torcher
Superstar
I wonder was Pone there
I wrote this, part memoir, part appreciation, looking at P's music throughout my life.
Part 1:
I can remember my life through music, movies, art, the things that touched me, inspired me, influenced me.....my first memories of Mobb Deep are blurry, red, and filled with quick edits, curse words reverted to glass breaking, the video and the song fascinated me at 14 years old. In the ending era's of Hype Williams Bad Boy style blockbuster video, this was one different. It had of course, the classic Hype style, and movie inspirations, (F. Gary Gray's 1998 thriller "The Negotiator") but there was a darkness there, barely obscured by edits, the tension of the beat, and the bleak feel of the video, from the name of the group, Mobb Deep, to the album title "Murda Muzik". And obviously P and Hav themselves. It was more controlled, vicious, then DMX, nowhere near the suave, glossy feel of Jay, or the rebellious flaunting of Nas, "Hate Me Now". I was captivated. I wanted to buy the album, I wanted to hear what was behind the edits, and work my way through the lyrics.
At 14, I barely had any money, like most of my friends. I scrapped together change, turned in gift cards, bought CD singles, and an occasional album. I remember buying Jay-Z "Vol. 3" in 99, and that was probably one of three LP's, I was able to purchase. I did manage to get the "In To Deep" OST, which was my way of getting "Quiet Storm", and the 50 Cent "How To Rob", I needed to hear, after reading about it in the Source, earlier that year. In San Diego, my exposure to rap that wasn't on the local radio or MTV/BET, was through The Source, XXL, and increasingly online. People my age will remember standing in places like Sam Goody or Wherehouse, and having to make the call, yeah I love this song, but how do I know if I spend $20, it's not the only one I like?
I was transfixed by "Where Ya Heart At", which I used to listen to in a cassette tape, I made, from ripping CD's to tapes, so I could play them on my way to school. The haunting, cinematic feel of the beat, and P's nihilistic lyrics, his obsession with death and loss, his fixation on his pistol, to the point of sexualizing it, was captivating, uncomfortable. Lines like "the ones who overcome be the strongest", and Havoc's finishing verse come back to haunt you as you get older, but as a child, you understand them, in the way an adolescent does. I didn't know pain, and loss, but I would. I would lose friends, lose loves, regret what could have been.
From there, I got a used copy of "The Infamous" at Wherehouse music in summer of 2000, and Mobb Deep was soon one of my favorites, alongside The Lox. "The Infamous" is 25 years old, and feels timeless, it's despair, bleak, portrait of a world I never knew, a lifetime away from the San Diego neighborhoods, low slung houses, and apartments, nothing like the endless, towering QB buildings. His bars on "Right Back At You" are chill inducing years later, his presence throughout the album is ghostlike, haunting, you can feel the coke and alcohol in his bloodstream, and guns tucked in waists of jeans, covered by heavy leather Avirex jackets. "Keep It Thoro" was next, I remember buying the Backstage soundtrack, and playing that track over and over in my little upstairs room. I remember watching the video, the ads in The Source, and buying HNIC as soon as it came out.
One of my first friends at my new school happened to be into P too, and we are still friends 17 years later. The incredible production and casual storytelling of "Can't Complain", the anguish in "Veteran's Memorial", and "You Can Never Feel My Pain", "praying to god for help, only to find I'm all by my god damn self" are still as poignant and haunting today. The title track is where I noticed his style had shifted, flow was less aggressive, and the rhymes seemed off, but the delivery and production, sinister and unrepentant, some said aimed at Pac, and the Outlawz, were some of the darkest raps I listened to. "Me and my dogs enjoy this, pop bottles celebrate your death, blow a kiss at your widow bytch", "and I'll be god damn if they put hands on me, money brings power and puts guns in parties.."
