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.

Prodigy of Mobb Deep - H.N.I.C. (November 14, 2000)

I've been waiting for a minute to pull the ol' switcheroo here on BBR and tackle a run of my choice in reverse chronological order. Due to the tragedy of recent events in hip hop, this next short run cannot be more perfect for such a flip.

I gotta be honest: I shared many a head in limiting my hip hop rotations strictly to material written by the recently-deceased legend Albert Johnson bka Prodigy from the ageless Mobb Deep, with the exception of my recent two subjects of course. During this time of hip hop loss, I revisited exactly why he was one of the earliest MCs whose lyrics I obsessed over. Nay, I reflected back on said reasons with a more developed ear for this game of ours and was even further amazed at his talent for visualization. Literally listen to any song he participated in off the Infamous, Hell On Earth or the Episodes Of A Hustla EP by unofficial 3rd Mobb Deep member TaJuan Perry bka Big Noyd aka Pizza Dude. (Lots of Mobb Deep fans haven't even heard of that last choice. Shame really, as its rightful reputation should be that it's every bit of a classic offering as those two projects.) And I do mean any song: Son was on a tear that very few MCs throughout hip hop history share. What made all this absolutely fascinating is that this skill for imagery came virtually outta nowhere, because nobody expected P (as many liked to call him) to become anything of note when they heard the Mobb's debut Juvenile Hell (which certainly had some surprisingly strong performances, despite every single piece of bad publicity it got.) In short: The man became an undisputed legend within the space of three years. Like I said: Fascinating.

So now, Mobb Deep are on top of the world. Critical acclaim and commercial success was piling in and the brand was gaining significant exposure, mirroring the trajectory of fellow label mates the Wu-Tang Clan. Of course, P was no bonehead, because he paid very close attention to the business model they pioneered: By spreading their group members within the industry as solo artists, they ensured maximum exposure to their brand. He took one look at the resulting influence they gained and decided now was a good time for a solo project.

Which brings me back to why this is the perfect post for me to tackle this next run in reverse chronological order: Prodigy actually started working on his solo debut, now titled H.N.I.C. (Head N**** In Charge, which was apparently what his legendary grandmother called herself. Why I say legendary? Do your Googles.), way before Mobb Deep began production on their most commercially successful project Murda Muzik. And it all began with one song: Quiet Storm, tka White Lines. That song was originally slated to be his debut single as a solo artist, so he wouldn't let anyone touch it for almost two years, while he crafted the rest of the album. However, the song eventually made its way out into clubs across New York and they went apeshit for it. Which led to his Mobb Deep partner Kejuan Muchita bka Havoc and the late Chris Lighty to convince him to give it to Murda Muzik instead. It was for the best, really, because that song alone made that album go platinum, which would've never happened with P's debut solo. Why?

Because P tried his damnedest to fill the gaping hole that Quiet Storm left, resulting in some focused sessions with frequent collaborator Alan Maman bka the Alchemist. (who would actually end up pretty fucking crucial to preserving the Mobb's legacy following Hav's beatmaking fall from grace. That's right: With all due respect, I still haven't budged in my opinion that Hav's slacking production was instrumental to P's later lyrical decline) Hav himself lends a couple of beats, while the rest is handled by various other producers P crossed paths with in the industry. Despite losing Quiet Storm, HNIC would wind up selling five hundred thousand units Stateside in one month, faster than both the Infamous and Hell On Earth.

Let's start this, shall we?

BARS & HOOKS (INTRO)
Self explanatory. Skip.

GENESIS
It was a pleasant surprise to learn that P himself produced this, proving that his ear for music, responsible for his initial prowess behind the boards, was still very much intact. The fact that he was a very specific type of fan of confusingly versatile rock band Genesis continues to blow my mind, as nobody from mainstream hip-hop, then or now, is checking for progressive rock. At all. Speaking of Genesis, I'ma be honest: I was itching for another reason to bring up Phil Collins again here on BBR and P has so generously given me such an opportunity. You see, I've already declared on this here blog my belief that songs like In The Air Tonight, Mama and many more during both the career in Genesis and the solo ventures prove that, very similar to P himself, Phil flourished most when the music he wrote, co-wrote or performed was straight up visceral. So, it speaks volumes that P chose to loop from the live version of a Genesis prog classic and turn it into one of his best lyrical displays ever: From the jump, everything one would ever enjoy about Prodigy's contributions to this art form are on full display here. I cherish this song.

DRIVE THRU (SKIT)
...

ROCK DAT
So, yeah, remember when Prodigy had some amazing music pushing him to achieve new lyrical heights every time he spit? What do you mean that was one song ago?! In all seriousness, this might be one of the worst beats P has ever rhymed over, courtesy of Bink Dawg, who should've known better than to give him a beat that sounds like those bumass instrumentals prepackaged with your production equipment. I cannot bear a mere minute listening to this song and neither will you.

WHAT U REP (FEATURING N.O.R.E.)
Prodigy has collaborated with Hangmen 3, production team of respected Boston crew The Almighty RSO (of which fuckwad Benzino is a member) various times, where he would body everyone sharing a track with him each and every time. So they decided to return the favor via a minimalist early-oughties gem of a beat sampling Roy Ayers that is their best Havoc imitation. Naturally, P annihilates his guest, but NORE uncharacteristically does pretty well for himself. Nice!

KEEP IT THORO
Listen, I know how beloved this song is, and I like it too as it's cherished for a reason. But this definitely didn't deserve lead single status, as there were infinitely more worthy tracks recorded during the same period. The fact remains that this song is cherished for a reason: P goes completely ham with his punchlines, adding more vitriol to his performance with each passing second. All this is done to Alchemist's Jack Mayborn-sampling beat while P was recovering from a fairly nasty cold. He was simply that MC. All in all, this is the worst Alchemist beat on the album and it's still addictively fucking good. That should tell you what type of rapport these two had.

CAN'T COMPLAIN (FEATURING BIG TWINS & CHINKY)
The skit opening this song is pretty useless, to be honest. I don't care if it's directly related to the subject matter, you can cut the skit and the narrative wouldn't miss a goddamn thing. No disrespect, but Chinky doing her Queen Latifah interpolation is no Crystal Johnson, which is the only thing I'll ever say about her on this blog. Yet another example of P's fine-tuned musical ear, this time flexing his production technique as the sampled Love Unlimited Orchestra classic actually spends its entire duration utilizing a completely different scale than how it was looped. Hat's off to P the producer, man. Son had skills. P & Twin both delve into a well-told tale where they have a particularly memorable encounter with the cops and how they spent the rest of the day enjoying the resulting good mood, hence the title. You'll enjoy this song, too.

INFAMOUS MINDED
Basically P rhyming over a beat that's meant to invoke the feel of hip hop staple Criminal Minded by BDP. You won't feel the throwback, though, as it sounds fairly forced. That all I gotta say.

WANNA BE THUGS (FEATURING HAVOC)
You remember this?! Jump to my review of the song Survival there to find exactly what I think of this song. And now that P ain't no longer with us, I feel songs like Wanna Be Thugs are even more disrespectful to his legacy, as Hav is somehow even worse on the mic as a result of his horseshit beat. P can only do so much before succumbing to the same trite. Fuck this garbage.

THREE (FEATURING CORMEGA)
Seriously, I feel that musically Al and P had developed a symbiotic relationship with each other in the later periods of both of their careers: Together they're legendary, apart they're just not up to par. This wasn't the case back when P was the man though, because this beat, sampling Latin American legend Marco Antonio Muniz, was built when Al was trying his absolute best to impress P. Needless to say, he shone in doing so, because P and Cory McKay bka Cormega deliver that boom bap thuggery storytelling, the love of which forced you to come to this site. As always, the focus of P's tales is never glorification but condemnation of these circumstances, one which Mega shares with him on this joint. Another album highlight, and definitely a superior cut to Keep It Thoro.

DELT WITH THE BULLSHIT (FEATURING HAVOC)
Havoc must've sensed that he shorthanded fans with the earlier piffle he produced, because he brings the fucking business in looping current GZA collaborator and notorious recluse Vangelis. The resulting beat is as sinister as anything Hav produced for the Mobb during their heyday, and trust me: That's saying a lot. Hav also redeems himself on the mic, until P steps up and obliterates his shit with too much ease. Misspelling of 'dealt' aside, wouldn't've sounded outta place on a proper Mobb album, this.

TRIALS OF LOVE (FEATURING MZ BARZ)

Let's get one thing straight: I personally come from a place where a union between a man and a woman is quite literally a matter of life and death. Cheating would utterly destroy the lives of everyone even remotely related to the couple. So on the strength of that alone, I simply cannot relate to the subject matter of this song. That being said, whatever worked for P and his wife (Yep. Mz Barz is actually P's current widow Kiki Johnson in her lone recorded appearance.) is absolutely none of my business. As such, this song was supposed to be some type of therapy they'd put themselves through to maintain their relationship. Which apparently worked, because they remained married for the next 17 years. Strictly song-wise though, this joint is done really well: Alchemist's Lou Bond-sampling beat sounds exactly how a boom bap beat about broken relationships is supposed to. And P wrote his and his spouse's rhymes with a startling degree of detail, proving just how talented the man was at describing human emotion. Final verdict? This never got me nowhere near fathoming salvaging a relationship after infidelity, but those who don't mind said issue will find a truckload to enjoy here. Hell, it would be a better take on infidelity woes than whatever Jay-Z and Beyoncé are attempting these days. Especially when considering that back then, Jay’s hypocritical ass actually laughed at P for taking on such subject matter in his music.

H.N.I.C.
EZ Elpee & something called a 'Corparal' bring P a sample from Saint Tropez that would be a staple throughout the 00s. Best thing about the resulting beat is that it leaves ample room for P to simply talk his shit. Everyone who has been a Mobb fan knows exactly what that means: Another trademark braggadocious performance from the late legend. This is really all you need to know to enjoy this.

BE COOL (SKIT)
A throwback excerpt from the classic Education Of Sonny Carson film, made famous by Ghostface Killah's Ironman. Skip, though.

VETERAN'S MEMORIAL
Another Alchemist production, sampling Puerto Rican icon Lucecita Benitez. In this album's case, this means you need to brace yourself for a truly timeless song. Sure enough, this is two of the most gutwrenching verses you will ever hear from Albert Johnson, set to one of the best beats Alchemist has ever made, and without question his best contribution to HNIC. I dare those who know how to properly listen to hip hop to tell me that they didn't feel a thing while listening to P reminiscing here about the loved ones he lost. And the shoutouts closing out the song will hit you in the heart even harder, please believe. To top it off, his death brought a whole new context to this slice of music. If you ever claimed love for this man, this art piece is essential listening.

DO IT
This track is notable for proving that the beef between the Mobb and Def Squad was effectively done & buried, as Def Squad's Rockwilder produced it. Literally nothing else.

LITTLES (ACAPELLA)
Alfredo Bryan bka Littles would go on to have a nasty feud with P that was thankfully reconciled before his death, but here he was P's prize protege. It's obvious that this was modeled after the acapella cypher on the Infamous between P and unofficial 3rd Mobb Deep member Big Noyd. Littles ain't nowhere near the level Noyd was back then but he was aight. P was fantastic as usual.

Y.B.E. (FEATURING B.G.)
This may very well be the lone time I review a rapper from the cash money roster (I deliberately mentioned them in small letters because they ain't worth respecting) on BBR so here goes: The beat by P & Nashiem Myrick from the repugnant Comby's jolly bag of Hitmen is typical shiny-suit-era sewage, P brings a lackluster effort as a result and that cash money dude is typically garbage.

DIAMOND (FEATURING BARS & HOOKS)
Just Blaze brings an OK beat sampling Syreeta that is absolutely trashed by the song's ridiculous subject matter. This is really a far cry from the poems P wrote about how humans felt pain in his street tales. I'm sorry but there was no way this was going to be anything but a forgettable embarrassment for all parties involved. I really hate saying this when P ain't here but he wouldn't've respected an opinion of one that never speaks his mind. I owe it to him to say that this song is a failure.

GUN PLAY (FEATURING BIG NOYD)
Now this is more like it! Rockwilder brings a fair improvement of a beat to his previous contribution, heralding the sonics of his mentor, the iconic Erick Sermon of EPMD fame. And I must say: Even though Rockwilder is far from a Havoc, he's still savvy enough of a producer to bring the electric chemistry which P and Pizza Dude are known for outta them! I was pretty tough on this song in the past but I'm man enough to admit that it has grown on me considerably!

YOU CAN NEVER FEEL MY PAIN
Queens producer Ric Rude brings this Angela Bofill-sampling gem to our late host, who commits his most personal and relevant song ever to wax. This is the song where he takes you through the suffering that the condition that would ultimately take his life put him through, and naturally his spite at this condition comes flying off his lyrics, lashing out at anyone attempting fake understanding or sympathy. In light of his passing, this may effectively be the closest window we'll ever get into his darkest condition, which may very well explain his talent for describing pain. As such, you'd be an absolute fool if you somehow skip this. I remember hearing the boneheaded Ibrahim Darden talk about how he feels that except when explicitly mentioned, P was aiming all the vitriol he displayed in his legendary career at sickle cell, which is kind of awesome if true. As appropriate an album ender as I can think of, I would not be surprised in the least if this track somehow becomes the celebrated anthem of sickle cell patients worldwide.

H.N.I.C. (OUTRO)
A simple uttering of what the acronym stands for. Worthless.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Again, I feel like I owe it to P to keep my opinions honest. Which is why I say that this was a fairly good album, even though it has quite a fair share of useless skits. The reason why it simply can't be viewed as a classic album is unfortunately because P just wasn't successful in keeping the beat selection cohesive: Imagine how strong this album would've been had Alchemist, P himself or both handled the production back-to-back. We surely would've had that solo classic that an MC of P's stature deserves. Instead, we have to settle with an uneven album with lows that will make your skin crawl and highs that remind you why so many people were absolutely spellbound by this dude's lyrics. However, this album is effectively a solo album, meaning that P gets to talk about shit he normally can't on Mobb albums. Personal matters such as beliefs, eulogies, health and infidelity woes are all fair game without sounding out of place. And it's during those moments where I feel P shines the most here, as the change of direction, when done right, felt truly refreshing as it breathed new lyrical life into him. Lyrical life that I regret to say we've lost as hip hop in its entirety mourns yet another legend. RIP Albert Johnson.

WORTH IT? Even with the horseshit very present on this album, you owe it to yourself to acquire HNIC if you were ever a Mobb Deep fan. This album houses many songs where P delivers his end of the bargain and in spades. Again, don't expect the Infamous-Hell On Earth levels of consistency tracklist-wise and you'll be just fine.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
POWER RAP
An HNIC/Murda Muzik throwaway, added to the QB's Finest compilation curated by Nas, this Havoc-produced dark gem of a one verse-wonder is exactly what people thought of when the idea of a Prodigy solo album was unveiled to them. And really, count me the fuck in, as the brooding piano-pounding Havoc instrumental clears the path for a one-verse thuggery typhoon by the man who called himself Cellblock P. I just want to know why the dude's consistency with these dazzling performances regressed to the point where one has to comb numerous albums with varying levels of relevance to find them. Still as I said, both beat and rhymes are flawless and they gloriously mesh together.

DON'T BE A FOLLOWER
Off the Black & White OST, a movie which I still don't know how to feel about. Prodigy flexes his production chops hard on this one as he loops a simple-but-effective dusted violin sample for a beat that's the closest he'll ever get to the Wu-Tang sound. (God, they're prevalent in this review, aren't they?) On the mic, it's imagery city as P delivers a one-verse wonder that's hella heavy on imagery. It's songs like this that make me miss him a little more because man did he ever have a talent for painting pictures with his words.

SELF CONSCIENCE (FEATURING NAS)
Another lyrical marvel by both Prodigy and guest Nas yet again added to the abovementioned compilation, this time produced by the Infinite Arkatechz, who established a fan-fucking-tastic chemistry with Loud labelmate Raekwon on his rightfully-trashed sophomore album Immobilarity. Why do I credit this track to P, you ask? Because even though Nas brings a stellar contribution, this is truly the Albert Johnson show, all the way. With P arguing with himself in a compelling 40-bar verse while Nas brings a dope ass 20 bar reflection, this is one of the few tracks where these two share mic time and there's a clear standout, because normally they're neck and neck, but not this time, though.

For more of P's lyrical triumphs as part of Mobb Deep, here.

Mobb Deep - Hell On Earth (November 19, 1996)

1994. Two teen rappers from Queensbridge, New York were tossed to the wolves the previous year after their debut's sales went straight to the gutter. They somehow still wanted to pursue this path in the fickle industry of music. So, they regroup and do the impossible: The name Mobb Deep became one of the most revered hip hop music acts in the artform's history. All within the span of a single release. The Infamous, their sophomore album introduced a formula the duo came across out of necessity, for Kejuan Muchita, nicknamed Havoc by his boo-boo, had discovered he was quite apt at production. While his partner in rhyme Albert Johnson, nicknamed Prodigy by his baby son who couldn't speak at the time so it was a complete mystery as to how he managed that particular feat, (Don't ask me why. Do I look like a goddamn pediatrician to you?) found out that he had vast amounts of untapped potential as a hip hop poet. The two snots used their newfound strengths to spectacular effect, earning the respect of hip hop pundits worldwide. A respect that continues to be given to them to this very day, all of it very well deserved. So, now our protagonists face an entirely different challenge: How the fuck do you follow up such a success?

By learning from other people's mistakes, of course. The Mobb is frequently compared to a fellow QB hip hop act, one Nasir Jones. Something which Prodigy actually acknowledges as he mentions being inspired and stepping up his lyrical game after Nasir, or Nas, dropped his debut album. You might've heard of that album. A little piece of work called Illmatic? Constantly brought up in fucking useless if not detrimental debates regarding the "best hip hop album of all time"? Anyways, Nas faced a similar challenge when it was follow-up-album time and he opted to go the experimental route while channeling the mafioso rap subgenre, newly revamped and overhauled by the Wu-Tang Clan for team-member Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...  in his sophomore effort It Was Written, an album that many Illmatic fans absolutely loathe. Which is absolute bullshit, because It Was Written, while considered by some to be slightly inferior to Illmatic, remains a quality piece of mafioso rap. Furthermore, it sold a fuckload of copies, launching Nas into the mainstream as a legitimate commercial force in hip hop music and gaining him all-new fans to recompensate for the very few fans he lost at the time, seeing as Illmatic had just went gold prior to It Was Written's gargantuan release.

Mobb Deep, however, felt that they were more dependent on their now-core fanbase, since The Infamous did a hell of a lot better than Illmatic at both's beginning stages. So, they decided to choose the other path: Sticking to your guns. Which worked even better than they'd imagined. For around that time, the Mobb's head weed carrier Tajuan Perry aka Big Noyd aka Noydy aka his Noydness aka Pizza Dude, who was an instant hit following his scene-stealing verse on Mobb Deep classic Give Up The Goods (Just Step), released an awesome EP, Episodes Of A Hustla, 95% of which was produced by Havoc. It would've helped even more had the EP not been released to the sound of crickets. But the few Mobb fans who did hear it were craving more of the Mobb sound, which was apparently relayed to said Mobb. So, galloping into familiar artistic territory they went. That's not to say they didn't tweak the formula a bit.

See, even Mobb Deep couldn't ignore the powerful surge of the mafioso rap subgenre spreading like an epidemic throughout the East Coast. The aforementioned Cuban Linx and It Was Written, alongside albums like Reasonable Doubt, Conspiracy and Doe Or Die, were making a lot of headlines during that particular period, which definitely had some sort of influence on Mobb Deep's sound. So, Havoc, who was strengthened by his production experiences on The Infamous enough to produce the entirety of this entry, decided to dig into the Mobb's vast collection of classic gangster films to put himself into the right musical mindset, while Prodigy went to work on improving his rhymes even further than the massive overhaul he gave them on The Infamous, thereby fortifying his ability to write metaphorical street tales that much more.

This album repeated the feat of its predecessor of selling five hundred thousand copies, which is even rarer than The Infamous's feat for two releases on an independent record label. Let's see how the end product lives up:

ANIMAL INSTINCT (FEATURING TWIN GAMBINO AND TY NITTY)

Havoc's opening statement sets some pretty high expectations already. But, the Mobb seem ready to make good on his promise if this song is any indication. Short version: This shit rocks. This was the perfect introduction to Infamous Mobb's Twin Gambino, the collective's most skilled rapper, and Ty Nitty, its least skilled member. That is, if you were one of the hundreds of thousands who were completely unaware of Episodes Of A Hustla. Havoc's beat samples The Trammps to brilliant effect. Note: Get used to Prodigy outshining each and every rapper who shares the mic with him on this album. Just saying.

DROP A GEM ON 'EM

Ah yes, the infamous 2Pac diss (pun very much intended). Mobb Deep still have many a 2Pac fan (Quite a few of these people are some of the absolute worst fans in this genre's history, let me tell you) at their throats blaming them for this song remaining on the retail release of this album even after Lesane's murder. You should be directing your hate at Loud CEO Steve Rifkind, people. He's the one who should've handled these matters back then. I'll bet he OK'd this whoring for more sales and shit. As for the song, though? For what it was, it's a fucking smash. Havoc digs as much as his limited MC skills can into 2Pac, before Prodigy dishes out a verbal beating the likes of which is last seen on his duet with Cormega on the latter's Thun & Kicko, where he aims a venomous verse straight for a certain Shawn Carter. The beat by Havoc is a masterpiece of a Whispers loop, punctuated by a perfectly chosen audio byte from R&B legend Aretha Franklin. Yeah, this song is awesome.

BLOODSPORT

I loathed this track when I first heard it, because of the loud-as-fuck drum breaks and the accompanying violins sampled in the beat in a manner that literally shows you how worms digest dead people. Now, those very factors are my favorite aspects about the beat, which I love for how it gets under my skin. Remember that note I wrote earlier on the first song? Exactly. Prodigy violates Havoc's beat, while Hav himself doesn't sound too bad. Score.

EXTORTION (FEATURING METHOD MAN)

The Mobb scores a cameo from reluctant critical darling Method Man, who sounds really mad on here, as if he's pissed he won a Grammy. It's almost as if he regards it as a seal of wackness of sorts. Anyways, leave it to Havoc to turn a Jackson 5 sample into utter dread music. Prodigy spits with that soulless conviction that he's perfected on the previous album. This song is my shit.

MORE TRIFE LIFE

Havoc felt insecure about Prodigy lyrically tearing through shit for the past four tracks and decided this pseudo-sequel was not going to feature his partner-in-rhyme, out of fear that people may completely disregard his MCing abilities. Just you wait till 2008, 96-era Havoc. You'll get all the features that were meant for your partner because he was too much of a bonehead to manage his firearms business right. Anyways, the beat is trademark Havoc. I guess I have to relent in saying that Hav also delivered with the rhymes. I mean, he ain’t no Melachi The Nutcracker, right? Moving along.

MAN DOWN (FEATURING BIG NOYD)
Pizza Dude! Happy Release From Jail Day, and many happy returns! Havoc's beat is more of a sequel to Party Over than it is to Give Up The Goods (Just Step), which works perfectly fine as the three MCs rip shit, though I have to say that Noydy pulls ahead of his hosts by a not-so-small margin. Havoc's hook is a fucking earsore, though.

CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT (FEATURING ILLA GHEE)

This song is one where Havoc becomes the second master producer in hip-hop to flip a straight classic out of the opening notes of Gary Burton's Las Vegas Tango, the first being Cypress Hill's very own DJ Muggs. (who never seems to get the credit he deserves. Let's see if we can change that later.) I swear, those notes bring out a side of me that should be locked away in some zoo in South Africa. K bookends the song with two average 16's, while Illa Ghee & Prodigy provide the cream filling. Especially Prodigy, who sounds like he's having the time of his fucking life spitting his quite-long verse in a monotone that sounds hype as hell. May I also add that the hook might have something to do with P's elation, as it's friggin' awesome.

NIGHTTIME VULTURES (FEATURING RAEKWON)

The Chef's second showing on a Mobb outing, where he's brought in to provide that extra lyrical oomph to the project and to add more flame to the fire of comparison between this album's mafioso material and the Purple Tape's. What Cheffy here wasn't counting on was that he was going up against a Prodigy who's form was simply unstoppable. Don't be too hard on yourself, Corey: You never really stood a chance. Hav relents by sticking to the chorus, apparently giving up on lyrically competing with P at this point. His beat is where he truly shines, however, as he brings us a haunted loop that will stick in your head long after you finish the damn song.

G.O.D. PT. III

Mobb Deep's obsession with Scarface samples officially started on this song, their second single. The infernal looping of the sample by Hav brings out something in both Mobb halves that facilitates the direct transplant of their contributions into the back of your brain. Prodigy sets this off like a man possessed, taking his well-known threat game to an unheard level with imagery that forces you to view him as the monolithic MC he is. Said performance rubs off on Havoc, who cannot help but follow suit with a spirited performance by him as well. By now, this album is steamrolling its way into your favorite albums list. Trust me.

GET DEALT WITH
When will the onslaught of awesomeness end? This is the fifth song in a row that is seared into my subconsciousness, no lie. Leave it to Kejuan to bring us a simple piano loop and make it into an east coast classic. Albert's delivery of his thuggery here will sound as if he's really "standin' all up in ya cornea" with immediacy that will send a chill down your spine. Havoc rambles off for a bit at the beginning of his verse, then gets it together with a solid performance. The assault continues.

