The Lox have returned and they’re not with that Jennifer Lopez-dating, beat-stealing, Notorious B.I.G.-exploiting Puff Daddy. Jadakiss, Styles P and Sheek have gone home to Yonkers and hooked up with the hottest boys this side of the Mason-Dixon line, the Ruff Ryders.
The Lox came into the spotlight with their first single, “If You Think I’m Jiggy.” They then let one of their own take the stage from them. DMX made one of his first appearances with the Lox on “Money, Power, Respect.”
Bad Boy thought they had a new power in the hip-hop industry.
The Lox, however, had other plans. The Lox decided they weren’t cut out for Bad Boy; they decided to leave.
Their separation from Bad Boy wasn’t an easy one. To gain their release from the label, the Lox organized a “Free the Lox” campaign.
They printed T-shirts, went on radio and television from coast to coast raising support for their cause.
After the pressure became too much, Bad Boy allowed Ruff Ryder to buy out the Lox contract.
We Are The Streets is their first production for Ruff Ryders Records. As expected, Yonkers super producer, Swizz Beatz, has his trademark keyboard beats all over the new album.
The only problem with the album is that Swizz Beatz’s keyboards are everywhere.
The keyboard tracks hip-hop heads have come to know and love have not really changed since Swizz debuted on DMX’s Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood. The Ruff Ryder compilation Ryde or Die showcased Swizz’s talent, but it seems his originality has been tapped.
The album opens with “F You.” This track is aimed at those who hated the Lox when they signed with Bad Boy and seemed headed toward poppy jams.
Instead of the hard-hitting, grimy lyrics that made the Lox mix-tape and underground superstars, Bad Boy was making them into a trio of Mase’s. “F You” is a statement by the Lox, right off the bat.
The Lox make “F You” their anthem. Swizz, using his synthesizer and keyb
oard, creates the perfect beat. It’s a shame the rest of the album sounds the same.
The first single, “Wild Out,” is the Lox telling all their fans to let everything out, go crazy.
“If the bouncer at the club is acting like you can’t get in …Wild Out. If a brotha is grilling your chick and she’s with you …Wild Out, If a brotha owes you money and ain’t paid you yet …Wild Out. If you’re working at a job and the boss fires you …Wild Out.”
The beat to “Wild Out” sounds familiar. The track is reminiscent of the Ryde or Die jam “Jigga My … “
The only stand-out tracks on this album are those not produced by Swizz. On “Recognize” the Lox opt for true skill in Gangstarr’s lethal turn-tablist, DJ Premier.
Premo shows the skill of a fine tailor as he strings together a laidback piano beat and Eve’s spoken words. The beat jams with all its different parts as one.
The lyrics for “Recognize” are nothing special as the Lox continue to blatantly boast of how great they believe themselves to be. The Lox’s lyrics could be transposed from song to song and nothing would be lost.
The second track that stands out is the Timbaland produced “Ryde or Die Chick.” With his bouncy southern flavored beat, it provides the ears with something fresh and hot. The classical guitar-based beat pops as the maracas will make more than a few heads bob.
Timbaland adds his deep voice to the hook and makes this the second unskippable track of the album.
We Are The Streets is an okay album.
It’s not what we’ve come to expect from Yonker’s jam creators. Swizz’s beats become old and the Lox lyrical content can’t hang with their label mates, DMX or Eve.
With some more time in the studio and a few different producers, the Lox might drop the album that solidifies them as a true success.
Until then, they’ll just be the group that DMX upstaged on their debut album.
