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.
Nothing Like Home
Mobb Deep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This man? Where we headed for the future man. What's the resolution?
Wealth, health, and happiness nigga
Keep me from runnin' 'round clappin' these niggas
Sometimes you gotta just handle your business
Fuck it, it's on me, rounds of shots for niggas
Punk, I wake up everyday to cathedral cielings
Livin' like the Pharaoh Tut, I'm blessed with life
So I breathe deep and give praise to the most high
Then I, get fresh for a new day
I eat broccoli for breakfast and smoke my trees
Turn on the flat screen to see-Span
See the elite strength, attorney general slowly gettin' bills passed
Prophecies comin' to pass
We gotta survive this shit dun, it's nothin' to laugh at
I hops in the V, grabs the heat and I stash that
I'm in tune with Doc, Pac, and Huey, it's a rap.
I traveled the world, and been a lot of places
Believe me dog, ain't nothin' like home
And if you want somethin' done, you gotta do it yourself, you got drama?
Who's gonna clap that chrome?
Nobody like you, somebody like me
When death I'm ready for it in Threes
And me off point? see'mon now nigga please
I'm paranoid, you know I'm burnin' those trees
Saw a lot of niggas die, some niggas survived
And those that did did it by the skin of their hide
Dodgin' that long ride, the four-fifth aimed at 'em
And knew to fall back when them slugs came at 'em
On the real, for me to be here tellin' ya'll this
Is like dice, then I rolled that Four-Five-Six
And never lost ever since, though I took that big pinch
My Brother passed away, 24/7 I was bent
Drunk in my pain, a lot of friends went and then came
And those that stayed understood a nigga pain
And for a niggas problems had no one to point the blame
I was my own worst enemy goin' against the grain
Somewhere along the line them pieces had to get grabbed
All this money plus family, shit wasn't that bad
All you little shorties runnin' 'round like shits sweet
Just remember these words from the M-O-double-B.
I traveled the world, and been a lot of places
Believe me dog, ain't nothin' like home
And if you want somethin' done, you gotta do it yourself, you got drama?
Who's gonna clap that chrome?
Nobody like you, somebody like me
When death I'm ready for it in Threes
And me off point? see'mon now nigga please
I'm paranoid, you know I'm burnin' those trees
I kiss my finger, cross my heart, I'ma make it out these dark days
Whether together or we part ways
I got a promise to that boy tatted on my arm
Three strong, man, the heat's still lukewarm
Who can you trust when your friends want to pop your safe?
You let him stash in your place, now you watch his waist
Vision the days, hear the ghost whisper
Dogs we left in the past, brought back now here with us
Cross my heart, let the haze linger
Pour out a little liquor, knowin' God took a good nigga
Thousand dollar slippers skirt from the scene he was just a worker, dog,
You were his every dream
I kissed his face like I never knew 'em
It was me, once upon a time when life was ruined
Now the mink rope chain sparklin'
Jumpin' out of bed, Thousand dollar slippers slidin' huggin' the
Carpets.
I traveled the world, and been a lot of places
Believe me dog, ain't nothin' like home
And if you want somethin' done, you gotta do it yourself, you got drama?
Who's gonna clap that chrome?
Nobody like you, somebody like me
When death I'm ready for it in Threes
And me off point? see'mon now nigga please
I'm paranoid, you know I'm burnin' those trees
The song "Nothing like home" by Mobb Deep feat. Littles is a reflective and introspective piece expressing the need for wealth, health, and happiness to steer away from violent behavior. The first verse of the song focuses on the importance of appreciating life, expressing gratitude for the things the artist has and acknowledging that despite the materialistic benefits he has received, he is still aware of the struggles one faces every day. He chooses to remain grounded and focus on what is truly valuable. In the second verse, the artist talks about the difficulties he faced in life, being paranoid and having no one to blame for his problems, he used to go against the grain. However, he realizes that he is responsible for his own actions, and troubles cannot be solved by taking violent actions. Finally, in the third verse, the artist talks about relinquishing the past and moving on from traumatizing experiences of losing a loved one. He reflects that life is temporary and that one should cherish the precious moments they have. The song's overall message is one of maturing, understanding, and gratitude.
