The sampled skits incorporated into the tracks help to give the topic matter direction - in fact, they are superb finds and will help to expand young impressionable minds. On the opener "Real Power Is People" he gets militant, spitting politically charged and inspirational words to the streets - not just mindless bullshit, but real shit. This album is made infinitely more interesting by the varied subject matter, and the P rolls back the years. 2" - with the only differences being that Sid Roams shares production duties with The Alchemist over ten tracks (with Havoc and Apex covering the rest), and an expansion on the themes Prodigy raps about. That formula has been translated to "H.N.I.C. The Alchemist brought the heat and Prodigy kept it simple, doing what he does best - dirty gutter rap. But the bigger part of me is filled with sadness that another talented music artist is locked up and unable to release the kind of music that hip hop heads have always loved.Įspecially when, after the G-Unit fiasco (that album was terrible, let us not mince our words), Prodigy's "Return of the Mac" mixtape primer for this official album was so promising. Part of me can't judge because I have never walked a mile in Prodigy's boots before. Part of me can't understand what possesses millionaire rappers to flagrantly flaunt the law when they have got so much to lose. Stung by police on gun possession charges (someone please inform me of the percentage of rappers going down on similar charges right now) he is serving time. 2" is going to have to hold you down during his bid. Jailed for the next few years, this is the last we will hear from P on wax for a while, so if you're a fan (as so many of us are) then "H.N.I.C. But none of that really matters right now. approach to the art of MCing.This is the second official solo offering from Prodigy, one half of the infamous Mobb Deep - released more or less 8 years after the first installment of "H.N.I.C." - and contains thirteen excellent tracks, with production mainly handled by The Alchemist and Sid Roams. Among fans he will never be forgotten, for his skills, his storytelling and his no-B.S. was Prodigy's first solo album, but it is perhaps his best. And alongside other standouts, perhaps the deepest cut of all - especially in light of Prodigy's recent and way-too-soon passing due to complications from Sickle Cell Anemia - is "You Can Never Feel My Pain," which details the health issues and challenges this talented MC and producer had been facing his whole life. "Wanna Be Thugs" and "Delt With The Bullshit" are strong and evocative Mobb Deep cuts, featuring production and vocals by Havoc.
"Genesis," "What U Rep" (featuring Noreaga) and "Three" are all sinister yet pensive. The album boasted other charting singles, including "Rock Dat Shit" and "Y.B.E." (featuring B.G.), but it can be argued that the album's real gems are buried deeper. But "Thoro" was the tip of the iceberg on what proved to be one of the more coveted rap full-lengths of the era. There are no wasted verses, just hardcore rhymes that stay with you. The song is short and sweet, clocking in at just over 3 minutes.
Countless MCs have followed his flow, from Fabolous to Joey Bada$$. Flaunting a smooth-but-menacing flow, Prodigy's no-nonsense lyricism on "Keep It Thoro" is prototypical modern age brag rap. After multiple Mobb Deep platters in the '90s, Prodigy entered the 2000s as a solo artist with force, rolling over a stomping, piano-freaked backdrop laced by producer The Alchemist, with "Keep It Thoro." It has held up over time, proving itself as an anthemic classic that the streets and clubs still respect.
Featuring two double-threat MCs who also produced - Havoc and the sadly-departed Prodigy - the crew changed the hardcore rap game in 1995 with their sophomore classic The Infamous, and went on to rule the dark corners of hip-hop for the second half of the 90s and well into the 2000s. 2017 Record Store Day Black Friday release - When it comes to authentic, ride-or-die hip-hop, few crews have as much resonance as Mobb Deep.