Jadakiss and Styles P have been doing this for nearly 20 years. They are legends in the game proving that sales do not matter. They've been feeding the streets like free samples of blue tops and haven't lost a block yet. That's impressive in the rap game. The Lox have survived several eras standing toe-to-toe with legends while repping Bad Boy and Ruff Ryders, respectively. Lately, like fellow NYC rap legend Fabolous, two-thirds of the Yonkers crew have been releasing freestyles.
One in particular featuring Kiss and Pinero going back and forth in vintage fashion over Cam'ron and Prodigy's "Losin' Weight" beat brought tears to my eyes. That song and my cry session inspired this list.
I sifted through the Internet and my digital music collection and ranked the 10 best times Jadakiss and Styles P went back and forth.
Angel Diaz is a staff writer for Complex Media. Follow him @ADiaz456.
20. Fabolous f/ Styles, Jadakiss, and M.O.P. “Keepin It Gangsta” (Remix) (2003)
In this one, both of them are interviewing each other, and it is the best. I would watch a movie or play a video game based on their raps. Nothing but drug sales and murders.
18. Jadakiss f/ Styles P “Shots Fired” (50 Cent Diss) (2007)
Never ever try to go to war on wax with the Lox. They do not play fair. 50 learned that the hard way.
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16. Jadakiss and Styles P “Block Work” (2015)
Jesus H. Christ, what these two did to Cam and Prodigy's classic “Losin' Weight” isn't fair. It just isn't. My mind is blown whenever I listen to this and realize it was released in 2015.
"Word to Spanish, José, we was movin' the most yay/Had my boys runnin' and gunnin', sound like 'Coach K'/Listen, duke, you be shoot, but you know that it's both ways/My gun splash brothers, I call 'em Curry and Klay”
They've had the city under siege since '96.
14. Jadakiss and Styles P “In and Out” (2013)
This song is on the highly digital Funk Flex tape Who You Mad At? Me or Yourself? He had Kiss and Pinero take a time machine for some in-and-out action like an old heist crew going on one more job. This track is very inspiring if you used to do crimes with your friends and are living to laugh about it.
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12. Noreaga f/ Big Pun, Cam'ron, and the Lox “Banned From TV” (1998)
Every single rapper featured on this went the fuck off. Jada and Styles stood out, though, because of the back-and-forth flow. So much game in their verse. It's like a parable.
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10. Made Men “Tommy's Theme” (1998)
This was Benzino's greatest hit. Too bad Styles and Jada own this song now.
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8. Styles P f/ Jadakiss and Sheek Louch “We Thugs” (2002)
I cried to this song when one of my boys got locked. I cried to this song when another got deported. I cried to this song a bunch of times. This is the realest song they ever wrote. They even let Sheek in on the back-and-forth fraternity and he killed it.
6. Jadakiss f/ Styles P “Shoot Outs” (2004)
Nah, this beat might be the hardest beat ever. It might be harder than Styles P, and everyone knows the Ghost is the world's hardest MC. Jada's Kiss of Death needed more “Shoot Outs” and less “Hot Sauce to Go.” This entire song is about loyalty. “Buy your man a Lambo and tell 'em to fly witcha.”
4. Ruff Ryders “Dope Money” (1999)
Whenever this track shuffles into my iPod listening session, I run it back 500 times, no bullshit. This is easily the best song on Ruff Ryders Vol. 1. If you disagree, you know nothing about “copping a house just to fight pits in.”
2. Jadakiss f/ Styles P “We Gonna Make It” (2001)
OK. First and foremost, the is Alan the Chemist's greatest creation. Kiss and Styles going back and forth over a violin sample is majestic. When you see Alchemist, thank him for this beat. Secondly, how many quotables are in here? 57?
“Fuck the frail shit/Cause when my coke come in/They gotta use the scale that they weigh the whales with”
“My bathtub lift up, my walls do a 360/We got the shit that the government got/Talking money then you rubbing the spot”
"I love my nigga for the fact that he real And nobody on the faculty squeal”
"Ran through enough coke for Castro to build schools in Cuba/Teaching kids how to read and write and use the Ruger”
Those are just a few.
If this song comes on and you and your crew don't rap the verses to each other you are not real.
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