Contact Mobb Deep

Full Name:	Mobb Deep
Date of Birth:	1992
Place of Birth:	Queensbridge, New York, USA
Claim to Fame:	Album The Infamous (1995)

• Global Grind & Karmaloop, Two Businesses Representing the 'New ...

  Houston Chronicle - Found 7 hours ago ... the Mob, Pete Rock, Slick Rick, Dennis Calvero of Crooks & Castles, The Cool Kids, Atmosphere, Common, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Fafi, M.I.A., DJ... Global Grind & Karmaloop, Two Businesses Representing the 'New ... - Reuters Global Grind & Karmaloop, Two Businesses Representing the 'New ... - San Antonio Business Journal Global Grind & Karmaloop, Two Businesses Representing the 'New ... - Interest!ALERT Global Grind & Karmaloop, Two Businesses Representing the 'New ... - Forbes.com Explore All

• Tweets on Ice: Dispatches from Jail in 140 Characters or Less ...

  Gawker - Found Nov. 23, 2009 There's also Prodigy , one half of the 90s hip hop duo Mobb Deep (Prodigy is currently serving 3 1/2 years for firearms offenses): But don't...

• R.A. the Rugged Man really does bribe people with hoo-ers

  ByronCrawford.com - Found Nov. 16, 2009 ... but had cats that were really respected in the game collaborate with him on some joints (notably, pre 1997 Mobb Deep and the late great G.O.A...

• Should Jesse Jackson defend Lil Boosie?

  ByronCrawford.com - Found Nov. 12, 2009 ... s influence on black youth, conspired to have him receive an especially harsh prison sentence, just like they did Prodigy from Mobb Deep?

• Hard White ? The New NWA?

  unkut.com - A Tribute To Ignorance (Remix) - Found Nov. 11, 2009 ... it here at Unkut Dot Com . Led by Un Pacino ? who I?d previously assumed to be just another Mobb Deep weed carrier ? the crew includes H...

• Havoc Says Mobb Deep Still Signed To G-Unit, Ready For New Album

  SOHH - Found Sep. 27, 2009 Hav said and he was just waiting for his partner to come back . 'We're definitely gonna work on the next Mobb Deep album, I'm ready for that...

• CORMEGA BACK WITH HIS NEW ALBUM 'BORN AND RAISED': Queens rapper ...

  EURweb - Found 15 hours ago Other notable acts include Capone & Noreaga, LL Cool J, and Mobb Deep just to name a few.

• Beanie Drops New Diss 'How I Could Kill Jigga Man'

  All Hip Hop - Found Nov. 21, 2009 ... of Jay-Z’s signature battle song “Takeover,” which was originally a diss record to Jay-Z’s old nemesis, Nas and Mobb Deep. Beanie Sigel takes a shot at Jay-Z again in "Kill a Jigga Man" - Examiner.com Explore All

• TUPAC BELIEVED DIDDY WAS INVOLVED IN HIS NEAR-DEATH SHOOTING, "I ...

  PR inside - Found Nov. 18, 2009 Tupac diss song called 'War Gamez' also landed online earlier this year with the rapper calling out Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, Nas, Mobb Deep and more.

• Tupac in the Track list for 'DJ Hero' unveiled (PC Game)

  PR inside - Found Nov. 18, 2009 DJ Hero' (DJ-Guitar mix, produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip) Gang Starr - 'Just To Get A Rep' vs. Mobb Deep - 'Shook Ones, Pt 2' (Produced and...

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Mobb Deep
Origin	New York City, New York, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Years active	1992–present
Labels	4th & B'way (1993) Infamous (2003-present) Loud (1995-2003) G-Unit (2005-2009)
Associated acts	Big Noyd Nas Wu-Tang Clan Infamous Mobb Ty Maxx Gotti Illa Ghee Q-Tip Cormega Capone-N-Noreaga The Alchemist Bars & Hooks Littles G-Unit Un Pacino Nyce 40 Glocc Da Youngstas Lil' Kim
Members
Havoc Prodigy

Mobb Deep is an American hip hop duo that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones Pt. II." From Queens, New York; Mobb Deep have become one of the most successful rap duos in Hip Hop. 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 90's.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Origins 1.2 Rise to success 1.3 Changes 1.4 G-Unit Records 1.5 East Coast vs. West Coast 2 Discography 3 References 4 External links

Biography

Origins

Havoc and Prodigy started rhyming in the late 1980s when they met at 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."^{citation needed} When Havoc and Prodigy were 17, 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 gained a little 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

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.¹ 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 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 dis song 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.^{citation needed}

Although these stylistic adjustments opened up Mobb Deep to a wider audience, many critics and fans consider Prodigy's feud with Jay-Z as a detriment to Mobb Deep's gangsta 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.² Today, as a result of various mergers, all Mobb Deep's studio albums from 1995–2004 are owned by Sony Music Entertainment.

