The Lox

Bio

     The LOX -- an acronym for Living Off Experience -- was a Yonkers, New York-based rap trio who worked their way up through the Bad Boy training camp, writing and rapping on hits by the likes of Puff Daddy, the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey before releasing their debut album in early 1998.

     Shawn "Sheek" Jacobs, Jayson Phillips and David Styles began rapping together in their childhood. By the time they reached their late teens, they had settled on the name the LOX. Eventually, they met Mary J. Blige. Impressed by their demo tape,  forwarded the tape to Sean "Puffy" Combs, who hired the trio as writers. Between 1996 and 1997, the group wrote and performed on a number of Combs' productions, including his own "It's All About the Benjamins" and "I Got the Power," Mase's "24 Hrs. to Live," Mariah Carey's "Honey," the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Last Day," Mary J. Blige's "Can't Get You Off My Mind" and Zhane's "Saturday Night." The LOX received an unexpected boost in the summer of 1997, when their tribute to the late Biggie Smalls, "We'll Always Love Big Poppa," was picked as the B-side of Puff Daddy's international number one hit, "I'll Be Missing You." The single was the biggest hit of 1997, setting the stage for the Januar release of the LOX's debut Money, Power & Respect , which went as high as number three on the pop album charts. We Are the Streets followed in early 2000.

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