A lot has transpired in New York in 2016. The emergence of new artists like Young M.A, Ace Boogie, Dave East, and Don Q, has the city of Gotham beaming with promise. Several veterans like Jay Z, Nas, Fabolous, Fat Joe and Remy Ma, have provided poignant verses to keep the mecca of Hip Hop afloat in rap circles, as well. After drowning in a sea of mediocrity, New York is finally paddling its way out of oblivion. With the year winding down, Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch are hoping to etch a lane with their first collective release in 16 years. Earlier this month, The LOX announced their deal with Roc Nation and revealed Filthy America…It’s Beautiful, would serve as their long-awaited junior effort.
Off the rip, The Yonkers triumvirate bulldoze their way through the dark and ominous track “Omen.” The spine-chilling record produced by Buda & Grandz. finds the trio spewing sinister bars stemming from their love for committing robberies to being raised by Satan. “What you know is first is evil is evil I need to/I’m dirty like a dopehead needle/But one eighty negatives repetitive/Crack your chest and your cranium nigga wicked like Damien,” raps Styles P. Jada follows his brother with wicked lines of his own, boasting about his allegiance to the Devil. “I’m a king from the underground/A lot of bad things happen when I come around/Yeah six is my number now/Scary part of it is I ain’t gotta gun em down,” brags Jada.
The LOX undoubtedly provide that quintessential, dogged, in-your-face rap that Hip Hop aficionados direly seek for in this new world occupied by mumble rappers. On “Don’t You Cry,” they eviscerate the Pav Bundy track with sheer aggression. To up the ante, they also mock today’s rookies by gushing about their pristine résumé in Hip Hop. “I don’t care what your new shit did, I’m a god/You been on my dick since you was a kid /And I ain’t never fall off, I got greater/Took it as constructive criticism instead of calling you hater/After that I made more hits, made more knocks/While you was talking bout the LOX, I had the Range on your block,” brags Sheek. The boys of Yonkers provide their best work on DJ Premier’s “Move Forward.” Bristled with swagger, the storied veterans chef up some of their best work over this unblemished Premo beat. Lest one forgot, in the 90s, New York was imbued with lyricism and bravado. So when The LOX reel in Mobb Deep for “Hard Life,” watching these two legendary groups, who were instrumental in popularizing wordplay warfare, is a sight to see over this Dame Grease-produced track. Both crews prove why their street-cred continues to remain A-1 in not only New York, but in Hip Hop, overall.
Sadly, not everything is sunny on Filthy America. The LOX’s valiant attempt of mixing in artists like Fetty Wap and Gucci Mane for commercial appeal looks good on paper, but ultimately, proves to be ineffective. After owning 2015 because of his infectious hooks, the “Trap Queen” rapper provides a lackluster chorus, while Jada, Styles, and Sheek sound unmotivated in this failed attempt to reel in young listeners. On “Secure the Bag,” DJ Khaled and Gucci Mane try to create a gateway for possible radio spins with their presence, but the pseudo-trap record lacks the steam necessary to bubble in the clubs because of its simplistic hook and weak production.
On Filthy America, The LOX prove that time can be both a gift and a curse. After 20-plus years, they’re still one of Hip Hop’s biggest bullies. They have no problem jumping off turnbuckles and bringing out the steel chairs in hopes of pleasing their rabid fans. It’s admirable. It’s why we love them. The problem lies in their predictability. Rudimentary hooks on tracks like “What Else You Need to Know” and “Family” are bereft of color and punch. Following a 16-year hiatus, insipidness pervades an album that should have been greater than what it is. They cemented themselves as prime-time rappers in the 90s and 2000s, but in the present day, The LOX seem comfortable living off past experiences, because it’s what ensured their legacy.
After 16 years they come with this crap. Im getting so sick of these so calléd 90’s rappers who just dont retire.
Give it up LOX you are washed up! Being 43 and rapping about the same subjects as 20 years ago? Really? They dont improve but get worse with every year. As Always the beats suck, features suck. LOX were hot in 1998 but now lame as …..
Hip hop “is” dead when people start saying The L.O.X. are wack. This is a album you should expect from them. Even “The Agreement”. I love this album. It’s the f@#king L.O.X. and it’s far from wack. Learn what you’re listening to. If people start getting in the mood for the music they’re about to listen to, they would appreciate it more!
Your ratings is a joke… the album is easily a 4.3 outta 5. I bet 21 savage music is better than this too right?
Shit is trash, skipped through a couple tracks last night. Straight doodoo. “Omen” is so fuckin corny.
you gotta be like 17 foh sit your simple ass in the corner
Shut the fuck up
Retire, all of you Lox niggas!
Solid album the only track that was bad was the fetty wap thing i dunno why they put that on there Secure the Bag is an average club joint sounds too southern for Lox but the rest the album is dope.They said they have at least 2 more albums ready to go id like to see them work with Premo some more get statik selektah on there and Alchemist he always makes classic tracks with them
This album is horrible. The only good song is the one Premo produced. This is a 0.25/5 for me.
Not a solid album, three tracks are ok/good, and the rest really bad.
i fucks wit it the lox the realest 3 fav tracks Move Forward, Savior and What Else You Need To Know styles p kilt that shit
An absolute let down.
