This album was released on February 28th this year. I think I mentioned this when I rated The Lox’s discography in 2019, but Jadakiss might actually be my least favorite member. He’s the only one who doesn’t have a single good solo album in my opinion. I think I like a few of his mixtapes though, and he’s definitely a skilled MC. With that said, I don’t think I’m gonna like this album. I’m sure I’ll like at least one song, but this is most likely gonna be a task to get through. I didn’t really see many people talking about it when it dropped, but at least one of my acquaintances has used the word “garbage” to describe it, so that’s not a good sign. I’ll try to keep an open mind I guess…

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1. Pearly Gates produced by Jimmy Dukes, Buda & Grandz, Money-Matt, S. Dot & Smiley’s People

I know this album is dedicated to one of Jadakiss’ good friends who passed away, so I guess that’s where the “Ignatius” name comes from. I think the production here sounds really polished and expensive. It sounds like something Rick Ross would rhyme over. I personally wouldn’t have chosen something like this for Jada, but given the theme of the album I think it fits well enough. The entire song is pretty much just one verse, and I think it’s pretty good. None of the lyrics are amazing or anything, but his flow and delivery are on point. I don’t have any major gripes with this song, but at the same time nothing about it really blows me away. I definitely like it to some extent though. With that said, I could’ve done without the biblical references towards the end of the song. It bothers me that Jadakiss somehow doesn’t know how to pronounce the word “apostle.” This is a pretty good opening track though. I fuck with it.

2. Huntin’ Season featuring Pusha T produced by Buda & Grandz, Khardier da God, S. Dot & Shroom

This song is exactly what I wanted from Jadakiss to be honest. This shit is fire. He needs to stay makin’ this kinda shit. Again, I don’t think this is really the kinda beat that I would’ve chosen for him, but he made it work. The first verse is dope as hell.

In my resume, couldn’t tell you all that I did
I’ve got a couple rappers heads on the wall of my crib

I really like the hook too, despite its simplicity. Pusha T though… Yeah… Yes. YES. He killed this shit. I love how he was going at Drake again. I guess I should’ve seen that coming given the theme of the song, but for whatever reason it caught me off guard. He didn’t say Drake’s name, but it was obvious who he was talking about.

To question my content is nonsense
It undermines all I’ve accomplished
They say all’s fair in love and war
You say I moved the line just to score
Head shot to keep Adidas pure

That’s one of the better verses that I’ve heard from Push in a while.

Billion streams vs. a billion fiends, now we even

So fucking good… The third verse from Jadakiss was fire as well. I think Push’s verse will probably get more attention just because it’s obvious who he’s talking about, but they both did a really great job here. This shit is dope as hell.

3. Keep It 100 produced by Buda & Grandz, Noc, Poobs & S. Dot

This is where the album pretty much falls apart. It didn’t take long at all. This sounds like the kinda shit Meek Mill would make. I don’t like this style of production at all, and the uncredited sung hook from Christopher Diaz is not good. I feel like it’d be out of line for me to say this song is trash. It’s really a decent track. It’s just not what I want from Jadakiss. I don’t like the shiny, glossy production. I don’t like the disgustingly poppy hook. I don’t like the content. Nothing about this shit appeals to me at all. Jada sounds good when he’s rapping, but a good flow and delivery can only take you so far. This track is super mediocre to me.

4. Catch & Release produced by Buda & Grandz, Los Hendrix, Poobs & S. Dot

This is even worse than the preceding track. The hook from Justin Jesso is fucking terrible. This is literally the exact opposite of what I want from a Jadakiss album. I feel like Justin Jesso himself isn’t a bad singer, but this isn’t what I signed up for. Why… Why did they make this song? Whose fucking idea was this? Just to be clear, this song would be bad no matter who performed it, but the fact that this is by Jadakiss makes it 10x worse. This song is the culmination of everything wrong with Jadakiss’ albums. I’m convinced Jadakiss has no idea what people like about him as an MC. This isn’t what people want from the LOX. I don’t like a single aspect of this track. This shit is trash.

