Jadakiss

Jason Terrance Phillips, known as Jadakiss, was born on May 27, 1975, in Yonkers, New York. His interest in hip-hop began at an early age. By age 12, he started freestyling for money, which led him to meet future collaborators Sheek Louch and Styles P. Together, they formed the hip-hop trio The Lox. The group initially attracted the attention of Ruff Ryders at a freestyle competition in Florida. Mary J. Blige later recognized their talent and presented their demo to Puff Daddy, leading to their signing with Bad Boy Records. Under Bad Boy, The Lox gained recognition through appearances on hit songs with artists like Puff Daddy, Mase, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige. Their tribute to The Notorious B.I.G., “We’ll Always Love Big Poppa,” achieved multi-platinum status. Their debut album, “Money, Power & Respect” (1998), peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and number 1 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, achieving platinum status. Despite commercial success, the group sought a grittier sound and moved to Ruff Ryders Entertainment, releasing “We Are the Streets” in 2000, which reached number 5 on the Billboard 200.

Jadakiss launched his solo career in 2001 with “Kiss Tha Game Goodbye,” released under Ruff Ryders/Interscope. The album was certified gold and sold over 200,000 copies in its first week. His second solo album, “Kiss of Death” (2004), received positive critical reception and debuted at number 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums charts. The album featured his highest-charting single, “Why?” (featuring Anthony Hamilton), which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song generated controversy due to a lyric implying George W. Bush’s involvement in the 9/11 attacks, leading to censored radio play. In 2007, Jadakiss signed with Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records, following increased collaborations between D-Block and Roc-A-Fella artists. His third album, “The Last Kiss” (2009), and fourth album, “Top 5 Dead or Alive” (2015), both achieved high chart positions, peaking at numbers three and four, respectively. In 2017, he released the collaborative album “Friday on Elm Street” with Fabolous.

In addition to his music career, Jadakiss has pursued business ventures. He co-founded SoRaspy, an online multimedia creative collective that includes a record label, apparel, and a YouTube channel. In 2014, he and Styles P opened Juices For Life, a juice bar in Yonkers, New York, later expanding with multiple branches in The Bronx and Brooklyn. In October 2022, Jadakiss, alongside his father and son, launched Kiss Café, a family-owned coffee company. His performance in the Verzuz battles further solidified his status, particularly his victory with The Lox against The Diplomats, which led to a significant increase in streams for The Lox’s music and earned him the nickname “Mr. Verzuz.”