Mobb Deep - Murda Muzik (August 17, 1999)

It's been almost three months, and the gaping wound left by the sudden death of Albert Johnson bka the immortal Prodigy from the timeless Mobb Deep is still fresh. Add that to the deaths of various truly beloved figures across the entertainment spectrum, including but most definitely not limited to the legendary June Foray, the legendary George Romero, the legendary Don Rickles, Sir Roger Moore, Sir John Hurt, Bill Paxton, Charlie Murphy, John Heard, Miguel Ferrer, Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington and you have what is shaping up to be a pretty shitty 2017 in pop culture.

Nevertheless, I'm writing this review to attempt to highlight just why many hip hop lovers took such a liking to P's work, whether as a solo artist in albums like his fairly-awesome debut or within the infinitely more consumed world of his Mobb Deep days. And today, I might be tackling his most curious contribution to the unit yet, that of the massive headscratcher that is Murda Muzik.

Murda Muzik began life as a direct response to the reaction people had to Prodigy's solo moves, which started around the same time. Namely, Mobb Deep wanted to prove that even though P was making a solo album, they were not breaking up by any means. One would be stupid to ignore the kind of chemistry these two snots displayed when applying their by-now revered formula of Hav's sinister beats driving P's harrowing rhymes, themselves in turn driving Hav to feebly try to catch up to P's lyricism, which can result in impressive performances on Hav's part, but only just. So seeing as they achieved the impossible and delivered two undisputed classic albums only one year apart, they stuck to the plan for their third album, scheduled for an early '99 release. Thing is, the internet happened.

An early version of Murda Muzik was leaked on the new medium and the shit was bootlegged to all hell. This scared the everliving bejesus outta the fuckheads at Loud Records, who immediately sent their two artists back into the studio, locked the door and told them that they'll throw all their candy away unless they came up with as many new songs for the album as possible. Naturally, quality control suffered greatly as a result, but being that we're talking about Mobb friggin' Deep here, there must be some quality produced in those new sessions, right?

In any case, the final Murda Muzik draft was an amalgamation of new and leaked tracks thrown haphazardly together and yet it still became Mobb Deep's biggest commercial success, selling one million copies stateside in a mere two months. Many believe that the inclusion of the leaked Whites Lines, now branded Quiet Storm, played a significant part in that, especially when it was remixed into a club banger with gyrating club hit extraordinaire Lil Kim providing a feature many critics lauded to be her very best, an endorsement I will review later. Heartwarming stuff, really. The question remains, though: Is the actual album that good?

Murda Muzik, boy/girl (pick one):

INTRO
Sampling Reagan's infamous speech (pun very much intended). Next!

STREETS RAISED ME (FEATURING BIG NOYD & CHINKY)
What the fuck is this?! Havoc produces a straight garbage beat that bears its warty, smelly ass and takes the messiest shit one can think of over Hav's past brilliance as a producer. This, truly, is a clear-as-crystal example of how Hav's lazy productions impacted P's lyrical fall from grace. Even though you definitely hear the late legend's desperate efforts at saving this song with some grim imagery provided by him and unofficial third Mobb Deep member Tajuan Perry bka Big Noyd aka Noydy aka Pizza Dude. Hav's lyrics? Oh they're DOA for damn sure. Former LovHer member Talia Burgess bka Chinky's R&B is, you know what? I think I'll refrain from saying anything about her. I really don't want to bash something P's involved in this close after his death but he kept it real all the way with his fans, so it's only right that I do the same. Fuck this song.

WHAT'S YA POISON (FEATURING CORMEGA)
Now THAT'S more like it! Hav snaps out of whatever drug stupor he was on the last track to give us a splendid return to his patented haunting sampling choices, this time a piano loop that invokes a sense of dread like only his beats can. Nevertheless, P's lyrics are still traumatized from the previous beat he rhymed on, so his contribution's merely alright. Which is way more than I can say for Hav's rhymes: The man has truly lost all hope in redeeming himself on that particular front if these rhymes so far are anything to go by. However, just in case you thought you were getting treated to another sewage cake of a song, Cormy steps in and repays P for what he did on Killaz Theme off his delayed debut. (I know this song actually came out in 2001 but it wasn't supposed to. My point stands.) No lie, this verse is the true reason people finally started taking Cormy seriously as a legitimate lyricist as he blacks out and gives you the full course: Wit, imagery, introspection, flow, multisyllables, it's all here. Thereby singlehandedly revitalizing your interest in this album. I reiterate my belief that this song would've served better within Cormy's discography while Killaz Theme is a better Mobb Deep track. What? I'm a stubborn asshole and you love it.

