вЂњThings IВ’ve Been ThroughвЂќ showcases KissВ’ storytelling ability, as he details his Hip-Hop history over samples of Luther VandrossВ’ classic вЂњPromise Me.вЂќ Over the LPВ’s latter half, Jada balances his commercial, major label requirements with the street tracks his fans expect. Seeking to revisit his biggest hit вЂњWhy,вЂќ the Yonkers native reworks the concept as вЂњWhat If.вЂќ Although underwhelming as Jada keeps the majority of his inquiries surface level (вЂњWhat if the pain went away? What if you changed in a day?вЂќ), NasВ’ lyrical contrast helps drive home the songВ’s aim (вЂњWhat if I went instead of Notorious / Who would tell my story after?вЂќ). While years of chemistry is still apparent, the stilted mixing of the track causes both emcees to sound off in the early verses before hitting a stride midpoint. Over the soul sample loops of вЂњOne More Step,вЂќ Jada exchanges back and forth bars with life-long partner in crime Styles P. Def Jam colleague Young Jeezy comes through to help deliver a nice, Southern-styled street banger on the Fiend / Don Cannon produced вЂњSomething Else.вЂќ Things pick back up when Jada returns to his familiar and comfortable confines of the streets.

Blige, whose chorus duties reflect the by the numbers structure of the song. The Inkredibles donВ’t fare much better, supplying Jadakiss with DJ Khaled-styled synth rhythms on the formulaic вЂњGrind Hard.вЂќ The confines of the production do a disservice to Hip-Hop soul icon Mary J. However, the Achilles Heel of uninspired production first surfaces on the Swizz Beatz produced вЂњWhoВ’s Real?вЂќAlthough OJ Da Juiceman and Jada do their best to make the track work, they canВ’t quite overcome Swizz BeatzВ’ trite nursery rhyme chorus (вЂњIf youВ’re real and you know it clap your handsвЂќ) and pedestrian production. The LP begins with promise courtesy of the slick вЂњPain And Torture.вЂќ With the heavy violin riffs of BuckwildВ’s production, Jada delivers the braggadocio rhymes fans have come to expect from the Ruff Ryder (вЂњI flip words around / Sort of like treys and pounds / Rub shoulders in the industry with nerds and clowns / Give it to whoever deserves the rounds / Hollow tips moves organs and nerves aroundвЂќ).ДЄnd even when going blatantly for radio on the R&B heavy and Ayanna Irish-assisted вЂњCanВ’t Stop Me,вЂќ JadaВ’s brisk lyrical flow and declarations (вЂњRingtone Rap / This is not the seasonвЂќ) compliment the crooning hook and adlibs.

And now over a decade into his career and several labels later, an older and wiser Jada hopes to shed that image with his third studio album, The Last Kiss (Def Jam). Unfortunately, the celebrated LOX frontman has been hampered by one glaring flaw the ability to make a cohesive, memorable album. Ever since his debut as a member of Puff DaddyВ’s вЂњFamilyвЂќ in the late 90s, fans have been patiently waiting for the Yonkers emcee to become one of the leading stars in Hip-Hop culture. He would have been in the crowd going crazy.ItВ’s been a long time coming for Jadakiss. We really really got that kind of sh*t from him. He rocked many a stage with two turntables and a DJ and just him with a mic in a black hoodie, black, dark glasses, and black Timberlands and just rip sh*t with no words, just instrumentals.

We started out in that same element together. вЂњThat right there, Verzuz is what we came from and thatвЂ™s why it was so easy for us to do that. вЂњI think X would have loved it,вЂќ Jada said when asked what XвЂ™s reaction wouldвЂ™ve been. Jada also feels that DMX would have been proud of his and The LOXвЂ™s showing during their Verzuz battle against Dipset, which was hailed as one of the most pivotal moments in Hip-Hop of the past year.

Our parents wouldnвЂ™t let us sign so we had to of course wait until we was 18, but when he knew he was about to make that move with them, for him to come to the block that day, he just showed us all this unconditional love.вЂќ He continued, adding, вЂњWe couldnвЂ™t sign the first time because we was too young. He was like, вЂIвЂ™m signing and they signing with me.вЂ™вЂќ вЂњOne day, he just came around because he would always come around the block randomly, and one day it was like, вЂYo, X is looking for yвЂ™all,вЂ™вЂќ Jada told BET.

Jadakiss new album review