Jadakiss, whose career began in the mid-1990s, is an American rapper from Yonkers, New York, known for his gravelly voice, punchline-heavy lyricism, and signature laugh. Born Jason Terrance Phillips in 1975, he came up alongside Sheek Louch and Styles P as a founding member of The LOX, a trio first discovered by Mary J. Blige and initially signed to Bad Boy Records in the mid-1990s.

The LOX broke through with their debut album Money, Power & Respect (1998), which went platinum and produced the title track alongside "If You Think I'm Jiggy." Jadakiss then launched his solo career with Kiss Tha Game Goodbye (2001) before delivering his commercial peak on Kiss of Death (2004), a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 anchored by the smash "Why?" featuring Anthony Hamilton, which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.