HELL ON EARTH (FRONT LINES)
Another ominous piano loop, this time for the lead single. First time I heard this, I confess I didn't like it. After listening the entire album again and again an infinite number of times, it gradually climbed into my favorite cuts from said album. This song most definitely contains a standout Prodigy verse. Not the first one, but the second one, as P bookends this song with Hav filling in the singular middle verse. Back to Prodigy: He unleashes a long-ass verse that ought to be etched in gold in my hip hop fall of fame, similar to Sticky Fingaz' verse on Purse Snatchaz, Cappadonna's verse on Winter Warz, etc. Just you wait. I'll build one, I tell ya.

GIVE IT UP FAST (FEATURING NAS AND BIG NOYD)
The mob movie sample onslaught continues with the heavily underrated Christopher Walken vehicle King Of New York (A much better movie than Scarface, in my humble opinion) now on the sample-chopping board. Nas continues his successful chemistry with the Mobb, backed by His Noydness, who frustratingly shares a verse with Havoc. I can only imagine how this would be as a Nas/Prodigy duet. It probably would be similar to the awesome Self Conscience on Nas' abysmal QB Finest. But this one's hella good, too.

STILL SHININ'
Havoc's at it again with a magnificent Willie Hutch sample, again bookended by P with Hav filling the middle. It’s really difficult finding an album cut that truly sticks out from the others on Hell On Earth, mostly because the quality exhibited is exceptional. Still Shinin’ is no different, as P torches his warpath of a verse for the jillionth time and Hav delivers a performance that just doesn’t measure up to his partner. Phenomenal song!

APOSTLE'S WARNING
Well, Havoc hasn't run out of good production ideas by the time he made this, obviously. That would unfortunately start the next year with the embarrassing beat he gave Mic Geronimo on Vendetta. Shame, that. Anyway, Michael Jackson's People Make The World Go Round was a good choice to look, although producer Minnesota flipped a much better sample from this song on Naughty By Nature's World Go Round. Havoc gets his adept sixteen in and gets the fuck outta the way of a rampaging Prodigy who rhymes his ass off until the end of the damn song, providing the second display of the night worthy of being etched in gold in my imaginary hall of fame. This was the only way the album should've ended. Alas, there's one more.

Some versions of Hell On Earth came with Shook Ones Part 1, which I already reviewed here, and one more:

IN THE LONG RUN (FEATURING TY NITTY)
This was even more of a dis track towards the Mobb's enemies at the time. More precisely, Prodigy's two enemies 2Pac and Keith Murray (who made amends with P as of this article's writing), as he's the only one doing the dissing, while Hav and Ty Nitty (who's ironically beefing with Prodigy now) provide miniscule contributions again. P’s brilliance is the only attraction here.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Talk about proving doubters wrong. Mobb Deep cement their status as hip hop icons with this album. Although a minor quibble by me is that I wish Havoc kept his pen game as sharp as it was on The Infamous, even though he delivered on a few tracks here, most notably More Trife Life. Not the case for Prodigy, obviously, as the man furthers his transformation into a lyrical monster on this record. Every verse he delivers connects. Every fucking verse. I will say something for Hav, though: His wall-to-wall production on here is his finest hour behind the boards. For some reason, Hell On Earth isn't as memorable to most heads as The Infamous, which mystifies me, as the same ingredients that were on The Infamous are present here. Not only that, but they produce even better results here most of the time, effectively landing this album alongside the Ironmans, the Reasonable Doubts and the It Was Writtens of that time period. Hell, I haven't skipped a single song on here! This would be the last Mobb Deep album that would be released before the advent of the Internet bootleggers, who would massacre the next Mobb Deep album, for better or worse.

WORTH IT?
Mobb Deep should celebrate this work just as much as The Infamous, if not even more so. But that doesn't mean you can't. Own and enjoy this hip hop classic for what it is.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
BACK AT YOU
Off the Sunset Park OST that came out before the start of this album's promotion. This song most definitely did not belong on a soundtrack of a film featuring another legendary rap group (Onyx) and yet this OST also contains Ghostface Killah's Motherless Child, Dogg Pound's Just Doggin' among others. Had this been on Hell On Earth, we would've had another Survival Of The Fittest on our hands, as this song feels like the mafioso sequel to the more popular single's gritty hoodlum roots. Anyways, Havoc pulls another proverbial rabbit outta his hat with his sped-up loop of Isaac Hayes' Bumpy's Lament's first few seconds, transforming the notes into those of a high-energy mafioso theme, properly handled by both Havoc and Prodigy. I was amazed that Havoc represented himself well here, as he's still going for his. Prodigy, predictably, outclasses him by fucking light years, but hearing Hav actively trying to catch up with P on the same record, similar to how he did on GOD Pt. 3, brings me a warm and fuzzy feeling. And the hook's perfect. This song fucking bangs. And we're done.

Plenty of more Mobb Deep to read here... 

Big Noyd - Episodes Of A Hustla (September 16, 1996)

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...

Mobb Deep - The Infamous (April 25, 1995) & 1994 Sessions (April 1, 2014)

I'm killing it with the consistency, I know. Paint that shit gold.

In truth, this post has caused me physical pain from the amount of times it got deleted, no joke. Every time I rewrite my thoughts, something happens to my device which causes me to sink into a day of depression, until today. Among some other personal shit I'm going through. So, like I said, paint that shit gold.

Story time: I'm playing Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. (Tell me if you know where this is going.) I switch over to The Liberty Jam radio station. I hear an ominous loop of reverbed hi-hats and snares. Then, DJ Clue shouts with his ever-annoying voice: "NEW MOBB DEEP!!" (even though the game was set in fucking 1998.) Keep in mind that by this point I don't know what the hell a Mobb Deep is. Then I hear Shook Ones Pt. II for the first time, and my mind is officially blown. Who are these people? And how do they pull off sounding so menacing so effortlessly? Especially the first cat, I remember wondering. There was something different about his delivery, as you can literally hear his conviction and you feel like he already knows he's got you in the palm of his hand. And what can I say about the beat that hasn't been said already by many a better writer than I? I go to my safe haven, Wikipedia, and I find out Mobb Deep is a group made up by Havoc & Prodigy. Wait a minute, those two names ring a bell. Oh yeah! it's the two thugs who were constantly beating the tar out of my created fighters on Def Jam: Fight For NY!

And that's how I became a Mobb Deep fan.

Albert Johnson and Kejuan Muchita were in the pickle of all pickles when their debut album Juvenile Hell, the one shot they placed all of their hopes and dreams on was a colossal clusterfuck of a failure. (Even though looking back now, it wasn't nearly as bad as it seemed. In fact, I found parts of it quite entertaining.) Not only did their label 4th and Broadway cast them away in the cold, lonely wastelands of no-deal-land, everyone who was on board the project seemed to disassociate themselves with the group. Furthermore, hip hop acts like Biggie, Def Squad and the Wu-Tang Clan were quickly taking over the radio in a triumphant stand for mainstream East Coast hip hop while the likes of Jeru The Damaja, O.C. & fellow QB native Nas were the new critical darlings. And during our duo's plight, they also realized they had limited funds for them to make the music that they wanted, what with them being unwanted free agents with no money to pay for a hot beat for them to spit on. In short, Mobb Deep felt like the end of their career was almost upon them. Almost.

In the most unpredictable of ways, our duo went back to the drawing board. There they found out the two most important reasons Mobb Deep is a hip hop landmark today: 1. Prodigy, who was more into production, found out Havoc had an untapped genius as a producer. 2. Havoc, the MC of the group, noted that out of nowhere, Prodigy transformed into a lyrical phenomenon. Production-wise, it might've been the fact that Hav's younger brother, a kid who went by the name of Killa Black, was a fugitive around that time that pushed Kejuan to recognize some of the darkest, most soulless sounds ever to be put to wax in many old melodious hits. Killa Black, who would take his own life a year later, would be immortalized on various future Mobb songs alongside Twin Scarface, one of the Mobb's close crew and the identical twin brother of Infamous Mobb member Twin Gambino. Prodigy's sudden lyrical talent, however, came so suddenly that it caught everybody by surprise. Turns out, it was the result of a particularly nasty bout with sickle cell anemia, a condition P was born with. P wrote his heart and soul on his rhymebook when he was in the hospital. So, in reality, Mobb Deep already had everything they ever needed. They would go on to record a crucial demo, put together by The Source senior contributor Matty C and his partner & fellow A&R Schott Free. DJ Stretch Armstrong of the famous Stretch & Bobbito Show, also a fellow A&R, played a certain track from the demo called Patty Shop which caught the attention of Loud Records, headed by Steve Rifkind. Loud knew a goldmine when they found one, and when they heard said song they immediately greenlit a single deal. The result? One hell of a scorcher by the name of Shook Ones, released by Loud in 1994 and thereby sending the aforementioned Steve Rifkind into a frenzy of hype and excitement, along with whoever had the friggin privilege of hearing that track. A full album deal was greenlit afterwards, which allowed our heroes to release its sequel Shook Ones Pt. II to the unsuspecting masses, who gobbled the shit up. So much so that they flocked over to the single that followed like those pigeons from the Home Alone 2 scene where they attack Joe Pesci & Daniel Stern. Which was good because Survival Of The Fittest is just as much of a classic as Shook Ones, if not even more so. Then, came the album.

The Infamous sold more than five hundred thousand records in the US in exactly two months, a feat which is unheard of today by a hip hop act. In another spoiler, allow me to add that it did so for a good goddamned reason.

THE START OF YOUR ENDING (41ST SIDE)
Havoc succeeds with Mobb Deep's identity reinvention from the very first second you hear his sampling of Grant Green's Maybe Tomorrow. Which is somehow supposed to mean that the beat is friggin' awesome. Both K and Bert sound so far ahead of their past selves it's not even funny. Upon further investigation, I've come to the conclusion that I may have sold Havoc's pen game a bit short and I'm man enough to admit it.

THE INFAMOUS PRELUDE
You duped the consumer good there, Loud. For a moment, a guy would think he's finally getting an skit-less album. Of course, now they know better.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
Nobody approach me when this song is on. You might not recognize me from the trance I'm in. My humble sentiments are that mainstream hip hop should kindly go fuck itself in the most uncomfortable, inappropriate & undesirable way possible for not making songs half as good as this anymore. Remember those two halls of fame that I talked about earlier? Well, Havoc & Prodigy cement their rightful place in said halls of fame with this song alone. Prodigy delivers what many people consider his most memorable verse with a conviction that simply escapes most rappers now, as you can hear the lifelessness in this at-the-time young man's voice with every line he spits, a terror that can only be experienced when paired with the right beat. And let me tell you, Havoc provides a now-classic instrumental built around one of the most unrecognizable loops in hip hop history. So unrecognizable, in fact, that it became the stuff of legend until Havoc finally revealed the source material only a few years ago, a mere second from the opening piano solo of Skylark by the Barry Harris Trio and Al Cohn. Trust me, this is an experience that will haunt your dreams.

EYE FOR AN EYE (YOUR BEEF IS MINES) (FEATURING NAS & RAEKWON)
Lyrically, Havoc is predictably the weak link here and his verse is dope as fuck. What does that tell you about the lyrics on this song? Havoc once again finds the briefest of loops in Al Green's Wish You Were Here and brilliantly transforms it into the soundtrack of torture. Nicely done.

JUST STEP PRELUDE
Apparently, TaJuan Perry aka Big Noyd aka Pizza Dude was famous for freestyling about hood life. This was one of those sessions, coupled with an equally amazing lyrical showing from P to no music, which becomes an acapella by definition. Skip it, I won't tell.

GIVE UP THE GOODS (JUST STEP) (FEATURING BIG NOYD)
Apparently Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest fame had a heavy hand in helping Havoc craft this album's sound. Even though I initially disagreed with that bit of trivia, it's not really that far off since Tip is a musical genius. Anyway, he has only three production credits on the album, so he definitely helped. Even though all of his contributions on the album are dope as fuck, this one's by far the best. His Esther Phillips loop is instantly recognizable to many hip hop heads along with a famous Skull Snaps audio clip sprinkled throughout, and both Mobb halves do their part very well, but the show belongs to Pizza Dude as he follows his hosts' footsteps in successfully eradicating any memory of his real debut on Juvenile Hell. This verse was responsible for his Episodes Of A Hustla EP, which you know I'll review later on, God willing.

TEMPERATURE'S RISING (FEATURING CRYSTAL JOHNSON)
The second Q-Tip beat of the album is built around a Patrice Rushen Where's The Love loop to excellent effect. I'll have to admit, I feel that Crystal Johnson should be known much more than she is, as her vocal talent is undeniable, plus her Leon Ware cover is brilliant! The Mobb's take on what I call the One Love formula works for me because instead of an incarcerated comrade, they're speaking to one who's on the run (read: Killa Black) during the course of their tribute. And I'm pleased to state that both do an equally good job. And how many people find it cool that Tip produced both odes to absent comrades discussed here? Not as good as Just Step, but still pretty fucking awesome.

