The relinquished beef between Ruff Ryders rap trio, The Lox, and P. Diddy of the Bad Boy Records powerhouse has resumed, resurfacing over the airwaves on Angie Martinez’s Hot 97, WQHT, radio show in New York City.
After seemingly making peace at the Jay-Z and Nas truce performance in NYC last month, The Lox members Jadakiss and Styles P pleaded for their publishing and autonomy from Diddy, claiming that he owns half of their collective publishing after releasing their first album from his label in 1998.
“Imagine working for years and years, hard work and somebody that has nothing to do with that is getting the bulk of it,” said Styles P in reference to Diddy. “You’d be totally, utterly frustrated. And, you tryin’ to get around it for years and you call about it with lawyers, but people are too powerful.”
Eventually, Diddy called the radio show from his Manhattan office to counter the claims.
“If somebody is getting in the way of you expressing yourself, you can come get at me directly,” Diddy told Jadakiss and Styles P, as third member Sheek Louch was not present at the station. “We’re businessmen. We’re all mature adults here. Ya’ll sit on this interview and talk as long as you want to talk or you can take the invitation I extended before. It’s not even getting there- you getting on the radio, whatever tactic- I’m not your enemy. Don’t sit here and portray that Puff took something from y’all.”
Jadakiss immediately responded to Diddy’s comments.
“Well, what is it then?” he asked. “What do you call it? We can’t handle it any other way dealing with lawyers and you know that. So don’t get on the radio and act like a tough guy.”
Before Diddy grew frustrated and hung up the phone, he stated “I’m a grown a** man,” followed by Jadakiss calling him a coward and Styles P calling him a thief.
“We want our publishing, dog, and we got a right to that,” Styles P continued after the conversation with Diddy ended. “We been through seven lawyers and all kinds of things.”