Then the saga, which I followed mostly on SOHH, as Prodigy gave his clear opinion on Jay-Z, the emerging titan of the genre, as Nas played the background, in interviews, and an increasing onslaught of bars on mixtape tracks, "We Ain't the Roc, we ain't them fakkit ass nikkaz", back then, it was near sacreligious, which P never shied from, to blatantly disrespect other rappers. Most "beefs" were played out in sub shots, and subliminal bars, P went right at Jay, even as it circulated that he had fallen off, and was in no shape to go against Jay, and his B team. As for me, I watched and listened fascinated, freestyles like Nas over "Eye For An Eye", had kids in my class burn them to CD's, which I treasured, though I lost them years ago. Every snippet, every line, every freestyle was broken down, and discussed, as summer 2001 approached.
It was a bad look, it was a bad album, and Mobb Deep took a serious hit, "Infamy", aside from 'Get Away' and a loose track or two, was dissapointing, and an afterthought. Only the most extreme SOHH posters clung to delusions that they got Jay, which I remember fondly. Along the way, I copped Infamous Mobb album, and loved the production, the grimy lyrics, and voice of Twin Gambino, which I still listen to today. By summer 2003, I was soaked in blunt smoke, cocaine, and drug money, which came out of my adolescent pockets, with the awe of a kid who never saw money. Part of my soundtrack that summer was the "Free Agents Mixtape", the double disc. Alchemist was the hottest producer, and I coveted every new song, every project, I think that was the year the first "1st Infantry" tape leaked. "Backwards", "Solidified", "What Can I Do", "It's Over", a fusion of that distinct Alchemist style and soul production, plus Havoc coming through with tracks like "Favorite Rapper', and "The Illest". I remmeber how geeked I was when Banks, in his day, got on "Favorite Rapper".
Part 1:
I can remember my life through music, movies, art, the things that touched me, inspired me, influenced me.....my first memories of Mobb Deep are blurry, red, and filled with quick edits, curse words reverted to glass breaking, the video and the song fascinated me at 14 years old. In the ending era's of Hype Williams Bad Boy style blockbuster video, this was one different. It had of course, the classic Hype style, and movie inspirations, (F. Gary Gray's 1998 thriller "The Negotiator") but there was a darkness there, barely obscured by edits, the tension of the beat, and the bleak feel of the video, from the name of the group, Mobb Deep, to the album title "Murda Muzik". And obviously P and Hav themselves. It was more controlled, vicious, then DMX, nowhere near the suave, glossy feel of Jay, or the rebellious flaunting of Nas, "Hate Me Now". I was captivated. I wanted to buy the album, I wanted to hear what was behind the edits, and work my way through the lyrics.
At 14, I barely had any money, like most of my friends. I scrapped together change, turned in gift cards, bought CD singles, and an occasional album. I remember buying Jay-Z "Vol. 3" in 99, and that was probably one of three LP's, I was able to purchase. I did manage to get the "In To Deep" OST, which was my way of getting "Quiet Storm", and the 50 Cent "How To Rob", I needed to hear, after reading about it in the Source, earlier that year. In San Diego, my exposure to rap that wasn't on the local radio or MTV/BET, was through The Source, XXL, and increasingly online. People my age will remember standing in places like Sam Goody or Wherehouse, and having to make the call, yeah I love this song, but how do I know if I spend $20, it's not the only one I like?
I was transfixed by "Where Ya Heart At", which I used to listen to in a cassette tape, I made, from ripping CD's to tapes, so I could play them on my way to school. The haunting, cinematic feel of the beat, and P's nihilistic lyrics, his obsession with death and loss, his fixation on his pistol, to the point of sexualizing it, was captivating, uncomfortable. Lines like "the ones who overcome be the strongest", and Havoc's finishing verse come back to haunt you as you get older, but as a child, you understand them, in the way an adolescent does. I didn't know pain, and loss, but I would. I would lose friends, lose loves, regret what could have been.
