Mobb Deep was an American hip hop duo from

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

. The duo consisted of rappers

Prodigy Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to: * Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer ** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess Arts, entertainment, and ...

and Havoc. They are considered to be among the principal progenitors of hardcore

East Coast hip hop East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the Bronx, New York City. In contrast to other styles, East Coast hip ...

Edwards, Paul, 2009, '' How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'', Chicago Review Press, p. 323. and hip hop in the mid-1990s. Mobb Deep became one of the most successful rap duos of all time, having sold over three million records. Their best-known albums are ''

The Infamous ''The Infamous'' (stylized as ''The Infamous...'') is the second studio album by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep. It was released on April 25, 1995, by RCA Records and Loud Records. The album features guest appearances by Nas, Raekwon, Gho ...

'' (1995), '' Hell on Earth'' (1996) and '' Murda Muzik'' (1999), and their most successful singles were " Shook Ones (Part II)" and " Survival of the Fittest." They were known for their dark and hardcore delivery. The duo disbanded in 2012, but reunited the following year. Prodigy died in June 2017. Havoc is currently working on a new Mobb Deep album.

Biography

Early career

Havoc and

met while both were students at the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan—a school that produced creatives like

Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, a ...

, Marc Jacobs, Amy Heckerling, Lee Quiñones, and

Fab Five Freddy Fred Brathwaite (born August 31, 1959), more popularly known as Fab 5 Freddy, is an American visual artist, filmmaker, and hip hop pioneer. He is considered one of the architects of the street art movement. Freddy emerged in New York's downtown ...

."'The Infamous' at 25: Mobb Deep's Havoc Looks Back on the Hip-Hop Landmark"
Barker, Andrew. April 20, 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-14. In 1991, they became a duo that went by the name Poetical Prophets.Blisteen, Jon
Mobb Deep Rapper Prodigy Dead at 42
''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

''. Accessed on March 12, 2018. The name Poetical Prophets was a testament to

, then Lord-T (The Golden Child), and Havoc's gravitation toward New York

conscious hip-hop Political hip hop is a subgenre of hip hop music that was developed in the 1980s as a way of turning hip hop into a call for political and/or social action and a form of social and/or political activism. Inspired by 1970s political artists su ...

. The duo began making a demo tape and employed a guerilla marketing approach to promote themselves. They would find the addresses of

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the prod ...

headquarters on the back of albums, bring a cassette player, and ask passing artists to listen to their music.James, Andy
The Story of How Mobb Deep Met Q-Tip Is Amazing
DJBooth.net. Accessed on March 12, 2018. The only artist who stopped to hear their music was Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest; Prodigy recalled, " -Tipintroduced us to Chris Lighty that day and a bunch of people in the Rush Associated Labels in the

Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...

office—that's how we met everybody." Shortly thereafter,

signed a solo demo deal with

Jive Records Jive Records was an American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary to the Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chicago. Jive was best known for its successes with hip hop, R&B, ...

and had an uncredited feature on the song "Too Young" by Hi-Five, which appeared on the ''Boyz n the Hood'' soundtrack. Jive decided not to sign Poetical Prophets as a duo. However, they were featured in Matty C's July 1991 "Unsigned Hype" column in '' The Source'', which helped promote their demo ''Flavor for the Nonbelievers''. '' The Source'' dubbed Poetical Prophets a "dynamic duo ... that are fast making a big name for themselves in talent shows and radio stations in the New York area." The following year, the duo changed their name from Poetical Prophets to "Mobb Deep," in part based on the suggestion of

Puff Daddy Puff may refer to: Science and technology * Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air ** Puff, a light gust of wind ** Exhalation ** Inhalation * Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks ...

who was courting them to be the first artists on his newly created imprint, Bad Boy Records. In choosing the moniker, Prodigy noted that "we need dsomething that described how we were living. When egot together to hang out, there would be thirty to forty of us, like a mob. The slang we used when we saw a whole bunch of guys together was . . . 'deep.' Both words together sounded good. ''Mobb Deep."'' In 1992, Mobb Deep signed with 4th & B'way Records. They released the single "

Peer Pressure Peer pressure is the direct or indirect influence on peers, i.e., members of social groups with similar interests, experiences, or social statuses. Members of a peer group are more likely to influence a person's beliefs, values, and behavior. A g ...

" in promotion of their debut album '' Juvenile Hell''. The album was released in 1993 and featured production from DJ Premier, Large Professor, and

Public Enemy "Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe ...

-affiliate Kerwin Young. Later that year, Havoc made a guest appearance on the Black Moon album ''

Enta da Stage ''Enta da Stage'' is the debut album by American East Coast hip hop group Black Moon, released on October 19, 1993, through Nervous Records. The album was produced by Black Moon member DJ Evil Dee along with Mr. Walt of Da Beatminerz. ''Enta da ...

'', on a song titled "U da Man."

Rise to success

The group saw its first major success with their second album, ''

'', released in 1995. Mobb Deep catapulted to the top of the hardcore hip-hop scene through Havoc and Prodigy's straightforward narration of street life. In this album, Mobb Deep portrayed the struggles of living in New York City's Queensbridge Houses where Havoc grew up. Following the release of ''

'', Mobb Deep became some of the most prolific artists of the East Coast. The album title was inspired by a friend Yamit, a

Golden Gloves The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States, where they are awarded a belt and a ring. And the title of nations champion is awarded. The Golden Gloves is a term used to refer to the Nationa ...

boxer, who resided on Havoc's block in Queensbridge. Prodigy noted " amithad 'The Most Infamous' tattooed on his biceps in black ink. We were already Mobb Deep, but he dubbed us the Infamous Mobb Deep." The production of this album was very dark and sample-based thanks to Havoc, who produced the beats from this point forward, although Q-Tip also contributed to the production and mixing. Furthermore, the hit single " Shook Ones Part II," a remix to the hit "Shook Ones," received critical acclaim. In 2020, ''

'' was hailed by

as one of the

500 Greatest Albums of All Time * Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time * NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is a 2013 special issue of British magazine '' NME'', available digitally or in newsstands on October 23. The li ...

. Mobb Deep's third album, '' Hell on Earth'' was released in 1996, debuting at number six on the Billboard Album Chart; the album continued the duo's portrayal of harsh street life while further pushing them to the forefront of Hip Hop scene along with contemporary East Coast Rappers like The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z,

LL Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...

Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close a ...

and fellow Queensbridge rapper Nas. Nas as well as

Method Man Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half of ...

Ghostface Killah Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 C ...

and

Raekwon Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream succe ...

of Wu-Tang Clan appear on ''Hell on Earth''. In 1996, they appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD, '' America is Dying Slowly'', alongside

Biz Markie Marcel Theo Hall (April 8, 1964 – July 16, 2021), known professionally as Biz Markie, was an American rapper, singer, songwriter, DJ, and record producer. Markie was best known for his 1989 single " Just a Friend", which became a Top 40 hit ...

and Fat Joe, among many other prominent hip hop artists. This compilation was solely meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men, and this compilation was heralded as "a masterpiece" by '' The Source'' magazine. In 1997, Mobb Deep was featured on Frankie Cutlass ''Politics & Bullsh*t'' album track title, "Know Da Game," which also featured Kool G Rap. In 1998, the duo collaborated with reggae dancehall artist Bounty Killer on the track "Deadly Zone" for the soundtrack to ''

Blade A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Historica ...

'', and were a featured artist on the remix of

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the ...

's single "

The Roof (Back in Time) "The Roof (Back in Time)" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, taken from her sixth studio album, ''Butterfly'' (1997). It was released as the third single from the album in Europe, on March 16, 1998, by Columbia Records. Simil ...

," which was based around a sample of "Shook Ones Part II". In 1999, they released the '' Murda Muzik'' album which, despite extensive bootlegging, had the majority of its songs unintentionally leaked. This resulted in delays in the official album release. When the album was officially released, it eventually debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and quickly received

Platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...

certification and was further promoted by the popular single "

Quiet Storm Quiet storm is a radio format and genre of R&B, performed in a smooth, romantic, jazz-influenced style. It was named after the title song on Smokey Robinson's 1975 album '' A Quiet Storm''. The radio format was pioneered in 1976 by Melvin Lind ...

". Shortly afterward, Prodigy released his solo album '' H.N.I.C'' in which he collaborated with fellow artists like ( B.G., N.O.R.E.) and producers (including The Alchemist,

Rockwilder Dana Stinson (born February 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Rockwilder, is an American hip hop record producer and rapper. A long term friend of Def Jam rapper Redman, Rockwilder got his start producing for East Coast hip hop artists ...

and Just Blaze).

East Coast vs West Coast feud

Mobb Deep was part of the infamous East Coast vs West Coast hip hop rivalry, that was fueled and increasingly promoted by the private media. The beef started when Snoop Dogg and the West Coast group, Tha Dogg Pound, released "

New York, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

." Mobb Deep, along with Capone-N-Noreaga and Tragedy Khadafi, responded with the song " L.A L.A" (This song can be found on Capone-N-Noreaga's debut album '' The War Report''). "

L.A. L.A. ''L.A. L.A.'' is a compilation album of the best of the music recorded by Stiv Bators at the Bomp! Records studios (other than his 1980 LP, '' Disconnected'') before and after his involvement with the Lords of the New Church when he was attemptin ...

" was released during rapper

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

's final days of incarceration. Members of Tupac's group,

Outlawz Outlawz (formerly known as Outlaw Immortalz) are an American hip hop group founded by rapper Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after Shakur's release from prison. Collectively, they were best known for their association with Shakur. Most of the group m ...

, allegedly attended a Mobb Deep concert; they then visited with Tupac over public rumoring that the duo had snubbed them at the concert. Tupac dissed Mobb Deep on multiple tracks, including: " Hit 'Em Up" and "When We Ride on Our Enemies" in which Tupac makes light of Prodigy's sickle-cell disease. Additional Tupac diss tracks include: "Bomb First (My Second Reply)" where Tupac said "You're barely breathin and "Against All Odds," both of which were released on Tupac's posthumous studio album, '' The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory''. Mobb Deep retaliated on their 1996 release of '' Hell on Earth'', which contains a diss track entitled " Drop a Gem on 'Em". "I was happy about it," Havoc told Jack Thriller. "The nigga saying our names. I didn't know what the fuck the beef was about. I didn't even care. I was like damn, did you hear that?

2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

dissing us. We about to sell some records." Havoc also revealed that Mobb Deep had never even "crossed paths" with Shakur before his death in September 1996. He added, "And we never got a chance to cross paths with him because he passed away," he said. "I saw him from a long distance but I never met him. was aFan, but didn't even know him."

2000–2010

Mobb Deep released '' Infamy'' while in 2001 the song "

Burn A burn is an injury to skin, or other tissues, caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or ultraviolet radiation (like sunburn). Most burns are due to heat from hot liquids (called scalding), solids, or fire. Burns occur mainl ...

" (featuring

Vita Vita or VITA (plural vitae) is Latin for "life", and may refer to: * ''Vita'', the usual start to the title of a biography in Latin, by which (in a known context) the work is often referred to; frequently of a saint, then called hagiography * Vit ...

) was perceived as a response to Jay-Z's diss song "Takeover" on '' The Blueprint'', as was "Crawlin'," in which Prodigy's two verses both mention Jay-Z. The album marked a major stylistic change in which the duo moved away from a raw, minimalist, stripped-down beat toward a commercial friendly in terms with such songs as " Hey Luv (Anything)." This transition fostered accusations of " selling out." In 2003, the group split with Loud Records and released '' Free Agents: The Murda Mixtape'', in which Havoc and

proclaimed themselves " free agents" and addressed the group's split with its old label and its search for a new label.

signed the duo later in the year through a deal with the group's own imprint. Mobb Deep then released ''

Amerikaz Nightmare ''Amerikaz Nightmare'' is the sixth studio album by hip-hop duo Mobb Deep. The album was released on Jive Records, through a deal with the group's own imprint. It features the singles " Got It Twisted" and " Real Gangstaz." The album debuted ...

'' in 2004. The record sold poorly and led to the group's departure from the label. Today, as a result of various mergers, all of Mobb Deep's studio albums from 1995 to 2004 are owned by

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

G-Unit Records

In June 2005, Mobb Deep announced they had signed with G-Unit Records. Fellow Queens-bred rapper

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...

had a personal connection to Mobb Deep, and Havoc provided production on tracks by G-Unit,

Lloyd Banks Christopher Charles Lloyd (born April 30, 1982), better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper. He began his career as a member of East Coast hip hop group G-Unit, alongside childhood friends 50 Cent and Tony Yayo. After ...

The Game The Game or The Games may refer to: Sports and games * The Game (dice game) (German: ''Das Spiel''), a dice game designed by Reinhold Wittig * The Game (mind game), a mind game, the objective of which is to avoid thinking about The Game itself * ...

, and Tony Yayo. Mobb Deep released their seventh album, Blood Money in 2006. It features G-Unit members

, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck, as well as Mary J. Blige and Nate Dogg. In 2006, Mobb Deep became the first American hip hop duo to perform in India, via VH1's Hip Hop Hustle. In late 2009, Mobb Deep were released from their contract with G Unit.

2011–2017: Break-up, reunion, ''The Infamous Mobb Deep'' and death of Prodigy

On April 4, 2011, Mobb Deep released a new single called "Dog Shit," featuring rapper Nas. This was the first official song by Mobb Deep since Prodigy's release from jail. It was produced by Havoc and The Alchemist. On July 27, 2012, Havoc told AllHipHop in an interview that the group was on an indefinite hiatus. According to HipHopDX, Mobb Deep had a falling out after Havoc blasted Prodigy on

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, and eventually, a sound clip leaked of him taking numerous shots at his former Mobb Deep partner during their concert at

SXSW South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, ...

. At first, Havoc claimed that he was hacked. However, he later confirmed it was him and that he had originally denied it because he felt that Twitter was not a place to resolve a beef. He also stated that he had a diss track aimed at Prodigy in the making, "Same Shit Different Day". The song later turned out to be "Separated (Real from the Fake)," which appeared on Havoc's solo album ''13''. However, in January 2013 Prodigy said that he was sure he would record with Havoc in the future. Mobb Deep appeared on Papoose's debut album '' The Nacirema Dream'' on the track "Aim, Shoot". They later reunited and performed for Paid Dues on March 30, 2013; they went on an international 20th-anniversary tour starting in May 2013. On March 22, 2013, the group officially reunited for an interview and explained that music was the most important thing in their lives and that they had been friends for too long to break up the friendship. Mobb Deep 2013

Around the May 2013 release of Havoc's third studio album, '' 13'', Havoc announced that he and Prodigy had been in the studio for over a month working on the duo's eighth studio album which was already "halfway done". He also stated that he will be doing the entire production on the album. On April 1, 2014, the group released its eighth studio album, '' The Infamous Mobb Deep'', a double album that included one CD with original new music and one with unreleased tracks from sessions from ''The Infamous''. On June 20, 2017, Prodigy died from accidental choking in Las Vegas, Nevada, while hospitalized for complications caused by sickle cell anemia.

Legacy

Mobb Deep helped popularize the 1990s slang called the "Dunn language," a term first recorded in the 1999 single "

," in which

raps: "you's a dick blower, outryin' to speak the Dunn Language?/ "what's the drilly" with that though? "It aint bangin"/ you hooked on Mobb phonics, Infamous 'bonics." The term "dunn" supposedly originated in the Queensbridge housing projects with an acquaintance of Prodigy's, Bumpy, whose speech impediment prevented him from pronouncing the letter "S," such as in "son." The impediment encouraged him to put the tongue on the two front teeth/palate, making a 'th' or a 'd' sound. Mobb Deep has attempted to claim ownership of this body of slang; additionally, they were going to release an album called ''The Dunn Language'', in 2002, but the project was shelved, due to label issues. On September 15, 2018, during an interview for ''HipHop4Real'', Havoc stated that he was working on a new album Mobb Deep, which would be the duo's latest album. He is also working on a joint project Mobb Deep with The Alchemist, announced a few years ago. In December 2019, Havoc went on a "Murda Muzik 20th Anniversary Tour" with Big Noyd and L.E.S.

Discography

Studio albums

* '' Juvenile Hell'' (1993) * ''

'' (1995) * '' Hell on Earth'' (1996) * '' Murda Muzik'' (1999) * '' Infamy'' (2001) * ''

'' (2004) * '' Blood Money'' (2006) * '' The Infamous Mobb Deep'' (2014)

Compilation albums

* '' Life of the Infamous: The Best of Mobb Deep'' (2006) * '' The Infamous Archives'' (2007) * ''The Infamous Instrumentals'' (2008) * '' The Safe Is Cracked'' (2009)

Mixtapes

* ''Back from a Hiatus'' (1998) * '' Free Agents: The Murda Mixtape'' (2003) * ''The Mix Tape Before 9/11'' (2004) * ''The New Mobb Deep'' (2004) * ''G-Unit Radio, Pt. 17: Best in the Bizness'' (2006) * ''G-Unit Radio, Pt. 20: Best in the Bizness: Part 2'' (2006)

Extended plays (EPs)

* '' Black Cocaine'' (2011) * ''The Realest Duo w/ DJ Rapsin'' (2015) * ''The Infamous (25th Anniversary Expanded Edition)'' (2020)

Video Game Appearances

Mobb Deep appear as themselves as playable characters in '' Def Jam: Fight For NY''.

References

External links

* *
Interview with Prodigy
- Prodigy Interview of 2006, Hip Hop Publication
Prodigy Interview of 2007, Hip Hop Publication
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mobb Deep 1990 establishments in New York City 2017 disestablishments in New York (state) African-American musical groups American musical duos Five percenters G-Unit Records artists American hip hop groups Hip hop duos Hip hop groups from New York City Island Records artists Jive Records artists Loud Records artists Musical groups disestablished in 2017 Musical groups established in 1990 Musical groups from Queens, New York Gangsta rap groups High School of Art and Design alumni People from Long Island City, Queens