INTRODUCTION
When I started this blog a few years ago, I wanted to make sure that The Infamous was one of the first albums I reviewed. That was back when I showed absolutely no regard for any sort of chronological order. Then, I also reviewed Hell On Earth and Blood Money, fully displaying the disorganized chaos that was my blog at that point.
Now, I figured it was time to make amends, and that's why today's review will be of Mobb Deep's first album, Juvenile Hell.
Those of you who are relatively new to golden age hip-hop (or those of you who don't pay that much attention) may have been under the assumption that The Infamous was Mobb Deep's first LP (let's be real; you probably were under that assumption). Well, you'd be wrong. It wouldn't entirely be your fault, though, as "Shook Ones Pt. II" has been shoved down our throats so much over the past two decades that you'd have almost no reason to believe there was an album before the one that housed that classic.
Both Prodigy and Havoc were 19 years old at the time of Juvenile Hell's release, and, interestingly enough, the project hardly featured any production from Havoc. As a matter of fact, the one beat that Havoc did have a hand in crafting is credited to "Mobb Deep," and Prodigy is actually the one who laced a couple of cuts without the assistance of Hav. Weird, huh?
Also notable is the fact that DJ Premier and Large Professor contributed instrumentals to Juvenile Hell.
As you can see, this was not a prototypical Mobb Deep album, even though it was their first one.
Juvenile Hell hardly moved any copies, and as a result, Mobb Deep was dropped from the 4th & Broadway record label. That was a smart move by the label, huh? (That was sarcasm, just in case you couldn't tell.)
So, is Juvenile Hell an impressive debut effort from the Mobb, or is it merely a formality in what would become a star-studded career for P and Havoc?
Let's find out.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. Intro
The background music was decent.
2. Me & My Crew
Mobb Deep sounds like a much more hardcore version of Da Youngsta's on this lead song, and that's pretty funny because of how ridiculous of a comparison that would be just two years later. Anyway, this track is alright. The problem is that the hook is so playful-sounding that I have a hard time believing that this is a Mobb Deep record...even though it is. Also, spanning nearly five minutes in length, "Me & My Crew" runs a bit too long for its own good.
3. Locked In Spofford
The fact that Spofford was a juvenile detention center in the Bronx (it was closed in 2011) should tell you a little something about just how young Havoc and Prodigy were when they recorded this album. This is pretty solid, containing a pretty hard beat by Kerwin Young and Paul Shabazz, and both of the Mobb Deep boys drop awesome verses.
4. Peer Pressure
This was the first single off of Juvenile Hell, and it is the cut that DJ Premier produced. "Peer Pressure" is one of Premo's most overlooked productions, in my opinion. Seriously; did you know that Premo made a beat for Mobb Deep? This is pretty freaking awesome, consisting of a simple piano loop and some great drums. Havoc markedly outshines Prodigy here. He rips this, although hearing P say how he wanted to be an architect before becoming a rapper was pretty intriguing to say the least.
5. Skit #1
...
6. Hold Down The Fort
This is the only beat on Juvenile Hell that is credited to Mobb Deep. I'm not exactly sure just how much input Prodigy had into making this beat, but considering that he and not Havoc is credited as a producer on a couple of other songs, you have to think he had some sort of influence. "Hold Down The Fort" is decent, even if the instrumental is a bit repetitive.
7. Bitch Ass Nigga
I'm not sure if you can come up with a more generic title for a hip-hop song than this, but I digress. The track itself isn't anything special, either. The beat just isn't engaging enough.
8. Hit It From The Back
This was the second and final single from the album, and it freaking bangs. The production, credited to Prodigy and Method Max, knocks so hard that you'll be left wondering why P didn't pursue more of a career in beatmaking in the future. I especially like the horns. The hook is also ridiculously infectious, even if it basically exemplifies why you should never play this record with your girl around (although the title is pretty much a warning sign in and of itself).
