In turn, We Are The Streets stripped away the flare-visually and sonically found in the debut, and delivered the trio as they were: raw.Įve would also appear on DJ Premier’s offering, “Recognize.” Cuts of Eve’s vocals drove the chorus, as the LOX looked back at their beginnings on Main Source’s 1994 F*ck What You Think album, proof that they were something before the sunglasses, and as much associated with New York City’s guttural tradition as they were HOT 97 request lines. After literal street picketing, the group and their management broke free-perhaps the biggest label departure in Bad Boy’s history.

After leaving the label in financial frustrations, the Warlocks turned to their Ruff Ryders representation, and led a grassroots campaign to seek release from Bad Boy. Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch were undoubtedly platinum-plus extensions of the so-called “shiny suit era,” but underneath the overt samples and catchy choruses heard in the breakthrough chapter of their career, these were hardcore MCs. However, The LOX’ Bad Boy Records exodus, We Are The Streets made a Top 5 entrance, and few could have imagined that it would be more than 15 calendars until the Yonkers, New York trio would ever drop a true full-length follow-up under their moniker.įollowing a Top 3 debut in January, 1998’s Money, Power, Respect, The LOX represented the true lyrical heirs to The Notorious B.I.G.’s throne at Bad Boy.

Fifteen years ago, few could have thought that Wu-Block would ever be a thing, let alone that Ghost and Sheek Louch would extend the ties through an upcoming collaborative tandem LP. In a weird twist of fate, the same Tuesday Januthat Ghostface Killah released Supreme Clientele, The LOX released their own sophomore effort, We Are The Streets.

The lox we are the streets