For years the streets were riddled with rumblings that Jadakiss‘ return was imminent. Now, you can scream it loud and proud: Jadakiss is back.
The rapper’s new album, Top 5 Dead Or Alive, is finally in stores everywhere tomorrow. This is more than just a big moment for Jadakiss, it’s a big moment for Hip-Hop. It’s been two decades since he first broke onto the scene and he’s currently got a banger on the radio with “You Can See.” He’s still rapping better than most artists currently on shelves and is making some of the best music of his career.
It’s only right Kiss graces one our Holiday 2015 covers, stoic and undeterred with his Hall of Fame bust, reminding everyone his album title isn’t an example of the Yonkers native speaking tongue-in-cheek. We got a chance to speak intimately with the artist in the middle of his intense T5DOA promotional run, something he admittedly hadn’t done in quite some time. Here’s an excerpt from our story, which you can grab on newsstands and through our digital app on December 4.
Deliberate and direct. So it comes as no surprise when I point out a few people have mentioned he’s looking happier than ever during his recent promotional appearances. He quickly shoots that down. “I got a good poker face, dog. If I put my weight on your back, you wouldn’t move a yard.” He says, “yard” with the conviction of a prosecutor who knows the subject of their cross-exam is guilty. It’s the loudest his voice had reached all day. “For me, this is a business, it’s a regular job. When I go home, I deal with the bulls*it of trying to run my family and make everybody happy. When I’m at work, I’m dealing with trying to make hit records, sell merch, book tours and get endorsements and branding and stuff like that. I very seldom try to intertwine the two because it could f*ck you up. But I also use some of the stress and hardships of my life at home and let that out in the studio, as opposed to going somewhere and doing something stupid.”
Also featured in this issue: Our yearly predictions on what will transpire in a sure-to-be entertaining NBA season plus exclusive interviews with the cast of upcoming Vh1 film, The Breaks. We also re-visit A Tribe Called Quest‘s legacy in light of the re-release of their debut album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm (the first album to ever be awarded 5-mics from The Source), talk to emerging artist Bryson Tiller and give out the ever-important year-end awards, including Album of the Year.
We’ll be revealing Cover 3-of-3 next week, and you can grab your Jeezy issue on newsstands on Tuesday, December 1.
