Often seen and seldom heard is how Sheek Louch – one third of The Lox – is easily described.  In 2003, Sheek quietly released his solo debut, Walk Witt Me, on the group's own label, D-Block. Despite modest promotion, the album debuted in the Billboard Top Ten, confirming the group's street-level appeal.

Today, after being overlooked by the masses for years, Sheek’s back with his sophomore album – After Taxes.  Underground fame may soon be a thing in the past after Jigga and Diddy battle it out over the The Lox’ next project.  In the meantime, with production from rap vets like Alchemist, Havoc and Red Spyda, Sheek is trying to get it poppin’ – after taxes. 

Sheek:  The album is dropping September 20th.  It’s called After Taxes.  I’m amped.  I’m excited.  I’m ready to do the d*mn thing. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  You’re all over mixtapes now.  What do you have left to talk about?

Sheek:  Nothing on the mixtapes is going to be on the album.  That’s for my street n*ggas in the grind that have their little black radios playing.  I feed them.  The album is more thought out.  I talk about what’s going on in my life, where I’ve been, what I’ve been doing.  I just had a baby boy recently.  I open up and talk about baby mama drama.  I’ve got a song mashing on 50.  It’s called “Maybe If I Sing.”  That’s the nail in the coffin right there.  That’s going to squash everything.  That’s going to be on repeat heavy in everybody’s car.  Of course I have my crew on there – J-Hood, Jadakiss, Styles P.  Redman is on there.  I pulled out Ghostface and Raekwon on some real hip-hop sh*t.  For the ladies, I’ve got some real smooth stuff with Carl Thomas.  I’m just giving me. 

Production is heavy.  I’ve got Rocwidler, Alchemist, Havoc, Red Spyda, Coco Chanel.  She’s a female producer doing her thing.  The tracks are hot.  I’m also working with Vinny Idol and Buckwild. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  You’re doing it big this time around.

Sheek:  I’m trying to give it a big, more mature sound.  I’m still keeping it gritty, but I’m letting you know there’s different things in my life right now. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  You seem to be good in the streets.  Are you searching for that commercial success now?

Sheek:  I’m going to give you me.  If it does it, it does it.  I’m going to hit the road and perform – sweating, grinding, sold-out clubs.  If one of the songs earns a Grammy or takes off in the clubs, so be it. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Any fears of the sophomore jinx?

Sheek:  I’ve been in this game so long. I’ve seen young boys come and go.  My partners are doing their thing.  I’ve been here too long for the sophomore jinx.  I’m too much in the streets.  I know my fans. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Does Jada’s recent platinum status put any pressure on you?

Sheek:  Not at all.  Styles can go triple and Jada can go fliple. (laughs)  I’m still going to hit the road with them and do my shows.  I’m in total support even if they sell one record.  They’ll just get back in that lab and do it again.  Our fans have been in total support through everything.  Our fans are straight up D-Block.

Chronicmagazine.com:  Yeah.  You’ve been talking real greasy on the mixtapes – especially when it comes to 50.  You’re not holding back.

Sheek:  (laughs) I can’t hold back.  Even though it started with just Jada, he gets if for just opening his mouth.  If someone says something about you, your sister or your brother will get in it point blank.  It is what it is.  With 50, it’s over nothing.  He’s mad because someone did a song talking about New York, nothing about him.  He just doesn’t like [Ja Rule].  He can’t be serious. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Lets go back to the track aimed at 50, “Maybe If I Sing.”  Do you think that’s what the industry has come down to?

Sheek:  Yeah.  The lyrics of the song are: ‘Maybe if I sing I’ll be rich/ Maybe if I rat on you I’ll be rich/ Maybe if I cross-over I’ll be rich.’  It’s like throwing the dice.  Sometimes you hit craps, sometimes you ace-out.  I don’t know.  It’s just the luck of the draw.  You just have to keep grinding and grinding.  I think that hip-hop is doing great right now.  We’ve got dudes owning basketball teams right now.  You have dudes who were just straight-up hustlers and rappers becoming presidents of companies. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Like you. (laughs)  You’re running your own label.  Koch is distributing it this time around.  Initially, Universal distributed it.  Why the change?

