In 1995, Mobb Deep’s second studio album, The Infamous, debuted at #3 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart and #15 on Billboard 200.
Two decades later, Billboard caught up with Queens, New York duo Prodigy and Havoc, who shared stories about becoming Mobb Deep and crafting their critically-acclaimed album.
Before Prodigy and Havoc became known as Mobb Deep, the two young friends were known as the Poetical Prophets. During their interview with Billboard, both members explained how Puff Daddy was influential in their name-change.
“I remember the day we came up with that [Mobb Deep] name,” Prodigy says. “We were at Def Jam and we were writing [names down] on paper and was like, ‘Mobb Deep, that’s ill. Hell yeah.'”
“What really made us change it was [that] we were going to do a deal with Puffy at the time,” Havoc adds. “He was going to sign us and everything but he said, ‘There’s only one thing about y’all. Y’all need to change your name.’ We ended up not signing at all.”
On April 25, The Infamous album will be twenty-years-old. Its singles “Shook Ones Pt. II,” “Survival of the Fittest” and “Temperature’s Rising” helped the Queensbridge rappers share their neighborhood tales with listeners.
The aforementioned hits happen to be some of the group’s favorite songs from the album. Prodigy names “Survival of the Fittest” and “Party Over” as his favorites, while Havoc prefers “Shook Ones Pt. II” and “Temperature’s Rising.”
As for new music from Mobb Deep, the groups says “nothing is really etched in stone” at the moment, but that they have begun to work on a new album with Alchemist.
“We’ve just been working on the beginnings of it,” Prodigy says. “We’ve got a few joints knocked out. It’s coming along. It’ll be out soon. [Alchemist producing the album] is the plan right now. I’m sure Hav will have something on there or they’ll probably be collaborating on a few joints here and there, but we had an idea like, ‘Yo, let’s do something different and have Al do the whole album.’ We just wanted to do something different and get some new excitement. I’m sure the fans would appreciate it.”
“Mobb Deep is still here,” Havoc adds. “We making albums and in the midst of making these albums we just like to come up with ideas like, ‘Why don’t we do a new album like this? Why don’t we do a new album like that or why don’t we do a new album with Alchemist?’ We’ve been throwing around ideas, and making a few songs. It’s just an idea that we’re throwing around. How much that album will become a reality [is] based around how we fit [it in] our schedules, as far as touring and things of that nature.”
View Mobb Deep’s Hollywood Freestyle:
Damn, all these classic albums just turning 20 on us. Time is just flying.
What’s even sadder is that after Kanye West College Drop Out no one will care for a 20 year reunion by no Hip Hop Artist.
Not true bruh. They will remember MBDTF, GKMC, and many others… That negative mentality is whats killing the culture. We dont even see the greatness thats right in front of us…
Nas “Life is Good” is the last classic. Kendrick’s album and dark fantasy aren’t classic.
Be on the lookout for the “Reasonable Doubt” 20 year anniversary next year.
man don’t blow this new album yall please damn, i know yall have it in you. come with it please i ain’t suggesting you do a hell on earth 2 or infamous 2…just come fresh, and clean damn i’m tired of these nickel and dime assed albums by some of my most influential artists as if they don’t know the formula to making a good album.
Mobb deep used to be worth a damn. Ain’t heard nothing decent from them since before they signed with 50. Time to hang it up and realize that 20+ years in the rap game is like selling bud for 20 years. Time to grow and expand is past and now its just all you got left to hang on to your “good ole days”. I love how just BC someone had a hit album back in the day they are still considered relevant. This goes for snoop, dre, diddy, weezy, etc. Time to step back and let the kdots, and yelawolfs bring the change and “freshness” the game needs so bad right now
*RAP ALBUMS CELEBRATING 20 YEARS THIS YEAR*:
—————————————–
*The Infamous
*Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
*Doe or Die
*Dogg Food
*Soul Food
*Mack 10
*Return To The 36 Chambers
*Double or Nothing
*Operation Stackola
*In A Major Way
*Me Against the World
*Conspiracy
*Dah Shining
*Poverty’s Paradise
*99 Ways to Die
*456
*Do You Want More?!?!!?
*2000
…….If I missed anything…SHOOT ME!!!
WAIT!!! Before you cock the hammer..*LIVING PROOF *LIQUID SWORDS and *E.1999 ETERNAL. (WHEW!)
-Lifestyles ov da Poor and Dangerous
-Sittin’ on Chrome
-Mystic Stylez
-Goodfellas
-Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2
-The Show Soundtrack
-KRS-One
-Mind of Mystikal
-All We Got Iz Us
-Jealous One’s Envy
-Temples of Boom
-Labcabincalifornia
Love they Old Mobb Music but don’t care bout a new album Prodigy cant rap for shit anymore smh he really don’t try most his shit don’t even rhyme foh Alchemist should stop wasting beats on him he been complete trash on everything after HNIC 2
Sadly, I agree. Infamous, Hell On Earth, and Murder Muzik were unbelievably ill. I think Prodigy fell off during the Infamy album.
Plus, it’s hard for me to get behind two 40 year old dudes still trying to act like gangsters after 25+ years in the music business. At a certain point, you need to be real with who you are, and neither is still a gangster.
You’re not listening, you’re just repeating what some other nigga said. Prodigy is lyrically better than he’s EVER been. He had a lull for a while, but for the past couple years his shit has been levels above anything he previously did. He’s doing things lyrically I thought he would never do. The complexity of some of his rhyme schemes now is just ridiculous. I respect everyone’s opinion, but honestly, I don’t think you know what you’re talkin’ about. Listen to that Albert Einstein album, especially “Curb Your Dog”, are you shittin’ me? That shit is lethal.
^ lol. You’re out of your mind if you think Prodigy is better than ever. He’s nowhere near to what he was between 95-01.
Thecoli is down for maintenance so I figured I should kick it with y’all for a minute. Anyway, fuck both Mobb Deep and Puffy. West Coast niggas run y’all niggas.
Prodigy hit his peak in 1996 and Havoc hasn’t made a good beat since the Murda Muzik sessions. Truth hurts.
Both Havoc & Prodigy did FALL-OFF big-time — but doesn’t that seem to happen w/ almost each & every single music artist (regardless of any genre)…I haven’t seen many revolutionary artist/musician or band/group who changed-the-game and continued their revolutionary ways because once they peak and/or reach their prime, it is extremely difficult for them to maintain output or even replicate their sounds…8-out-of-10 artists never regain their peak…totally & utterly impossible…who are you to judge? lol’s
Stop smoking crack. Gods can never fall. You dobt know shit about hip hop. Enjoy your mom’s spaghetti with your girl mm
If your comment was posted to illicit a response, then you won. They are the best hip hop group of ALLTIME. They went for the money a bit with 50 but they deserved a payoff. They can never fall. Every album does not need a skip, maube a repeat but their lyrics, beats, message and heart is real and correct. In order to fall, one needs to stand. Mobb Deep only can, and will ever fly.