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.
I Won't Fall
Mobb Deep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like they gully when switch when i'm spittin' those dummies
I creep in the cold till my nose get runny
Then i'm laying for a nigga like i'm waiting on money
I ask these hoes what the fuck they want from me
From the gate i keep it real that's why the god love me
I got a shorty if she get down for me, when i'm out of town
You know she holdin' down the crown for me
Take you with me shit pussy don't want me
My life's story was the henny, had to stop that
And now i'm focusing clear when i copp that
Fuck getting clapped, it be more like applause
Since they tellin' like broads, might as well be the Mobb
The H da A da V da O da see i'm the man
The myth pushing shit to the white league
You can two face me, backstabb me
A nigga still ain't taking what's mines gon' die trying
(I won't fall)
You can try to set me up and all that
A nigga too much on point for all that
(I won't fall)
You can two face me, backstabb me
A nigga still ain't taking what's mines gon' die trying
(I won't fall)
You can try to set me up and all that
A nigga too much on point for all that
(I won't fall)
Don't make me be after you niggas like the Ku Klux Man
Throwin' my hoody, you know i'm burnin' that grass
Plottin' on how I'm'a murda that ass
We poppin' up, guns choppin up, yo whole staff
What's toppin the cassette, ain't nothin' gettin' passed
'cause we gettin' fat, on top of that we gettin' cash
I hear you niggas want to get me may god be with you
Plus you better keep that mothafuckin' thing right wit you
And if i feel you a threat to my well-being
Niggas is bleeding you niggas better back up off the P kid
I blam you, and pass you to jesus christ
You be a ghostdog like forest whitaker white
Be a dumb mothafucka thinkin' P not squeezin'
Like palm springs the only thing beefin'
Is that gumball cus i ain't got talk for ya'll
I got big four-pound towners do yo new bounce
You can two face me, backstabb me
A nigga still ain't taking what's mines gon' die trying
(I won't fall)
You can try to set me up and all that
A nigga too much on point for all that
(I won't fall)
The two-face niggas
The backstabb niggas
I felt that shit coming
Like that in the bud gunnin'
No tolerance for them niggas
Fuck the dumb shit, i hope you niggas die broke
While we in the plushes
Hotel Suites
Expensive car seats
Windows half-down bumpin' out mobb beatz
With a bad bitch beside me
Raisin' up the volume
Know they hate to see that
And that's why we come through
You can two face me, backstabb me
A nigga still ain't taking what's mines gon' die trying
(I won't fall)
You can try to set me up and all that
A nigga too much on point for all that
(I won't fall)
You can two face me, backstabb me
A nigga still ain't taking what's mines gon' die trying
(I won't fall)
You can try to set me up and all that
A nigga too much on point for all that
(I won't fall)
The lyrics to Mobb Deep's song "I Won't Fall" showcase the rap duo's gritty and raw style. The lyrics are primarily about the struggles of street life and the importance of loyalty and staying true to oneself. The opening lines describe the way some people act, running around with no direction, and acting tough but are actually dummies. Prodigy, one half of Mobb Deep, talks about his life story and how he had to stop drinking Hennessy to focus on his goals. He emphasizes that he won't fall for any tricks or schemes against him and that he's always on point. He warns anyone who tries to threaten him or his wellbeing.
The song continues with violent imagery, threats to those who cross them, and praise for the luxurious lifestyle and success that they have achieved. Prodigy and Havoc, the other half of the duo, rap about taking on anyone who opposes them and their willingness to defend their territory. They assert their dominance in the streets with guns and violence and are not afraid to take revenge on anyone who wrongs them. The chorus, "You can two-face me, backstab me / A nigga still ain't taking what's mine gon' die trying (I won't fall)," drives home the message of the song.
Overall, "I Won't Fall" is a hard-hitting rap song that showcases Mobb Deep's dedication to their craft and their unyielding loyalty to themselves and their friends.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, you got these niggas running around like they head cut off
You have these guys running around in chaos, acting gully and foolish when I spit truth.
Like they gully when switch when i'm spittin' those dummies
They act like they're tough, but change their tune when I speak honestly.
I creep in the cold till my nose get runny
I operate in the shadows, even in uncomfortable and difficult situations.
Then i'm laying for a nigga like i'm waiting on money
I am prepared and waiting for the opportunity to take revenge or get what's owed to me.
