The Lox – Money, Power, & Respect (ft. Lil Kim & DMX) (Audio, Lyrics)

Throwback to The Lox’s “Money, Power, & Respect” track featuring Lil Kim & DMX. Listen, stream, buy, mp3 download and read the lyrics to the song produced by Ron “Amen-Ra” Lawrence & Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie.

The Lox Money, Power, & Respect

Though The LOX are largely associated with the Ruff Ryders movement, the legendary trio originally got their start as part of Diddy’s Bad Boy Records. Despite the fact that the label was one of hip-hop’s most popular at the time, The LOX weren’t exactly a stylistic fit, later departing the label under less than amicable terms. Despite the nature of their split, The LOX’s stint on Bad Boy led to the release of their 1998 debut Money, Power, & Respect, an album that officially turns twenty-three today.

In honor of the milestone anniversary, it feels appropriate to highlight the project’s title track, which features the heavyweight presence of DMX (who was in the midst of enjoying a legendary year) and Lil Kim, a longtime friend and collaborator of Bad Boy legend Notorious B.I.G. Off the bat, hip-hop heads will likely recognize the iconic instrumental, one that calls back to a distinct and beloved era, when the golden age was slowly transitioning into the shiny new millennium. Lyrically, each party holds it down as you’d expect, with each young New York rapper showcasing the chemistry that would later come to define the Double R.

The Lox – Money, Power, & Respect (ft. Lil Kim & DMX) (prod. Ron “Amen-Ra” Lawrence & Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie)

Lyrics

[Intro: Lil’ Kim]
See I believe in money, power and respect
First you get the money
Then you get the muthafuckin’ power
After you get the fuckin’ power, muthafuckas will respect you

[Chorus: Lil Kim]
It’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, help you sleep at night
You’ll see the light, it’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, money, power, and respect
Money, power, and respect

[Verse 1: Sheek Louch]
Ayo, my whole clique bout it, bout it
We take yours while you pout about it
Truck, step out, the whores wanna crowd around it
You could see me on optimum TV
Go in your bathroom turn the light out
Scream, Bloody Mary, 1, 2, 3
Sheek ain’t your usual friend
About to set you up like Keyser and walk straight at the end
I’m done wit’ ice and charms
I’m tryin’ to ice my whole casket ‘when I’m gone
Pull up wit’ glass on the don’, once I meet em’ I greet em’
Kiss his feet for freedom, tell em’ thank you Lord
Cuz on Earth I was gettin’ bored
Now resurrect me back to this cat called Sheek
So I can make this album and get back the cats that’s weak
Two-thirty, six two
Me versus you that’s like a cat versus a pitbull
Gun, know clip full, keep hunger
And plan for the future, cause you figure you gon’ be older
Way longer than you gon’ be younger

[Chorus: Lil Kim]
It’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, help you sleep at night
You’ll see the light, it’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, money, power, and respect
Money, power, and respect

[Verse 2: Styles P]
Only time could tell how the clock ticks
I’m really loved here but I’m still a hostage
Two personalities check the posture
Smoke out the mouth clear out the nostrils
Think of death, the life seem scary
I’m passin’ graveyards seein’ people Hail Mary
I ain’t chillin til’ I’m out parachutin’
Race my man in mountain climbin’ for about ten diamonds
Twenty five thousand a piece, fuck streets
Tryin’ to own the island, forget about wylin’
Try ridin’ in the car that be glidin’
If I showed you where I lived you would think I was hidin’
Sling dick to chicks that don’t speak English
Wake up in Trinidad like fuck it I’m rich
Come back, private jet
Live on set, if you can shit gold, I can spit baguettes

[Chorus: Lil Kim]
It’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, help you sleep at night
You’ll see the light, it’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, money, power, and respect
Money, power, and respect

[Verse 3: Jadakiss]
Yo nothin’ but the hotness whenever we drop this
Monotonous for ya’ll to keep hatin’ cause ya’ll never gon’ stop us
I keep my rocks spotless and my hoes topless
Take time try to figure out who The Lox is
Fear no one kick rhymes like Shoguns
You scared to blow one, get robbed wit’ your own gun
If I don’t respect you I’ma check you
And if I don’t kiss you I’mma peck you
Right before I wet you I sneeze on tracks an’ bless you
I’m special and if you like workin’ out
Then I’m gon’ stretch you
Husslin’ is dead but we still get red
Turn the spots into bakeries to get back bread
And ya’ll said my money’s spent but it’s in the Bent’
So when the Feds come, the dogs can’t get a scent
For my story, self-explanatory
That I’m the hottest thing on the street
And yall ain’t got nothin’ for me

[Chorus: Lil Kim]
It’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, help you sleep at night
You’ll see the light, it’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, money, power, and respect
Money, power, and respect

[Verse 4: DMX]
This is a beat that I can freak to just drop the reals
Plus a nigga wit’ the ill ya’ll niggas know my skills
X ’em on the grill get em’ up split em’ up
Wet em’ up and watch em’ come get em’ up
Set em’ up when you do dirt, you get dirt
Bitch, I’ll make your shit hurt, step back like ‘I did work’
This ain’t no fuckin’ game
What’chu think I’m playin’, till you layin’
In the car in the junkyard decayin’
Mom’s at home prayin’ that you comin’ home
But you not, cause you sittin’ up in the trunk
Startin’ to rot
And hell is hot, I know because I’m here now Baby
It’s goin’ down baby
Get the four pound baby and let off up in a nigga
Especially if he think he bigger than my muthafuckin’ trigger
Did I, can I get my
Is it on, DMX representin for one time for the song

[Chorus: Lil Kim]
It’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, help you sleep at night
You’ll see the light, it’s the key to life
Money, power, and respect, whatchu’ need in life
Money, power, and respect, you’ll be eatin’ right
Money, power, and respect, money, power, and respect
Money, power, and respect