Sheek Louch Wants Interscope To Let The LOX Walk, Readies Def Jam Debut
Following the news that Sheek Louch is set to make his official Def Jam debut with the release of his upcoming December 7 set Donnie G., the Yonkers MC is offering more insight into the return of respected rhyme trio The LOX.
Since their debut on the Notorious BIG’s 1996 classic Life After Death, the group, which consists of Jadakiss, Styles P and Sheek, have dropped a string of classic verses, singles and albums as members of P. Diddy’s Bad Boy crew, the DMX led Ruff Ryder outfit, and their own D Block contingent. Unfortunately, according to Sheek, fans hoping for a LOX reunion will have to wait a bit longer for the group to resurface with a new album. A much-rumored return to Diddy’s Bad Boy imprint is indeed on the table. But as of right now, music industry red tape is in the way.
“The Lox want to leave our current label home Interscope,” explains Sheek of the current status of the group, whose last studio group release was 2000’s We Are The Streets. “We are trying to move on, but unfortunately, the label doesn’t want to let us go. We talked to Puff about coming back to Bad Boy; we gave him our counter offer and he said, ‘Yes.’ But it’s up to him to convince [Interscope head] Jimmy Iovine and Ruff Ryders to let go of their shares so we can move on.”
Sheek adds: “We are stuck in that position. As far as Kiss, myself and Styles, we are ready for a new deal. We are good with Diddy…he has agreed with what we are looking for as far as financially and everything. Other labels are also throwing offers at us to make a LOX reunion album happen. But it’s really about our lawyers moving everybody out the way and making a deal happen.”
In the meantime, LOX fans can expect plenty of two-fisted rhyme moments on Sheek’s buzz heavy Donnie G. Yet for the bruising underrated spitter, who found independent commercial success with his 2008 single “Good Love,” his move to the commercial hip-hop powerhouse Def Jam does not mean a change in style or focus.
“I’m just trying to deliver good music with this album,” Sheek says. “But it’s more than the music. I’m a G, but I still have a Koch kind of grind in me, no matter if I’m on a major label. At Def Jam they are not expecting you to say, ‘Yo, what was the publicity spent on? Where is the rest of that money going to? How much did you spend on marketing?’ That’s the kind of grind that I still have.”—Keith Murphy
RELATED:
