You know these guys -- Puffy protégés, they've made appearances on "It's All About the Benjamins" and the remix for Mariah Carey's "Honey" (they were the ones in the videos hanging out behind Mase). Now, after guesting on everybody else's projects, the Lox is busting out with their own effort, Money, Power & Respect. The album is overseen, of course, by Puffy Combs, but manages to groove (for the most part) on a cool underground vibe. The Puffiest song on the record as well as the album's first single, "If You Think I'm Jiggy," is actually one of the weaker cuts. But get past "Jiggy"'s tired use of the Rod Stewart mega-hit "Da You Think I'm Sexy" and there are some real gems here, like the raw and slinky "Get This $" and the title track, which features a sassy appearance by Lil' Kim. The Lox, which stands for "Living Off 'Xperience," hails from Yonkers, New York, and seems intent on emphasizing the "Respect" part of the title equation. While the album is sample-heavy, they're not relying on gigantic hit pop songs for every track, and a surprising simplicity of beat configurations prevails. Props to the Lox for sticking to their guns, props to Puffy for knowing a good thing when he sees it, and props to Mary J. Blige, the person who first brought the Lox to the Big Bad Boy's attention in the first place.