9. Skit #2
I like how Mobb Deep actually labeled their skits with numbers. It's as if even they knew that including them was pretty annoying.
10. Stomp 'Em Out
Prodigy is the lone producer credited for "Stomp 'Em Out," and while this isn't exactly "Hit It From The Back," it's still pretty freaking good. The chorus is pretty addictive here, as well, reminding us all of a time when hooks on rap songs were both simple and effective and didn't have to consist of a popular R&B artist crooning about something he probably has no business crooning about. Plus, Big Noyd makes his debut here, and he sounds great.
11. Skit #3
And we're finally done with those.
12. Peer Pressure (Large Professor Remix)
Take a guess who produced this one. This remix isn't nearly as good as the DJ Premier-laced original, although the beat does fit the lyrics very well.
13. Project Hallways
"Project Hallways" is another one of those "decent" tracks on this album. I really liked some elements of this beat (namely the organ, or whatever the hell instrument that is that surfaces several times throughout), but those elements are too few and far between for me to label this a great record.
14. Flavor For The Non-Believes
I'm not sure why Mobb Deep couldn't just include the "r" in non-believers, but whatever. This cut is pretty damn great. The Kerwin Young instrumental is a real head-nodder, and Havoc rides it like Buckshot (Hav did appear on Enta Da Stage, after all). P was also awesome on this. Great way to close out the album.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Juvenile Hell is a very solid debut album from two teenagers who had no idea what type of impact they were about to make on the genre of hip-hop. There are no truly bad songs on here, and quite a few of the tracks are really, really good, even with limited production from Havoc.
What you'll probably notice is how similar Prodigy and Havoc sounded at this age. It can become a bit hard to differentiate between them at times, but it just serves as more proof that they mesh with each other incredibly well. They also demonstrated their propensity for street-flavored topics right off the bat, hinting at what was to come.
The beats on this project are, for the most part, thoroughly entertaining, even if some of them do get a bit redundant. While there isn't much diversity, the instrumentals blend together very effectively, and that (along with the short length) makes Juvenile Hell an easy, straightforward listen, something that is always an important quality with an album.
All of that being said, Juvenile Hell is not The Infamous or Hell On Earth. Not even close, actually, but that is not a slight. After all, Mobb Deep's second and third albums may be the best one-two punch in hip-hop history, and Juvenile Hell was just the precursor to that.
If only 4th & Broadway would have seen the potential. I can only imagine how stupid they all feel now seeing what Mobb Deep was able to accomplish after their debut.
TOP TRACKS
1. Hit It From The Back
2. Peer Pressure
3. Flavor For The Non-Believes
4. Stomp 'Em Out
5. Hold Down The Fort
INTRODUCTION
About a year-and-a-half after dropping the critically acclaimed and renowned classic The Infamous, Mobb Deep came back with Hell On Earth, an album that actually turned out to be the duo's swansong, as Prodigy and Havoc would never, ever come close to matching this kind of performance again.
Hell On Earth's formula was very similar to that of The Infamous: hardcore, gritty beats by Havoc and vivid street tales by both Mobb Deep members. Unlike the duo's sophomore effort, though (which was The Infamous, in case you didn't know, in which case, you wouldn't be a true Mobb Deep fan; sorry), this project was entirely produced by Havoc, as the preceding album featured some beats by Q-Tip.
Expecting Mobb Deep to reproduce the perfection of The Infamous is almost absurd, but it managed to create the next best thing on its third album, Hell On Earth. While it is not on the same level as the project that is home to "Survival Of The Fittest" and "Shook Ones Pt. II," is still is an outstanding piece of work that can put most other hip-hop albums to shame.
What Hell On Earth is probably most known for is "Drop a Gem On 'Em," one of many 2Pac disses that east coast artists released during the whole east coast/west coast feud during the mid 90s. However, although the track was recorded while 2Pac was still alive, the album was not released until after he was murdered, so he was never given a chance to respond.