Line by Line Meaning
Wealth, health, and happiness nigga
My priorities are wealth, health, and happiness
Keep me from runnin' 'round clappin' these niggas
Focusing on these priorities prevents me from getting violent
Sometimes you gotta just handle your business
Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands
Fuck it, it's on me, rounds of shots for niggas
I'll take responsibility and buy drinks for everyone
Punk, I wake up everyday to cathedral cielings
I live in a luxurious environment with high ceilings
Jumpin' out my bed, wall to wall marble and pillars
Every part of my living space is decorated with marble and pillars
Livin' like the Pharaoh Tut, I'm blessed with life
My lavish lifestyle makes me feel like I'm living like a blessed pharaoh
So I breathe deep and give praise to the most high
I take deep breaths and give thanks to God
Then I, get fresh for a new day
I prepare myself for a new day
I eat broccoli for breakfast and smoke my trees
My morning routine involves eating healthy and smoking weed
Turn on the flat screen to see-Span
I turn on the TV to watch news from Spanish-speaking countries
See the elite strength, attorney general slowly gettin' bills passed
I observe those in power making changes to laws
Prophecies comin' to pass
Predictions are coming true
We gotta survive this shit dun, it's nothin' to laugh at
We need to survive this difficult situation, it's not a joke
I hops in the V, grabs the heat and I stash that
I get in my car, grab my gun, and hide it
I'm in tune with Doc, Pac, and Huey, it's a rap.
I respect and identify with the messages of famous activists and artists
I traveled the world, and been a lot of places
I have been to many different countries and cities
Believe me dog, ain't nothin' like home
Trust me, there is no place like home
And if you want somethin' done, you gotta do it yourself, you got drama?
If you want to accomplish something, you must take action yourself, do you have any problems?
Who's gonna clap that chrome?
Who will use their gun in a violent situation?
Nobody like you, somebody like me
No one is exactly like you, but there are others like me
When death I'm ready for it in Threes
I am prepared for death to come in threes
And me off point? see'mon now nigga please
Do you really think I would ever be off my game?
I'm paranoid, you know I'm burnin' those trees
I am anxious and smoking weed to cope
Saw a lot of niggas die, some niggas survived
I have witnessed many people die and some survive
And those that did did it by the skin of their hide
The survivors barely made it out alive
Dodgin' that long ride, the four-fifth aimed at 'em
Evading bullets fired from a 45 caliber gun
And knew to fall back when them slugs came at 'em
They retreated when bullets were fired at them
On the real, for me to be here tellin' ya'll this
Honestly, it's a miracle that I'm alive and can share this story with you all
Is like dice, then I rolled that Four-Five-Six
It was like rolling dice and getting lucky with a 456
And never lost ever since, though I took that big pinch
I haven't lost anything since then, even though I have been through tough times
My Brother passed away, 24/7 I was bent
My brother died and I was depressed all the time
Drunk in my pain, a lot of friends went and then came
I drank alcohol to cope with my pain, and some friends left and returned
And those that stayed understood a nigga pain
Those who remained with me knew how much pain I was in
And for a niggas problems had no one to point the blame
I couldn't blame anyone for my problems
I was my own worst enemy goin' against the grain
I was making things worse for myself by going against the norm
Somewhere along the line them pieces had to get grabbed
At some point, I had to pick up the pieces
All this money plus family, shit wasn't that bad
Having both money and family made life not so bad
All you little shorties runnin' 'round like shits sweet
All you young kids acting like life is easy
Just remember these words from the M-O-double-B.
Remember these words from Mobb Deep
I kiss my finger, cross my heart, I'ma make it out these dark days
I make a gesture of hope and promise to survive tough times
Whether together or we part ways
Whether we stay united or go our separate ways
I got a promise to that boy tatted on my arm
I got a tattoo of a promise I made to someone
Three strong, man, the heat's still lukewarm
Despite the loss of three strong people, there's still enough heat to keep going
Who can you trust when your friends want to pop your safe?
Who can you trust when even your friends want to rob you?
You let him stash in your place, now you watch his waist
You let him hide something in your home, now you have to watch out for him
Vision the days, hear the ghost whisper
Remember the past and hear the echoes of those who are gone
Dogs we left in the past, brought back now here with us
People we left behind in the past have returned to be with us again
Cross my heart, let the haze linger
I promise to be honest, while also letting weed smoke fill the air
Pour out a little liquor, knowin' God took a good nigga
I pour out some alcohol as a tribute to someone who passed away
Thousand dollar slippers skirt from the scene he was just a worker, dog,
Expensive shoes were left behind after the shooting, showing that someone who was just an employee was targeted
You were his every dream
You were the person he admired and dreamed of being like
I kissed his face like I never knew 'em
I said goodbye to him as if I never even met him
It was me, once upon a time when life was ruined
I was once in his position when my life was also falling apart
Now the mink rope chain sparklin'
Now, my expensive fur necklace is sparkling
Jumpin' out of bed, Thousand dollar slippers slidin' huggin' the carpets.
I jump out of bed, wearing expensive slippers and feeling happy in my extravagant home.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LITTLES, ALBERT JOHNSON, KEJUAN WALIEK MUCHITA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind