Mobb Deep
The Infamous


5.0
classic

Review

by Typhoon24 USER (17 Reviews)
June 27th, 2017 | 10 replies


Release Date: 1995 | Tracklist

Review Summary: the coldest but the realest

With Prodigy’s passing, like some of you, I spent a lot of time listening to this album and Hell on Earth (which is almost as good). I normally wouldn’t make a review of an album just because a rapper died, but an exception was made because A: This is arguably the best hip hop album ever made and B: It’s a lot more than just nihilistic and desolate. It’s wise and honest beyond its years, and was written by 2 street kids who weren’t old enough to drink.

I got introduced to this group in my teen years, hearing “Shook Ones Pt. 2,” saving it to listen to over the years as a mood booster, eventually adding “Survival of the Fittest” and the ones with the Wu members. But that’s not sufficient, because this is an album you have to listen in its entirety to truly appreciate, and after 10 spins on vinyl or Spotify, this album is the s***.

The mid 90’s was a difficult time to be a New York rapper. Hailed as the most lyrical region after Illmatic and the grittiest after Wu Tang’s debut, it was hard to stand out around so many talented emcees in your borough (Biggie dominating Brooklyn), you had to stand out for New York and ultimately hip hop in general. Tall order. After some less-than-stellar efforts, Prodigy and Havoc found a winning strategy: Just speak as honestly about problems where you came up. Strip Queens down to an almost impossible location for a pacifist to live long and create through the production an atmosphere of paranoia that's dreary all the while making it JAMMING.

Making a formula is easy enough, following through is a lot harder, and Mobb Deep did somehow. If you listen to Shook Ones long enough, you’ll realize that Prodigy’s not just showing off how coldly he will kill you if things go down, but also gives you advice on how to avoid it. Evidenced in “Up North Trip,” the duo tells you that living the high life could turn sour with a jail sentence, so be careful. This tough guy/tough love approach was fresh, because outside of Gang Starr, few groups at the time in New York would give the same advice, at least not throughout an entire record. Prodigy managed to educate and scare you at the same time on most if not all the songs. Havoc was more so the devil’s son who focused more on beats than his raps here (although he’s not far behind his partner).

So wisdom hidden in tough guy talk? What else? Mobb Deep decided to feature Wu-Tang and Nas (clearly their rivals) as a show of unity and also to bring more people into this destitute environment The Infamous invokes every time you hear it. Also, the duo broadcasted impressive storytelling abilities on songs like “Trife Life,” where if interpreted one way, ended in Havoc murdering Prodigy over his chain. I’ve heard a lot of chilling lyrics over the years, but shooting your rap partner? Best of all, the beat wasn’t gritty, it was quite upbeat.

And that’s the final point to make, songs like “Right Back at You” may sound hard, but the production, much like the culture of the burough of Queens, is so full of life that you can’t make a purely minimalistic album. So even after hearing Cradle to the Grave (and its scarily realistic intro), and being effectively “shook” the first time you finish the album, part of you would still demand, despite all that, that a re-listen is in order. Rest in peace, P, your work will never be forgotten.



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Comments:Add a Comment 
bloc
June 27th 2017


70683 Comments


God album

Typhoon24
June 27th 2017


2521 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

endlessly quotable

EphemeralEternity
June 27th 2017


4490 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

tin foil hat or enlightened ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7NhboJIkZA

Typhoon24
June 28th 2017


2521 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

more on the tin foil hat side. pac and big were killed in their prime, a lot of fools these days don't even know what mobb deep is. second, i understand that a rapper who's been in the game for more than decade is gonna have problem butting heads with execs and producers over the changing hip hop theme away from gritty to fly. that could suggest that the companies don't care about anything but money, but we already knew that. as for evil people meeting at bilderberg to count cash and piss on each for fun? after trump got elected, who knows

AlexKzillion
June 28th 2017


17954 Comments


I refuse to watch that video

Typhoon24
June 28th 2017


2521 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

i mean, almost 20 years ago P was comfortable about rapping about his sickle cell anemia, which can be deadly. he was hospitalized prior to his death recently for something related to sickle cell anemia. pretty sure it's sickle cell anemia.



it's just like with pimp c. the man overdoses from codeine (which he likely had an addiction to), promethazine and another sedative. that stuff will stop you from breathing. It's a shame that lean culture stayed a part of houston culture even though it took out pimp c and dj screw. but no, it's the legion of doom set out to take over the world and kill good rappers.

EphemeralEternity
June 28th 2017


4490 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Yeah it's a black pride channel anyway they'll (deliberately) misinterpret/misconstrue anything to fit their agenda

Typhoon24
August 1st 2017


2521 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

So simple then, watch my back, lay up and relax

Roll a sack, K-A black, find a shorty to tag



havoc wasn't that far behind prodigy as a rapper

bloc
August 1st 2017


70683 Comments


He was just as skillful on the mic

Typhoon24
August 2nd 2017


2521 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

always felt p was a half step more clever



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