Jadakiss

Jason Terrance Phillips was raised in Yonkers, New York, spending much of his childhood living on Pier Street and attending Our Lady of the Rosary Elementary School. As a youth, he participated in sports such as tee-ball and flag football before focusing his interest on hip hop. At age 12, after his parents encouraged him to earn his own money, he began freestyle rapping on neighborhood street corners.

While performing locally, Phillips connected with fellow Yonkers rappers David Styles (Styles P) and Sean Jacobs (Sheek Louch). Phillips entered the Jack the Rapper freestyle competition in Florida, where his battle-rapping skills drew the interest of Ruff Ryders management founders Dee and Wah. Phillips, Styles, and Jacobs subsequently formed a musical group named the Bomb Squad, later known as The Warlox. After Mary J. Blige heard their demo tape and passed it to Bad Boy Records founder Sean Combs (Puff Daddy), Combs signed the group and shortened their name to The Lox.

The Lox quickly contributed verses and songwriting to high-profile Bad Boy releases, including Puff Daddy's "It's All About the Benjamins" and The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Last Day". Jadakiss formed a close connection with The Notorious B.I.G., who took the group under his wing. Following B.I.G.'s death in 1997, The Lox recorded the tribute track "We'll Always Love Big Poppa", released as the B-side to Puff Daddy's "I'll Be Missing You", which achieved multi-platinum status.

In 1998, The Lox released their debut studio album, Money, Power & Respect, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and earned platinum certification. Despite commercial success, the group grew dissatisfied with Bad Boy's glossy, radio-oriented sound, feeling it conflicted with their gritty street aesthetic. The group negotiated a release from the label and joined Ruff Ryders Entertainment, releasing their second album, We Are the Streets, in 2000, which reached number five on the Billboard 200.

Jadakiss launched his solo career in August 2001 with the release of Kiss Tha Game Goodbye on Ruff Ryders and Interscope Records. Certified gold by the RIAA, the album featured guest appearances and production from DJ Premier, The Alchemist, DMX, Eve, Snoop Dogg, and Swizz Beatz, producing the hit single "We Gonna Make It" featuring Styles P.

His second solo album, Kiss of Death, arrived in June 2004 and debuted at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The album was propelled by the single "Why?", featuring Anthony Hamilton, which became Jadakiss' highest-charting solo track by peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song generated national political debate over a lyric referencing President George W. Bush and the September 11 attacks, prompting criticism from commentator Bill O'Reilly and radio edits on several stations. During this era, Jadakiss also engaged in a prominent lyrical dispute with 50 Cent, issuing response records including "Checkmate" before the two artists reconciled in 2009.

In late 2007, Jadakiss signed to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records. He released his third studio album, The Last Kiss, in 2009 under Def Jam Recordings, featuring singles such as "By My Side" with Ne-Yo and "Death Wish" featuring Lil Wayne. In November 2015, he followed with his fourth solo studio project, Top 5 Dead or Alive, which debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and included guest appearances from Nas, Nipsey Hussle, Akon, and Styles P.

Jadakiss also maintained collaborative projects, reuniting with The Lox for the studio albums Filthy America... It's Beautiful in 2016 and Living Off Xperience in 2020. In 2017, he partnered with fellow New York rapper Fabolous on the joint studio album Friday on Elm Street, supported by the single "Stand Up" featuring Future. In March 2020, Jadakiss issued his fifth solo album, Ignatius.

In 2020 and 2021, Jadakiss achieved renewed cultural prominence through the live-streamed battle platform Verzuz. After defeating Fabolous in a solo matchup, he led The Lox in a live performance against The Diplomats at Madison Square Garden's Hulu Theater in August 2021. The performance was widely acclaimed, earning Jadakiss the moniker "Mr. Verzuz", resulting in a 215 percent increase in streaming catalog figures for The Lox, and allowing him to restructure his record contract.

Beyond music, Jadakiss has created several commercial businesses. He established the multimedia collective and lifestyle brand SoRaspy with partner Jay Jackson. In 2014, he and Styles P founded Juices For Life, a juice bar initiative established in Yonkers to offer nutritional options in urban neighborhoods, later adding locations in the Bronx and Brooklyn. In October 2022, he launched the coffee brand Kiss Café alongside his father Bob and son Jaewon. He also co-hosts the weekly podcast Joe and Jada with rapper Fat Joe.