5. ME produced by Bryan-Michael Cox

This single was released back in 2019. It’s the only single from the album that I’d heard and actually enjoyed before hearing the full project. This shit is actually good. The production from Bryan-Michael Cox is fantastic. It sounds like its straight outta the 90s, but I fuck with it. The sample is really gorgeous. Honestly, the production is easily the best aspect of the song, but it admittedly does get pretty old by the time the song is over. Jadakiss’ rapping isn’t really that great here, but it’s mainly because every single line ends the exact same way. This shit is cool sonically though. It’s a fun song; I fuck with it.

6. Anna Mae Skit

I feel like this skit is referencing some old TV show or movie that I’m not familiar with. I don’t know though. I’m not sure what the significance of this skit is or why it’s here, but I’m not gonna pretend to have a huge issue with it.

7. NYB (Need Your Best) featuring Ty$ produced by Ayo n’ Keyz & Hitmaka

This is one of those tracks that I knew I wasn’t gonna fuck with before I even listened to it. Ty$ and Jadakiss is not a collaboration that I want. I have no fucking clue why the hell Jada keeps going for these disgustingly poppy, smooth R&B crossovers. This shit somehow sounds dated as hell. The first verse from Jadakiss sucks.

Need you on your A-game, that Chanel shit
Wash and set, manicure with the gel tips
Mean complexion, light-skin, caramel mix
Got me lickin’ my lips, that Uncle L shit

Once again, this is literally the opposite of what I want from Jadakiss. At this point, I was questioning why I even bothered checking this album out in the first place, and why I decided to review it. This motherfucker literally said “owww” in the hook. I was fucking done when I heard that shit, man. This is disgraceful. The song is only 3 minutes and 19 seconds, but I was struggling to get through it. I cannot stand this soft ass shit. This is wack af.

8. Angels Getting Pedicured featuring 2 Chainz produced by POSTA, Buda & Grandz, Poobs & S. Dot

The title of this song didn’t exactly instill confidence in me. I was less apprehensive about a 2 Chainz & Jadakiss collaboration than a Ty$ & Jadakiss collaboration, but that title… It just wasn’t a good sign. Turns out, I was right to be concerned. This shit is bad. What in the fuck was he thinking with that hook, man? Who the motherfuck told Jadakiss to sing? If I made a top 50 list of rappers who should never sing, Jadakiss would be in the top 10, and most likely the top 5. That hook almost made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. The frustrating thing is that the actual verses here are pretty good. Jada did a nice job with that first verse. The beat is solid, although it’s still not the kinda production I would choose for Jadakiss personally. 2 Chainz’s verse is easily the best aspect of this song. Depending on your perspective, that’s either really impressive on 2 Chainz’s part, or really disappointing on Jadakiss’ part. I think 2 Chainz really smoked Jada here. Jadakiss probably should’ve come back for a third verse. I guess it doesn’t matter because the song is wack either way. Shoutout to 2 Chainz though because he did his thing. Unfortunately, nothing can save a song with a hook like this. This shit is wack.

9. Kisses to the Sky featuring Rick Ross & Emanny produced by BlameRonnie, Buda & Grandz, E Major & S. Dot

This single was released earlier in the year, and I listened to it when it dropped. It’s not good. There are aspects of it that I appreciate, but overall… It’s not good. Again, I don’t like the glamorous, shiny aesthetic of the production on this album, but I will say that it’s very well done here. The beat itself is very polished. It’s just not what I want from Jadakiss. Truth be told, the instrumental is the only thing I like about the song. Jadakiss’ flow and delivery were cool on the first verse I guess, but the content is just not… Man, why does it feel like every track on this album is a love song? The soft ass, sugary hook from Emanny is… I mean, Emanny is a good singer, but… Nah… I’m not feelin’ this. I said this about Catch & Release, but it also applies to this song: it’d be bad no matter who performed it, but the fact that this is coming from Jadakiss makes it sting so much more. I can’t stand this kinda music. I get why he featured Rick Ross on this song because this is the kinda shit Ross is popular for, but I’ve never been a fan of him. With that said, I think his verse here was pretty solid. This shit is not for me at all though. I hate this song. I think it’s terrible.

