Styles P

David Styles (born November 28, 1974), better known by his stage name Styles P or simply Styles, is an American rapper, best known as a member of hip hop group The Lox, alongside his childhood friends Sheek Louch and Jadakiss. Along with the other members of The Lox, he is a founder of D-Block Records and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders. In addition to his group work he has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo MC. In 2002 he released his debut solo album A Gangster and a Gentleman, which contained the hit single "Good Times". The song peaked at number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and received massive nationwide airplay in 2002.[1][2]

Styles P
Styles P in 2010.
Background information
Birth nameDavid Styles
Also known asStyles Paniro, The Ghost
Born (1974-11-28) November 28, 1974
Corona, Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.
GenresHip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • writer
  • entrepreneur
Years active1994–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitehttp://www.stylesp.net

He has gone on to release Time is Money (2006), Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) (2007), Master of Ceremonies (2011), The World's Most Hardest MC Project (2012), Float (2013), Phantom and the Ghost (2014), A Wise Guy and a Wise Guy (2015), and G-Host (2018).

Early life

David Styles was born November 28, 1974 in Corona, Queens to a South African mother and a Jamaican father from Bed-Stuy.[3] After his parents' divorce, Styles and his younger brother Gary moved to Yonkers with their mother. It was there he met lifelong friends Jadakiss and Sheek Louch. The trio bonded over their shared passion for hip hop and eventually formed a group known as The Lox in 1994.[4][5]

Musical career

1994 – 2000: The Lox
Styles P (left) performing with Jadakiss

As a trio, The Lox began rapping in the mid-1990s and started to build a steady underground following thanks to their performances and street freestyles. In their late teens, the trio met Mary J. Blige who was impressed with their lyrical content, and gave their demo to Sean “Diddy” Combs.[5] Diddy immediately hired the trio to write for Bad Boy Records. After signing with Bad Boy, the Lox quickly started collaborating on hits with Diddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey which gave them instant notoriety and status within the hip-hop and mainstream charts.[5] In 1996 and 1997, the group wrote and performed on a number of Diddy hits, including "It's All About the Benjamins" and "I Got the Power", Mase's "24 Hrs. to Live", Mariah Carey's "Honey", the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Last Day" and Mary J. Blige's "Can’t Get You Off My Mind".[6] In 1997, the Lox received international acclaim when their tribute to the late Biggie Smalls, "We’ll Always Love Big Poppa", was picked as the B-side track from Diddy’s No Way Out album (3x Platinum) with the number one hit, "I'll Be Missing You".[6] This single was the most played hit in 1997, which opened the door for the Lox’s to write more of their own songs and eventually release their first album in January 1998 titled Money, Power & Respect.[7] The album went on to be certified platinum, and, although the album was a chart-topping success, the group grew to feel that the glossy image and production style of Bad Boy Records conflicted with their grimier rap aesthetic. After trying and failing to get Puff Daddy to grant them a release from their contract, the group confronted him in his office, with Styles P throwing a chair at his own boss. After this, the group was granted their release and left Bad Boy to sign with Ruff Ryder Records.[8][9]

2000–07: Ruff Ryder's and solo albums

After releasing another Lox album, We Are the Streets and appearing on albums with other Ruff Ryders artists, Styles released his first solo album, A Gangster and a Gentleman, in 2002.[10] The album was supported by the hit single, Good Times, which peaked at number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 6 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The song also received widespread airplay on the radio throughout 2002. In 2004, Styles was featured on an alternate version of Akon’s hit debut single, Locked Up. Two years later, he released his second album, Time is Money on Ruff Ryders which was followed by Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman) a year later.[10]

2010–14: The Green Ghost and various mixtapes
Styles P in 2014

After recording many mixtapes Styles returned to the Hip-Hop scene by releasing two retail albums in 2010, The Green Ghost Project with DJ Green Lantern on Invasion Records and The Ghost Dub-Dime a retail mixtape on E1 Records (formally Koch Records).[11][12] This began a string of annual retail releases with his fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh albums (2011's Master of Ceremonies, 2012's The World's Most Hardest MC Project, 2013's Float, and 2014's Phantom and the Ghost) all being released within a year of each other.[13][14][15][16]

2016–present:The Lox reunion

In 2016, the Lox released their first album in 16 years, Filthy America... It's Beautiful. The album reached number 6 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It was followed by the release of the albums, G-Host (2018), Dime Bag (2018), S.P. the GOAT: Ghost of All Time (2019) and Presence (2019). Styles P and Dave East also released a collab album titled Beloved, in 2018. Styles P's 13th studio album, Styles David: Ghost Your Enthusiasm, was released on May 22, 2020.[17]

