It’s been exactly sixteen years since Mobb Deep dropped their second album The Infamous. To commemorate the anniversary of the album’s release, Complex took an in-depth look at each of the critically acclaimed LP’s tracks, including interviews with the duo and others involved in the album’s production.
Both members explained how the track “Eye for a Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)” featuring Nas and Raekwon came together.
“I knew Nas since I was six or seven because we both went to the same daycare after-school in the projects,” explained Havoc. “And growing in the neighborhood, everybody knew everybody. Then as a teenager I got a little closer to Nas before me and him even had a record deal. So we were always there, but just running separate courses.”
Prodigy said he and Havoc became the link between Nas and Raekwon, the latter of whom was very interested in doing a record with Nas.
He said,“We was just chilling with Rae and Ghost[face], smoking bud, drinking 40s, just wilding in they projects and shit. And when we were out there chilling with them niggas, Rae was like, ‘Yo, introduce us to Nas. We want to do some music with Nas.’ So we were like, ‘Alright, we’ll line that up.’ Rae actually, he drove us back to the projects that night and we were like, ‘Yo, tomorrow we’re going to get Nas’ number for you and we’re going to make some shit happen.’ So the next day we told Nas about the situation.
“We told Nas, ‘Yo, Raekwon from Wu-Tang wants to do some music with you. Come to the studio, we’ve got a song for both of ya to get on anyway.’ So he came and did that and that’s how them niggas met. The next day we lined that studio session up and we just made it happen.”
Read the rest of the interviews here.
masterpiece
classic, top 25 album all time
diddo I would go as far as to even say top 10. Peace on the wrath of the math avatar, “Whatever” was my shit lol
^^ Nahh son, Black Cowboys!
The prophet song was the best on Wrath Of The Math, but The Sun Rises In The East is even better.
One of the best hip hop albums of all time. Hell On Earth is also up there. They’re one of the very few hip hop artits who where able to put out 2 classics in a row. And then, under this article you can see a pic with 50, smh.
yo hip hop that hell on earth was a stone cold classic my nigga
I know a lot of niggas hated them signing with 50 Cent. I did too.
But I just finished reading Prodigy’s book, “My Infamous Life” and I have a much bigger appreciation for not only Prodigy but for the way 50 Cent came at them and handled them. He came at them like a real nigga and showed them more love than ANYBODY or any label in the industry ever has.
P also tells the story about the meeting 50 Cent called before he dropped MOP and Olivia. He straight called everybody in the room like Nino did! And he even went at Banks like Nino went at G-Money. Shit got emotional in there.
But when you listen to how it went, 50 was right. Them niggas wasn’t pulling they weight. It’s a lot that go on behind the curtains.
Prodigy vs Capone, who gona win? Prodigy said Capone Snitch on Havoc lil Brother, but Capone said no he didnt, now capone mad at P.
Who cares? do you know them niggas? All that extra shit is for broads and little kids. Don’t get into all that ignorant shit.
those were the good days of hip-hop!
One of the best rap albums of all time..
whos capone?? dat faggot aint gon do shit to P
Whoa, Capone from Capone-N-Noreaga with their classic The War Report, sounds very similar to Mobb Deep. I show love to both of them with regular plays.
$WonDough$ aint a shook one
That was a great read. Top 5 rap album of all time, if someone argued it as the best, I wouldn’t argue with them. I knew Q-Tip had a hand in that album but I didn’t know he did so much on it. I knew even back then that there was somethin’ different about the drums that no rap album had ever had before. Peace.
Yeah, you can really feel Tip’s vibe on most of the album. Another reason why this album is so great.
Definitely top 10 rap album of all time. One of the few albums I can play all the way through without skipping a track.
It is possible to have another album like this, get Havoc & Tip collaborating on production, Prodigy can speed up his flow to more of the 90’s East Coast sound, get Rae and Nas on their. A couple more people with similar styles to make an appearance and theirs a classic. Lyrics & Beats have to be on point though and I think they’re very capable of doing it, Prodigy has the motivation right now.
This is a classic classic album. If I had to pick my top album of all time, I think I would pick The Infamous. The beats and lyrics were so fucking perfect. You can’t beat it.