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.
Crawlin'
Mobb Deep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dog I take shit to heart cause I was born like that
I only got my word as a man when I give
When I say I'm going at you it's a given when I spit it
So niggas talk out the ass amongst those who live it
So niggas get money bounce from the hood you shitted
So bitches fuck niggas, they man best dog
Over that now you got some nigga leaking on the floor
To die over that is totally against the grain and against street laws
I respect paper and every minute that's spent gettin that shit
So my little dunn could be set
And what I feal about a nigga that's trying to pose threats
Never write it out if you can't cash that check
Dog I know about death you ain't sayin nuttin slick
Empty out on that fool cliq cliq, cliq cliq
So keep movin', you better keep walkin'
The nine will have them crawlin', crawlin'
Clinger for life
So keep movin', you better keep walkin
The nine will have them crawlin', crawlin'
Clinger for life
Nigga how you want it nigga, cause you about to get served
Matter of fact nigga, you about to get your shit burned
Punk motherfucker, female ass nigga
The homo rapper, H to the you know
Come on man I ain't gotta spell it out for you
You know how to tell time you know my gun boil
I set it off on your bitch ass, don't forget that
And your retaliation was weak, baby pictures
Dunn I'll take you out in the street and spank you bitch
Ain't no point going at "P" you run into bricks
How you not gonna show face after that stunt
At rap's only awards and you ain't show up
You scared and you butt, you are now being crushed
By these black Mobb gangstas you niggas is done
I suggest that you pack up and take it to go
Cause everything is not cool and you niggas should know
So keep movin', you better keep walkin
The nine will have them crawlin', crawlin'
Clinger for life
How it feel when that steel hit the grill huh
For real, for real shit be that real son
The grimy endulge in nothing but gangsterness
That ice is lookin major on your wrist
Is you ready to die like a man for it
Or pass it right over, fall back and get extorted
Like a camcorder every move is recorded
Keep them hands so I see them
Every thaught I can read it
Ya'll some hoe ass niggas, I'll slap days out you
You was raised off our shit we made rappers
Bitch ass nigga
I'll buck the fuck out that nigga
And peel that fruit, kill that fool
Eighty Eight is you crazy
that's when I was fuckin Sophie and you was pumpin for poison
My nigga Killa Dang woulda spit in your face
Illa G been told me about that ? boy Jay
So keep movin', you better keep walkin'
The nine will have them crawlin', crawlin'
Clinger for life
So keep movin', you better keep walkin'
The nine will have them crawlin', crawlin'
Clinger for life
In the song "Crawlin" by Mobb Deep, the lyrics depict the gritty reality of street life and the consequences of stepping out of line. The opening lines of the song express the rapper's firm belief in the power of their words and their readiness to act on them. The lyrics detail the rise to power and money of certain people who left their old neighborhoods and the subsequent betrayal of their roots. Loyalty and respect are two of the primary themes in this song, as the rapper discusses how the betrayal of these values can lead to violence and death. The chorus "keep moving, you better keep walking" suggests the fear and intimidation that the rapper instills in their enemies.
The second verse is a direct attack on a specific individual, calling them out for their lack of credibility and bravery. The artist brags about their own power and the weakness of their opponent, warning them to "pack up and take it to go". In the third verse, the focus shifts to the image of tough, stylish street culture and the harsh reality that lies beneath the shiny exterior. The singer contemplates the consequences of choosing the wrong path and paying the ultimate price, as well as the danger of living in a world where every move is being documented.
Line by Line Meaning
Without a doubt, you gonna hear that thing clap
There is no doubt that you will hear the sound of a gun being fired.
Dog I take shit to heart cause I was born like that
I am easily affected by things because it is just part of my nature.
I only got my word as a man when I give
The only thing that truly represents me as a man is the promises that I make and keep.
When I say I'm going at you it's a given when I spit it
When I make a threat, it is to be taken seriously and as a guarantee of what I will do.
So niggas talk out the ass amongst those who live it
People talk a big game about being tough, but those who truly live it know better.
So niggas get money bounce from the hood you shitted
People who have made money move out of their old neighborhood because they have outgrown it.
So bitches fuck niggas, they man best dog
Women cheat on men with their supposed best friends.
Over that now you got some nigga leaking on the floor
As a result of romantic infidelity, a man has been killed and is bleeding on the ground.
You gotta watch those broads
You need to be cautious and aware of women's behavior and actions.
To die over that is totally against the grain and against street laws
Dying over romantic infidelity is not in line with street culture and is considered wrong.
I respect paper and every minute that's spent gettin that shit
I value money and the time and effort it takes to earn it.
So my little dunn could be set
I work hard to make sure my younger associates are taken care of and secure.
And what I feal about a nigga that's trying to pose threats
My opinion on someone who is making threats towards me.
Never write it out if you can't cash that check
Don't make promises you can't keep.
Dog I know about death you ain't sayin nuttin slick
I have experienced death and am unfazed by your attempts to intimidate me.
Empty out on that fool cliq cliq, cliq cliq
I will shoot my gun until it is empty to defend myself.
Nigga how you want it nigga, cause you about to get served
How do you want your confrontation to play out, as I am about to take action against you?
Matter of fact nigga, you about to get your shit burned
You are about to experience severe consequences for your actions.
Punk motherfucker, female ass nigga
You are weak and cowardly.
The homo rapper, H to the you know
You are gay.
Come on man I ain't gotta spell it out for you
I don't need to say it explicitly, as you know what I'm talking about.
You know how to tell time you know my gun boil
You know when it is time to be afraid and take cover from my loaded gun.
I set it off on your bitch ass, don't forget that
I have already attacked you, so don't act like it didn't happen.
And your retaliation was weak, baby pictures
Your attempt to retaliate was pathetic and not threatening.
Dunn I'll take you out in the street and spank you bitch
I have no problem attacking you in public and humiliating you.
Ain't no point going at "P" you run into bricks
It is pointless to try to challenge me, as you will be met with impenetrable defense.
How you not gonna show face after that stunt
Why are you avoiding facing me after your disrespectful actions?
At rap's only awards and you ain't show up
You refused to show up at an important industry event.
You scared and you butt, you are now being crushed
You are cowardly and are now being punished for your disrespectful actions.
By these black Mobb gangstas you niggas is done
The black Mobb gang will end your disrespect and put an end to your actions.
I suggest that you pack up and take it to go
You should leave and remove yourself from the situation.
Cause everything is not cool and you niggas should know
The situation is serious and dangerous, and you need to recognize that.
How it feel when that steel hit the grill huh
How does it feel to be shot?
For real, for real shit be that real son
The street life is very serious and dangerous.
The grimy endulge in nothing but gangsterness
Those who are involved in street culture embrace the lifestyle and mentality of being a gangster.
That ice is lookin major on your wrist
Your expensive jewelry is impressive and attractive.
Is you ready to die like a man for it
Are you willing to risk your life to keep it?
Or pass it right over, fall back and get extorted
Alternatively, you can give it to me and avoid consequences.
Like a camcorder every move is recorded
Everything you do is being observed and recorded.
Keep them hands so I see them
Show your hands to me, so I can see that you aren't armed.
Every thaught I can read it
I can read and understand your every thought and intention.
Ya'll some hoe ass niggas, I'll slap days out you
You are weak and pathetic, and I will easily defeat you.
You was raised off our shit we made rappers
You are only successful because of the influence of people like me who paved the way.
Bitch ass nigga
You are weak and pathetic.
I'll buck the fuck out that nigga
I will shoot and kill that man.
And peel that fruit, kill that fool
I will injure and kill that man.
Eighty Eight is you crazy
You are insane.
that's when I was fuckin Sophie and you was pumpin for poison
At a time when I was intimate with someone, you were living a much less impressive and successful life.
My nigga Killa Dang woulda spit in your face
My friend Killa Dang would have disrespected and spat in your face.
Illa G been told me about that ? boy Jay
My associate Illa G has informed me about someone named Jay, who is apparently not trustworthy.
Clinger for life
You are trapped and will always be associated with this dangerous lifestyle.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALBERT JOHNSON, J. WILLIAMS, KEJUAN WALIEK MUCHITA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind