By Malice Intended

1992 was a stagnant period in the evolution in rap music, with the genre plagued by short-lived trends and fads.  Kejuan Muchita (Havoc) and Albert Johnson (Prodigy) together formed the fearsome duo Mobb Deep.  They came equipped to win, armed with beats from acclaimed producers the Large Professor and DJ Premiere.  That didn’t stop their debut Juvenile Hell from bricking horribly however, failing to move even 50,000 units. 

Taking a loss can have its advantages.  The crowd doesn’t expect as much from you, and a win of any magnitude is seen as an improvement.  The Mobb took the failure of Juvenile Hell as a lesson: If you want your true artistic vision to be presented in the best way possible, take matters into your own hands.

In the middle of the East Coast post-Illmatic resurgence, Mobb Deep released the single “Shook Ones Part II,” signaling a massive artistic evolution.  Prodigy’s ominous preamble beckoned the coming of a storm:

Yeah, to all the killers and a hundred dollar villians/Ror real niggas who ain’t got no feelings…check it out now

Havoc’s beat sounds as if constructed in a cauldron as opposed to a sound proofed studio.  The stark strings signaled impending doom.  By the time Prodigy’s classic opening verse unfolds, it is clear that this is the first page of a manifesto, but a much different one than Nas had constructed with Illmatic. 

[pro-player width=’425′ height=’344′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxDdN-puo3g[/pro-player]

The Infamous was finally released in April of 1995, minus the aid of any name producers but under the watchful eye of Q-Tip.  Prodigy reached into the darkest depths of his psyche to deliver a stunning portrayal of Big Apple criminality, which was swiftly being smothered beneath Giuliani’s Disneyland vision of New York.

Nihilism is immediately apparent with the perfectly-titled “The Start of Your Ending (41st Side)”.  The slight pianos and synthesized choral moaning are chilling yet oddly hypnotic.  “Survival of The Fittest” raises the adrenaline level considerably with menacing sparse piano keys that assist a hopped-up-on-caffeine drum track. Prodigy paints Queensbridge as a hunting ground where half-assed tough guys are consumed by those who have the “courage” to be completely heartless.

Havoc’s musical strategy is clear.  At the time, West Coast G-Funk dominated the airways and music charts with inviting melody floating violent, misogynistic subject matter.  Havoc bucked this trend by offering a more stripped-down variation of East Coast boom-bap, which was slowly being ushered aside by that point.

Their strategy continued to unfold with “Eye for a Eye (Your Beef Is Mines).”  Raekwon the Chef and Nas offer guest verses on what is the thuggish embracing of all things final and inevitable.  The track conjures visions of The Apocalypse and ready to die militia, marching to their fates with chests swollen and rifles high.   

“Give Up the Goods (Just Step)” flips the sample used on the remix to L.L. Cool J’s “Pink Cookies in a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings,” and Mobb Deep associate Big Noyd offers a verse of crackling energy that effectively overpowers and deficiencies in Noyd’s delivery.  Noyd’s fury acts as wild card that breaks the monotony of Prodigy as grizzled veteran.

“Temperature’s Rising” plays like a more radio friendly rendition of Nas’ “One Love,” with the narrators not seeming as detached or poetic.  “Up North Trip” has Prodigy offering one of the most vivid and frightening portraits ever recorded of an inmate’s first trip to state prison.  Again, the theme of predator and prey is established and strongly reinforced.

“Drink Away The Pain” is like a New York version of Spice-1’s “187 Proof,” though its horns facilitate mournful reminiscences rather than a cute crime tale.  Prodigy allows a bit of sadness to peak through his gruff exterior, if only grudgingly.  Q-Tip, who produced the track, offers a verse that doesn’t seem at all out of place. 

The Infamous established Mobb Deep as a force to be reckoned with.  They did something that was uniquely New York in both sound and style, from the exaggerated accents to their nigh inexhaustible slang dictionary.  They were ultimately rewarded with a gold plaque and a rejuvenated career.  The Infamous is, without a doubt, a classic.

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