Personal life

Styles is a vegan and co-owns 4 juice bars in New York along with Jadakiss.[18]

Styles married his wife Adjua on July 31, 1995.[19][20] Together, they have two children, Noah (born 1998) and Tai (1995—2015), whom Adjua had from a previous relationship. Styles served as Tai's stepfather for the majority of her life, until she died by suicide in 2015.[20]

Styles' younger brother, Gary Quarles Styles, died in a car accident on May 13, 2001. Styles has made many references to Gary in his music, including the tribute song "My Brother", from his debut album A Gangster and a Gentleman.[21]

In 2002, Styles was involved in an altercation at a New York nightclub that led to him stabbing a man in the buttocks. Styles surrendered himself to authorities on November 26, 2002, and began serving his eight-month sentence in the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla, NY the same day.[22][23][24] Styles was released from prison on August 4, 2003.[25][26]

Other projects

Styles P released his first novel Invincible in 2010[27] through Random House Publishing Group.[28] In 2011 he opened up a juice bar in Bronx, New York called Juices for Life with his business partners Nyger Rollocks and Leo Galvez.[29][30] He released his EP with Currensy titled, #The1st28 on February 28, 2012.[31]

Discography
Main article: Styles P discography

Studio albums

Collaboration albums

Bibliography
  • Invinicible by Styles P (2010: Random House Publishing Group, 240 pages) ISBN 978-0-345-50752-5. A Novel[28]

References
  3. "Style P Bio". Last.fm. CBS Corporation.
  4. "Styles P." IMDb. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  5. Ortiz, Edwin (2014-01-23). "Jadakiss Talks About Growing Up In Yonkers and The LOX's Relationship with Mary J. Blige - The Combat Jack Show". Complex. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  6. Vibe (2010-09-28). "Story Time: Sheek Louch Recalls Studio Sessions With DMX, Biggie & Jay-Z". Vibe. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  7. Stephen Thomas Erlewine (1998-01-13). "Money, Power & Respect - The LOX | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  8. Baker, Soren (2006-10-14). "More Grime Than Shine, the LOX Moves On - latimes". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  9. "Jadakiss Recalls Styles P Throwing A Chair At Diddy So "The LOX" Could Leave Bad Boy Records". YouTube. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  10. Birchmeier, Jason (1974-11-28). "Styles P". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  11. Matt Rinaldi (2010-02-09). "The Green Ghost Project - DJ Green Lantern,Styles P | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  12. "The Ghost Dub-Dime Mixtape - Styles P | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
  13. Jeffries, David (2011-10-04). "Master of Ceremonies - Styles P". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
  14. Molina, Nick De (December 1, 2012). "Styles P, The World's Most Hardest MC Project Review". XXL. Archived from the original on November 28, 2012. Retrieved November 26, 2012.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. Horowitz, Steven J. (February 25, 2013). "Styles P Announces New Album "Float," Produced Entirely By Scram Jones". HipHop DX. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  16. Smith, Bruce. "Styles P – Phantom And The Ghost". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2014-05-07.
  17. DJ First Class (May 22, 2020). "Styles P is back with his new 'Styles David: Ghost Your Enthusiasm' album". Revolt. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  18. "Styles P - Official Website". Styles P. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  19. "Styles P". FrostSnow. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  20. Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM (16 August 2017). "Styles P And Adjua Styles Open Up About Their Daughter's Suicide, Talk Health, Hip-Hop & More". Retrieved 2 April 2018 – via YouTube.
  21. "Styles P. Addresses Death Of Younger Brother - rapdirt.com". rapdirt.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  23. "Rap News Network - Hip-Hop News: Lox Rapper Styles P Begins Prison Term". www.rapnews.net. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  24. OGUNNAIKE, LOLA. "RAPPER HEADS FOR ROCK PILE Hip-hop artist Styles P., on the cusp of success, faces a jail term - NY Daily News". Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  25. "Styles P. To Be Released From Prison Monday". Allhiphop.com. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  26. "Styles Is Home From Jail". Allhiphop.com. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  27. Reid, Shaheem (2010-06-01). "Styles P Releases Debut Novel 'Invincible,' Written On His BlackBerry - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  28. "BARNES & NOBLE | Invincible by Styles P, Random House Publishing Group | NOOK Book (eBook), Paperback". Barnesandnoble.com. 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  29. "Styles P Opens Fresh Juice Bar in the Bronx". The Boombox. 2011-04-25. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  30. "Community Newspaper Group". Yournabe.com. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  31. Breihan, Tom (2012-02-29). "Mixtape Of The Week: Styles P & Curren$y #The1st28". Stereogum. Retrieved 2015-08-14.
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