10. My Condolences Skit produced by S. Dot

There’s really no reason for me to discuss this track at all. It basically just sounds like an intro to the following song. I feel like it wasn’t really necessary to separate this skit into its own track, but I’m not gonna pretend to care too much.

11. Govt. Cheese featuring Nino Man, Millyz & DeJ Loaf produced by Buckwild & Justin Robinson

I instinctively blurted out “oh no” when I saw that DeJ Loaf was featured on this song. Her performance here actually ended up being far more tolerable than I was expecting, but I can’t say that I particularly enjoyed it. It sounds like some shit Meek Mill would have on his album. The first verse from Nino Man was alright I guess. This just isn’t my style at all, man. I think the second verse from Millyz is better than the first one. Honestly, I don’t know what it is, but this track just screams Meek Mill to me. This entire album is very Maybach Music Group-esque in my opinion, and that’s not a good thing. Jadakiss easily has the best verse on this song though. He actually did a really great job here.

Had to cover up the mouse holes, drugs in the household
Sneakers too tight, you had to wear ’em without soles
Sleepin’ with a sweatsuit on ’cause the house cold
Searchin’ through the loaf to find the bread without mold

Overall, I think the song kinda sucks. Jadakiss’ verse is the only thing that really stands out to me here. This is pure mediocrity.

12. I Know featuring John Legend produced by Supa Dups & JG

For some reason I was under the false assumption that this track was released as a single, but I don’t really know why. Honestly, this song reminds me of Eminem’s Recovery. It’s super dramatic and sentimental, and it sounds like it belongs on the soundtrack to some blockbuster action film. I don’t know exactly who the first verse is about, but to me it sounded like an apology to his significant other for cheating. I think the beat is pretty solid, but I don’t know… This just isn’t very enjoyable to me at all. I don’t like the dramatic sung hook from John Legend. This is just painfully formulaic. It sounds like there was a lot of money put into this, and it ends up feeling overproduced and soulless as a result. All I can think of is Fast & the Furious. This sounds like that franchise in the form of a song. I can’t stand this type of music. I think this shit is wack.

13. Closure featuring Chayse produced by Buda & Grandz, Pitchshifters, Poobs & S. Dot

Bruh, why? I feel like somebody told Jadakiss, “please make the most generic, stereotypical, overly emotional, overproduced, sappy Hip Hop song you possibly can” and then he made this entire album. He sounds so old and washed up here. What the fuck is with all these poppy sung hooks? This hook is awful. This sounds like a Nicki Minaj album. This is… I feel like this is kinda fucked up to say, but… This shit sounds girly as hell. I’m surprised I’m even saying that because that’s not a word I ever use unironically, but this sounds like some shit my little cousin would’ve listened to when she was like 11 years old. I appreciate the sentiment behind this song, but sonically I can’t stand this shit. I think this song is terrible.

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This shit is bad, man. I said a lot of things throughout this review that pretty much sum up my thoughts on the entire album. As I said before, it seems like Jadakiss has no idea what people like about him as an artist. I don’t look to Jadakiss for silky beats and sung hooks. I want Jada over hard Alchemist beats. This literally just sounds like a Rick Ross album, but from an old, washed up legend. I think at this point it’s clear that Jadakiss just doesn’t know how to make a good album. He’s never made a good album in the past. He has some good tapes, but when it comes to albums he ostensibly has no idea what the fuck he’s doing. This is the most generic, commercialized, watered down bullshit I’ve heard in a long time. It should be noted that I haven’t listened to that new Joyner Lucas album though… Anyway, I don’t think I’m gonna be reviewing more work from Jadakiss in the future. I’ll probably still give his albums a chance, but unless he surprises me with a genuinely enjoyable project, I see no reason to keep writing about him. I think he’s a good rapper, but he’s just not a very good musician in my opinion. This shit is wack.

Favorite Song: Huntin’ Season
Least Favorite Song: Catch & Release

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Watch the video below for more thoughts on this album.