SZA unwittingly overshadowed Styles P’s mixtape excitement, as the LOX rapper realized that the trending buzz wasn’t about his 2005 mixtape. It was rather focused on TDE singer SZA’s song “Ghost In The Machine.”

During a recent episode of Talib Kweli’s People’s Party podcast released on August 14. Styles P joined the discussion on classic works getting overlooked. Reflecting on the mixtape confusion, he shared his initial excitement, saying…

“I got gassed one day [because] somebody told me ‘Ghost In The Machine’ was trending.

It wasn’t me, it was SZA! I was like, ‘Bout time these muthafuckas caught up. Muthafuckas! I got a whole bunch of other shit they about to catch up on.”

SZA’s version of “Ghost In The Machine” is featured on her 2022 album “SOS”, featuring singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers.

However, Styles P celebrated as a top-tier lyricist, commented on the evolving nature of competition within the rap industry.

During an interview held in July, with Jalen Rose on the Renaissance Man With Jalen Rose podcast. He highlighted the shift in competitiveness and drew comparisons with basketball analogies.

“Today’s Hip Hop lacks the level of competition we used to see,” Styles P remarked.

He also expressed his belief that artists should aim to elevate each other’s performances on tracks, akin to striving for a “triple-double” in basketball.

In his own words…

“When you get in the studio with somebody, you supposed to be trying to air them out and not diss them. You supposed to be trying to drop a triple-double”.

While discussing various cultural topics, Styles P’s voice has been prominent. During the 2023 BET Awards weekend in June, he was asked about the first rap record he memorized in its entirety.

Styles P selected Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s 1982 track “The Message”, noting its inspirational impact.

Reflecting on the past, he acknowledged the era’s focus on meticulously remembering verses from iconic artists such as Rakim, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, and KRS-One.