From there, I got a used copy of "The Infamous" at Wherehouse music in summer of 2000, and Mobb Deep was soon one of my favorites, alongside The Lox. "The Infamous" is 25 years old, and feels timeless, it's despair, bleak, portrait of a world I never knew, a lifetime away from the San Diego neighborhoods, low slung houses, and apartments, nothing like the endless, towering QB buildings. His bars on "Right Back At You" are chill inducing years later, his presence throughout the album is ghostlike, haunting, you can feel the coke and alcohol in his bloodstream, and guns tucked in waists of jeans, covered by heavy leather Avirex jackets. "Keep It Thoro" was next, I remember buying the Backstage soundtrack, and playing that track over and over in my little upstairs room. I remember watching the video, the ads in The Source, and buying HNIC as soon as it came out.
One of my first friends at my new school happened to be into P too, and we are still friends 17 years later. The incredible production and casual storytelling of "Can't Complain", the anguish in "Veteran's Memorial", and "You Can Never Feel My Pain", "praying to god for help, only to find I'm all by my god damn self" are still as poignant and haunting today. The title track is where I noticed his style had shifted, flow was less aggressive, and the rhymes seemed off, but the delivery and production, sinister and unrepentant, some said aimed at Pac, and the Outlawz, were some of the darkest raps I listened to. "Me and my dogs enjoy this, pop bottles celebrate your death, blow a kiss at your widow bytch", "and I'll be god damn if they put hands on me, money brings power and puts guns in parties.."
Then the saga, which I followed mostly on SOHH, as Prodigy gave his clear opinion on Jay-Z, the emerging titan of the genre, as Nas played the background, in interviews, and an increasing onslaught of bars on mixtape tracks, "We Ain't the Roc, we ain't them fakkit ass nikkaz", back then, it was near sacreligious, which P never shied from, to blatantly disrespect other rappers. Most "beefs" were played out in sub shots, and subliminal bars, P went right at Jay, even as it circulated that he had fallen off, and was in no shape to go against Jay, and his B team. As for me, I watched and listened fascinated, freestyles like Nas over "Eye For An Eye", had kids in my class burn them to CD's, which I treasured, though I lost them years ago. Every snippet, every line, every freestyle was broken down, and discussed, as summer 2001 approached.
It was a bad look, it was a bad album, and Mobb Deep took a serious hit, "Infamy", aside from 'Get Away' and a loose track or two, was dissapointing, and an afterthought. Only the most extreme SOHH posters clung to delusions that they got Jay, which I remember fondly. Along the way, I copped Infamous Mobb album, and loved the production, the grimy lyrics, and voice of Twin Gambino, which I still listen to today. By summer 2003, I was soaked in blunt smoke, cocaine, and drug money, which came out of my adolescent pockets, with the awe of a kid who never saw money. Part of my soundtrack that summer was the "Free Agents Mixtape", the double disc. Alchemist was the hottest producer, and I coveted every new song, every project, I think that was the year the first "1st Infantry" tape leaked. "Backwards", "Solidified", "What Can I Do", "It's Over", a fusion of that distinct Alchemist style and soul production, plus Havoc coming through with tracks like "Favorite Rapper', and "The Illest". I remmeber how geeked I was when Banks, in his day, got on "Favorite Rapper".
Still hard to believe cause it was so sudden and he has looked way healthier since he got of of jail than even back in the day.
42 is so young especially when I realize he is only a few years older than me.
Rest Easy P.
42 is so young especially when I realize he is only a few years older than me.
Rest Easy P.
Frida Giezman
Banned
Tray dee showing P wild love had me like
I know they did music together but didn't expect him to show that much love
Was Nas there?
Frida Giezman
Banned
Nas is out of the country
It was all a dream
Never heard this song or seen video...nice .
The way life goes, you tend to learn about aspects of people's life when they are gone. So although Prodigy was just one of many rappers I've listened to over the years, and I have had plenty of Mobb Deep marathons over the years..he was still just one of many. The last week I have seen so many old interviews and 2nd hand stories that it filled in a lot of things about his life I never knew...
