Good Times (I Get By) / Tonight I'm Gonna Let Go

This 12-inch single represents a pivotal moment in Styles P's transition from his tenure with The Lox to a solo career following his 2002 debut album, A Gangster and a Gentleman. Released in 2003, the track Good Times (I Get By) became his signature solo hit, famously sampling the melody from Rick James's Mary Jane. It captured the mid-2000s zeitgeist of East Coast rap, grounding gritty storytelling in the more melodic, radio-friendly production style that defined the era's urban contemporary sound.

The production relies heavily on the interpolation of classic soul and funk, a hallmark of the Ruff Ryders production aesthetic that sought to bridge the gap between hard-hitting street rap and mainstream accessibility. The collaboration with R&B vocalist Syleena Johnson provided the necessary counterpoint to Styles P's raspy, aggressive delivery, helping the record receive significant airplay across commercial hip-hop radio. Despite the limited nature of its label release through Entertainment Inc., it remains a quintessential artifact of early 2000s hip-hop culture.