Other than "Drop a Gem On 'Em," though, the album did not really have any major hits, and that is one of the reasons it will always be a couple of notches below The Infamous.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. Animal Instinct
Havoc opens up the album by laying down a menacing beat for he, Prodigy, and guest artists Ty Knitty and Twin Gambino of the group The Infamous Mobb. Each and every participant does their part in making "Animal Instinct" a great way to kick off Hell On Earth.
2. Drop a Gem On 'Em
The aforementioned 2Pac diss. The beat on this is crazy, as Havoc lays down an eerie piano loop with subtle kicks and reverberating snares. Even though I like Havoc better than P, I will admit that Prodigy's verse was considerably more scathing. It is much longer than Havoc's and goes into much more detail, including these lines: "Rikers Island flashback of the house you got scuffed it in, you would think you gettin' your head shot's enough but then, now you wanna go at my team, you must have been drunk when you wrote that shit, too bad you had to, did it to your own self, my rebellion, I retaliate, I had the whole New York state, aimin' at your face." One of the most underrated diss tracks in rap history.
3. Bloodsport
Havoc's beat consists of very modest horns, so the hats and snares really dominate the instrumental. The production is pretty good, although this is the first (but certainly not the last) cut on Hell On Earth that would have sounded entirely out of place on The Infamous. I don't mean that in a bad way, though.
4. Extortion
Method Man makes a guest appearance on this cut, and he rips it to no end: "I blaze your britches, P.L.O. extortion, you forcin', the hand that rocks the cradle, caution before you enter, this Shaolin representer, carry thirty-six deadly shits, you fuckin' with, top contenders." Havoc's beat crawls, but it's damn good. Great record.
5. More Trife Life
This is pretty much a sequel to The Infamous' "Trife Life." It's better, though. Havoc's snare in this is ill, and he raps solo on this track. He tells the story of rendezvousing with a girl without knowing he was being set up, and the dark beat he laces complements the tale perfectly. One of the best songs on the album.
6. Man Down
I've never cared for this cut too much. Havoc's drums are pretty solid, but the rest of the beat just doesn't seem to work. Big Noyd guest raps, but he is unable to add much, as I just can't get past the underwhelming production.
7. Can't Get Enough Of It
Now that's more like it. Havoc's production on this is sick, as he samples Gary Burton's "Las Vegas Tango" and somehow manages to make it sound like the most ominous thing in the world. He also tears his beat to bits, rapping: "I love this rap shit, got me fillin' mad clips, what happens to fake rappers, but they damn good actors,
from population, through the math I subtract them, you hear no laughter, QBC the thug factor, you niggas ain't worth the punch, back snatch ya, pitbull attack ya, and half snap ya, Kodak moments I capture." This is one of my favorite Mobb Deep tracks, period.
8. Nighttime Vultures
Havoc has made better beats, but Raekwon's guest verse makes this a solid cut. It's not even that he kills it lyrically, but he just sounds phenomenal over the production. As usual, Havoc's snares are top-notch.
9. G.O.D. Pt. III
This was Hell On Earth's third single, and I've never understood why. Personally, I think this track sucks. It doesn't sound like a Havoc beat at all. I know I might be going against the grain with my thoughts on this song, but it is what is. I think this is easily the worst cut on the album.
10. Get Dealt With
Back on track. Havoc puts down a very good beat, and both he and Prodigy sound great over it. This is a typical Mobb Deep record, so I really don't have much else to say. Nice cut, though.
11. Hell On Earth (Front Lines)
I effing love this. The instrumental by Havoc possesses a melancholic quality, and the duo effortlessly goes in on it and shreds it. I particularly love these lines by Prodigy: "Jail niggas sendin' kites to the street, over some beef that wasn't fully cooked, finish 'em off, well done meat, then sent twenty-two slugs to your head, travel all the way down to your leg." Sick, sick song.
