Whether through sheer determination or the innate knack for crafting music, Prodigy has once again become a mainstay since his 2011 release from a three-year prison stint. A street Rap favorite since the mid ‘90s, he has remained astute and dedicated to satisfying his core audience aside from infrequent letdowns such as last year’s H.N.I.C. 3—an effort panned for blatant commercial attempts including “Gangsta Love” and “Pretty Thug.” Never resting on his laurels for long, Prodigy’s present output is the bold yet unsurprisingly titled Albert Einstein, and it serves as his second project fully produced by long time collaborator Alchemist.
While saving face to restore the fractured public image of Mobb Deep, recent history has found Prodigy developing a bond with Alchemist, who is steadily evolving towards his own legendary status behind the boards. Threatening as ever, “Give ‘Em Hell,” “Curb Ya Dog” and the crime caper “Confessions” all fit a running theme that has yet to be exhausted, despite this late point in P’s career. Speaking to his timeless nature, Prodigy boasts, “Got my style preserved like cans on the shelf” on “Bear Meat,” taking its title from the hook “Retweet that, you sweet like bear meat…” (a likely reply to his group’s turmoil spilling onto social media). In a similar vein, “Stay Dope” and “Raw Forever” both emphasize his focus on longevity, the latter taking the unusually mature stance that seeks a drama free existence.
Though carrying the majority of the lyrical duty by himself, Prodigy holds his own alongside an assorted cast who properly fit the gritty scope of Albert Einstein. His descriptive parables include “Esoteric knowledge and I’m criminal minded / A lady’s wet dream and the devil’s worst nightmare…” on “Death Sentence,” where he doesn’t allow the brutally competitive Roc Marciano to steal his thunder. “R.I.P.” resurrects the outdated breakbeat concept as P’s now sporadic partner in rhyme Havoc and Raekwon help him properly honor the old school. And on the Action Bronson assisted “The One,” Prodigy still manages to escape embarrassment despite restructuring an infamous Trinidad James line with “I don’t (fuck) with no snitches / So I need to know who’s telling.” One of the few departures from hardcore Hip Hop, the smoothed out “Y.N.T.” features an unmemorable appearance from usual show stealer Domo Genesis, a sign of the lead emcee’s hunger to be recognized amongst today’s most mentioned.
Sharing his first name with the famed genius, Prodigy breaks his advanced expertise down to a science on Albert Einstein. Mediocre moments occur far and few in between quality tracks, as “Dough Pildin” is outweighed by the strong composure and focus contained within “Breeze” and “Say My Name.” Though his synergy with Alchemist hasn’t quite matched that of his former duo, and the album is repetitive in nature (a sure complaint for anyone highly critical of his solo work), Prodigy continues his largely consistent reign as a still thriving pioneer of New York’s once thugged-out era.
this album is fuckin sick! LMDKV, Curb Ya Dog, Bear Meat, Breeze, The One…. Prodigy is back! Real Rap never dies
Peace Out
Prodigy shows signs of his old self when he was considered one of the best.. That dark grimy 90’s New York hip hop.. Alchemist brings the heat as always..
Bought mine-thanks to P and ALC for a brutality masterpiece. More of the same gentlemen.
This album is repetitive and I found the beats (noise) to be annoying and of course P sounds terrible as usual. 2 stars only because “RIP” was an alright joint. PRODIGY, I’VE BEEN A BIG FAN SINCE “JUVENILE HELL” DROPPED BUT PLEASE STOP MAKING MUSIC! YOU DON’T NEED TO DESTROY YOUR (AND MOBB DEEP’S) LEGACY ANY MORE THAN YOU (AND HAV) ALREADY HAVE. YOUR LYRICS AND FLOW ARE WACK AS FUCK NOW. YOU HAVEN’T SOUNDED DOPE SINCE “QUIET STORM” DROPPED ALL THE WAY BACK IN 1999. YOUR FROM THE GOLDEN ERA OF HIP HOP. NOWADAYS, YOUR TRYING WAY TOO HARD TO DRESS AND FLOW LIKE TODAY’S SO CALLED RAPPERS BUT YOU DON’T FIT IN WITH THIS FAGGOT GENERATION OF CLOWNS THAT ARE RUINING HIP HOP CULTURE. IT’S TIME TO RETIRE FROM THE RAP GAME. OH AND I ALMOST FORGOT, I WOULD RECOMMEND DELETING YOUR TWITTER ACCOUNT BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW TWITTER IS CORNY AS FUCK. TRUTH HURTS.
you fucking right he should retire. people calling this dope are stupid as hell.
