1992–1994: Early Career
Prodigy and Havoc met one another while attending the prestigious High School of Art & Design in Manhattan. Coming from similar backgrounds, the duo broke into the rap game in 1992. Growing up in hostile environments that included the prevalence of poverty, drugs, and gang violence, Mobb Deep attempted to express their life experiences through rapping circa 1992. Before Havoc and P were known as Mobb Deep they were a couple of teenaged rappers known as Poetical Profits. The world first heard of them via the Source's Unsigned Hype column and this is the demo track that was quoted in that feature. The song would later see the light of day on their debut LP Juvenile Hell.
"Flavor 4 The Non Believers" (demo version) They released their first album, Juvenille Hell, in 1993. At a time when East Coast hip hop was dominated by the jazziness of A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, and the Afro-centric stylings of Brand Nubian and Public Enemy, their style of music eschewed the popular conscious hip hop of the time, and reflected the harsh climate of New York City in the late-1980s and early-1990s. Because both Prodigy and Havoc were still in their teens at the time of their debut, many were surprised by the violent nature of the album. Although the album was not well-received by the public, it displayed the raw talent of the duo; the unique chemistry of Prodigy's lyrical delivery combined with Havoc's melancholy beats. Through this unique style, the duo were signed by Loud Records, and began recording their sophomore album, The Infamous, in 1995, which would establish the duo in the Hardcore hip hop community.
1995–2000: Rise to Success
Following its release, The Infamous became perhaps one of the most influential hip hop albums of the East Coast hardcore rap genre. Still at a young age, the duo powered themselves to the top of the hardcore rap scene through their straight forward narration of street life. As with their first lyrical production, Mobb Deep portrayed the struggles of living in New York City's Queensbridge. Their production also was noticed as the beats were often hard hitting and direct, a testament to Havoc, who produced the duos' tracks almost exclusively throughout their careers. Furthermore, the hit single Shook Ones Pt. II, received acclaim as one of the greatest rap songs ever. Their third album, Hell On Earth was released in 1996, debuting at number six on the Billboard album chart. The album continued their portrayal of harsh street life, while further pushing them to the forefront of the hardcore rap scene, along with contemporary East Coast rappers such as Notorious B.I.G., The Wu-Tang Clan collective, Jay-Z, and fellow Queensbridge associate, Nas.
In 1999, the duo released the highly anticipated Murda Musik album. Despite extensive bootlegging (nearly thirty songs of unreleased material leaked onto the internet) and countless delays, the album debuted at number three on Billboard and quickly went platinum —further highlighted by the popular single, Quiet Storm. Shortly afterwards, Prodigy released his long awaited solo album H.N.I.C (2000), in which the rapper collaborated with other artists and producers (including The Alchemist).
2001–2004: Decline
Some time after the release of Murda Muzik, rapper Jay-Z, spoke out against the duo, leading to an increase in publicity. At the Hot 97 Summer Jam show of 2001, Jay-Z performed the freestyle, "Takeover", which he later re-recorded for the The Blueprint LP, dissing Prodigy. He also revealed photographs allegedly of Prodigy wearing a dance leotard in 1988. Mobb Deep subsequently released Infamy in 2001. The album marked a major stylistic change that saw the duo move away from the raw, minimalist, stripped-down beats of their hardcore roots, towards more commercial fare with such songs as Hey Luv. This transition fostered accusations of "selling out" — upsetting many long-time fans who did not wish to see them veer away from their original style. Although this stylistic adjustment opened up Mobb's audience to a wider variety, many critics and fans credit Prodigy's feud with Jay-Z with damaging Mobb Deep's gangster image and record sales (most evident when comparing the platinum-selling Murda Muzik to Infamy barely reaching the gold status). Not to be fazed, Prodigy noted that his lifelong bout with sickle cell anemia and his beef with Jay-Z had changed his outlook.
In 2003, the group split with Loud Records and released The Murda Mixtape which proclaimed "Free Agents" on the cover, addressing the group's split with Loud and search for a new label. Jive Records signed the duo later in the year and subsequently released Amerikaz Nightmare in 2004, which was seen by the general rap audience as a weaker release by the two - resulting in poor sales and the subsequent dropping of the duo from Jive.
2005–2017
In the spring of 2005, it was announced that the duo signed with G-Unit Records. This came as a surprise to many, as 50 Cent aimed a sly diss at them on the "Piggy Bank" track. The duo made it known that this was not the case as Havoc stated in an interview, "Mobb Deep isn't gonna change and when we first got here 50 was like, 'Listen, I want y'all to keep doing what you been doing.' That's it." 50 Cent has a connection to the duo, as he grew up in nearby Jamaica, Queens and also has used Havoc as a producer for several different beats. The relationship became deeper than business as the Mobb and 50 Cent got tattoos to pledge their loyalty to each other. Prodigy has the words "G-Unit" tattooed on his right hand and 50 has "Mobb Deep" tattooed on his wrist. Upon signing to G-Unit, both Prodigy and Havoc were given new Porsches, for two artists who have received very little monetary compensation in the past.
They recorded their album, titled Blood Money which was released on May 2, 2006. The album featured G-Unit members 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck. This marks their seventh release and has vaulted the duo into the hip-hop spotlight. As one of the most recognized names in hip-hop at the time, it was expected for G-Unit to help Mobb Deep attract a new fanbase. As Havoc stated shortly after the deal, “As an artist, you want to be able to reach the furthest audience as you can. We put in hard work on our previous albums and still hit our core fan base. The difference this time around is that more people will hear this product this time.” Despite this, many of the Mobb's longtime fans were skeptical as G-Unit is known for their mainstream crossover music, and feared that Mobb Deep will conform to this style. The album was released to mixed reception mainly from fans, regarding it as one of the duo's weakest albums.
In 2007, Prodigy was sentenced to serve three-and-a-half years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm. Originally facing a mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison, Prodigy struck a deal with the prosecution, and pleaded guilty in exchange for the shorter prison sentence. He would later be released from prison in March 2011, with Mobb Deep releasing their first official project in five years, Black Cocaine, eight months later. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of their 1995 album The Infamous, the duo released their final album The Infamous Mobb Deep in 2014, featuring a second disc of unreleased songs and remixes from the 1994-95 sessions of The Infamous. They would also put out their overall final project, an EP called Survival of the Fittest in 2015, which featured an all new ESPN remix of the classic 1995 single as well as a few brand new songs.
On June 20, 2017, Prodigy died at the Spring Valley Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, due to complications related to his sickle-cell anemia.
Technique
Early on, Mobb Deep gained their critical acclaim for a dark, dynamic, grimey sound with haunting melodies--Havoc's production--that to many represented "street" in a way not done by many or any before. Additionally, Prodigy's penchant for starting off a verse with an attention-grabbing line, writing compelling rhymes based heavily on Queensbridge slang, and a rambling but clear delivery appealed to fans on the lyrical aspect.
For some time, Prodigy was the star MC of the duo, Havoc sounding less focused on the lyrical aspect and more on production. This continued until The Alchemist was brought in to do a few beats for each album, after which Havoc seemed to begin concentrating more on his verbal prowess, slowly developing his own style. After the beef with Jay-Z, Prodigy changed his style, rhyming words less and slowing down his delivery, while Havoc increasingly contributed more to the rhyme end of the duo. After being on independant labels, such as LOUD, and then a larger label JIVE, styles from the grimy, gritty styles from the QB duo changed greatly, much to the despair of the mainstream fans, never fully recovering from the Jay-Z beef, they were forced into the limelight, and after releasing the street wood effort of Infamy, never reclaiming the status of the best kept secret. Signing with G-Unit seems to have worsened their career and Blood Money, their first album released on G-Unit, only sold approximately 110,000 in its first week, coming in at #3 on the Billboard 200.
Apostle's Warning
Mobb Deep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why know what I'm sayin? Word up
Make that millions fam
No doubt, it's only there for the takings son
Matter of fact let me get some of that beer son
We drunk all that shit hey yo
44th Side convention Queens connection
Any party that we step in get they heady up
V S O P immediately extra bent
Rob then out son is evident
We stash cream, mansions fulfill my dream
Ice creams gleam, spread love throughout the whole team
Dominate the game, let's have a rule, combinations
No conversation, bring all ya good confrontation
You hesitatin, ass spittin, that's bad business
For the game nigga, get out the business
You waste space, substitute here's the briefcase
We deface, smack the smile off ya fuckin face
Tainted taste, send ya home back to vacate
Get your shit together plus your mind straight
Yo, my empire strikes with the strength of poisonous snakes
My entire unit loaded up with snake niggas that hire stakes
We pull off a high stakes, great escapes, expand, shift team downstate
Dreams are growing over and my son'll live great
Little man I'm plannin to enhance your mindstate
The rebirth, a nigga who lived an ill life
The one before me was of an even more trife
My understandin, I'll raise you with precise plannin
And put you on to the whole game of this planet
But I gotta survive in order to follow through plans to live lot-o
Me and my lil' get go, any man tryin to stop us he get wet-o
He couldn't withstand the snake bite, there is no hanky
Don't you put your hands too close and try to approach
I won't snap at you I'm goin for throats
And when you feel my bite 'cha sing high notes
I peeped you from deep and then you got cut throats
My formula, I live life do or die
Stare into the eyes of a deep wiseguy
Prodigy turnin niggas to protoges
My protege I advise ya ass to make way
Make way for fully auto gun spray
You're small prey, I'll easily bait and trap yea
This man is half mad scientist-half sane
Creative rhyme labryinth like poisonous cannabis
Here take a toke of this daily rare roackalist
Overpower y'all, tiny noise like locust
Like sunlight through a magnifying glass I'll focus em
Burn a hole straight through ya brain and leave ya open (oh shit)
And let the venom soak in
You start sweatin and goin through convulsions from dope shit I write
Leavin niggas stuck, I let spit
Trapped up in a web of a nigga that's sick
I'll wrap you up in cocoon, you caught up in the midst
As dangerous as risky business fuckin with this
Contender number one I put you on top of the list
You're the best challenger so far I'll give you this
But peep this (what) fatal shots that soloplex
Man down, now who dares to go next?
