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.
Shook Ones 2
Mobb Deep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You heard of us
Official Queensbridge murderers
The Mobb comes equipped with warfare, beware
Of my crime family who got nuff shots to share
For all of those who wanna profile and pose
Rock you in your face, stab your brain wit' your nosebone
You all alone in these streets, cousin
And keep them shook crews runnin'
Like they supposed to
They come around but they never come close to
I can see it inside your face
You're in the wrong place
Cowards like you just get they're whole body laced up
With bullet holes and such
Speak the wrong words man and you will get touched
You can put your whole army against my team and
I guarantee you it'll be your very last time breathin'
Your simple words just don't move me
You're minor, we're major
You all up in the game and don't deserve to be a player
Don't make me have to call your name out
Your crew is featherweight
My gunshots'll make you levitate
I'm only nineteen but my mind is old
And when the things get for real my warm heart turns cold
Another nigga deceased, another story gets told
It ain't nothin' really
Hey, yo dun spark the Phillie
So I can get my mind off these yellowbacked niggas
Why they still alive I don't know, go figure
Meanwhile back in Queens the realness is foundation
If I die I couldn't choose a better location
When the slugs penetrate you feel a burning sensation
Getting closer to God in a tight situation
Now, take these words home and think it through
Or the next rhyme I write might be about you
Son, they shook
'cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks
Scared to death, scared to look
They shook
'cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks
Scared to death, scared to look
Livin' the live that of diamonds and guns
There's numerous ways you can choose to earn funds
Some of 'em get shot, locked down and turn nuns
Cowardly hearts end straight up shook ones
He ain't a crook son, he's just a shook oneshook one
For every rhyme I write, its 25 to life
Yo, it's a must the gats we trust safeguardin' my life
Ain't no time for hesitation
That only leads to incarceration
You don't know me, there's no relation
Queensbridge niggas don't play
I don't got time for your petty thinking mind
Son, I'm bigga than those claimin' that you pack heat
But you're scared to hold
And when the smoke clears you'll be left with one in your dome
13 years in the projects, my mentality is what, kid
You talk a good one but you don't want it
Sometimes I wonder do I deserve to live
Or am I going to burn in hell for all the things I did
No time to dwell on that 'cause my brain reacts
Front if you want kid, lay on your back
I don't fake jacks kid, you know I bring it to you live
Stay in a child's place, kid you out o' line
Criminal minds thirsty for recognition
I'm sippin' E&J, got my mind flippin'
I'm buggin' think I'm how bizar to hold my hustlin'
Get that loot kid, you know my function
Cause long as I'm alive I'ma live illegal
And once I get on I'ma put on, on my people
React mix to lyrics like Macs I hit your dome up
When I roll up, don't be caught sleepin'
Cause I'm creepin'
Son, they shook
'cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks
Scared to death and scared to look
(he's just a shook one)
They shook
'cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks
Scared to death and scared to look
(we live the live that of diamonds)
They shook
'cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks
Scared to death and scared to look
They shook
'cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks, crooks
Livin' the live that of diamonds and guns
There's numerous ways you can choose to earn funds
But some of 'em get shot, locked down and turn nuns
Cowardly hearts end straight up shook ones
He ain't a crook son, he's just a shook one
The lyrics to Mobb Deep's song Shook Ones II are a vivid portrayal of the harsh realities of life in the streets. The first verse opens with the rapper confidently claiming his position as part of the infamous Queensbridge murderers. The second line is a warning to those who may not have heard of their notorious reputation. The Mobb is not to be underestimated, they come equipped with warfare and have a crime family with plenty of shots to share. The lyrics also touch on themes of loyalty and betrayal. The line, "Every man for theirself in this land we be gunnin'" highlights the idea that in this world, alliances are fluid, and anyone can be a target. Additionally, the lyrics describe the consequences of speaking out of turn. "Speak the wrong words, man, and you will get touched," is a chilling warning to anyone who tries to challenge their authority.
The hook of the song repeatedly stresses the idea that there is no such thing as a halfway crook. The term "shook ones" refers to those who are scared to take risks or are not true to their word. In other words, they are not fully committed to "the life" and are thus considered weak. The lyrics also reference the materialism that often characterizes the lives of those involved in the drug trade. Many options are available for earning money, but the risks involved are high, and the rewards are fleeting. The lyrics paint a picture of a group of young men trying to navigate a violent and uncertain world, where their only hope for survival is to stay true to their principles and each other.
Line by Line Meaning
I got you stuck off the realness, we be the infamous
I have captured your attention with the truth of our lyrics. We are Mobb Deep, the notorious group from Queensbridge.
You heard of us
Official Queensbridge murderers
Our reputation precedes us as the official killers of Queensbridge.
The Mobb comes equipped with warfare, beware
Of my crime family who got nuff shots to share
We are ready for any combat situation and have enough firepower to share among our criminal family.
For all of those who wanna profile and pose
Rock you in your face, stab your brain wit' your nosebone
Those who try to act tough and flaunt their status will face brutal physical violence from us.
You all alone in these streets, cousin
Every man for theirself in this land we be gunnin'
And keep them shook crews runnin'
Like they supposed to
You are on your own in these dangerous streets, and everyone is out for themselves. We make sure rival crews are afraid and constantly on the run.