UP NORTH TRIP
After a useless excerpt from the Fatback Band's To Be With You, Havoc (allegedly) returns behind the boards for this beat which samples I'm Tired Of Giving by The Spinners. I will say that my former argument would be weak against one who's of the opinion that Q-Tip had more of a hand than what was credited and who uses this song as an example thereof. Then again, I am a blogger, so I just have to be stubborn about my opinions or other bloggers will call me a lazy-ass flunkey. So, Havoc's (alleged) beat inspires Prodigy to yet another riveting display, while Havoc, while nailing the flow part, is stuck with random goddamn threats, thereby can only look weak in comparison. His verse tries to get across, before Prodigy's verse guts it from behind shinobi-like. P has said in the past that Illmatic had a big influence on him sharpening his pen, and it fucking shows. P carries the lyrics of this song like a champ.

TRIFE LIFE
The numerous Norman McConnors samples serve as the foundation for a Havoc beat that is utilized by the Mobb to describe the thuggish roles some females play in 'hood life'. And even though Hav & P both paint very vivid pictures about said subject matter, the fucking beat takes center stage for me. This, unlike the previous song, is undoubtedly a Havoc beat as it weaves the samples together in a clear statement of its maker's talent. He even lets the beat ride RZA-style, which I always like when the beat is this good.

Q.U.- HECTIC
This Havoc beat serves as foundation for a lyrical competition between both Mobb halves, as they go back & forth for a bit, trading excellent verses with each other, until Havoc eventually relents to Prodigy's prowess. P then takes to the mic and opens one of the most vivid windows into the ghetto thug's mind ever written. Props to Havoc throwing the famous Quincy Jones sample used previously on Shook Ones Tha Dos on here, as it somehow added to the brilliant final product.

RIGHT BACK AT YOU (FEATURING GHOSTFACE KILLAH, RAEKWON & BIG NOYD)
Havoc sets a very prominent Les McCann loop as the foundation for this posse cut that I always argue with people about when trying to determine the best posse cut on this album. This song is my choice because I'm a big fan of the unique back & forth style used on here by Rae & Ghost which previously debuted on the Chef's Heaven Or Hell as a tribute to EPMD. Add Big Noyd's continuing winning form from his last appearance on this album and you have one of the greatest posse cuts in hip hop history.

THE GRAVE PRELUDE
...

CRADLE TO THE GRAVE
The previous skit should've been included into this track, as it's too goddamn short to be given its own space on the tracklist. Anyway, it serves as a plotline for a revenge tale brilliantly written by Prodigy. Havoc, on the other hand, exhibits why I think he should've stuck to the boards when he commits to the story for only his second verse. His remaining lyrical contribution are, once again, random thuggery, which really detracts from what could've been a classic staple in hip hop. It really deserves such a title given P's writing, as I swear, he seems like he's gaining momentum with his pen game with each passing song. Havoc deserves credit for the haunting beat built around the briefest of Teddy Pendergrass notes. This song is still very good, but it could've been so much more.

DRINK AWAY THE PAIN (SITUATIONS) (FEATURING Q-TIP)
Q-Tip's final production showing on the album warrants a verse from the legend that fits right in between his many contributions to the genre. Hell, this whole song sounds like a Tribe song. In fact, I'm adamant that this track was Tip's brainchild. Hav & P dedicate their verses to their preferred liquor brand of choice, depicting them as the most desirable of women. Whatever, Tip takes this song, weaving a crime tale using various clothing brands as the characters. Now we know where Lupe Fiasco got his influence for that Twilight Zone joint off his Fahrenheit 1/15 mixtape series. The beat was an awesome yet very characteristic loop of Mr. Tip using a prominent Headhunters sample.

SHOOK ONES PT. II
Other than the ingenious meshing of samples ranging from Quincy Jones to Herbie Hancock, please refer to track #3 for further review. Seriously, every attribute about that song applies here. Oh, you still want more? OK, story time: (Hey, you wanted more.) Listening to The Liberty Jam radio station in GTA:LCS, I always gravitated to this song here's depiction of the criminal youth thought process through the present thuggery. I was particularly struck with how Prodigy, 19 at the time, sounded like the most apathetic human being without even trying and I always asked myself: What makes someone reach that mindstate in society? What can someone possibly go through that would make him that heartless at that age? Havoc adds an equally harrowing verse, yet he lacks the conviction P displays. This song is a hip hop staple for a good reason.

PARTY OVER (FEATURING BIG NOYD)
This album closer depicts a point in time where Mobb Deep and their cronies were having fun in a way simply not possible anymore, given the Mobb's recent meltdown. Over a loop taken from the fucking awesome Lonely Fire by Miles Davis, Hav, P & Noyd all swiftly interchange verses of threats & tales of violence in one smorgasbord of action-filled wizardry. Prodigy hits full throttle with his imagery here, and there's no doubt left in your mind that you'll remember this dude's lyrics for a long time. Album over.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Like I said in the first review, what can I say more than what's already been said? The Infamous sold 500,000 copies in exactly two months, and you know what? It's worth every fucking cent & should've sold more. I can only pity those few who actually listened to Juvenile Hell first, then wrote these two off. For Havoc & Prodigy, as everyone already knows by now, pull off the hip hop image reinvention of the fucking century. Havoc and Prodigy switch their previous roles as producer and lead MC respectively, and hip hop, nay, art is all the better for it. Prodigy exhibits a mastery over words that is rivaled by a very select few MC's, and Havoc produces masterpiece over masterpiece on this album showing a consistency that mainstream rap simply isn't aware of. Props to the two shits. Much props.

WORTH IT?
If, by some freak incident, you're into hip hop and don't know this album, do what I originally did and stop browsing NOW! Go and fucking stamp this shit into your head. Then, you just might be able to clean toilets here. This album is worthy of its place among the great hip hop albums of the mid-90s, and it certainly did enough to make Mobb Deep a hip hop household name.

I had to compensate for my absence, didn't I?
For the people who're currently balking at the goddamn screen, asking: (Y U nO reeViEw CD1?) I say, leave this blog now. You won't like it. Anyway, the abovementioned classic fucking album certainly had its share of stories, unreleased cuts & throwaways. I've decided said throwaways are worthy of shedding some light on, especially when Mobb Deep themselves think they're worth your time, evidenced by the fact that this is part of an official release by the duo. CD2 of our couple's 2014 double album The Infamous Mobb Deep, comprised of masters found on old floppy disks, mind you, is almost too unfair to CD1, which is composed of all new material. (Show of hands: Who's old enough to remember floppys? No one? Thought so.) It's simply impossible to stack the two CDs against each other, as they were made by entirely different people, in my eyes. So, how is this CD really expected to end? Read on, motherfucker.