Like General Monkmonk orders to chop necks
I send a message to my whole clique to bomb shit
Atomic, no time for calm shit
We hyperactive and it's time for Vietnam bit
Ya whole alliance gets single handedly bomb-ded
Take heed to the apostle's warning
Word up
In "Apostle's Warning," Mobb Deep raps about their ambitions to make millions and dominate the game. They speak about their connections in Queens and their ability to rob parties quickly and efficiently. The lyrics also explore the dangers of crossing them, including threats of violence and strict consequences for anyone who hesitates or gets in their way. Prodigy, one of the members of Mobb Deep, speaks about his desire to raise his son with precise planning and to live life as a deep-wiseguy, but warns that he is willing to fight fiercely to protect his empire. The overall theme of the song emphasizes the importance of taking action and being strategic in achieving success, even if it requires ruthlessness and violence.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was the opening track on Mobb Deep's critically acclaimed album "Hell on Earth," which was released in 1996. The album, which also included hit songs like "Drop a Gem on 'Em" and "G.O.D. Pt. III," marked a turning point in the duo's career and cemented their status as one of the most influential groups in hip-hop. Another interesting fact is that the beat for "Apostle's Warning" was produced by Havoc, the other member of Mobb Deep. Havoc was known for his skills as a beatmaker and produced many of the group's most popular songs. Additionally, the song's title references the biblical apostles and their warnings of impending danger or divine judgment.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh God uh you know what we gotta do son
We are aware of what we have to do to become successful.
Make that millions fam
We aim to make a fortune and live a luxurious life.
No doubt, it's only there for the takings son
We believe that nothing can stop us from achieving success.
Matter of fact let me get some of that beer son
We are casually enjoying this moment and having fun while pursuing our goals.
We drunk all that shit hey yo
We have indulged in all the pleasures that life has to offer.
44th Side convention Queens connection
We represent the 44th side of Queens and have strong connections with the community.
The Bridge be repeaing
People in the community are aware of our reputation for being ruthless.
Any party that we step in get they heady up
People are intimidated by our presence and are afraid to challenge us.
V S O P immediately extra bent
We drink only the best and most expensive liquor and are always intoxicated.
Rob then out son is evident
We participate in illegal activities and engage in robbery.
We stash cream, mansions fulfill my dream
We hoard money and aspire to own luxurious mansions.
Ice creams gleam, spread love throughout the whole team
We show love and support to everyone in our community.
Dominate the game, let's have a rule, combinations
We aim to take over the game and set new rules and standards.
No conversation, bring all ya good confrontation
We are ready for any challenge and will not back down without a fight.
You hesitatin, ass spittin, that's bad business
If you are hesitant or weak, you are not fit to be in this game.
For the game nigga, get out the business
If you're not willing to give it your all, get out of this game.
You waste space, substitute here's the briefcase
If you're not contributing to our success, you are replaceable.
We deface, smack the smile off ya fuckin face
We will not tolerate any disrespect or challenges to our authority.
Tainted taste, send ya home back to vacate
If you cross us, we will make sure you regret it and leave us alone.
Get your shit together plus your mind straight
We expect all members of our team to be focused and determined.
Yo, my empire strikes with the strength of poisonous snakes
We operate with ruthless efficiency and our actions can be deadly.
My entire unit loaded up with snake niggas that hire stakes
Everyone in our group is dangerous and will do whatever it takes to succeed.