G-Unit Records

Mobb Deep founded Infamous Records in the late 1990s, but it did not get an imprint deal until 2004. It is now a subsidiary of G-Unit Records. In June 2005, Prodigy and Havoc surprised fans when the duo announced that it had signed with 50 Cent's label G-Unit Records. The move was surprising because 50 Cent had included an indirect dis to the group in his song "Piggy Bank." 50 Cent had a connection to Mobb Deep, as he grew up in Queens and also had used Havoc as a producer for several different beats for albums by G-Unit, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo. The relationship strengthened as Prodigy and 50 Cent each received tattoos to pledge their loyalty to each other. Prodigy has the word "G-Unit" tattooed on the side of his right hand and 50 Cent has "Mobb Deep" tattooed on his wrist. Upon signing with 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. Later, Mobb Deep signed different artists on Infamous/G-Unit Records, including Nyce, 40 Glocc, and Gail Gotti. 40 Glocc has his own label on the Infamous label, called Zoo Life, which has signed artists such as Tiptoe, Sun, Lil Boo and Village Boo.

Mobb Deep released its eighth album, Blood Money, on May 2, 2006. It features G-Unit members 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck, as well as Mary J. Blige and Nate Dogg. On November 3, 2006, Mobb Deep became the first American hip-hop duo to perform in India, via VH1's Hip Hop Hustle. It performed in a nightclub called Enigma.^{citation needed}

East Coast vs. West Coast

Mobb Deep were part of the infamous East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry, which started when Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound released "New York, New York." Mobb Deep, along with Capone-N-Noreaga and Tragedy Khadafi, then released "LA, LA" in retaliation.

During 2Pac's incarceration, members of 2Pac's group The Outlawz allegedly attended a Mobb Deep concert. They then visited 2Pac, maintaining that the duo had snubbed them at the concert. 2Pac dissed Mobb Deep in "Hit 'Em Up" and "When We Ride on Our Enemies" and mocked Prodigy's sickle-cell disease. Mobb Deep responded in a diss track called "Drop A Gem On 'Em" on the 1996 album Hell on Earth, which was released after 2Pac was murdered. 2Pac also dissed Mobb Deep on the song "Against All Odds" and "Bomb First," both of which were released on 2Pac's last studio album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory

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

• Mobb Deep at MySpace
• Mobb Deep Fan Site
• Interview with Prodigy - 2006
• 2007 Interview with Prodigy
• Infamous Minded Mobb Deep Fan Site
• Infamous Minded FORUM The Forum of the Infamous Minded fan site

v • d • e Mobb Deep Havoc · Prodigy Albums Juvenile Hell · The Infamous · Hell on Earth · Murda Muzik · Infamy · Amerikaz Nightmare · Blood Money · The Safe Is Cracked Singles "Peer Pressure" · "Hit It from the Back" · "Shook Ones" · "Shook Ones part II" · "Survival of the Fittest" · "Temperature's Rising" · "Give Up the Goods (Just Step)" · "Still Shinin'" · "Back at You" · "Drop a Gem on 'em" · "Front Lines (Hell on Earth)" · "G.O.D. Pt. III" · "Hoodlum" · "Quiet Storm" · "Quiet Storm (remix)" · "It's Mine" · "U.S.A. (Aiight Then)" · "Burn" · "Hey Luv (Anything)" · "Get Away" · "Pray for Me" · "Solidified" · "The Illest" · "Double Shots" · "Gangstaz Roll" · "Got It Twisted" · "Real Gangstaz" · "Throw Your Hands (In the Air)" · "Win or Lose" · "Outta Control" · "Have a Party" · "Put em in Their Place" · "Give It to Me" · "Creep" Related articles Discography