The Lox Stay Loyal to the Game in XXL 20th Anniversary Interview

If there's one thing the countless biopics on artists' rising and falling and E! True Hollywood Story episodes have taught us it's that longevity in the music industry is never promised. Twenty years into their rap careers, members of The Lox—a trio comprised of Jadakiss, Styles P and Sheek Louch—are defying the odds, remaining as tight as the day they first started in the streets of Yonkers, N.Y.

Bursting onto the scene with Diddy's 1997 hit, "All About the Benjamins," The Lox helped reinforce the East Coast's bursting gangsta rap scene, even as The Notorious B.I.G. was tragically murdered less than a year before their debut album, Money, Power & Respect. That album spawned their hit single of the same name and pretty much began their reign as one of the greatest rap trios ever.

Like a few other artists on the cover of XXL's 20th anniversary issue, Styles P, Sheek Louch and Jada were just getting their bearings in the rap game when we first launched 20 years ago. In that time, we've cultivated a mutual respect, which is why they've received their own cover.

While Styles P believes loyalty has kept them in the game for over two decades, Jadakiss thinks they've changed with the times. "Besides loyalty, we’re fans of the music, we’re fans of the culture, we embrace the new stuff. We keep good rapports and good relationships with artists, executives, producers and things of that nature," he says in the interview for his Fall 2017 cover story, written by XXL Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Satten.

The Lox are just one of the hip-hop acts selected to appear on XXL's 20 special edition covers. Like the Yonkers crew, these rappers have been documented by XXL through the extent of their careers and have always shown love to the brand that helped raise their profiles along the away. The Lox's fellow cover stars are 50 Cent, the cover king with 15 total XXL covers and a career we’ve been documenting from the start; Diddy, the man who not only reinvented the remix but paved the way for rap moguls; Nicki Minaj, a queen in hip-hop building her own pinkprint in the game; Wiz Khalifa, the cool, calm and collected superstar; Cam’ron, Harlem’s swag connoisseur; Lil Uzi Vert; the face of hip-hop’s new generation; Migos, three rappers who helped redefine the culture; Snoop Dogg, the Doggfather of the game; Pusha T, a success story as a group member, solo artist and record executive; Future, a trendsetting trap god; T.I., rap’s gangsta and gentleman; Fabolous, a highly respected New York MC; Rae Sremmurd, the real crowd-pleasers; Birdman, a No. 1 stunna with a revered empire; Yo Gotti, a testament to tenacity; Gucci Mane, the true comeback kid; Tech N9ne; an independent icon; E-40; hip-hop’s in-the-know uncle; and The Lox, a trinity representing for the streets.

Check out The Lox's full Fall 2017 cover story here, watch their interview video below and keep it locked to our exclusive 20th anniversary hub for more content coming in honor of XXL's 20th anniversary.

See All XXL Magazine 20th Anniversary Covers