12. Give It Up Fast
Havoc's drums on this bang, but the rest of the beat is just alright. Nas and Big Noyd drop guest verses, but it's Havoc who steals the show, as he sounds the most comfortable over the instrumental. That's understandable, too, seeing as how he did produce it.
13. Still Shinin'
This is the best song on Hell On Earth; bar effing none. Havoc takes a Willie Hutch sample ("Hospital's Prelude Of Love Theme") and flips it wonderfully, throwing on some banging drums for good measure. Both he and Prodigy sound equally spectacular over it, too. "Still Shinin'" is the definition of a head-nodder. Also, you need to bump this in your ride to fully appreciate it.
14. Apostle's Warning
The production by Havoc is very subdued, and both Mobb Deep members do it justice and close out Hell On Earth in fashion. That's all I've got.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While it's fairly obvious after one listen that Hell On Earth is not on the same level as The Infamous, it's still damn good and is a borderline classic. The production by Havoc had certainly become "busier" by this point, but it was still able to provide an appropriate backdrop for Mobb Deep to continue its mafioso-themed raps.
Much like it is unfair to compare any of Nas' albums to his masterpiece, Illmatic, it is simply unreasonable to expect Hell On Earth to come across with as much authority as The Infamous. I understood that aspect going in, and that was why I wasn't too disappointed when I came away with a "meh" feeling on a couple of tracks on this album.
I have also learned to really, really appreciate Hell On Earth because, let's face it; it was Mobb Deep's last good album. You can say whatever you want about Murda Muzik, but I think it sucked; plain and simple. I'm not even kidding when I say it wasn't even that much better than Blood Money. Mobb Deep's fall from grace wasn't a gradual process; it was akin to dropping an anvil off of the Empire State Building. I don't know what happened in the three years between Hell On Earth and Murda Muzik, but whatever it was, it destroyed Mobb Deep as a group.
The best songs on this project are ridiculously great and can certainly stand next to any records on The Infamous, but, on that same token, nearly every track on The Infamous is a classic while nearly every track on Hell On Earth is merely good. Again, though, I'll stop comparing their third release to their masterpiece and just focus on the album as a whole, and the fact is that it is a very, very impressive piece of work that should be a part of any hip-hop fan's repertoire.
TOP FIVE TRACKS
1. Still Shinin'
2. Hell On Earth (Front Lines)
3. Can't Get Enough Of It
4. Drop a Gem On 'Em
5. More Trife Life
SKIPPABLE TRACKS
G.O.D. Pt. III
INTRODUCTION
Let me begin by saying that The Infamous is my favorite album of all-time. With very few projects can I seriously sit through the entire thing without drifting off at least sometime, and Mobb Deep's sophomore release (yes; despite popular belief, The Infamous was not their debut; it was Juvenile Hell, which was released two years earlier) is among that select few.
What makes this album so great, you ask? Well, you'll find out as I write the review, but, basically, the production (mostly by Havoc, with a few tracks from Q-Tip) on this record is literally (and I mean "literally" in every sense of the word) flawless. No; Prodigy and Havoc are not exactly the greatest lyricists in the world, but they didn't have to be on this 13-song banger.
The Infamous, along with classic albums like Nas' Illmatic and The Notorious B.I.G.'s Ready To Die, helped bring the east coast back, as the album painted a phenomenal picture of the streets of New York in the mid 90s. Prodigy and Havoc's magnificent storytelling abilities complemented the raw, grimy beats perfectly, resulting in a universally renowned hip-hop classic.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. The Start Of Your Ending (41st Side)
The album kicks off with what would be one of many menacing beats from Havoc, as heavy kicks, hats, and snares dominate the track. Of course, one would be remiss to ignore the performances of Prodigy and Havoc. Even though they are mainly bragging about how thuggish they are throughout the cut, they do it with an undeniable sense of swagger. Let's keep in mind that these two were only 19 when they recorded The Infamous, too.
2. Survival Of The Fittest
I don't care what anyone says; this, not "Shook Ones Pt. II," is the best song on The Infamous. Havoc's instrumental is ridiculously bone-chilling, consisting of the most ominous piano keys and horns you've ever heard backed by a booming bassline (seriously; play this in your ride and you'll see). Prodigy's first few bars encapsulate the theme of this track and, really, the entire album: "There's a war goin' on outside no man is safe from, you could run but you can't hide forever, from these, streets, that we done took, you walkin' witcha head down scared to look, you shook, 'cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks." Also, in terms of pump-up music, "Survival Of The Fittest" absolutely puts M.O.P.'s "Ante Up" to shame. This is one of the best cuts in rap history; bar none.
3. Eye For a Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)
I'll ignore the fact that Mobb Deep absolutely butchered this song title grammatically and instead focus on the fact that this bangs. Much like "Survival Of The Fittest," this will rip through the speakers in your ride. Unlike it, though, it is a much slower-paced number, but that doesn't mean it isn't fantastic. The track contains a dream lineup, as both Nas and Raekwon make guest appearances and proceed to tear Havoc's beat apart. What's most impressive, though, is how well Prodigy and Havoc hold their own alongside of two clearly superior emcees.
4. Give Up The Goods (Just Step)
Apparently, Mobb Deep likes parentheses. Then again, who really gives a damn? "Give Up The Goods (Just Step)" is the first joint on the album that wasn't produced by Havoc, as Q-Tip gets the production credit here. Consequently, the beat doesn't exactly measure up to some of the strongest records on The Infamous, but given how ill the rest of the beats on this project are, that really isn't saying much at all. Don't get me wrong, either; this song is very good, as Mobb Deep's partner-in-crime, Big Noyd, makes a guest appearance and manages to fit in seamlessly with P and Havoc.
5. Temperature's Rising
This track was also produced by Q-Tip, but it is a lot better than his work on the preceding song. "Temperature's Rising" contains a great beat and a great concept, too, as Prodigy and Havoc write to their friends in person about the state of the streets. I especially like Havoc's verse (which shouldn't come as much of a surprise, as I have always preferred him to P), as his voice fits the instrumental perfectly.
6. Up North Trip
I love this. "Up North Trip" is another one of the many bangers off of The Infamous that you can (and should) cruise to. The song is about how one wrong move can cost you your life, and while that may sound a bit cliché, it matches the overall theme of the album, and isn't that pretty much one hundred percent true anyway? Havoc's beat on this is very laid back and gives off an introspective vibe, and I mean seriously; how can you not dig those kicks and snares?
7. Trife Life
This track is the finest example of Prodigy and Havoc's outstanding storytelling prowess, as both rappers tell different tales of stressful circumstances they were under and how they solved their problems. There is a very good chance that Havoc's banging hats and snares will mesmerize you and cause you to mentally bypass both of their stories, though, so try your best to pay attention.
8. Q.U. - Hectic
Yes; the hook on "Q.U. - Hectic" contains the same sample ("Kitty With The Bent Frame," by Quincy Jones) that is used on the hook of "Shook Ones Pt. II," but honestly, it sounds so damn good that you'll learn to not care. Anyway, this track is pretty damn sick, as Havoc comes with some jazzy production but still manages to make it sound more hardcore than anything else you'll hear during your lifetime (well, anything that's not on The Infamous, at least). This is also another record you can blast in your ride; that bassline is spectacular.
9. Right Back At You
The collaborations on The Infamous seriously could not have been any better, as Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, and Big Noyd, the latter two making their second appearance on the project, stop by to drop some bars here. The manner with which Ghost and Rae do it is great, as they choose not to spit individual verses but instead to trade lines back and forth, Jadakiss and Styles P style, over the course of one verse. It is Havoc, however, who steals the show on "Right Back At You," spitting a great verse and a sick hook, not to mention the fact that he was the dude who laid out this knocker of a beat for all five rappers to go in on. P.S.: Does anyone else think Noyd's flow (and even voice) sounded very similar to Ghostface's on this?
10. Cradle To The Grave
The formula here is somewhat similar to what it was on "Up North Trip," but more absolute, as both Prodigy and Havoc pay homage to their fallen comrades over a crawler of a beat from Havoc. I've gotta be honest; this is probably my least favorite song on The Infamous. Once again, though, given my undying love for this album, that really isn't much of a knock on "Cradle To The Grave" at all.
11. Drink Away The Pain (Situations)
Q-Tip not only spits a verse on this track but also crafts a jazzy, upbeat instrumental for Mobb Deep, even though the subject matter does not exactly follow suit (just look at the title). Back in 1995, the concept that Prodigy and Havoc used here was largely original, as they both talk about alcohol as their companion rather than a female. I'm thinking Q-Tip must have missed the memo, though, as he inexplicably decides to rhyme about clothing brands. Yeah; I'm just as perplexed as you are, as I'm pretty sure the song's title is "Drink Away The Pain" and not "Shop 'Til You Drop." Anyway, despite that, this sounds really good. At least Q-Tip provided a damn good beat.
12. Shook Ones Pt. II
That brings us to one of the most famous songs in rap history: "Shook Ones Pt. II." Honestly, if you've never heard this cut, better yet, if you don't friggin love this cut, then you are not a fan of hip-hop; period. Point blank. Havoc's beat is as ominous as some cumolonimbus clouds in the Tornado Alley, and the rhymes that both Mobb Deep members spit are equally sinister. I mean, who could forget P's "rock you in your face, stab your brain with your nosebone" one-liner? Much like "Survival Of The Fittest," "Shook Ones Pt. II" is one of the greatest rap records your ears will ever have the pleasure of hearing. The fact that it isn't even one of my top two favorite songs on this album (that's right; you heard me) should tell you something about the quality of this project as a whole.
13. Party Over"Once we step through the door, party over, that's the endin'," spits Havoc on his opening salvo, as he concludes The Infamous with yet another banger of a beat, and Big Noyd makes his third (and, obviously, final) appearance on the project. There are a lot of great producers in hip-hop, but none of them, and I mean none of them, have better snare drums than Havoc. They just knock.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I don't think I need to tell you again how much I like The Infamous, nor do I think you need any reassuring that you need to get and get this now if you haven't already. It is, without question, one of the best albums to ever grace hip-hop, and I'm pretty sure most hip-hop heads would agree. The beats knock, Prodigy and Havoc do their thing, and the array of choices for guest artists is nothing short of brilliant.
During this time period, the east was well on its way back up after the west had been dominating the rap industry for several years. The east's answer to gangsta rap was mafioso rap, and that is exactly what subgenre The Infamous falls under; as do Illmatic, Ready To Die, and the Wu-Tang Clan's Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers.
Sadly, Mobb Deep would only proceed to drop one more phenomenal album in Hell On Earth before its downfall started. From that point on, Prodigy and Havoc sold their souls to commercialism, releasing projects like Murda Muzik, Infamy, Amerikaz Nightmare (the spelling alone should tell you how bad that one was) and Blood Money (which I reviewed here) to transform themselves into essential laughing-stocks in the rap game (although, even though he is not what he once was, Havoc still is a heck of a producer).
Their colossal missteps after Hell On Earth aside, there is absolutely no arguing that The Infamous was a truly great piece of work. I think it rivals Illmatic based on production alone, but due to the fact that Nas is obviously leaps and bounds ahead of Prodigy and Havoc in terms of pure rapping ability, most would disagree that its superior production (yes; the production on The Infamous was better than that of Illmatic, DJ Premier and Pete Rock be damned) puts it on the same level of Nas' classic debut.
Anyway, I think I've said enough. I'm sure you will formulate an opinion similar to mine if you listen, and if you already have given The Infamous a spin (and I hope to God you have), then you already know precisely why I've been gushing for the duration of this review.
TOP FIVE TRACKS
1. Survival Of The Fittest
2. Eye For a Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)
3. Shook Ones Pt. II
4. Party Over
5. Up North Trip
SKIPPABLE TRACKS
Go to hell.
INTRODUCTION
I realize that, so far, I have only reviewed albums that I liked, so I figured I would post a review of an album that I pretty much thought was, um, underwhelming, to put it politely. The victim? Blood Money, by Mobb Deep (and for those of you who are a little slow, Mobb Deep is a two-man group consisting of Prodigy and Havoc).
Let me begin by making something clear: I love Mobb Deep. Well, the old Mobb Deep. I actually think The Infamous is the best album of all-time, and Hell On Earth was a sure-fire classic, as well. Once the group dropped Murda Muzik, though, was when the selling out began. Murda Muzik wasn't awful, but you could just sense the commencement of Mobb Deep's eventual downfall throughout the project. Then, they came out with Infamy, and the destruction of Mobb Deep was in full force.
Blood Money was the last album the group made together, partly due to the fact that, shortly after, Prodigy went to prison. It was also their first album under G-Unit Records, and while many fans will attribute that to being the main reason why Mobb Deep fell off, it happened long before that (people will look for any little excuse to hate on 50 Cent).
So, without further ado, let's look at Blood Money, an album by a group that I refuse to even believe is Mobb Deep.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. Smoke It
Okay; I'll actually concede that this beat, which was produced by Sha Money XL, isn't too bad. As a matter of fact, it's pretty good, but as soon as Havoc (who was always my favorite Mobb Deep member) starts rapping, you will start longing for the "Survival Of The Fittest" days when the Mobb was actually the Mobb.
2. Put 'Em In Their Place
This was the album's second single, and I just have to ask...why? The beat, done by Ky Miller and Sha Money XL, is less than pedestrian, and Prodigy thoroughly embarrasses himself on the record, spitting: "Gotta tank for a car, ice for an arm." Umm...what?
3. Stole Something
This is the first Havoc production on the album, so, naturally, I was looking forward to it. This is, after all, the same guy who produced nearly all of The Infamous and Hell on Earth, right? Wrong. This beat sounds like something I could make in 10 minutes right now on FL Studio, and Prodigy makes a fool of himself, once again: "Back on the East Coast I bury, now I'm partyin' with Halle Berry." Yeah well, that's great and all, but do we really care? My boy Lloyd Banks is featured here, and while he sounds grimier than Mobb Deep ever could at this point of their careers, his verse isn't anything spectacular.
4. Creep
Alright; this is pretty good. Havoc is on the boards again here, and the beat fits the name of the song; it really does creep. 50 Cent is featured, and he rips his verse; not necessarily in the sense of lyrics, but the way he flows over it is just sick. This is one of the album's better cuts.
5. Speakin' So Freely
Another Havoc beat, but this one is closer in sound to "Stole Something" than "Creep," meaning it isn't very good. Good kicks, but that's about it.
6. Backstage Pass
Ugh. There's bad, and then there's bad. This is the latter. It was produced by some guy named K Lassik Beats. That sounds like a name some 15-year old would come up with in their basement.
7. Give It To Me
This is kind of like a cheap knockoff of 50 Cent's "Candy Shop." That said, the Middle-Eastern-flavored beat here is actually pretty catchy. The lyrics are absolute garbage though. Young Buck makes an appearance and drops a verse.
8. Click Click
The fourth of five Havoc beats on the album. Too bad only two of them are halfway decent. This isn't one of them. Tony Yayo guest stars, by the way.