SPREAD LOVE
Can't fault Hav's beat for this one, though. He did bring out a very rare Nina Urbano sample that sets the tone nicely for the duo to smash a home run. They don't, though, as they set the song off with one cringeworthy back and forth, followed by worse rhymes from Hav and even worse rhymes from P himself. Seriously, only God knows what son was on when he wrote this, because there ain't no chance in hell that he'd let this shit fly whilst sober. This song puts P's descent on full display, which will break your heart into a million pieces.

LET A HO BE A HO
So we got another Hav solo where he spews misogyny like only he can, as if we didn't get our fill from More Trife Life. At least More Trife Life had a semi-decent beat, because God help whoever heard this piece of primate diarrhea. I guess he believed in his core that songs like this will get him over with the fair sex. I really do. Had this song been a person, you'd've ripped his wisdom teeth out with your bare hands. You may take comfort in the fact that you will not hear another song on this album that's nearly as shitty as this one.

I'M GOING OUT (FEATURING LIL CEASE)
Hav laces the beat with a Miklos Rozsa acoustic loop that should drive the three rappers present to reach for their lyrical heat. Keyword: Should. Well, at least P shows more sobriety in his writing as his flow improves drastically. Sadly, you're still left with some uninspired threats being prattled off to your infinite boredom. At least his hook had a clever thought, right? Yeah, that was true until Hav runs that scheme into the ground with his unimaginative attempts at being witty. And Lil Cease is Lil Cease, what the fuck were you expecting?! When will the onslaught of crap end?

ALLUSTRIOUS
Goofy title and asinine hook aside, this song is clearly one of the leaked joints. How, you ask? Because this track houses the first Prodigy performance on this album that will blow you the fuck away. Never mind Havoc's above-average opening verse (itself miles ahead of anything he spit so far here), This is the Prodigy I choose to remember, elevating his threat game to legitimate poetry levels through expert use of vivid imagery over an organ-heavy instrumental perfectly placed by Havoc for him to wreck. Shit is so good you'll be glad to hear Havoc return with his lyrics revised to compete with his partner, only for P to reclaim the track again with a trademark verse that's actually hilarious in its dismissal of rap rivals. This was refreshing to say the least!

ADRENALINE
Some more sampled organs from a Steve Hackett gem, sounding even better than the previous track. Lyrics are a different story, though. Every time you come close to writing either rapper's verses off, they say something that grabs your attention. Nowhere is this more apparent than the third verse, where Prodigy goes on a redundant-as-fuck tangent for the first few bars only to return with chilling descriptions in the remaining portion of said verse. The whole song's weird like that. Oh well, you'll enjoy the overall package.

WHERE YA FROM (FEATURING 8-BALL)
For the very first time on a Mobb Deep album, Hav relinquishes production duties to someone not from New York: Here it's T-Mix, main producer of In Our Lifetime, the fourth opus of revered Memphis hip hop tag team 8-Ball & MJG. Me personally? I haven't heard enough from that particular duo to form a decisive opinion on them, but this song is a stark departure from what you'd expect from the Queens duo. Not to say this song is bad or anything, far from it: T-Mix and 8-Ball do their respective parts so well that this sounds like a dope-as-fuck 8-Ball song that just so happens to feature Mobb Deep. Speaking of which, our duo are a smidge better than the album's usual here with no real slip ups yet no true eye-opening quotables. Doesn't fit the album at all but still very fucking dope.

QUIET STORM
Ah yes. Quite possibly the greatest example of Prodigy's lyrical superiority over your average-joe platinum sellers. Seriously, since this song was already a perfect Prodigy solo joint way before Murda Muzik was finished, Hav had no choice but to relegate himself to the hook while clearing the room for P to wreck shit over the menacing result of a Melle Mel-Smokey Robinson mashup. And wreck shit, P definitely did: This is my personal favorite Prodigy song. Everything one could ever like about the man's rhyming is abundantly present here. Three verses filled to the brim with imagery, wordplay, wit, etc. Resulting in quotables galore for every hip hop fan lucky enough to hear this. If you ever had any passing interest in dude and you've never heard this song (very highly unlikely as that may be), you cannot let this song pass you by.

WHERE YA HEART AT
With this beat, Havoc opens a window into the dreary world of introspection utilizing a somber as all hell Sade classic. And trust me: When you dangle such a well prepped meal in front of Prodigy, introspective motherfucker that he was, you can bet your bottom lip he's devouring the chance leaving zero leftovers for whatever poor soul that dared to share the mic with him. Oddly enough, even Havoc gives a serious attempt at introspection, only to return to the same old spiel he's been spewing all album long just before the end of his first verse. Oh all right, I'll let him slide this time. Hell, I don't even need to. You will adore this track on the strength of P's two verses filled to the brim with grim imagery, nihilism and damning threats. The best part of the whole song, however, is his tear-jerking hook. A master stroke, its inclusion completes the circle of despair these two drew with their contributions. You can never run out of ways to describe pain and suffering, and despite many people shying away from it, it's an essential emotion to convey in art. As far as I'm concerned, hip hop ain't no different in that regard.

NOYD INTERLUDE

Exactly what the title says. Skip.

CAN'T FUCK WIT (FEATURING RAEKWON)

Oh dear. Havoc's back at it again with his dangerous attempts to utterly ruin his legacy as a producer. What's more, his half-assery seems to be the driving force behind the entire track, so yeah you're screwed as his verse and especially his hook are sewer rat vomit. This is one disastrous attempt at flossing from the Mobb, and yes, P's once again the laziest rapper on the shit. But really, can you blame him?! Bless Cheffy's heart, though. He really thought this was a track worth his efforts as he turns in the best flossing performance on here. Nothing to be proud about but still, one of the few times where Rae outperforms others on the same song. And it's Mobb Deep so I guess that has to count for something, right? Right?

THUG MUZIK (FEATURING INFAMOUS MOBB & CHINKY)
Former Whooligan and Soul Assassins protégé Alan Maman bka internet favorite the Alchemist was brought to the Mobb's attention through Big Twins, who along with Ty Nitty and Godfather Pt.3 (still can't get over how stupid that pseudonym is), comprise Infamous Mobb, Mobb Deep's weed carrier team. And thank God he did, because therein began one of the most fruitful relationships in hip hop history in Prodigy and the Alchemist. The two would become so dependent on each other's musical talents that over time they'd actually fail to make good music with anyone else. I can barely stand a vast majority of Al's beats today, unless he's producing P. Something just takes over him and he rediscovers that prodigious ear he honed so long ago. And vice versa with P, because over time, it seemed he would save his best rhymes for Alchemist beats only. Anyway, here Al was still in proving grounds, so he gave the Mobb a breathtaking instrumental composed from various George Winston piano cuts. So naturally, the whole team decided to get in on the action. Which means you'll receive another Chinky hook (I'm serious about not badmouthing this person. She is an awesome human being in real life for sticking with P to the end.) Part 3's up first and you gotta hand it to him, the man did not slack with his pen back then. At best, he comes off as a more subdued Prodigy, if that's even possible, although the bite in P's lyrics is just that much more venomous. Ty Nitty, widely known as the worst rapper in his trio comes with a verse that validates why he's regarded as such in the worst way possible. Thankfully, Big Twins, the best rhymer outta the three, set the track straight with his introspective thuggery, cut a bit too short to make way for a surprise Prodigy verse that closes the evening out. And guess what? He cleans house, making sure that you forget each and every lyric said before he stepped up to the microphone. So all in all, he will force you to enjoy this song.

