| Name | Mobb Deep| Img = |
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| Background | group_or_band |
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| Origin | Queens, New York, U.S. |
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| Genre | Hip hop, East Coast hip hop, mafioso rap, hardcore hip hop |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
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| Label | 4th & B'way (1992-1993)Infamous (2003-present)Loud (1995-2003)G-Unit (2005-2009) |
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| Associated acts | Big Noyd, Nas, Raekwon, Kool G Rap, Infamous Mobb, The Alchemist, Littles, Capone-N-Noreaga, 50 Cent, G-Unit |
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| Url | http://www.publicenemy.com/ |
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| Current members | HavocProdigy |
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Mobb Deep is an
American hip hop duo from
Queens,
New York,
USA,that consists of
Havoc and
Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hard-core
East Coast hip-hop groups." The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "
Shook Ones Pt. II." Mobb Deep have become one of the most successful rap duos in hip hop, having sold over 3 million records. The majority of their albums have been critically acclaimed, in particular
The Infamous, which is considered a classic. They are partially credited for the resurgence of East Coast rap in the early to mid-'90s.
Havoc and Prodigy were also judges for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.
Biography
Origins
Havoc and Prodigy started rhyming in 1986, then later they both attended the
High School of Art and Design in
New York City. Havoc took the role of producer and secondary MC, while Prodigy assumed the position of primary MC. Originally dubbing themselves the Poetical Profits, the duo later changed its name to Mobb Deep in order to "reflect their reputation on the streets."))
When Havoc and Prodigy were 18, they released their debut album as Mobb Deep, called
Juvenile Hell, which was led by the single "
Peer Pressure." The album sold poorly and was met with harsh reviews that dismissed the duo as just another hardcore group with little to distinguish it from the rest of the hip-hop world, despite production by
DJ Premier and
Large Professor. However, a few songs from
Juvenile Hell did gain some recognition, such as "
Hit It from the Back," "Locked in Spofford," and "Me and My Crew." Also in 1993, Havoc had a guest appearance on the critically acclaimed
Black Moon album
Enta Da Stage, on a song called "U Da Man."
Rise to success
The group saw its first major success with their second album,
The Infamous, released in 1995. Mobb Deep catapulted to the top of the hardcore hip-hop scene through Havoc and Prodigy's straightforward narration of street life. Mobb Deep portrayed the struggles of living in New York City's
Queensbridge Houses. Following its release,
The Infamous became one of the most influential albums of the East Coast hardcore hip-hop genre. The duo's production stood out, as the beats were often hard-hitting and direct—a testament to Havoc, who produced the tracks almost exclusively throughout Mobb Deep's career. Furthermore, the smash hit single "
Shook Ones Pt. II" received critical acclaim and was well-received within the hip-hop community. Mobb Deep's third album,
Hell on Earth was released in 1996, debuting at number six on the
Billboard album chart. The album continued the duo's portrayal of harsh street life, while further pushing them to the forefront of the hardcore hip-hop scene, along with contemporary East Coast rappers like
The Notorious B.I.G.,
Wu-Tang Clan collective,
Jay-Z, and fellow Queensbridge associate
Nas.
In 1996, they appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD, America is Dying Slowly, alongside Biz Markie, Wu-Tang Clan, and Fat Joe, among many other prominent hip hop artists. The CD, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic among African American men, was heralded as "a masterpiece" by The Source magazine.
In 1998, the duo collaborated with reggae dancehall rapper Bounty Killer on the track "Deadly Zone" for the soundtrack to Blade. In 1999, they released the highly anticipated Murda Muzik album. Despite extensive bootlegging (nearly 30 songs of unreleased material leaked onto the Internet) and countless delays, the album debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and quickly received platinum certification—further highlighted by the popular single "Quiet Storm." Shortly afterward, Prodigy released his long-awaited solo album H.N.I.C, in which the MC collaborated with other artists (B.G. and N.O.R.E.) and producers (including The Alchemist, Rockwilder, and Just Blaze).
Changes
Mobb Deep released
Infamy in 2001. The song "
Burn" (featuring
Vita) was perceived as a response to Jay-Z's "Takeover" on
The Blueprint, as was "Crawlin'," in which Prodigy's two verses both mention Jay-Z. The album marked a major stylistic change in which the duo moved away from raw, minimalist, stripped-down beats and toward more commercial fare with such songs as "
Hey Luv (Anything)." 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 Deep to a wider audience, many critics and fans consider their style change as a detriment to Mobb Deep's street image and record sales (most evident when comparing the platinum-selling Murda Muzik to Infamy, which struggled to attain gold-record status).
In 2003, the group split with Loud Records and released
Free Agents: The Murda Mix Tape, in which Havoc and Prodigy proclaimed themselves "
free agents" and addressed the group's split with its old label and its search for a new label.
Jive Records signed the duo later in the year through a deal with the group’s own imprint. Mobb Deep then released
Amerikaz Nightmare in 2004, which was seen by the general hip-hop audience as a weaker release, resulting in poor sales and the group’s subsequent departure from the label. Today, as a result of various mergers, all of Mobb Deep's studio albums from 1995 to 2004 are owned by
Sony Music Entertainment.
Discography
Juvenile Hell (1993)
The Infamous (1995)
Hell on Earth (1996)
Murda Muzik (1999)
Infamy (2001)
Amerikaz Nightmare (2004)
Blood Money (2006)
The Safe Is Cracked (2009)
References
External links
Interview with Prodigy - 2006
2007 Interview with Prodigy
Category:American hip hop groups
Category:1990s music groups
Category:2000s music groups
Category:G-Unit Records artists
Category:African American musical groups
Category:Loud Records artists
Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths
Category:Musical duos
