Start HERE, where I first spoke on the Lost Boyz; specifically, the death of Freaky Tah and the many great records that were included on their debut album, 'Legal Drug Money.' That debut was released on this day in 1996 through Uptown Records. The lead singles 'Lifestyle of the Rich & Shameless' and 'Renee' both have alternate mixes on the LP, and while I prefer the single versions more, oddly enough, it took nothing away from how incredibly balanced the LP was between singles and album cuts. Island Def Jam reached out to me with a letter and the 12" from the Don't Be A Menace soundtrack, asking DJs to push the Mona Lisa record 'Can't Be Wasting My Time,' which featured the Lost Boyz. However, once I flipped the record over and heard the original version of 'Renee' and 'Winter Warz,' it was hard to remember that Mona Lisa record, although it was dope, too. I think Lil' Kim was also on that 12" but I can't recall the song. The album's production was handled by Pete Rock, Mr. Sexxx, Easy Mo Bee, Big Dex, Buttnaked Tim Dawg, and more. Super cohesive, the album had 5 singles, coulda been 6. The classic review above does a good job at breaking down the tracks, explaining their 'commercial charm' and giving background information, so check that out. Of course, the classic video for 'Renee' (the Soundtrack Version) is below...