MURDA MUZIK
The title track clearly sound s like it was recorded way back during the album's early development stages, as the P you hear here sounds very much like his Hell On Earth self. And as such, you now know that you're in for another Prodigy shutout over the very simple-yet-very effective Havoc beat. Seriously, this song has P locked in quotable mode as he spits a jaw-dropping 40 bars filled to the brim with that shit you're addicted to from him. Poor Havoc is left to pick up the pieces with a verse that embarrassingly pales in comparison. Oh well, still a dope-ass song.

THE REALEST (FEATURING KOOL G RAP)
The first song Alchemist played for Mobb deep, timelessly utilizing a short, sped-up Ecstasy, Passion & Pain loop. Now, I know that Prodigy thrives on these sounds and trust me, he does. Brilliantly so, even. And Havoc also uncharacteristically gives you a valiant contribution that ain't nothing to be sniffed at. But this is the Kool G Rap show all the fucking way. There is no way you'll be able to hear the Mobb's verses from your first time listening to this gem, because you'll be too busy picking up your jaw from the floor at G Rap's opening verse. No lie, even if the Mobb had been fucking terrible, I still cannot recommend this song to you enough simply on the strength of G Rap's timeless contribution. What's even more amazing is that he wrote his shit in a mere 45 minutes, then one-taked the shit and went about his merry way! By far, his most famous guest verse. As I said, though, Hav gave a very decent verse and P held his own against the legend very impressively, with his verse here among his own all-time favorite performances of his. And you'll damn sure love it, too. My favorite song on the album by a country goddamn mile.

U.S.A. (AIIGHT THEN)
Oh no. Very bad Mobb Deep. This ear rape is produced by the abysmal trio of Epitome, Shamello and hey! Budda! Welcome back to BBR, man! Long time no diss! Yeah, because this clubby shit is exactly what I wanted to hear the Mobb on! I was really fiendin to hear Prodigy give us an ass sing-songy hook, with some more shamefully thought-out floss spewing from our duo! Because Lord knows this album didn't have enough flossy shit on it! Yeah, they sure sounded in their element on this one! (If you can't tell, fuck this song.)

IT'S MINE (FEATURING NAS)
Well, this song might confuse you. On one hand, Hav's beat, sampling Giorgio Moroder's magnificent Scarface score, and P's verse here are bananas. On the other, Havoc and longtime collaborator Nas (in full Nastradamus-era descent) are absolutely cringeworthy with their lyrical contributions. Nas gets extra fuck you points for that hook. Why did he ever insist on singing on every goddamn song he made back then??!! You let P walk all over you, Esco, so you only got yourself to blame. All in all, yeah, a headscratcher, albeit one I like.

QUIET STORM (REMIX) (FEATURING LIL KIM)
Same beat, with an all-new P verse as well as added verses from Hav and Little Kimberly. Unfortunately, P's rhymes here achieve the exact opposite of what he did on the original, with bars that appear as if written by an 8-year old on quaaludes. Hav being his boring ass self, of course. As for Little Kimberly? I told you I'll come back to her and everyone lauding her contribution here: I couldn't give less of a roach's butthole how good she was here. That whore, along with her like, is the embodiment of misogyny in rap, and her "critically lauded" verse reflects that ever so shamelessly. Seriously, she can go fuck herself into oblivion for all I care. I also could give less of a flea crap what this remix did for Mobb Deep's popularity, the original is realities ahead of this garbage. Such a disappointment that you ended this album on such a low note, you two.

FINAL THOUGHTS
This album really illustrates the importance of knowing how to pick your singles, because without Quiet Storm it can drag, especially on the duo's forced attempts at reaching the club audience. And no, this putrid reach out was not exclusive to the final version of the album, because songs like USA (Aiight Then) were part of the bootlegged version! Not to say that Quiet Storm was the final album's lone high point, far from it. Some songs on here truly continue building on the Mobb's impressive hit rate successfully, with epic levels of chemistry between Hav's beats and P's lyrics. Side note: There's way too few Big Noyd bars on this shit. I am of the resolute belief that he brought out that little bit extra outta the Mobb back then, especially since, once again, he's the unofficial third Mobb member for my money. Back to P for a bit: Many people feel that this album, along with his debut more than a year later, are the last times where P lyrically contributed anything worthwhile. Now while fans like myself may argue that due to his exceptional material with the Alchemist later on, one thing can not be denied: Havoc definitely slacked on them boards first, producing beats that are so beneath him it's frustrating. But to his credit, Murda Muzik still had some serious heaters. Hell, two of my favorite songs on the effing thing, Adrenaline and especially Where Ya Heart At, are actually post-bootleg additions and among his finest beats ever. All in all, I truly believe that if you really want the clearest picture of just what makes Prodigy such a revered MC, aside from the albums I already reviewed, then Murda Muzik & HNIC should be treated strictly as companion pieces. That way, you'll accurately witness the glorious sunset of P's lyricism, highs and lows alike.