Straight disappointment
I give it 4/5 Classic hip hop right here not a classic album few songs short of claiming that title. All around good stuff sonically traditional hip hop The Tribe, now this I’m good. Where that supreme clientele 2?
The album is 4 out of 5 for me but I wish they had more control over the finished product. Over 20 years in the rap game, they coulda got so much better than Fetty Wap and Gucci Mane. Mobb Deep and LOX collabo is dope same with a DJ Premo beat but they’ve got crazy connections, this could have been a breath of fresh air from cats that still got it among all these talentless mumble rappers that the kids listen to
3.3? Carl, are you fucking kidding me? This crap doesn’t even deserve to be called “album”! It’s a sham! I want to give 0, but there is only 1 to 5. Shit.
What are people talking shit bout The intro could of had a better beat and the fetty wap and gucci track didnt work but the rest was fire 7.5/10 salute The Lox
Nigga, not “could of”. It’s “could have”. You should learn English before talking about music
Says the dumb fuck who posted to a Hip-Hop sight with the name Adolf.
Lol says con man “CON”nor
When you talking bout grammar and spell checking niggas cause you do not have a valid opinion on the music you lost FOH
Nigga please, if you want to get a good job, study English lol. If you want to work in McDonald’s, be my guest haha.
Horrible production = horrible album
How many years I wait for this? like 16 or something…album has a few good tracks, but overall it’s a wash…so disappointed with this album…I had high hopes, but was let down.
sorry lox, maybe next time, hopefully I don’t have to wait another 16 years.
This is straightforward solid.. Not sure what many people were expecting from The Lox, but this is what you get, hardcore barz.. Been bangin’ this all week. That street NY rap.. Nothing more, nothing less… Solid.
Definitely could have done without Fetty or Gucci….
Straight Fire Klassic lox shut
I love The Lox but there’s a theme of legendary rappers who try to cater to an audience that doesn’t fuck with them! Scarface – Deeply Rooted is an album that springs to mind of an older artist making a modern album but sticking to their strengths.
word….and that Scarface album was a monster. “Steer” gives me the chills everytime i hear it.
I wish they wouldnt have done anytime with Fetty or Gucci. Its like salad dressing and motor oil. It just dont go together.
But when they hooked up with the Mob on “Hard Life”, magic was formed!
Defenitly higher than a 3.3 rating. Not a 5 Ill admidt but at the very least a solid 4 to 4.3
It’s ok brother. Maybe your ears are full of ear waxes.YUCK! Ewwww! Ughhhh!
Its solid u I give it a 5/5 its something what the rap game missing just like the game 1992 album its was dope but the industry doesn’t like good music
Ok album
This album was pretty good. The intro alone is enough to listen to the whole thing.
A lot of hair-relaxing, skinny jean-wearing, gender-confused ‘males’ in the comment section. This is hip hop. Only criticism I really have is that it could have been longer.
A lot better than i was expecting. Three of the most talented and underrated rappers since the beginning but they haven’t had good production in a decade, maybe longer.
Sheek really shines on this, almost feels like he’s taking Jada’s place in being the “main” one in Lox. Some better beats, better features and a couple more tracks could’ve made this a really nice album but now it feels really rushed and unfocused, from the cover art to the outro, but it has some dope songs on it that i know i’ll revisit even in a couple years, “Hard Life” for example.
Straight up, I like this album. I’m 29 and honestly raps changed so much since the 90s
And not for the better. The L.O.X have always been solid. Just raw east coast rap. Gritty and dark street tales and I love it. This is definitely a 4 out of five. The first track is fire. Beat, lyrics on point. They won’t do huge numbers but they never have anyway. I’m just glad they keep doing music.
The Lox album had 1 awful track (fetty wap smh) and 1 generic trap track(gucci mane) the rest was a solid album it was only another 8 tracks people always want more which i can understand it definitely wasnt a worst album of the year contender FOH. They got another 2 albums already made swizz beatz, Just Blaze and Timberland have produced on them. People want a more grimey sound dark beats(Go Head,Holiday,Breathe Easy,Recognise)Rza,Alchemist,Statik Selektah,9th Wonder,Havoc would be a better sound for them.Daringer is a real dope producer from Buffalo they would be perfect for his beats.Soul samples and bangers they can rhyme on pretty much anything Premo should throw them more heat but the down south autotune new music sound is not what people want from The L.O.X they are the streets not the skinny jeans in the club B.S
LOX can bore me sometimes, but I liked this. Even the Fetty track was straight. The track with Mobb Deep was fire.
IDK what they talking about shit was fire!
BOOM BAP
Fetty Wap owned 2015? If anybody could say that it’d be Kendrick Lamar.
I actually liked this
Okay album cant wait for the next one i think it will be the one for the streets.The Lox/D-Block my fav rap group/crew ever people sleep on how dope of lyricists they are from Badboy to ruff ryders to today they been crazy with it every other group fell apart broke up hated each other or rhymes went to shit The LOX stayed loyal kept their pen game on point and got love from the people for being real bout everything salute