“YOU HAVEN’T SOUNDED DOPE SINCE “QUIET STORM” DROPPED ALL THE WAY BACK IN 1999.”
I guess you haven’t listened to the entirety of the first HNIC (2000), with joints like Keep It Thoro, Genesis, What U Rep, and Veteran’s Memorial.
Or most of the songs from Return of the Mac (2007).
Or classics like Illuminati, Real Power Is People, I Want Out and Veteran’s Memorial 2 from HNIC2 (2008).
Or his dope compilation Product of the 80’s (2008).
Or the track Get It Forever.
Or the gutta tracks from Infamy, America’s Nightmare and Blood Money (nobody tell me that Smoke It, Put Em In Their Place, Heavenly Gates, Capital P Capital H, In Love With The Moulah, The Infamous are not dope)
Or his numerous guest appearances.
Or his features on Infamous Mobb.
Or… I’ll ease up on you boy. As Sean Price would say (and you like capitalisation), STFU
Double, I’ve listened to all of it. The first HNIC album wasn’t that great and I still don’t understand why so many people like it. P was ok but most of the beats on HNIC were garbage. “Keep It Thoro” was the best song by far. Come on man, “Infamy” was a terrible album. I will admit “Return of the Mac” was alright but still nothing special. It’s ok if you don’t agree with me, homie. It’s just simply a case of your standards being much lower than mine.
I had too high hopes for this. Most of the beats on this album are TRASH.
Not even Prodigy’s rapping could make it up.
It’s a straight-forward 2.
This cat has broken ears
I was expecting 4/5, but I actually agree with rating and points. Alchemist is so on-point, but besides the “R.I.P.” song, I thought all of the guests felt/sounded phoned in. I also think Prodigy one-takes all his songs, and basically KRS-One’s shit. He’s so much better than he tolerates in himself.
I think Return Of The Mac is a better album, but given a dismal 2013…this aint halfway bad. If you were gonna buy, I’d say make sure you have Russian Roulette or those Gangrene albums first, straight up.
dope album
Brutality at its finest… he shows signs of at least HNIC- era P on here…. he sounds at home over any ALC jawn.. Al did what he usually does on the board, and that’s sonically wreck sh!t 4/5
this should’ve been the H.N.I.C 3! Very dope album
5 stars. Prodigy makes Roc Marci sound like a rookie on “Death Sentence”
DOPE!
I like the positive talk on the album. Definitely will check it out. If it’s anywhere near as good as Return of the Mac I’ll probably like it.
5 stars!
maybe the best hip-hop album to be released this year. cohesive & raw. dope cover too.
So far I’ve only listend the first 3 tracks, and each get straight to the point and deliver what you really want from P. Can’t wait to hear the rest!
Loved it, great album.
Best album of 2013 so far % stars P on top once again & sick beats from ALC
Damn, I had my doubts about this, but P still got it. “Curb Ya Dog” is nuts.
Best hip hop album this year so far, how can this get anything less than a 4? The Alchemist is the best producer in the game right now and Prodigy is BACK, absolute fire. Prodigy’s rhymes are as vivid and lyrical as they have been in a long time.
one the BEST MIXTAPES FOR 2013..Prodigy blacked out lyrically Alch + Prodigy = that real “DUN” MUSIC
Album of the year. If you don’t like this or P, youre a fucking faggot
EARLY!
Ja needs that Mobb Deep shit
P.
prodigy is so fuckin dope my man ja rule cant even fuck with him. ja rule worships the ground prodigy walks on. even better than “between me and you”. rule forgive me.
This nigga is always talking tough but everybody in the rapgame from 2pac to Trulife beat his ass. So whats up with the toughtalk you midget. Nobody is scared of you?
BTW album is weak, retire dude
Fuck off with that crap or you going to get a standing ovation, GET CLAPPED!
He can’t because he’s still making more money than your flat broke ass
@ Doublespeak:
i aint broke. what do you know about my financial situation? Why is Mobb Deep back and doing shows? Because they are broke! Go listen to this wack shit.
2pac never touched him and he got hit up and gone R.I.P. to the REAL balerina, Tru Life never touched him he tried keeping it real and is in jail and never made it (Dummy)…P still spittin’…Only the strong survive chump!
hard album
Classic, fuck DX once again for your one sided corporate driven review. Prodigy and Alchemist compliment each other like Nas and Large Professor. 5 Stars, some of the best ALC beats I’ve heard in years.
Co-sign 100%
For a website apparently dedicated to hip-hop they don’t know anything about good hip-hop when it drops. If this were a Kanye album HHDX would give it 4.5 minimum.
Damn this albums FIRE. Alchemists beats sound better than ever
Been a sloooow year for hip hop so far, finally an album i wanna buy
I’m going to download this album for free Muahahahhahahahahahha
lol fuck HHDX for this review. this shit is a 4.5.
only 3.5??
at least 4.
Can’t leave this shiz without a vote… Alchemist turned it into gold for real! 😉
Hell no, the only GOOD thing about this album is P. Alchemist still sucks at making beats.
Prodigy deserves much better beats!
dx.. 3 1/2 stars for real??????
smh
this fuckin album is the illest shit out there.
This review sucks!!! Not a fan of aal P’s work, but damn give a brother a break when he is back on his A game.
Al laid down some great beats on this one
I give it 4.0/5.0, really good album in a year that has not had many bright spots.
good album…
That cover art is fucking ill.
This is dope album from start to finish. Shocked at the rating, shuda got at least a 4.
Sum real hip hop shit. If thats your cup of tea, you should appreciate this album.
What about Hnic 2? That sucked too.
This album is the shit!. Alchemist is one of the best producers and i’ve been fan of Prodigy since 1993.
Aaaaaalchemist… RSVP! Shits fire Nothin like East Coast flow with West Coast beats..Samples will always be better than overused synths and computer sounds!!
AOTY so far FOR ME, maybe born sinner will change that.
key words: ‘FOR ME’
fireeeee bangs in the caddy…..hard beats n prodigy stepped his game back up
meh same old boring shit
3.5 STARS…
THIS IS THE BEST RAP ALBUM OUT THERE NOW
AT LEAST 4
TO ME
GREAT ALBUM!
Alchemist production top. Prodigy rapping flop. His rhymes are redundant, boring and lame with no evolution et al.
He’s got nothing left to prove, he’s still the same P. Lyrically niggas have fell off though like Jay-Z and Shyne but P puts words together fluidly, no matter how fast the flow is.
NAH
P GOT NOTHIN TO PROVE
I Love this
Wow amazing
Word
this goes hard body… good album
Damn Dx why you tripping this atleast 4/5 if not 4.5/5.. One of the best albums right now. Great chemistry thanks to the duo for this
trash drake kills these wack niggas
Drake drinks sperm of wack niggas and Mobb ain’t one of those
mobb
Dope album … P been doing it!
The only reason this album didn’t get 5 stars is because there are two many angel cake n***as out there, this album isn’t for the feint of heart, It’s deep and dark like old school Mobb Deep albums and if you like that style of hip hop it’s definitely 5 stars! Too many people are listening to lyrics that don’t make sense with the same type of “Maybach” beats, try something different y’all. Top album considering the releases this year.
I love the albums dark, hardcore and raw sound. Breeze is my shit. Prodigy and Alchemist outdid themselves.
5 star album
if you were ever a prodigy or alchemist fan this album is a sure shot
prodigy is rapping his ass off and the beats are crazy
this is how you rebound from a dud. hnic 3 was WACK and this album here is up there with the original HNIC… incredible.
THIS HIST IS DOPE
i can’t believe how dope prodigy came on this.
alc hit him with classic alc production no surprise there. but prodigy delivered the best performance i’ve heard outta him on the mic since murda muzik or the original hnic. he bodied these tracks with his voice, flows, and lyrics. the first track may be the best shit i’ve heard from prodigy since i heard him ripping “keep it thoro”. when you hear a guest, even a guest rapper as nice as roc marciano, i couldn’t wait to hear p again. thats how it used to be, waiting out dope havoc verses to hear even doper prodigy verses.
alchemist as always needs to be saluted and awarded for his contributions to music.
but prodigy really needs to get some love for his music this outing. he’s had a lot of bad press since getting out of jail and he just rectified all of that for me with this incredible project. a true return to form for a legend in rhyme.
not something you play once and forget about. not something you play select tracks from. it’s a project you play start to finish.
5/5 got me all giddy about rap and the mobb again. mobb deep. still got it.
I co-sign this, all you motherfucker’s saying Prodigy fell off need to listen to this album.
Well put. Real hip-hop is not dead at all; only on the radio. I’ve been hugely excited this year by this album, Czarface, Demigodz, 12 Reason To Die.
DAMN!
THAT DEATH SENTENCE SONG IS DOPE!
ALCHEMIST ON BOARD CLASSIC
AT LEAST 4 !!!!
BEST RAP ALBUM NOW
Whole album is dope no doubt
Nice album…Havoc had better beats on 13 tho
Hell yes, those beats are just great.
Album of the year. Best shit out right now
I knew P still had it in him. This album is fire!!! CLASSIC!!! P & ALC really went in on this album. Any Prodigy doubters need to hear this
P is on fire on this, but the production.. God dam, how good this would’ve been if the beats weren’t so bad!
This album needs to be re-produced.
dont get gassed.
I guess I’ll have to give this an honest chance after reading the comments here, I’m kind of over Prodigy as a rapper these days. Funny, a decade ago this album would’ve been on my most looked forward to!
Word…I agree. Album bangs though. Alchemist is a beast and him and Prodigy have dope chemistry.
this is a master peace all the way through…..!!!!even the name of the album is dope !!!!!!!!
meh.
Bandana P is definitely still in the game !!!
Shit bangs
Havent heard P spit like this in a minute
4.5 album definately good beat selection. and p always on point with the rhymes.
prodigys lyrics are just plain garbage
fire
Shit is hot! Prodigy and ALC go together like PB&J!!! #earrrly
good call. im gonna make some pb& j now homes
ALC & P ARE ON THE TOP! CLASSIC
Better than expected but still no where near their best work. 3/5.
5 fuckin Stars….Old school grown thug music…thank the lord for this album…P and AL…the game needs this!!!! You lame ass fuckboys dissin the album go get yo Trinidad James or Lil Wayne bullshit an ride to that wack shit…
Hiphopdx leans towards commercial style hiphop i stick with underground best album of the year so far!
Prodigy sounds coldd on mic on Alchemist beats.
Alchemist put himself on the map again so did Prodigy
good to see the old P back, Al brings out the best in him, period.
plz give me a download link guyz
the album title has nothing to do with album at all
im talkin lyric and beat
WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT A JEWISH WHITE DUDE FROM BEVERLY HILLS WOULD PROVIDE HIP HOP WITH SOME OF THE MOST “STREET/HOOD” BEATS EVER……
ALCHEMIST ALL DAY…….BUT FUCK PRODIGY
Surprisingly…GREATTTTT!!! been a while for P
CLASSIC. If you are a fan of “P” you will love this shit. Trust me. Alchemist, you did your thing son. A bunch of hot tracks, production is just plain sick.
a-a-a-a-alchemist, in my ears the greatest beatmaker alive…this time his production is more “banging” than on russian roulette or rare chandeliers, which perfectly fit the other legend, p. those 2 guys were made 4 each other…
“…the outdated breakbeat concept”
I cannot believe this comment. At all. It just blew my mind and made me sad at the same time.
It seems that nowadays it’s all about 808-drums.
Cool Album
yo p your verse is tight but home boy you got on your track his verse needs to be more harder then that i dont mean to say it but havoc and you are one of a rapers if you going to put the young god on then let him be on his own track bro you got ya own shit by yourself i like the beat but the vibe was off to me 4 to p and young god 2
sweet album,alchemist is fast becoming one of my favourite hiphop producers,4 stars
Album of the year, 5 stars..
There’s some filler but overall very solid. Dough Pildin and LMDKV are my favorite cuts. P & Alc is always a good look.
Anybody who says a phrase like “outdated breakbeat concept” has no business writing about hip hop music. That’s like criticizing rock music for using guitars.
Album is front to back bangers. P is rhyming better than he has since Hov put him on that Summer Jam screen and Alchemist is the best producer in any genre of music right now.
FOH Jessie Fairfax. Go write for Pitchfork.
5 stars easy
DOPE! IMFAMOUS MOBB BITCH! P HERE FOREVER. FUCK YOU TIGHT JEANS MOHAWK ASS NIGGAS. NEW YORK QUEENS ALL DAY. FUCK THE SOUTH. NY BITCH
This is one of the most underrated albums this year. I love Prodigy’s vicious bare knuckle to your face rhymes and Alchemist is the best producer in the game right now. 5 stars.
Awesome underrated project.
Can’t wait for the new Mobb Deep
No joke this album is dope
deserves 4/5
One of LP’s of last year… Beats off the scale, lyrics are cold. Hip Hop needed this!!! Keep those “outdated” (lol) breakbeats coming!
Where is the vinyl??? Needed!