EYE FOR AN EYE (FEATURING NAS, RAEKWON & GHOSTFACE KILLAH)
This original take is getting a lot of love from the Interweb, which is totally to be expected. Prodigy uses one of the verses he ended up using for the fucking awesome Gusto by Long Island former lyrical wunderkind A+. P seems to love this verse very much, as it pops up more than once on this album. He has every reason to, of course, as the verse is one of his best ever. Speaking of using verses that pop up somewhere else, Ghostface uses his awesome verse from the Real Live Shit remix off of The Turnaround, a classic album I reviewed earlier on in this blog, and Nas' verse is the same as the final version. So, that leaves the Chef & Havoc as the only ones with verses no one heard until this track's release, and they sound pretty damn good. Especially the Chef. Hav's beat freaks a different part of the same Al Green source for the final version, and still makes it sound dark. Nice!

SKIT
Taken from the Yo! MTV Raps episode where Mobb Deep first made their appearance, accompanied by Nas & Raekwon where everyone spits a verse while rocking Wu Wear. I think it's amazing that Nas & Rae sound like they're absolutely thrilled to spit alongside the Mobb even though it should be the other way around. Still, a skit is a skit.

GET IT IN BLOOD
This song houses Prodigy's other Gusto verse. This verse is equally as potent as the one previously heard on the last song. I have a very strong suspicion that Havoc did not write his rhymes on here, as the imagery present very clearly screams Prodigy. Plus, there's the fact that he spits a verse that we just heard from Prodigy on the fucking previous skit! Props to his beat, though.

GIMME THE GOODS (FEATURING BIG NOYD)
I stopped every thing I was doing once I heard Havoc's beat on here, as this alternate version of Give Up The Goods (Just Step) blows the album version out of the motherfucking water. I cannot stress enough how much this song is flat-out better: The menacing beat, for one, is another one of those addictive beats that you'll hear in your head for months to come. All of the verses are the same, except for Big Noyd's, who unleashes a full-blown crime saga with one long-ass verse with proper attention to detail. His verse alone makes this song my preferred version by a fucking light year.

IF IT'S ALRIGHT (FEATURING BIG NOYD)
Sampling Gil-Scott Heron's Winter In America, this telling Havoc beat houses another collaboration with Noyd, one that the group chooses to speak on the hardships of the ghetto. I must say, either P is writing Hav's rhymes on this disc, or Havoc is a stupid motherfucker for leaving these rhymes on the cutting room floor instead of using them on the final product. That's how much better he is on here. Prodigy is his usual poetic self, of course. So, yeah, this song was the tits.

SKIT MOBB 1995
Another throwback interview, although this one's useless.

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST (FEATURING CRYSTAL JOHNSON)
This remix to a goddamn staple of hip hop doesn't really add up, and yet I still fucking love this song. Maybe it's because Crystal Johnson is present on here, although she doesn't really contribute much. The same cannot be said however for both Havoc and Prodigy, who add a ton of new rhymes to the ones already burnt into our brains, and they pull it off in typically awesome fashion. This time, the beat is a more obvious sample of Al Wilson's Medley: I Won't Last a Day Without You/Let Me Be the One. I approve greatly.

TEMPERATURE'S RISING (FEATURING CRYSTAL JOHNSON)
The same Patrice Rushen sample that graced the original does so accompanied by the infamous beginning seconds of the ESG UFO sample for this slightly altered remix, as the end of Prodigy's Now-PG-13-but-still-fucking-awesome verse is a little different and Crissy here brings a different yet better interpolation of Leon Ware's vocals. Other than that, this song's very much similar to its original.

THE BRIDGE (FEATURING BIG NOYD)
The fabled remake of MC Shan's most famous song. Havoc supplies a mellowed out beat with hard-as-fuck drums for the Mobb and guest to wreck shop over. And, even though Hav spits his fairly decent verse from DJ Frankie Cutlass' Know Da Game and Big Noyd raps his ass off again, this is the Albert Johnson show all the way, as he spits one of the coldest fucking verses I've ever heard from the man. Ever.

SKIT
There's a video on YouTube of this skit as Big Noyd spits his verse from Right Back At You with fucking Agallah beatboxing. I didn't know he was down with the Mobb! Still, skip this skit.

THE MONEY
The rhymes we hear here are later used on Das EFX' banging-as-fuck Microphone Master remix, except for an extra Havoc verse that's neither here nor there. The beat, however, is typical early Havoc material, as he works in the Rakim sample between the Funkadelic sample transformed ingeniously by Havoc into an ominous loop. Then the beat simply rides for an additional three minutes while the Mobb chat with the fabled Killa Black among others, which we really didn't need to hear.

THE MONEY (VERSION 2)
Same song, but with a shitty beat and no phone dialogue.

WE ABOUT TO GET HECTIC (FEATURING TWIN GAMBINO)
This was what ended up as Q.U.-Hectic?! This is a completely different song! Seriously, the James Brown Payback sample just does something to a song that massively amps up the energy level, especially if left in the hands of producers like early Havoc. Speak of the devil, His flow on his long-ass verse here is the best I've ever heard from him. By far. Thing is, he's too confused by his verse's own length. Which results in a failed attempt to impress the listener. Oh well, He can find solace in the fact that Gambino didn't do much better. Prodigy, on the other hand, shines in another home-run display of skill. The end product wasn't half-bad.

THE INFAMOUS
The second time P uses this verse on the album, with the first being the Eye For An Eye prototype earlier. Havoc uses his now-famous verse from the final version of Eye For An Eye. We're also treated to a verse unheard from Prodigy which, of course, is dope as fuck. The beat is minimalist in a way that serves the song well. That's all I got.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
This was fan service at its finest, as Mobb fans will find plenty to dissect here. Whether it be listening to verses unheard or reintroducing oneself to verses featured on other acts' songs. All the while listening to good beats from a time long past in the Mobb's layered history in this industry. Is it better than the end product? Mostly, fuck no. Except for that Gimme The Goods joint. That should've made the fucking album.

WORTH IT?
Oh hell yes. Listening to these songs in raw form offers an entirely different listening experience when you've heard the material on something equally good. Don't miss it.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
SHOOK ONES
The real song that started a revolution in hip hop music. This was originally released as a promotional single in 1994, then later added to later pressings of Hell On Earth, not The Infamous. Which was pretty stupid. Anyway, this is the darkest Mobb Deep song in their canon, and the way Prodigy sets it off has already become legend. Havoc uses the verse that later ended up on Part 2 but he flows better here. The instrumental is, once again, stuff of nightmares. This song is perfect for workout music simply for the emotions that it brings out of you. You literally feel like you glossed over into whatever demon dimension your favorite Japanese video game houses. In short: this was awesome. And we're done. I have slaved over this post, I tell you.

More Mobb Deep to be found here.