After 25 years of rapping, NYC’s Styles P is ready to focus on his wellness empire

Styles P of the rap group The Lox will take the stage Monday night to kick off his “Respect My Legacy” tour at Irving Plaza.

The concert is the first in a series of shows Styles P is doing in eight cities across the country before he retires from his two decades old solo career – and the New York City one coincides with his 49th birthday.

Born in Queens and raised in Yonkers, David. R. Styles, aka Styles P, is best known for being a member of The Lox, considered by Billboard magazine to be one of the best rap groups of all time.

The group rose to prominence in hip-hop in the mid 90s and have released four critically acclaimed projects since, notably “Money, Power & Respect” in 1998.

In between group work, each member branched off to do solo albums. Styles P has released 15 solo albums since 2002 and six collaborative projects with artists including Talib Kweli, Dave East, and Curren$y.

Although he’ll still technically be a member of The Lox, he’s been releasing music much more consistently as a solo act than with the group, with his most recent album, “Penultimate: A Calm Wolf Is Still a Wolf,” released in January and another on the way.

So what’s next for Styles P?

While some rappers like Jay Z, Nas, and ASAP Rocky build their non-rap related business around alcohol, peddling cognac or whiskey, Styles P has instead focused on selling wellness products such as supplements, herbs, and minerals – shifting the tone for what entrepreneurship alongside a hip-hop career can look like.

As he prepares to say goodbye with a final album, which has yet to be released, and his tour, Styles Ps said he plans to devote his energy to Farmacy for Life, which sells supplements and wellness-focused products; and his non-profit Farma Cares, which works to promote a plant-based lifestyle with monthly community dine-in nights in Yonkers where families can get a free and mostly vegan meal.

Earlier this month, Gothamist’s Precious Fondren caught up with Styles P in Harlem at the plant-based restaurant, VeganHood, to talk about why now was the right time to retire, his thoughts on 50 years of hip-hop, and what’s next. Their conversation has been edited.

Hip-hop just turned 50. You’re about to kick off your tour with a performance celebrating your 49th birthday. Did you plan on retiring at this time or was it a coincidence?

I planned on retiring every week since I started this [delving into wellness]. I’m more so retiring as a solo artist but I still have group work to do and further collaborations to do.

Hip-hop is still young. When you think of a genre being 50 years old, that's like a baby genre. Every other genre doesn't age the artist as much as rap does.

So I’d like to see the culture get out of that mind frame and just go for what works for them, because 50 years old is not old at all.

You still view it as a young genre, but it has evolved. What do you make of the evolution and people still being able to make music even as they get older?

I love the evolution. I think all music does that. You’re supposed to do it until you can’t do it anymore. It’s a beautiful thing for people to keep working. I don’t think we should age art as much as we do.

Why did now feel like the best time to say goodbye as a solo artist?

There's too many other things I want to do. I work in the health field. Five juice bars, one e-commerce store with Farmacy for Life, five Juices for Life locations, one brick-and-mortar Farmacy for Life location.

I’m also looking to write more books. I've written a fiction novel on my time. Now I’m looking to write a few more. I’m looking to do more film. I basically want to follow my other dreams. So I need to make room on the schedule and my brain to be able to do it.

Why did you still want to tour? You could’ve just said, “You have the music. I’m done.”

I love performing. Performing is part of the art. Part of what we do. Being able to go somewhere else, reach the people who love you, who support you, perform for them, give energy and receive energy is a beautiful thing.

I’m going to put on a hell of a show. I’m going to go out and be appreciative of my crowd. Be appreciative of the energy they bring. Make sure I return the favor.

I'm rearranging my tour because I want my last solo album to be part of it.

Can you explain why and how you’re working with the vegan restaurant VeganHood?

We have a non-profit called Farma Cares. And we've done two plant based events at the YMCA in Yonkers. We're gonna do one with VeganHood. What we try to do is bring awareness to the people in the hood of how they can get something plant based and something good.

Why did you become a vegan?

Ten years ago on New Year's Eve for me made ten years a vegan. I was a vegetarian ten years before that. I just went on a cleanse and never went back. Plant-based is the lifestyle I love to live. I love plants.

I love what it does for people. I love how it brings unification. Especially with people of color in poor neighborhoods, they need to be more knowledgeable of the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, drinking fruits, vegetables, herbs, minerals, and vitamins.

We need to be aware of the benefits of them and we also need to practice preventative measures so we don't have to worry about spending our latter days in the doctor's office.

How do you think Farmacy for Life will help the community you want to reach?

I don't think I know it's gonna help. We have an e-commerce store. We have a brick and mortar in Brooklyn. We sell black seed oil, oil of oregano, sea moss, soursop, BCD, elderberry and zinc. A variety of mushrooms that help for brain function. A variety of roots that help for gut function. We have things for your libido. We have kids' vitamins. We know for a fact herbs, minerals, and vitamins help your body when using them right.

Health is wealth, so we make sure to push the envelope forward and inform people to just practice balance in their lifestyle and eat as healthy as possible. The reason I say we know it works is from our testimonies of our consumers and how people call up or they come to the store and say, “We appreciate you, my life has changed. I feel much better. I was dealing with this health issue, that health issue, and now I don't have it.”

“Respect My Legacy” tour kicks off Monday, Nov. 27 at Irving Plaza and will travel to eight cities around the country after that. Tickets for the New York City event start at around $50.