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Mobb Deep

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Mobb Deep
File:Mobb.jpg
Background information
OriginQueensbridge,New York
Years active1992 – Present
MembersHavoc
Prodigy

Mobb Deep, also known as The Infamous Mobb Deep, is a hip hop duo made up of Havoc and Prodigy. Both members are natives of Queensbridge, New York; located in Long Island City. They are perhaps most famous for their landmark album, The Infamous, and their accompanied hit single, Shook Ones Pt. II.

1992–1994: Early Career

Prodigy and Havoc met one another while attending the prestigious Graphic Arts High School in Manhattan. Coming from similar backgrounds, the duo broke into the rap game in 1992. Growing up in hostile environments that included the prevalence of poverty, drugs, and gang violence, Mobb Deep attempted to express their life experiences through rapping. They released their first album, Juvenille Hell, in 1993. At a time when East Coast hip hop was dominated by the jazziness of A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, and the Afro-centric stylings of Brand Nubian and Public Enemy, their style of music eschewed the popular conscious hip hop of the time, and reflected the harsh climate of New York City in the late-1980s and early-1990s[1]. Because both Prodigy and Havoc were still in their teens at the time of their debut, many were surprised by the violent nature of the album. Although the album was not well-received by the public, it displayed the raw talent of the duo; the unique chemistry of Prodigy's lyrical delivery combined with Havoc's melancholy beats. Through this unique style, the duo were signed by Loud Records, and began recording their second album, The Infamous in 1995, which would establish the duo in the hardcore hip hop community.

1995–2000: Rise to Success

File:Mobb Deep Album The Infamous.jpg
Mobb Deep’s The Infamous was an influential album of the Hardcore rap genre

Following its release, The Infamous became perhaps one of the most influential hip hop albums of the East Coast hardcore rap genre. Still at a young age, the duo powered themselves to the top of the hardcore rap scene through their straight forward narration of street life. As with their first lyrical production, Mobb Deep portrayed the struggles of living in New York City's Queensbridge. Their production also was noticed as the beats were often hard hitting and direct, a testament to Havoc, who produced the duos' tracks almost exclusively throughout their careers [2]. Furthermore, the smash hit single Shook Ones Pt. II, received critical acclaim and was well-received within the hip hop community. Their sophomore album, Hell On Earth was released in 1996, debuting at number six on the Billboard album chart. The album continued their portrayal of a harsh street life, while further pushing them to the forefront of the hardcore rap scene, along with contemporary East Coast rappers such as Notorious B.I.G., The Wu-Tang Clan collective, Jay-Z, and fellow Queensbridge associate, Nas.

In 1999, the duo released the highly anticipated Murda Musik album. Despite extensive bootlegging (nearly thirty songs of unreleased material leaked onto the internet) and countless delays, the album debuted at number three on Billboard and quickly went platinum—further highlighted by the popular single, Quiet Storm. Shortly afterwards, Prodigy released his long awaited solo album H.N.I.C (2000), in which the rapper collaborated with other artists and producers (including The Alchemist).

2001–2004: Decline

Shortly after the release of Murda Muzik, rapper Jay-Z spoke out against the duo, leading to an increase in publicity. At the Hot 97 Summer Jam show of 2001, Jay-Z performed the freestyle, "Takeover", which attacked Prodigy and which he later re-recorded for his album, The Blueprint. He also revealed photographs allegedly of Prodigy wearing a dance leotard in 1988.

Mobb Deep subsequently released Infamy in 2001. The album marked a major stylistic change that saw the duo move away from the raw, minimalist, stripped-down beats of their hardcore roots, towards a more commercial fare with such songs as Hey Luv. This transition fostered accusations of "selling out" —upsetting many long-time fans who did not wish to see them veer away from their original style. Although these stylistic adjustments opened up Mobb's audience to a wider variety, many critics and fans credit Prodigy's feud with Jay-Z as damaging to Mobb Deep's gangster image and record sales (most evident when comparing the platinum-selling Murda Muzik to Infamy which struggled to attain the gold record status). Not to be fazed, Prodigy noted that his lifelong bout with sickle cell anemia and his feud with Jay-Z had changed his outlook.

In 2003, the group split with Loud Records and released The Murda Mixtape which proclaimed "Free Agents" on the cover, addressing the group's split with Loud and search for a new label. Jive Records signed the duo later in the year and subsequently released Amerikaz Nightmare in 2004, which was seen by the general rap audience as a weaker release by the two, resulting in poor sales and the subsequent dropping of the duo from Jive.[3]

2005–Present

In the spring of 2005, it was announced that the duo had signed with G-Unit Records. This came as a surprise to many, as 50 Cent aimed a sly diss at them on his song, "Piggy Bank". The duo made it known that this was not the case as Havoc stated in an interview, "Mobb Deep isn't gonna change and when we first got here 50 was like, 'Listen, I want y'all to keep doing what you been doing.' That's it."[4] 50 Cent had a connection to the duo, as he grew up in nearby Jamaica, Queens and also had used Havoc as a producer for several different beats. The relationship strengthened as Mobb Deep and 50 Cent each received tattoos to pledge their loyalty to each other. Prodigy has the words "G-Unit" tattooed on his right hand and 50 Cent has "Mobb Deep" tattooed on his wrist. Upon signing to G-Unit, both Prodigy and Havoc were given new Porsches, a gift for two artists who had received very little monetary compensation in the past. [5].

Mobb Deep has finished recording their new album, titled Blood Money and is scheduled for release on May 2, 2006. It will feature G-Unit members, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck. This will mark their seventh release. As one of the most recognizable names in hip-hop, it is hoped that G-Unit will help Mobb Deep attract a new fanbase. As Havoc stated shortly after the deal, “As an artist, you want to be able to reach the furthest audience as you can. We put in hard work on our previous albums and still hit our core fan base. The difference this time around is that more people will hear this product this time.” Despite this, many of the Mobb's longtime fans are skeptical as G-Unit is known for their mainstream crossover music and fear that Mobb Deep will conform to this style.

Discography

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