However, when I heard him live on A.Jones show a few years back...I think my respect and interest in Prodigy increased, cause here he was (An Arch/Revered East Coast Gangsta Rapper) talking, agreeing, and commending this guy (An Arch Texas Rednecky Conspiracy Theorist).....to hear that interview live was
. Definitely check for it.
That really stood out to me, cause hip hop is known to talk about conspiracies, because black folks have had 400 years of conspiracies thrown against us in some form or fashion. Then he put out an album called Hegelian Dialectic, which is literally one of the main phrase used by A. Jones and these mostly white alt/indy media pundits......I've peeped that nobody has ever called Prodigy a c00n or weirdo or slandered him for that interview. All the interviews and stories about Prodigy facing peril or potential backlash, showcase his headstrong aggressive nonchalance as the the theme...whether with other artists, peers in the neighborhood, common folks, or entities/agendas of influence... or just sickle cell....he never backed down..
MAIN POINT of this post is his Biopic will be incredible if done with integrity, capturing the nuances of dude's life. All that and more.......and the entire time battling with sickle cell.
RIP Prodigy
However, when I heard him live on A.Jones show a few years back...I think my respect and interest in Prodigy increased, cause here he was (An Arch/Revered East Coast Gangsta Rapper) talking, agreeing, and commending this guy (An Arch Texas Rednecky Conspiracy Theorist).....to hear that interview live was
. Definitely check for it.That really stood out to me, cause hip hop is known to talk about conspiracies, because black folks have had 400 years of conspiracies thrown against us in some form or fashion. Then he put out an album called Hegelian Dialectic, which is literally one of the main phrase used by A. Jones and these mostly white alt/indy media pundits......I've peeped that nobody has ever called Prodigy a c00n or weirdo or slandered him for that interview. All the interviews and stories about Prodigy facing peril or potential backlash, showcase his headstrong aggressive nonchalance as the the theme...whether with other artists, peers in the neighborhood, common folks, or entities/agendas of influence... or just sickle cell....he never backed down..
MAIN POINT of this post is his Biopic will be incredible if done with integrity, capturing the nuances of dude's life. All that and more.......and the entire time battling with sickle cell.
RIP Prodigy
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no doubt. It's right there with their best ones.
Here's a dope mix of P x ALC collabos:
UpNorthTrips Presents The 10s | MPC | MC x Producer Combination | Prodigy x Alchemist
For those of us who live and die by that real gritty, gully, hardcore New York City rap music, there’s been no better MPC (MC/Producer Combination) in the new millenium than Prodigy and Alchemist. When Mobb Deep adopted their pal Al into the Queensbridge family in the late 90s, the real got realer, and the nightmares for other rappers got scarier. And quietly, without a bunch of industry hooplah, Prodigy and Alchemist started working exclusively with each other more and more, releasing songs on Pee’s solo albums and Al’s underground compilations, as well as putting out a full official mixtape release that is now worshipped by gutter dwellers, Return Of The Mac. Now that Prodigy is a free man on the streets again after serving a three year bid (do remember Alchemist was in the whip and got arrested with him on the night of that infamous illegal U-turn), we are hoping for more material to surface from these two. They already put out the Alchemist produced Mobb Deep and Nas banger “Dog shyt,” and from the Tweets and UStream clips, we’re certain there are more Prodigy and Alchemist bullets in the clip. But for now, let’s throw it back with ten Prodigy x Alchemist collaborations for this edition of The 10s, starring Alchemist as Dutch Schultz, and Pee as Bumby Johnson.
1. “What A Real Mobb Do” f/ Big Twin
Album: Unreleased
Year: 2005
Sample: Rudy Love & The Love Family “Does Your Mama Know”
Breakdown: This sample was used by Jay-Z on his American Gangster album cut “Sweet,” but the true mixtape heads know that Alchemist used it a few years before. Premiered by mixtape DJ Big Mike (he only played half the song on his tape), this song never appeared on any official releases, but it certainly should have. It should also be noted that recently a Lord Finesse remix record surfaced from the mid-2000s of his song “You Know What I’m About” using this same sample too.