They come around but they never come close to
Rival crews try to approach us, but they are always too scared to come any closer.
I can see it inside your face
You're in the wrong place
Cowards like you just get they're whole body laced up
With bullet holes and such
Speak the wrong words man and you will get touched
I can tell by looking at your face that you are not welcome here. If you provoke us with your words, we will not hesitate to shoot you and leave you full of bullets.
You can put your whole army against my team and
I guarantee you it'll be your very last time breathin'
You can bring as many people as you want to fight my crew, but they will all die before taking another breath.
Your simple words just don't move me
You're minor, we're major
You all up in the game and don't deserve to be a player
Your words do not affect me because you are insignificant compared to us. You do not deserve to be a part of the gangster lifestyle we lead.
Don't make me have to call your name out
Your crew is featherweight
My gunshots'll make you levitate
I will call you and your weak crew out, and my gunshots will send you flying through the air.
I'm only nineteen but my mind is old
And when the things get for real my warm heart turns cold
Another nigga deceased, another story gets told
It ain't nothin' really
Hey, yo dun spark the Phillie
So I can get my mind off these yellowbacked niggas
Why they still alive I don't know, go figure
I may be young, but I have a hardened mind. When things get dangerous, I become emotionless. Every time someone dies, it's just another part of life. Let's smoke weed so I can stop thinking about all those cowardly people still alive for some unfathomable reason.
Meanwhile back in Queens the realness is foundation
If I die I couldn't choose a better location
Back in Queensbridge, reality is the structure of our lives. If I die, there is no better place to be buried than here.
When the slugs penetrate you feel a burning sensation
Getting closer to God in a tight situation
The pain of being shot is a reminder of how close you are to dying and coming face to face with God.
Now, take these words home and think it through
Or the next rhyme I write might be about you
Think carefully about these words before you act or else you might become the subject of our next song, and not in a good way.
Son, they shook
'cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks
Scared to death, scared to look
They are afraid and hesitant, but they are not real criminals who will fully commit to their actions.
Livin' the live that of diamonds and guns
There's numerous ways you can choose to earn funds
Some of 'em get shot, locked down and turn nuns
Cowardly hearts end straight up shook ones
He ain't a crook son, he's just a shook one
Living the life of a gangster involves risking your life for money, and some people are too cowardly to fully commit to the lifestyle. These people are 'shook ones', not true criminals.
For every rhyme I write, its 25 to life
Yo, it's a must the gats we trust safeguardin' my life
Ain't no time for hesitation
That only leads to incarceration
Every time I write a song, I am risking a long prison sentence. Guns are necessary to protect my life, and there is no time for hesitation because that often leads to getting caught and sent to jail.
You don't know me, there's no relation
Queensbridge niggas don't play
I don't got time for your petty thinking mind
Son, I'm bigga than those claimin' that you pack heat
But you're scared to hold
And when the smoke clears you'll be left with one in your dome
You do not know me, and we have no relationship. People from Queensbridge do not mess around. I am superior to those who brag about carrying a gun, but don't have the guts to use it. And when violence breaks out, you will be the one with a bullet in your head.
13 years in the projects, my mentality is what, kid
You talk a good one but you don't want it
Growing up in Queensbridge has shaped my hard, gangster mentality. You talk tough but you don't actually want to fight.
Sometimes I wonder do I deserve to live
Or am I going to burn in hell for all the things I did
No time to dwell on that 'cause my brain reacts
Front if you want kid, lay on your back
I question whether I deserve to live or if I'll go to hell for everything I've done. But I can't dwell on that because if someone provokes me, I will react violently.
I don't fake jacks kid, you know I bring it to you live
Stay in a child's place, kid you out o' line
Criminal minds thirsty for recognition
I do not pretend to be something I'm not. I am real and always ready for action. You are acting immature and need to learn your place. We are criminals who crave respect.
I'm sippin' E&J, got my mind flippin'
I'm buggin' think I'm how bizar to hold my hustlin'
Get that loot kid, you know my function
Cause long as I'm alive I'ma live illegal
I'm drinking E&J brandy and feeling a little crazy. I'm paranoid and trying to figure out how to improve my illegal business. I'm all about getting money, even if it means breaking the law.
And once I get on I'ma put on, on my people
React mix to lyrics like Macs I hit your dome up
When I roll up, don't be caught sleepin'
Cause I'm creepin'
Once I become successful, I will use my power to give back to my community. My rhymes are powerful and will hit you hard. Don't let your guard down when I come around, because I am always watching and waiting.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@goldbullion9274
This is arguably one of the hardest beats in rap history and still gets played till today.
@RemingtonSteel
METERS MUSIC Mobb has a few of them. This one. Survival of the fittest, drop a gem in em, hell on earth , get away
@ch.illmatic
Arguably? Man you trippin' it is😂
@ch.illmatic
@@RemingtonSteel and shook ones part I too
@wernerr4648
You just stole one of most liked comments, pathetic
@amolfetto3216
i would argue that survival of the fittest is a harder and darker beat then this
@bama4770
To people whos 20 n younger listening to this I salute u
@ponchito17
Thanks I'm only 13
@rubywaller2073
17
@arctic9163
17