The LOX & DJ Premier Dropped Off “Recognize” 21 Years Ago

Not long after their Bad Boy debut Money, Power, & Respect turned twenty-three, The LOX celebrate another massive milestone as their sophomore release We Are The Streets closes the door on twenty-one. Their first release on the Ruff Ryders label, many fans have praised The LOX’s second album as their finest work yet, high praise of one of the rap game’s beloved groups. And while there remain plenty of hard bars and classic tunes to parse through in honor of the milestone occasion, it’s hard to ignore the allure of the Eve-sampling, DJ Premier-produced “Recognize.”

In his opening lyrics, Jadakiss says what the masses had been thinking since first hearing him spit bars. “Now I know y’all couldn’t wait to hear ‘Kiss over Premier, Kill you on tape then watch it over a beer,” he raps, sliding over Primo’s head-nodding production. Sheek Louch steps up for the second verse, his explosive flow reminiscent of the classic nineties style. “I give it to you point blank, in your mom’s place,” he raps, in his opening lines. “So like Point Break with a mask on with president’s face.” Closing out is Styles P — “If I knew heaven had a ghetto that was sweeter than here / You know the P would pack his bag and just leave next year,” he spits. “But I got a son to raise so I’ma stay in this hell / And I gotta gun to blaze if you play with the L.”

Happy anniversary to The LOX’s sophomore drop — would you call We Are The Streets a classic?

QUOTABLE LYRICS

If I knew heaven had a ghetto that was sweeter than here
You know the P would pack his bag and just leave next year
But I got a son to raise so I’ma stay in this hell
And I gotta gun to blaze if you play with the L