UNT Quotable: “I’m a man of many hats, but my Mobb one fit best.” -Prodigy
2. “When It Comes To The Beef” f/ Havoc and I-20
Album: Insomnia 1st infantry Mixtape Vol. 2
Year: 2003
Sample: N/A
Breakdown: Not sure how DTP rapper I-20 ended up on the hook of this song, but he sounds ill on it, and Havoc lends a verse to the middle of the track too. This is that laidback, gangster, murder music that only Alchemist and Mobb Deep can pull off properly.
UNT Quotable: “Don’t make me have to show my grizzly, for gettin’ busy.” -Prodigy
3. “Bang On Em”
Album: Return Of The Mac
Year: 2007
Sample: The Montclairs “Do I Stand A Chance”
Breakdown: Return Of The Mac is undoubtedly loaded with great songs, and this one is a personal favorite of UNT in-house DJ, The Vinylcologist. But the truth is, we all fukks with it here at UpNorthTrips. The sample is chopped to perfection, and the bars burn slow.
UNT Quotable: “I tried keepin’ it peace, but that shyt for chumps.” -Prodigy
4. “What’s Poppin’ Thun”
Album: The Chemistry Files
Year: 2006
Sample: N/A
Breakdown: What the fukk is poppin? Pee’s right, this is theme music. Turn this on to start your day, and you’ll probably end up punching someone in the face before you even get to Starbucks to order your morning coffee.
UNT Quotable: “This the future of rap, I’ll give you a glimpse of this, so you can be ahead of the game and impress your friends.” -Prodigy
5. “Young Veterans”
Album: H.N.I.C. Part Two
Year: 2008
Sample: N/A
Breakdown: Heavy on the diamonds, heavy on the smoke. Yup, that sounds about right.
UNT Quotable: “My dudes give out the wounds that never heal.” -Prodigy
6. “Baby”
Album: Unreleased
Year: 2005
Sample: N/A
Breakdown: Another unreleased mixtape gem that was certainly worthy of being released officially. This shyt is hard body. Baby, ba-baaaay!
UNT Quotable: “I don’t blackout, I pull conscious murder.” -Prodigy
7. “Basics”
Album: Tony Touch- The Piece Maker
Year: 2000
Sample: N/A
Breakdown: Pee pops up on Tony Touch’s compilation album, and gives a preview of what his solo, Alchemist produced sound is all about. Straight dark, grimey, realness.
UNT Quotable: “I’m Pee, like the stank urine in your staircase.” -Prodigy
8. “My Priorities”
Album: Return Of The Mac (Bonus Track)
Year: 2007
Sample: The Persuaders “Love Gonna Pack Up (And Walk Out)”
Breakdown: It’s fun how the counting on the chorus of this ROTM bonus track song is done. A, 2, C, 4, E, 6, G, 8. Don’t bite that formula, dun.
UNT Quotable: “Take my kids to Sesame Place, I’m bringin’ my heat.” -Prodigy
9. “Keep It Thoro”
Album: H.N.I.C.
Year: 2000
Sample: Jack Mayborn “Disco People”
Breakdown: This may be the most famous of the Pee x Alchemist collaborations, and it should be. It’s a timeless classic.
UNT Quotable: “Heavy airplay all day, with no chorus.” -Prodigy
10. “Stuck On You”
Album: Return Of The Mac
Year: 2007
Sample: Jeannie Reynolds “I’m Hooked On You”
Breakdown: This song debuted years before on a Kay Slay mixtape, and finally ended up on ROTM, still sounding brand new. They even made a video for it. Check for Prodigy dedicating each verse to professing his love for his favorite things: money, guns, and bytches. And Alchemist comes through with a perfect vocal soul sample to tie them all together.
UNT Quotable: “Y'all nikkas takin’ too long to get to the point.” -Prodigy
You will be missed r.i.p