We pull off a high stakes, great escapes, expand, shift team downstate
We aim to win big and will do whatever it takes to succeed, even if that means relocating or changing our strategy.
Dreams are growing over and my son'll live great
We have big dreams for our future and aim to provide for our families.
Little man I'm plannin to enhance your mindstate
We want our children to grow up to be successful and to have the drive and determination to achieve their dreams.
The rebirth, a nigga who lived an ill life
We have overcome many challenges to become who we are today.
The one before me was of an even more trife
Our past was filled with even more hardship and adversity.
My understandin, I'll raise you with precise plannin
We have a strategic plan for success and want to teach our children the same principles.
And put you on to the whole game of this planet
We will teach our children the lessons we have learned about life and success.
But I gotta survive in order to follow through plans to live lot-o
We must stay alive and successful in order to provide for our families and achieve our dreams.
Me and my lil' get go, any man tryin to stop us he get wet-o
We will defend ourselves and our families against anyone who tries to undermine us or stop us from succeeding.
He couldn't withstand the snake bite, there is no hanky
Anyone who opposes us is powerless and will inevitably fall to our tactics and strategies.
Don't you put your hands too close and try to approach
We are dangerous and will not hesitate to act if threatened.
I won't snap at you I'm goin for throats
We will go straight for the jugular and take out our opponents quickly and decisively.
And when you feel my bite 'cha sing high notes
If we attack you, we will do it swiftly and brutally.
I peeped you from deep and then you got cut throats
We are always watching and analyzing our opponents, and will attack them when they least expect it.
My formula, I live life do or die
We live life with a sense of urgency and dedication, refusing to back down or give up.
Stare into the eyes of a deep wiseguy
We are intelligent and cunning, and have the power to intimidate our opponents.
Prodigy turnin niggas to protoges
We have the power to mentor and train others to be successful like us.
My protege I advise ya ass to make way
We teach our protégés to make a name for themselves and carve out their own path to success.
Make way for fully auto gun spray
We will not hesitate to use violence to achieve our goals if necessary.
You're small prey, I'll easily bait and trap yea
We see those who oppose us as easy targets and will lure them into traps to defeat them.
This man is half mad scientist-half sane
We are intelligent and calculated, but also willing to take risks and act without fear.
Creative rhyme labryinth like poisonous cannabis
Our words are powerful and intoxicating, and can be just as dangerous as a poison.
Here take a toke of this daily rare rockalist
We are offering our words and ideas as a gift to those who are willing to listen and adapt them.
Overpower y'all, tiny noise like locust
We may seem small and insignificant, but we can overpower our opponents with our intelligence and tactics.
Like sunlight through a magnifying glass I'll focus em
We can take small opportunities and magnify them into massive successes through careful planning and dedication.
Burn a hole straight through ya brain and leave ya open (oh shit)
Our words are so powerful that they can change the way people think and see the world.
And let the venom soak in
Our words are like venom that can change people's minds and influence their actions.
You start sweatin and goin through convulsions from dope shit I write
Our words can have a physical and emotional impact on people, changing the way they feel and think.
Leavin niggas stuck, I let spit
Our words are so powerful that they can leave people overwhelmed and speechless.
Trapped up in a web of a nigga that's sick
We are dangerous and have the power to trap and defeat our opponents.
I'll wrap you up in cocoon, you caught up in the midst
We are able to trap and defeat our opponents with ease and precision, leaving them powerless.
As dangerous as risky business fuckin with this
We are risky and dangerous to oppose, and our opponents must be prepared for the consequences of crossing us.
Contender number one I put you on top of the list
We recognize and respect our opponents, and will give them the fight they deserve.
But peep this (what) fatal shots that soloplex
We are able to make fatal, decisive moves that can end our opponents' chances of success.
Man down, now who dares to go next?
We are always ready for a challenge and welcome anyone who dares to stand against us.
Like General Monkmonk orders to chop necks
We are ruthless and will stop at nothing to achieve our goals, even if that means resorting to violence.
I send a message to my whole clique to bomb shit
We have the power and resources to take down anyone who opposes us, and will use them without hesitation.
Atomic, no time for calm shit
We are always on the move and taking action, with no time to rest or slow down.
We hyperactive and it's time for Vietnam bit
We are always on the move and ready for action, even in the most dangerous and high-stakes situations.
Ya whole alliance gets single handedly bomb-ded
We have the power to take down entire groups and organizations with ease and precision.
Take heed to the apostle's warning
We are a powerful force to be reckoned with and should be respected and feared by those who oppose us.
Word up
Listen and pay attention to what we have to say.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALBERT JOHNSON, KEJUAN WALIEK MUCHITA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind