chick who understands me and accepts me for me. I’m from the streets, so I’ve seen hoodrats but I’ve been with my wife since the beginning of my career. There were definitely temptations and I’ve been through my ups and downs. You just need to have a good foundation. At the end of the day you need somebody you feel comfortable talking to.

Sheek Louch says: I would have to say her family. She could have a certain image, but when you get to meet the rest of her family you’ll get to know a lot about her. I ain’t talking about rich, I’m talking about aunties or uncles not running around wilding.

#2: WHAT’S THE WORST WAY SOMEONE BROKE UP WITH YOU?

Jadakiss says: By finding out without her telling me. [Cringes.] She was feeling somebody else the hard way!

Styles P says: I was with my wife kind of young. Before that I didn’t have many relationships. I had a couple but those were in high school and I was on the streets so I was never a sucker for love.

Sheek Louch says: Probably some regular shit that young men go through. Chicks cheating! You find out later on like, “Oh, word? She is fucking him? Damn…” [Laughs.] Some high school shit. I’ve gotten my heart broken a thousand times by bitches.

#3: IF YOU HAD A WEEK HOLIDAY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Jadakiss says: I’ll chill, play basketball, shop, and watch sports.

Styles P says: Chill with the family—play-fight, video games, and Scrabble. I do family trips. I’ve been to St. Thomas, Bahamas…Last family trip was a month and a half ago when I drove to Cape Cod.

Sheek Louch says: I was going to say, man. I’m in a dying need for a vacation right now. I’ll take my whole family down somewhere and I’ll bring my mom too so she can help out watching my son. [Laughs.] I was about to head down to Cabo in Mexico until all this swine flu shit took place.

#4: WHAT HAS TO BE IN YOUR FRIDGE AT ALL TIMES?

Jadakiss says: I just need water and cranberry juice.

Styles P says: Soy milk, fruits, juice, no liquor, I got a wine cooler but that shit is barely ever full. I’m not big on beers. I’m trying to stay in shape.

Sheek Louch says: Chopped turkey meat. Countless boxes of cereal everywhere for the kids, milk…

#5: WHEN’S THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Jadakiss says: When my grandmother died. She passed away last year. We lost a couple close figures last year.

Styles P says: That’s a good fucking question. I cried a couple months ago thinking about my pops and my brother. My pops recently passed not even a year ago so thinking about that made me cry. Sometimes they are tears of joy too. It’s a blessing that they are in a better place. I’m human you know? I grew up close to both of my parents.

Sheek Louch says: Probably when my grandmother passed away a couple years ago. I don’t do too much movies with Kleenexes sobbing. [Laughs.] And when my son was born! Just like, “Look at this little n****!”

#6: WHAT’S THE MOST EMBARRASSING PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU’VE EVER WORN?

Jadakiss says: Shiny suit. It’s actually all good. All of them things were experiences. I would probably do it now being that all of the good and bad that came out of it. I would do it just for the love.

Styles P says: You know what it was with the shiny shit? People didn’t have beef with the shiny shit until we had beef with the shiny shit. People thought that shit was dope. It was still a good look. It was just something not to be done all the time. We just needed something to say against at the time.

Sheek Louch says: Now that I think about the shiny suits back then with Puff…It put us in a different tax bracket, man. We didn’t understand it then, I still don’t understand it now, but it took us to another level.

#7: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SNEAKER OF ALL TIME?

Jadakiss says: Air Force 1s and Jordans. Neck-and-neck. I like the Air Jordan VIIs.

Styles P says: It’s hard to say because a pair of Air Jordan I’s is crazy, a pair of Air Jordan VII is crazy too. I don’t have a particular favorite one. I like shits like these [points at his sneakers]. These are typical Prada joggers.

Sheek Louch says: Jordans. Shout out to my man Reggie from Jordan. Jordan staff, they send us so much stuff and show us so much love, man.

BONUS QUESTIONS:

Complex: Now that DMX is out of jail does D-Block have any plans to work with him?

Styles P: If X wants? Hell yea! That’s our homie forever.

Sheek Louch: I’ll love to work with X, man. You got to understand where we are in the Yonkers. Right down the street is the hood and a bit down is School Street where [DMX] is from. I’m just saying that because he is a legend. Before the standpoint the masses know of DMX, in Yonkers people knew he was crazy with it.

Jadakiss: Yeah, look out real soon. I don’t want to speak on it too early. I haven’t talked to the Dog yet, but it is coming. You’re going to see him real soon. When I say real soon, I mean real soon. In the next couple of weeks you’ll see it. It’ll be a big thing.

Complex: You guys have known each other since grade school. If you guys get into a fistfight who would win?

Styles P: Louch is definitely the biggest but I don’t know, I’m dangerous. [Quiets down.] But Louch too big, so I’ll give it to Sheek. It would be a long one though.

Jadakiss: Me of course! But we wouldn’t get into fistfights. Not since we’ve been grown men.

Sheek Louch: Jada and Styles will beat me up, man. They got it. [Laughs.] I do my little workout that’s it.

VIDEO: D-Block feat. S.I., “Get That Paper”

Eff waiting in line for the Yeezy’s, win a pair HERE.

Ah-haaaaaaaaaaa! Jada gets the cover of The Source’s April/May cover. [Nah Right]

Wow. Super Twosday on a Thursday. [Double Viking]

Nike x Swagger? Weird…or….awesome. [High Snobiety]

Raekwon and Jada team up on this new track. [Nah Right]

The #1 sneaker site on the net got a face lift. Check it out HERE.

Show your support at the tailgate with these sport-themed grills. [Born Rich]

rag & bone and Penfield? Sure thing, homie. [High Snob]

See, it’s been 5 years since Jada dropped a solo album, and 9 years since his group The LOX put one out. But after signing a new deal with Roc-A-fella/Def Jam, he’s hoping that his forthcoming third album The Last Kiss will solidify his legacy. With the LP dropping March 10, we spoke to Y-O's finest about working with Jay-Z, surviving 50 Cent, the best New York rappers under the age of 30, and why he really does mess with the Internet bloggers…

By Joe La Puma

Complex: Talk about the new album. Did you feel a little more pressure since you haven't put out a solo album in five years?

Jadakiss: Nah, I ain't really feel no pressure for the album. There's a little pressure because of how the game is changing, and all the digital technology, and how finicky the fans ears are. I'm just a blessed person, just to get love in general. Of course this album is going to be different than my other two because there was much more money spent. The computer thing is sort of trickery, so it's really not even the music. If you make good music, they believe in you, but you have to have your websites poppin', you got to be on these blogs, you got to be at all these types of events. You got to be everywhere, and doing everything, and the more they see and hear you, the more chance you have at success.

Complex: The album's original title was Kiss My Ass. Did the label make you change that to something a little more Wal Mart friendly?

Jadakiss: The label would have left it at Kiss My Ass and let it sell five units if that's what I wanted to do, but from a business point, business man aspect of it, that wasn't smart. People loved it, hardcore hip-hop fans and genuine fans that have been following me loved the idea of that title, but just the fact that Circuit City is closing, Virgin Megastore is closing, there's not too many outlets where you can even get CDs, so to limit my joint to two of the biggest retail stores, I would have been an asshole.

Complex: Right

Jadakiss: So I decided to make the mixtape with Green Lantern. I teamed back up with Green to make the mixtape that's going to come out on February 10 called Kiss My Ass, and the album will come out March 10, The Last Kiss. So I still covered my grounds.

Complex: So how’s it been like joining Roc-A-Fella? Is there any camaraderie there like there was back in the Dynasty days, or is it more like just a division of Def Jam now?

Jadakiss: It's a little bit of both. But the Hov factor is always a plus, having some affiliation with someone that successful. But as far as the music tip, I ain't a new artist, I'm good in the studio, I don't need somebody to hold my hand in the studio. I don't even really want them all over my album or anything like that. That's why you might hear him or you might not. 'Cause then you have people saying you went over there to do this. Nah, I can stand on my own, even if I was on MC Hammer's label.

Complex: How does Hov as an executive compare to Puff, or Dee and Wah?

Jadakiss: Dee and Wah are like my family, there's different conversations that I would have with them than I would with Jay or Puff. Jay is cool though, he's an artist so he understands more, he comes from the same vision, the same point of view. Dee and Wah ain't artists, and Puffy is a producer. Well, Puffy is a dancer-turned-producer-turned artist. Hov is mainly an artist that turned into an entrepreneur so he knows where I'm coming from.

Complex: After Fabolous and Ghostface, you’re the third Def Jam rapper from New York to have a lead single with Ne-Yo. Has this become Def Jam’s go-to formula, or are all New York rappers just big fans of Ne-Yo?

Jadakiss: I'm a Ne-Yo fan. That's the truth, and it's hard out here for a pimp! It's so much different from back in the day to get features. The bullshit you have to go through, it's not even worth calling anybody. My next album, I don't think there's going to be any features, due to all of the bullshit. I'm not used to that. When I came in the game, I'd get on everyone's track. I was really trying to get Maxwell on my joint, but the timing kept being off.

Complex: What's the deal with the new LOX album?

Jadakiss: I'm trying to get that to you no later than July. We did some recording, had some meetings, and I'm trying to set it off with this Last Kiss project'keep everyone’s ears up and then blast you off with it. We actually have a D-Block compilation that's going to come out the end of April, middle of May, called No Security, as a KOCH release. The LOX album will come out on Interscope.

Complex: You said in “Letter To B.I.G” that you're tighter with Puff. How has your relationship improved?

Jadakiss: You get tighter as you grow. I've kicked it with him in the studio and talked about life in general, not just music. This was after the bullshit, the big publishing argument on the radio. I don't know what made us get tight, I guess time heals all wounds. Not for nothing, I learned a lot about the game from Diddy, despite whatever happened with us, however it turned out. We [The LOX] had some of our greatest times in the world with him.

Complex: What song was more important for you to write, “Letter to B.I.G” or “Why”?

Jadakiss: That's a funny question, because they were both important at different times. When I wrote “Why?” we were in a state of confusion. Like, waking up in bed and seeing those planes go through the towers, all I could think of is, Why? It hit so hard because a lot of people felt the same way. With “Letter To B.I.G.,” I had that song done months prior to them even starting to shoot the movie. I made that for my album, but [because] of Notorious, I used it as a marketing tool to let people know the album was coming.

Complex: Were you happy with the movie? How accurate would you say it was?

Jadakiss: 75 percent, and that's coming from D-Roc, BIG's right hand man. It was an unsolved murder so they had to make it somewhat fictional. There are some scenes in the movie that I was actually there in real life, and I got goosebumps. I kept thinking to myself that I was going to see myself. And I'm happy with that. But it doesn't even matter if I'm happy with the movie, it's about if his mother is happy, and Wayne Barrow, and Mark Pitts, and his family and loved ones are cool with it. If they're cool with it, then I'm cool with it.

Complex: In our interview with you last year, you spoke about your fashion sense, saying that you're tightening things up a little bit…

Jadakiss: Don't get me wrong with that. I have kids, I'm a grown man. I don't sag as much, but I still need a belt with my pants. I'm not trying to go in the direction where you can read the faces of the coins I have in my pocket, but I'm not trying to be sloppy. When it comes to kicks, I do Supra a little bit, I'm looking for an all-black pair. I do dunks, but I'm mostly an Air Force One and Jordan guy.

Complex: You spit “I really don’t mess with the internet bloggers…” but from our conversation, it seems like you’re aware of how important the internet is right now..

Jadakiss: Well, I have my site coming up, HipHopSole, which will be based on all types of stuff. New sneakers, new music, new images and music from me that I will be putting up there. I had my staff take a class on how to upload stuff to the net, as quickly as we get it. I'm taking it serious, I'm not playing with this. I read Kanye's blog, I go on Thisis50, I go on Pharrell's joint, Nah Right, Bossip. I check all of them everyday. The laptop is apart of our entourage, whoever leaves it, they have to go home. The laptop has to be there like the wallet.

Complex: Your “top 5 dead or alive” line always gets referenced when people are arguing about their favorite MCs. Who are your top five favorite New York rappers under the age of 30 right now?

Jadakiss: Out of the new up and coming niggas that I know about? I like Charles Hamilton, Kid Cudi. I like Red Café, even though I don't know his age. As far as New York right now, Fabolous, Red Café, Maino, Uncle Murda. Everybody coming up, I will do songs with all of them. I know it's hard for them to reach out to the higher type of artist, so I show all of them love and do a song with them, just to let them know I'm feeling them.

Complex: 50 is in a heated battle with Rick Ross, and he's been know to damage careers in the past. Why do you think he wasn't really able to dent your armor?

Jadakiss: I really don't know, besides me knowing that he wouldn't be able to do it lyrically. He was going to have to spend some money and that wasn't even going to work, because when it comes to the music, that's what it's going to be. You can have a $100-trillion, but as long as I have a studio with producers, I can make something everyday. And the people know what type of quality it's going to be. He just set that out, because The Massacre needed some fire to sell some units. He did a good job at it.

Complex: It seems like you guys have patched things up. Do you plan to work together?

Jadakiss: It could happen, if it's good for both parties, and it's beneficial. I'm a business man too. If it's going to help me, then we can do it.

Complex: How do you feel about what he's doing to Rick Ross?

Jadakiss: It's good for hip-hop, I think sometimes the line gets crossed, but if they don't cross the line and keep it all hip-hop, it could be a good thing. I can't really say who's winning. 50 is putting a lot up on his site, and driving a lot of traffic to his site, which is building up heat, which will help him drop his album. He came in the game like this, so he doesn't mind spending time and money doing that. I think it will be cool. The Boss got some power and 50 got some power. All I can say is come out swinging. [Laughs]

In the four years since Jadakiss dropped Kiss Of Death, we’ve been eagerly awaiting the comeback of one of New York rap’s most recognizable voices. And thanks to a new Def Jam deal, it looks like his much-delayed third album Kiss My Ass is actually on the way. To mark the occasion, we chopped it up with Jada in the “My Complex” section of our October 2008 issue, where he discussed everything from making peace with New York rappers to wearing tight pants:

“The tight gear came in, so I've been getting my clothing a little smaller. Nothing too tight and squeezing the butt cheeks… But I've been getting it a little smaller. Also, with the whole tight gear, eating healthy is in, too. Everyone is eating right and everyone wants to work out. It's cool to want to be healthy, so that's a good thing. I'm still getting it in.

Click here to see the full article, or watch a behind-the-scenes video below to see him talking about his relationship with Def Jam…

It doesn't get much better than Jada uncensored. [Nah Right]

Roof surfing? Ouch. [Double Viking]

It's baseball playoff time, here's some hot fans. [CoedMag]

Nike Air Force 180s are coming in black and cool grey. [Nice Kicks]

Jadakiss is back. In this video he debuts a new track. [Nah Right]

Check out the 8 most obnoxious Internet commenters and a god that sends memo. [Gorilla Mask]

Get your shine on with these metallic New Balance 576s. [Daily Drop]

Smashing shit is always fun. ‘Nuff said. [Das Gamer]