WORTH IT? The answer is a resounding: "Fuck yes", despite 8 of Murda Muzik's 17 songs being an earsore. You already craved that good P shit way before the legend passed, so you damn sure gonna need all the quality he put out now.

But the question you're asking yourself now is: "We've always heard word that the bootleg version trumps this one easily, and now you're telling us they're largely the same version?! Then what were all those fans of said bootleg talking about??!!"

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
FEEL MY GAT BLOW
Well, songs like this, silly! This little gem, drafted after the album's bootleg to the OST of the surprisingly competent Slam flick nobody saw, houses one of the most relentless beats Havoc has ever composed. Granted, it ain't as sinister, but who the hell cares? This one will thump satisyingly well in your sound system of choice. The whole meal is made even sweeter with Hav's awesome hook. Both Mobb members showcase some infectious chemistry, with P naturally outshining Hav in a most convincing fashion. Question for the shithead who bootlegged Murda Muzik: Why wasn't Let A Ho Be A Ho leaked instead of this gem??!!

THRILL ME (FEATURING BIG NOYD)

People lamenting Pizza Dude's absence on Murda Muzik absolutely can not be more justified in this particular case, as this song is by no small margin the best motherfucking collaboration between the trio. Havoc brings you a fantastically claustrophobic instrumental upon which you witness P and Noyd unleashed at their very best. Sure, Hav tries to keep up as usual, but by now you're probably used to him getting left in the dust. Weird that Pizza Dude shouts out Where Ya Heart At when P mentioned it as an added track in his autobiography. At this point, you've already stopped caring about such analities as you bang this shit for the millionth time. If you were any type of Mobb fan at any point in your life, erasing this song from your brain is impossible.

MOBB OF STEEL (FEATURING BIG NOYD)

I know what I said in the previous paragraph. Since when did that mean I can't like other songs by these three? Once again, this is a beat from Hav that isn't hampered in the slightest just because it's not what you'd call dark. Which immediately reflects on all three involved as they launch into more of their BNB. Prodigy effectively establishes his dominance over the others in a way you've already read on this site so many times I sound  like a damn broken record. But the reality is heads face here is yes, he really was that damn good.

PYRAMID POINTS (FEATURING BIG NOYD)

Now this is straight up violence rap! Hav brings a melodic plodding instrumental that seems to give away a vibe of menace. All three members of the Mobb (because come on, look at how many tracks the duo did with Pizza Dude! You lumped RAGU together so why not these three?! What do you mean you don't feel like it?!) unleash their threats in an almost stream-of-consciousness ease, and their enthusiasm succeeds in selling you on the song, which is infinitely better than it has any right to be. Another joint better suited on the official version than friggin' Let A Ho Be A Ho.

THE PROFESSIONAL (FEATURING BIG NOYD)

Off of DJ Clue's album. Now I know that this isn't from the Murda Muzik sessions, but it damn well should be. Despite sounding otherwise, this song was not produced by Heavy Hav, but by Beatnut protégé the Almighty VIC. You may recognize his work on the magnificent Boomerang by Big Punisher. (I have a very soft spot for Armageddon's hook on that joint.) You'll hear P's verse. You'll enter a haze of lyrical bliss that will completely obscure Noyd and Hav's unfairly inferior rhymes from your mind, and you'll still love this song. Some satisfying shit, yo.

For more examples of why we loved P so fucking much, here. RIP Prodigy, man. This one'll hurt for a fucking while.