Sheek:  Universal was just too corporate.  They didn’t understand “Mighty D-Block” from my last joint until it got on the radio and was number one on the countdown.  They just didn’t understand the vision of what we wanted to do.  They didn’t get it until it was in their face.  They were emailing each other all day when they’re walking distance from each other.  It was just too crazy.  Not to mention money-wise, we were only getting $0.35 off of each record.  Now, we’re getting $8 a record. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Is it demanding to run a label when you’re creating material for your own album?

Sheek:  Definitely.  You’ve got to wake up and go hard.  You’re not just a rapper anymore.  You have to go to meetings and see what’s going on.  There’s not enough time in the day.  You just have to stay on your grind. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Have you learned a lot since your first album?

Sheek:  I learned a lot from being with Diddy back in the day growing up.  Even when we we’re getting away from Diddy, I learned a lot from just being around him.  I learned a lot watching Ruff Ryders do their thing.  I’m just paying attention to everything.  I’m trying to be so business right now it’s ridiculous. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  What’s the most important thing you’ve learned?

Sheek:  Watch these lawyers. (laughs)  Watch these lawyers heavy.  Don’t just ‘Yes’ them and get off the phone like you understand.  Ask them until you really, really understand.  Tell them to put it in layman terms before you get off the phone so you can know what it is because later on they’ll say, ‘I went over that with you and you said okay.’ 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Besides your album, what else do you have going on?

Sheek:  The album is coming September 20th.  It’s called After Taxes.  A D-Block compilation is coming out for Christmas.  It’s called No Security.   After that, the J-Hood project is coming out in February.  It’s called Tales From the Hood.  As we speak, The Lox project is called Live, Suffer, Celebrate. Right now, Jay-Z’s trying to buy that from Interscope.  So, there’s a couple of things going on that we’re real busy with.

Chronicmagazine.com:  Is there any truth to the rumor that you all will reunite with Diddy?

Sheek:  Well, he’s also trying to get The Lox back.  So, Jigga and him are going at it.  They’re trying to make that deal happen. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Do you have a favorite between the two?

Sheek:  If the right money comes along with respect of D-Block.  We’re not going to just get with them and give up everything.  We still want to do our project. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Do you think the industry sleeps on you?

Sheek:  At the beginning they were sleeping on me, but right now it’s, ‘Sheek, you sick with it’ - point blank.  It went from sleeping to, ‘You stepping up.’  It’s crazy.  Now, when I’m in the street it’s ‘Where did that come from?  Where did you get that song?’  I’m ready to go.  I’m going to just run with this. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Are you doing any touring right now?

Sheek:  I just got back from Paris and Germany.  I was out there for a month.  It was crazy.  The love is ridiculous because they don’t get to see you everyday.  All they see are videos.  They’re routing my promo tour now.  I’m going to be gone for months.  I just got with a new manager – Jimmy Henchman. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Is your album finished?  It’s been pushed back several times now.

Sheek:  Yeah. I’m done now.  It was supposed to drop in August, but it’s definitely September 20th now.  I’m ready.

Chronicmagazine.com:  How’s fatherhood?

Sheek:  He’s great.  I love it.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything.  I don’t know why I waited so long.

Chronicmagazine.com:  Is this your first baby? 

Sheek:  It’s my first son.  He’s one now.  I watch and see his little attitude – which is my attitude.  I see how he moves around and grows.  He tries to do what ever his dad does. 

Chronicmagazine.com:  Are you wifed up?

Sheek:  I got…(laughs)…Yeah, I’m wifed up – straight-up.

Chronicmagazine.com:  Any last words.

Sheek:  Hold your boy Sheek Louch down.  I’ve grown lyrically.  Production is sick on my album.  There’s a lot of energy.  I’ve got joints for the chicks.  It’s called After Taxes.  D-Block is moving.  It’s on and poppin’.