Happy 20th Anniversary to Jadakiss’ debut solo album Kiss Tha Game Goodbye, originally released August 7, 2001.
There’s been plenty of contention around where Jadakiss ranks among the all-time greatest emcees, especially after his infamous boasts in the 2003 remix for Nas’ single “Made You Look.” “I helped the game it ain’t help me,” Jadakiss states. “Top 5 dead or alive / and that’s just off one LP.” Agree or disagree on whether Jadakiss belongs in the top 5 of all time, but the nearly 20-year debate about the extent of his elite status—and the slickness of the bars that helped spark the argument in the first place—adds to the allure of one of the most impressive emcees to capture the rap world’s attention to date.
If you are going to dissect Jada’s claim literally, the one inaccuracy is that the building blocks of his lyrical pedigree began with his debut as a solo artist in the summer of 2001. On the contrary, as a member of the three-headed lyrical monster The LOX, Jadakiss began piecing together a resume back in the mid ‘90s.
First, he helped to construct one of hip-hop’s most enduring mixtape catalogs, as The LOX’s promotional run afforded them frequent appearances on DJ Clue, DJ Kay Slay, and Green Lantern mixtapes in the mid to late ‘90s, helping to secure the group’s foundational fanbase, many of whom can still recite rhymes never released on full-length albums at LOX live performances to this day. It’s assuredly a testament to the group’s impact across the underground subculture of that era.
The tenacity of each LOX member (Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P) along with their cohesiveness as a unit helped the group sign with arguably the most successful hip-hop label of the late ‘90s: Bad Boy Entertainment. With major label standing came collaborations with artists including fellow Yonkers, NY native Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez.
The LOX’s ties to Ruff Ryder Management, which would become Ruff Ryders Entertainment, made them frequent collaborators of the late superstar DMX and his labelmate Eve. All of their prominent exposure across both underground and mainstream hip-hop circles kept the group at the head of their class, particularly among New York City based groups and artists. With his distinctively raspy voice, Jadakiss was always dependable for great one-liners and was elevated as the group’s de facto frontman.
By the year 2000. every Jadakiss solo performance landed as a highlight on the group’s albums, first with “All For The Love” from Money, Power & Respect (1998), where he delivered the classic lines, “I'm twenty-two with ten in, so there that go / You hear that flow / It drove the underground wacko / Ever since 12 I've been spittin' like tobacco.” Other notable moments include “Blood Pressure” from We Are The Streets (2000), and even “Kiss Of Death” from the compilation album Ruff Ryders’ Ryde or Die Vol 1 (2000).
By the summer of 2001, Kiss’ lyrical prowess had already been proven and had cemented his status as an emcee of high demand. That’s why the release of his inaugural solo album Kiss Tha Game Goodbye was highly anticipated and the lead single “Put Ya Hands Up” was received with open arms (and eager ears). The song didn’t disappoint upon its arrival, packed with Kiss’ signature slickness, replete with similes, metaphors, and proof positive that Kiss is an innovator of analogy-filled rhymes with bars like “and y’all scared I can tell / cause I’mma get Bucks like Milwaukee / cause like Sam, I Can-sell.
Perhaps it was Kiss’ early days at Bad Boy, rhyming alongside major players like the Notorious B.I.G. and Ma$e, or the Ruff Ryder collaborations with DMX that helped him remain poised even when exchanging bars with Nas on “Show Discipline.” Kiss’ confidence is definitely one of his most prominent qualities, as further evidenced with his Snoop Dogg team-up “Cruisin.’” Kiss manages to not only avoid being upstaged by the star power on his own LP, but also shines on both collaborations.
Kiss Tha Game Goodbye also showcases Jadakiss’ comfort in stretching beyond the underground following he built organically with his fellow LOX members. The single “Knock Yourself Out”—the most commercially successful song on the album—shows Kiss’ smooth delivery navigate a more up-tempo beat provided by The Neptunes. The club and radio friendly track perfectly assists Kiss with his braggadocious rhymes, “Or I might let you play in the garden / Or sit up in that white thing and listen to the greatest of Marvin / The estate got six locations / Take so long to get to the front once I missed probation.”
Early in the LOX’s mixtape days, Kiss and Styles seemed to have a special chemistry as a duo. In fact, some of the group’s most memorable moments are when the two play off one another in the vein of EPMD’s Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith. One clear example was the duo’s famous feature on N.O.R.E.’s 1998 single “Banned from T.V.” Kiss Tha Game Goodbye featured another standout example of the dynamic duo on “We Gonna Make It.” The LOX also reunite as a trio over the gritty production from Gang Starr’s DJ Premier for the song “None of Y’all Better,” another gem that solidifies Kiss and the entire group as New York City rap royalty.
For as strong of an album as it is, Kiss Tha Game Goodbye is not wholly devoid of blemishes, however. With a handful of skits and a few album fillers, the 21-track affair lasts for over 75 minutes and does seem to linger a bit too long at times without a consistent linear narrative. The scope of Jadakiss’ ambition across the album is clearly evident, but an argument can be made that the LP aims to check off too many stylistic boxes within the confines of one album: the Dirty South track, West Coast car cruiser, club banger, late-night R&B vibe, etc.
Nevertheless, while arguably not the crowning jewel of Jadakiss’ accomplished career to date, Kiss Tha Game Goodbye endures as a standout of its era. Building on the album’s momentum, and as gloriously showcased during this week’s entertaining VERZUZ battle, he would go on to provide some of the most memorable one-liners, songs and features in the genre, further affirming his rightful place in the pantheon of hip-hop’s all-time greatest emcees.
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