“I don’t compromise; straight bars and no cutting corners,” says Jada. “I’m painting pictures that make you feel like you’re there. Real life realities brought to you in music where I make you feel like you were there when you listen to me.” One to be reckoned with for over two decades, his ability to mature with the times and maintain his integrity has been Jadakiss’ key to becoming one of Hip Hop’s greats. “Those who make a career out of it are the ones you should stick and gravitate to,” he says. “I’m defiantly one of those and should be here for a long fucking time.” Well said and reflective of the career he's made since entering the game with a feature on Main Source's "Set It Off," and the early group demos as the Bomb Squad and The Warlocks as "Big Jay." Jadakiss remains one of the most skilled emcees still in the game... his flow and raspy voice put him near the top of the list. To celebrate his birthday today, I made a quick playlist of tracks - 30 in total - to give a brief overview of some of my favorites from his extensive catalog. It's unfortunate that D-Block's mixtape run can't be properly reflected on most streaming platforms, but for those that were there, it was one of the best and most impactful for music coming out of New York (along with G-Unit and Dipset). If you disagree, go ahead and knock yourself out! Happy 45th Birthday, Raspy!