Styles P represents the gritty side of New York City hip-hop. The self-proclaimed world's hardest emcee came up in Yonkers, where he teamed up with Jadakiss and Sheek Louch to form The LOX in the '90s. Having rolled with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy machine, Styles then set out his solo intentions with '02 album A Gangster and a Gentleman, with stomping production by Swizz Beatz helping the project go gold in the US. Fiery collaborations with Rick Ross and Busta Rhymes show that Styles can hang with the biggest ballers in the scene, although the heart of his music remains rooted in the streets.