The Lost Boyz is a hip hop group from South Jamaica, Queens, New York. Freaky Tah, Pretty Lou, DJ Spigg Nice, and Mr. Cheeks were the members of the Lost Boyz. They released three albums together from 1996 to 1999. Legal Drug Money and Love, Peace & Nappiness dropped in 1996 and 1997, and they went Gold. They released their final group album, LB IV Life, and it came after Freaky Tah passed away. Legal Drug Money was the debut album from the Lost Boyz, and it turns 30 years old. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and topped the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. There was a total of six singles from the Legal Drug Money album. Five of the album’s singles made it to the US Billboard Hot 100. Lifestyles of the Rich & Shameless was released a year before the album would drop.
Lifestyles of the Rich & Shameless reached number ten on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz became their second single, and it dropped in the summer of 1995. The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. In January of 1996, the Lost Boyz dropped Renee as their third single. Another version of Renee appeared on the Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood soundtrack. It was the Lost Boyz’ most successful single, reaching number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning a gold certification from the RIAA for sales of 500,000 copies. Music Makes Me High became their fourth single from the Legal Drug Money album. The song was the second most successful single of the five released from Legal Drug Money.
The song’s official remix was produced by L.T. Hutton and featured Tha Dogg Pound and a then unknown Canibus in his first official appearance. The remix had a music video released, which showed the Lost Boyz, Tha Dogg Pound, and Canibus at a pool party. It peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles. The Yearn and Get Up rounded out the singles released from the album. A slightly different version of the song “The Yearn” appeared on the 1996 benefit compilation album America Is Dying Slowly. Legal Drug Money is a very underrated album that gets the love it deserves. 1996 was an amazing year for classic hip hop albums, and this is one of them. Below are my top 5 tracks from the album. After that, check the track listing and stream link for the Legal Drug Money album.
Top 5 Tracks: Renee, Channel Zero, Music Makes Me High, Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz & Keep It Real
Legal Drug Money Track Listing
- Intro
- The Yearn
- Music Makes Me High
- Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz
- Lifestyles of the Rich & Shameless
- Renee
- All Right
- Legal Drug Money
- Get Up
- Is This Da Part
- Straight from Da Ghetto
- Keep It Real
- Channel Zero
- Da Game
- 1, 2, 3
- Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless (Remix)