I ask these hoes what the fuck they want from me
I question the motives of those who try to get close to me.
From the gate i keep it real that's why the god love me
I am always honest and authentic, which is why I am respected and loved.
I got a shorty if she get down for me, when i'm out of town
I have a loyal partner who will hold it down for me when I'm away.
You know she holdin' down the crown for me
She is a reliable and trustworthy partner who has my back.
Dog, god forbid if i die, don't worry kid
If I were to die, don't stress about it.
Take you with me shit pussy don't want me
I will not be taken down by someone who disrespects me.
My life's story was the henny, had to stop that
Alcohol was once a major part of my life, but I had to quit.
And now i'm focusing clear when i copp that
I am now able to think and act clearly.
Fuck getting clapped, it be more like applause
I don't want to be shot. I want to be praised for my accomplishments.
Since they tellin' like broads, might as well be the Mobb
Since people are talking about us anyway, we might as well embrace our image as the Mobb.
The H da A da V da O da see i'm the man
I am the leader of the group known as Havoc.
The myth pushing shit to the white league
I'm known for my skills in the rap game and have made my mark in the industry.
You can two face me, backstabb me
Even if you betray me or try to deceive me, I will not give up what is rightfully mine.
A nigga still ain't taking what's mines gon' die trying
I will fight to the end to protect what belongs to me.
(I won't fall)
I am determined and resilient, and will not let anyone bring me down.
Don't make me be after you niggas like the Ku Klux Man
If you cross me, I will come for you with fierce determination and force.
Throwin' my hoody, you know i'm burnin' that grass
I wear a hooded sweatshirt as a symbol of my allegiance, and am willing to fight for it.
Plottin' on how I'm'a murda that ass
I am strategizing how to defeat my enemies.
We poppin' up, guns choppin up, yo whole staff
I will come for you and your entire crew, ready to fight.
What's toppin the cassette, ain't nothin' gettin' passed
My music is top-notch, and nothing will go unnoticed or unappreciated.
'cause we gettin' fat, on top of that we gettin' cash
We are becoming more successful and wealthy with each passing day.
I hear you niggas want to get me may god be with you
I am aware of the threats against me, and am not afraid.
Plus you better keep that mothafuckin' thing right wit you
If you plan to come after me, make sure you're prepared.
And if i feel you a threat to my well-being
If I sense that you are a danger to me,
Niggas is bleeding you niggas better back up off the P kid
I will not hesitate to harm those who pose a threat to me, so you better stay back.
I blam you, and pass you to jesus christ
I will kill you and send you to the afterlife.
You be a ghostdog like forest whitaker white
You'll be dead and forgotten, like the character Ghost Dog played by Forest Whitaker.
Be a dumb mothafucka thinkin' P not squeezin'
Don't be foolish enough to think I won't pull the trigger.
Like palm springs the only thing beefin'
Like the town of Palm Springs, there is no real conflict between us; you're just trying to start trouble.
Is that gumball cus i ain't got talk for ya'll
You're like a piece of bubblegum: flavorless and insignificant. I have no time for you.
I got big four-pound towners do yo new bounce
I have large, powerful guns that will make you rethink any attack you might make.
The two-face niggas
I see through the deception and lies of those who pretend to be my friend.
The backstabb niggas
I am aware of those who betray me, even if they try to hide it.
I felt that shit coming
I could sense the betrayal and deception before it happened.
Like that in the bud gunnin'
I am quick to react and take action against those who betray me.
No tolerance for them niggas
I have no patience for those who lie, cheat, and steal.
Fuck the dumb shit, i hope you niggas die broke
I have no interest in foolishness, and hope that those who betray me suffer for it.
While we in the plushes
While I am enjoying the fruits of my labor,
Hotel Suites
Staying in luxury hotel rooms.
Expensive car seats
Riding in high-end cars with luxurious seats.
Windows half-down bumpin' out mobb beatz
Listening to and enjoying the music of Mobb Deep while driving.
With a bad bitch beside me
With an attractive and desirable woman by my side.
Raisin' up the volume
Increasing the volume of the music.
Know they hate to see that
I am aware that others are envious of my success and happiness.
And that's why we come through
That is why we continue to work hard and succeed, despite the hate and obstacles we face.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: ALBERT JOHNSON, KEJUAN WALIEK MUCHITA, SCOTT SPENCER STORCH, J. WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind