Tajuan Perry must be really good pals with Mobb Deep. How else would you explain him popping up as much as he did on the vast majority of their albums? His early verses in particular, back when Mobb Deep half Havoc actually knew what he was doing behind the boards, really stick out, as he was putting a lot of thought behind the brags & stories he told in those rhymes. Matter of fact, his reintroduction to the game is widely regarded as one of the best verses in hip hop history, no bullshit. That verse alone impressed Tommy ain't my motherfuckin' Boy (Thanks, Max!) enough to come galloping towards Mr. Noyd with dollar signs in their glazed-over eyes. And with the strong emotional support group that Mobb Deep commanded back then, Big Noyd was set for very big things, indeed.
Until he got locked up before the album was finished.
I can only imagine how a label as fucking eager as Tommy Boy to screw a rap artist would react to such circumstances, especially in the 90s. And, since Big Noyd was not yet a household name, Tommy Boy went with the shortest contractual obligation possible: by releasing the songs previously recorded as a mere EP. Big Noyd's career never recovered from that. OK, now that that's out of the way, let's discuss the actual music at hand, shall we?
Since Noyd was introduced to the game by Mobb Deep, who were riding a big wave of success from their sophomore album The Infamous, off which Noyd contributed the aforementioned classic verse on Give Up The Goods (Just Step), and since Havoc of said Mobb Deep's sound was beginning to carve out quite the sizable lane in hip hop back then, it only made perfect sense that Noydy here worked almost exclusively with Havoc for his shortened solo debut. What Mr. Noyd didn't plan, however, was that Tommy Boy were smart in their selection of the finalized EP tracks, as almost all of them featured Prodigy of Mobb Deep contributing a verse or even a hook. Thank you, fuckfaces. That was real nice of y'all. Also, this EP marks the first official introduction of Mobb Deep's weed carrier group known as the Infamous Mobb, which may not be the momentous occasion I'm apparently writing it up to be, although that depends on how much of a fan of Mobb Deep you actually are.
Onwards.
IT'S ON YOU
Skit.
THE PRECINCT (INTERLUDE)
Skit!!!!
RECOGNIZE & REALIZE (PART 1) (FEATURING PRODIGY OF MOBB DEEP)
The lead single. Nice move, Tommy Boy. You had to pick the least polished song from the shit. Oh well. It certainly helps that Havoc is on fucking fire behind the boards, which drives Noydy and Berty here into a lyrical frenzy as they attempt to refreshingly outdo each other on wax. The song, while in relatively low quality, sounds great. Nice!
ALL PRO (FEATURING INFAMOUS MOBB AND PRODIGY OF MOBB DEEP)
I present to you the iffiest Kejuan Muchita beat from his peak period, a beat which I still prefer over all of his current shit. All of it. Anyways, this sounds as though it was recorded back when Twin Scarface was alive, as Godfather Part 3 (No, really. That's his fucking rap name. Lucked out there, eh?) sticks to adlibs. Oh, and Prodigy and Noyd sound terrific on here.
INFAMOUS MOBB (FEATURING PRODIGY OF MOBB DEEP)
Tommy Boy! What the fuck are you doing naming this song after them when they don't appear on the shit? What?! The song was already mixed by Havoc that way?! Then, he must've been coked out of his ass, something he proves on that unintentionally funny-ass hook. Prodigy keeps his wits about him as he delivers some introductory bars a la Raekwon on Ghostface Killah's Motherless Child. Also, similar to that song, Noyd then unleashes a one-verse wonder of threats that sounds pretty good and convincing. After which Kejuan here graces us once again with his dazzling display of balance, as he tries to keep his coked ass from falling to the goddamn booth floor before finishing that travesty of a hook. His beat was crazy nice, though.
INTERROGATION (INTERLUDE)
SKIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
USUAL SUSPECT (FEATURING PRODIGY OF MOBB DEEP)
Now this should've been the lead single. Too bad it's the second one. Anyways, this shit sounds straight up fun. Big Noyd weaves in and out of the fairly decent Havoc beat like he was born there. Berty apparently couldn't contain his excitement at Noydy's performance and decides to step in the booth and shout out some of the Mobb's crew in rhyme. You have no idea how refreshing that is, coming from the RZAs, the Bustas and the Fat Joes, ruining a beat with their 45.5 hours of shoutouts on every fucking song.
EPISODES OF A HUSTLA (FEATURING PRODIGY OF MOBB DEEP)
If you are a fan of Mobb Deep and somehow haven't heard this song: close this page, go to YouTube and look this song up. This song has that Havoc beat that will slip you outside of the real world and into a trance if you keep listening to it too much. Prodigy sticks with hook duties here, and Tajuan unleashes three excellent verses that show you why he was chosen to be involved so much in the Mobb's music. So, yeah, this song is the shit.
RECOGNIZE & REALIZE (PART 2) (FEATURING MOBB DEEP)
Mobb Deep collaborate properly with their protege. Which simply means that Havoc finally spits his only verse, a proper verse, of the EP. Big Noyd and Prodigy rehash some of the rhymes used on the first version, only that by the time you take notice of said issue, you're already enjoying this shit. Besides, they come with all new rhymes that are just as good later on in the song. This ranks right up there with any Mobb Deep classic cut in their vast catalog.
I DON'T WANNA LOVE AGAIN (FEATURING SE'KOU)
I don't know who this Se'Kou chick is, but she threw me off with her crooning after the hook when I first heard this song. Noydy crops up later on here, spitting an admittedly pretty damn good verse in dedication of a fallen comrade. Havoc's beat sounds appropiately somber, which adds to the theme of loss all present are trying to convey here. Didn't know Noyd had this side to him when I first heard this. Nicely done.
USUAL SUSPECT (STRETCH ARMSTRONG REMIX) (FEATURING PRODIGY OF MOBB DEEP)
Even though it says Stretch Armstrong remixed this song, this sounds so much like a Havoc beat that I don't even mind, especially when this version has a more melodic beat than the original. Which isn't that strange since the beat does sample Isaac Hayes, melody extraordinaire. The lyrics remain unchanged, however. I take my statement about the original being lead single material back, as this should've been the lead single.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
It's a damn shame no one copped this back when it first came out, due to the phenomenal job the fuckfaces at Tommy Boy did in promoting this EP. And thank y'all oh so very much for filling this shit up with all those very necessary skits, which contributed oh so very much to the artistic growth of poor Noyd as an MC. Do I sound a bit bitter? You goddamn right I am! Because this EP belongs right up there with Mobb Deep's absolute finest work. Havoc was still a beast behind the boards, and Prodigy played the Tragedy to Noyd's CNN, appearing on 99.999% of the songs present. Both MCs knock the shit out of the park every damn time, which is to be expected of the Mobb back when their chemistry was at its peak. Said chemistry was to continue on Mobb Deep's following release, Hell On Earth, on which a freshly-released-from-prison Noyd is all too happy to reclaim the role of the Mobb's head weed carrier.
WORTH IT? I just wrote that the Mobb were at their peak during the crafting of the songs on this EP. That should automatically translate to go get this shit now. Big Noyd would never sound this good on his own again.
TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
ARMED AND DANGEROUS
Dear fuckfaces at Tommy Boy,
Wouldn't this song have fit better on the 11-track tracklist than any of the three fucking skits present? Of course, my prior statement would only be true if this song bangs, and boy does it ever. Havoc samples Roy Ayers' We Live In Brooklyn Baby, a sample which I will always associate with Smif-N-Wessun as their take on it is the stuff of legend, to great effect. The beat provides Big Noyd the necessary canvas to paint his patented rhymes of street tales. Allow me to add that his calm & slow delivery rips the beat to shreds and forces you to pay attention to his awesome verses. Particularly, the first verse is a tale of revenge reminiscent of Cormega's Dead Man Walking. Noyd's tale is even more impressive since he told said song's entire story without leaving any detail out within one verse. Damn shame that this song only exists in poor quality, but thankfully not too poor, which allows you to hear Noyd and Hav do their motherfucking thing. Loved the Prodigy adlibs in the beginning, too.
More Mobb Deep...
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