9. Pearly Gates
Now this is by far the best song on the album, primarily because of Exile's beat. I mean, this beat is absolutely crazy. Crazy. This makes me wonder why more big-name rappers don't ask Exile to produce records for them, because he is an animal. Anyway, as far as the lyrics go, Havoc rips this, and 50 Cent drops by and drops a great verse, too. Of course, though, Prodigy had to mess this up by coming through with one of the most controversial verses you'll ever hear. He decides to unleash his lyrical wrath on God and Jesus, blaming them for "leavin' us out to dry in straight poverty." He says he wants to beat Jesus like in The Passion of the Christ, and then shoot him to top it off. Okay, Prodigy; we get it; you're angry. Just shut up while you're ahead before you hurt yourself. Up until his stupid verse, this cut bangs.
10. Capital P Capital H
This beat was produced by Product & Whitton. Never heard of them? Me neither. Maybe that's why it sounds so terrible.
11. Daydreamin'
This track is actually solid. The beat, produced by Chad Beatz (what's with producers and putting some form of the word "beat" in their stage name? Don't they realize how tacky that is?), is pretty grimy, and Havoc actually drops some decent lines: "When I get that million bucks, will I remain the same, or will I have to get at niggas 'cause they sayin' I changed?" One of Blood Money's better songs. Not that that's some sort of big accomplishment or anything.
12. The Infamous
Did The Alchemist seriously produce this trash? Ugh. I am also starting to think this is 50 Cent's album, as he makes his third of six guest appearances. Don't get me wrong; I like 50, but six features? Isn't that overkill?
13. In Love With The Moulah
Even though the concept (which I'm sure you can decipher for yourself) is incredibly flimsy, the nice beat (those kicks are especially sick) produced by J.R. Rotem makes this track listenable.
14. It's Alright
This is the final Havoc production, and it's pretty nice. It has a real soulful feel to it, and 50 Cent and Mary J. Blige make appearances, although 50's cameo is rather brief. Wow. Do I seriously somewhat like back-to-back songs on this album?
15. Have a Party
This track was also on the soundtrack to 50 Cent's movie, Get Rich or Die Tryin', and it doesn't sound any better now than it did then. For some reason, Mobb Deep decided to make this cut Blood Money's first single, this even though it was already a single off 50's movie soundtrack a year earlier. Nate Dogg does the hook, but he can't save this record, which possesses a horrible and extremely generic beat.
16. Outta Control (Remix)
So Mobb Deep decided to take two songs that 50 Cent already released in 2005 (this was a bonus track on The Massacre) and make them the last two records on Blood Money? Smart. Real smart. Anyway, this Dr. Dre-produced cut isn't that bad. The piano-driven beat is pretty effective, as are the claps throughout.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I really want to know what in the world Mobb Deep was thinking when they put this out. Did they seriously think this was going to satisfy the same fans who bumped "Shook Ones Pt. II" back in the day? I mean, even 50 Cent had to know that this was a bad idea. The dark, grimy production that Havoc made so famous back in the 90s is completely gone, and it just doesn't seem right to see him only getting five production credits on a 16-track Mobb Deep project.
Perhaps the most disturbing part about Blood Money is that it may not even be the worst album Mobb Deep has put out, as Infamy gives this a run for its money. Amerikaz Nightmare, which was the album that preceded Blood Money, wasn't much better, either.
I honestly have never seen a bigger spiral downward from a rap artist or rap group than I have witnessed with Mobb Deep. They have gone from being one of the most respected duos to ever grace hip-hop to one of the genre's biggest laughing stocks.
That said, I will always have fond memories of The Infamous and Hell On Earth Mobb Deep, and, in my mind, I will always consider them to be the true Mobb. As far as the group now, I will pacify myself by forever thinking, who are these cheap impostors that put on Prodigy and Havoc costumes?
Ugh. Now I have to pick the top five tracks. This is going to give me a migraine.
TOP FIVE TRACKS
1. Pearly Gates (sans Prodigy's verse)
2. Creep
3. In Love With The Moulah
4. Daydreamin'
5. It's Alright
SKIPPABLE TRACKS
I don't have time for this.
