Jadakiss has had a busy week in New York City on the eve of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Rolling out spoke exclusively with one-third of the hip-hop trio the Lox while participating in a lighting ceremony at the world-famous Empire State Building for the historic hip-hop milestone about surprising guests by performing with 50 Cent at the Final Lap tour, New York City’s hip-hop-loving mayor, Eric Adams, some of his favorite hip-hop artists of all time, and more after participating in a historic moment at the Empire State Building as Harold Wilkerson of Chase Republic curated the ceremony of the first time the iconic building celebrated Hip-Hop
Aww, that was a historic moment,” Jadakiss said. “First time doing “Irregular Heartbeat,” touching the stage with 50 on the Final Lap tour. It was incredible. It’s beautiful. It’s what hip hop needs. The strength is in the numbers.”
Indeed it was. After performing the song with 50 Cent, Jadakiss performed a medley of his hits, including his viral “Who Shot Ya” freestyle, “All About the Benjamins,” “Knock Yourself Out” and “We Gonna Make It”to the delight of the crowd.
Though Jadakiss is a Yonkers native, he spends enough time in New York City to discuss how Mayor Eric Adams has embraced hip hop in general, and the genre’s 50th anniversary, in particular.
“I love how Eric Adams is conducting the 50th year in hip hop, just how he’s running the city in general,” he said. “He’s engaged, he’s involved, he’s for the people. That’s what you need from our leaders in politics.
“They didn’t even think it was going to be a genre,” he reflected. “They thought it was a phase.”
Indeed, some thought that hip hop would disappear like disco and other types of music.
Jadakiss also described what he loves most about hip-hop.
“I just love music,” he said. “I just love bars. I just love the elements of hip hop. DJs, scratching, beats, rhymes, park jams, break-dancing, graffiti, all of the elements that make up hip-hop culture, I love it all.”
Finally, Jadakiss reflected on some of his all-time favorite hip-hop artists, with some frequent collaborators and a surprise artist.
“Big, Nas, Hov, Eminem, any DMX, any Biggie, Half a Mill, just 90s, the golden era of hip-hop,” he said. Half a Mill committed suicide on October 22, 2003, and released music in the mid-90s and early 2000s.
