Before he reached the age of 20, Sheek Louch had already cashed his first check as a major label artist. The East Coast representative’s two decade career would go on to include recording songs with legendary emcees like The Notorious B.I.G., DMX, and Ghostface Killah.

As he releases his 6th studio album Silverback Gorilla 2 today, AllHipHop.com tapped Sheek for the latest installment in the “My Five Firsts” series. One third of the lyrical rap trio known as The Lox reflects back on a few memorable moments from his life.

Find out what Don Gorilla recalls about stepping into the studio with Biggie, witnessing the rise of X, hitting the stage with the Wu-Tang Clan, and experiencing two of his favorite LPs for the first time.

[ALSO READ: My Five Firsts: Dizzy Wright]

First Time Recording With The Notorious B.I.G.

I think the song was “You’ll See.” That was the recording, but we went to Hot 97 and spit a bunch of times. But basically it was like a kid in the candy store, from recording with him to walking in the studio for the first time.

Seeing them all in that room – we were walking past the room like we were scared to go in. You know how a motherf*cker looks in the room while he’s walking by? That was us three looking at B.I.G. in the room. B.I.G. used to always tell us he’d bring anybody to hear us rap. He’d bring Hov and all these different people every night to hear these three new dudes he got.

Then when we laced the track, it was amazing. Especially, doing “Last Day” on his [Life After Death] album. He pulled us into his truck at a show. He said, “Listen to this. I laid my verse. I want y’all to get on it.” I was like, “When? Where?”

First Time Meeting DMX

That’s a little tricky, because X was a star to us in Yonkers before y’all met him. Before y’all heard of DMX, he was popping where we’re from. He was that n*gga whether it be music or doing some other sh*t. So we all knew of him. He just didn’t blow yet. When he finally did, we were all proud.

You have to realize, X was a star in his own right. Before Dee and Waah started Ruff Ryders, they were our managers. We happened to go over to Bad Boy and get the deal. We brought our managers on. That’s when they went to do their own thing, and they had this artist named DMX. But we knew him forever. By the time the world heard him, it was like, “That’s our man right there!”

First Time Getting A Major Label Check

I probably bought a car and put the rest in the bank. After moving to different labels, it was actually nothing. But the first time, I think I bought a Lincoln Navigator. You know the first sh*t we do when we get money. [laughs] It’s different now.

First Time Performing As Wu Block

I remember the first time performing with Ghost. We were doing tours together before we came up with the idea to make that [Wu Block] record. I remember the first time we had RZA, Method Man, Chef [Raekwon], and everybody on stage. We did some shows in New York. I’m a big fan of the Wu. Them boys are legends to us. We used to borrow Mary J. Blige’s Range Rover and ride around listening to the Clan. Salute to them.

First Time Listening To Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage and The Notorious B.I.G.’s Life After Death

Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage? I was working at Staples. I’d get off the bus with my big down coat and headphones on. I was walking from the bus stop to the crib, cutting through the hood. I remember that era in my life listening to Enta Da Stage. Hearing Biggie’s Life After Death, I was like, “Wow, this is such a well put together project.”

[ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Sheek Louch Talks ‘Silverback Gorilla 2’ LP, Respecting Hip Hop’s Legends & Upcoming Puff Daddy/Bad Boy Tour]

Follow Sheek Louch on Twitter @REALSHEEKLOUCH and Instagram @realsheeklouch.

Purchase Sheek Louch’s Silverback Gorilla 2 on iTunes.