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.
Temperature's Rising
Mobb Deep Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For a body - now it's time to stash the guns
They probably got the phones tapped so I won't speak long
Gimme a hot second, and I'mma put you on
It's all messed up somebody snitchin on the crew
And word is on the street is they got pictures of you
Homicide came to the crib last night, six deep
Askin' on your whereabouts and where d'you sleep
That once they catch you, all they do is just arrest you
Then arraign you, hang you, I don't think so
It's a good thing you bounced for now just stay low
Once in a blue I check to see how you're doin
I know you need loot, so I send it through Western Union
They probably knock down the door
In the middle of the night, sometimes around four
Hopin to find who they lookin for but they won't succeed
All they gonna find is mad empty bags of weed
But word son, you got the projects hotter than hell
Harder for brothers, to get they thug on but oh well
Son they know too much, even the hoodrat chicks
Oh you heard who did what, no I don't know who did shit!
So stop askin, then I know I'm not goin crazy
From windows, I see lights flashin and maybe
Somebody's takin' pictures - you know who that be
Police lovers, and neighborhood snitches
They put up your sheet so everybody's pointin fingers
And lyin, aiyyo son, the temp is risin
The temperature's risin, no there's nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin (There's nothin surprisin)
What up black? Hold your head wherever you at
On the flow from the cops with wings on your back
That snitch nigga - gave police your location
We'll chop his body up in six degrees of separation
Killer listen, shit ain't the same without you at home
Phony niggas walk around tryin to be your clone
They really fear you, when you was at home they was pale
That's why they wanna see you either dead or in jail
By the time you hear this rhyme you'll probably be locked up
Tried to hide somewhere along the lines your plans slipped up
Got caught up in a crime that you can't take back
Reminisce on how I used to pick you up in the Ac
Years ago when we was younger seemed the hood took us under very deep
Wonderin who snitched it got me losin lots of sleep
At night, you know my mouth is tight
I never sang to the cops cause that shit ain't right
Sometimes I stroll past the scene of the crime and backtrack
Damn - why the situation go down like dat?
It'll be a long time before the heat dies down
And a - couple of years 'fore we see you around
Butt 'til then maintain and keep your story the same
The cops is grabbin wrong niggas, lookin for someone to blame
They harrassin, strugglin to find the truth
There's a chance ya case'll get thrown out, cause they ain't got no proof
To say you're guilty, your fingerprints filthy
Deliver - me the gun, I'll tie it to a brick and throw it in the river
Make sure it sinks to the bottom
Outsmart police, snuck you out the projects, we got 'em
But still, but still, but still
The temperature's risin, no there's nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin (There's nothin surprisin)
The temperature's risin, no there's nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin (There's nothin surprisin)
The temperature's risin, no there's nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The temperature's risin (There's nothin surprisin)
The song "Temperature's Rising" by Mobb Deep is a story of a friend on the run for a murder charge. The singer is trying to help his friend, who is in a difficult situation, and advises him to hide his guns and be cautious while speaking on the phone, as the lines might be tapped. He conveys the unfortunate news that someone snitched on the crew and they have pictures of the friend. The homicide department came to the friend's home to enquire about his whereabouts and, in reality, the friend knows that the police will only arrest him despite their claims of wanting to question him. The singer sends money through Western Union and warns his friend to stay low.
The second verse of the song is a message from the friend to his friend who is in jail. He tells his friend how things have changed and that people are trying to copy him. The fake people are secretly afraid of him, as they cannot match his way of life. The friend then tells the singer of his predicament, seemingly caught up in a crime that he cannot retract. The singer reminisces about the past, and how he used to pick up his friend. He mentions that the cops are struggling to find the guilty person and they might end up releasing him due to insufficient evidence. The song concludes with the artiste urging his friend to remain calm and stay put, as the heat is not yet off him.
Line by Line Meaning
Word up, son, I heard they got you on the run
I heard you are wanted by the police
For a body - now it's time to stash the guns
You need to hide your guns because the police are after you for a murder
They probably got the phones tapped so I won't speak long
The police may be listening to our conversation, so I'll keep it brief
Gimme a hot second, and I'mma put you on
Give me a moment, and I'll tell you what's going on
It's all messed up somebody snitchin on the crew
Someone in our group has informed the authorities about our illegal activities
And word is on the street is they got pictures of you
People are talking about the police having photographic evidence of your involvement in the crime
Homicide came to the crib last night, six deep
The police came to our home last night with six officers
Askin' on your whereabouts and where d'you sleep
They wanted to know where you are staying and sleeping
They said they just wanna question you, but me and you know
The police claim they only want to question you, but we both know that they intend to arrest you
That once they catch you, all they do is just arrest you
The police do not intend to give you a fair trial, they will just arrest and imprison you
Then arraign you, hang you, I don't think so
I don't think they will execute you, but they will certainly give you a harsh punishment
It's a good thing you bounced for now just stay low
It's good that you fled, and you should keep a low profile for now
Once in a blue I check to see how you're doin
Occasionally, I check up on you to see how you are doing
I know you need loot, so I send it through Western Union
I know you need money, so I send it to you via Western Union
They probably knock down the door
The police might break down the door
In the middle of the night, sometimes around four
They may attempt to raid our home in the middle of the night, at around 4:00 a.m.
Hopin to find who they lookin for but they won't succeed
They hope to catch you, but they will not be successful in their search
All they gonna find is mad empty bags of weed
They will only find empty bags that once contained marijuana
But word son, you got the projects hotter than hell
Your presence in the neighborhood has made it dangerous for everyone living there
Harder for brothers, to get they thug on but oh well
It's now more difficult for people to engage in illegal activities in the neighborhood
Son they know too much, even the hoodrat chicks
The police are aware of a lot of information, including details shared by untrustworthy people
Oh you heard who did what, no I don't know who did shit!
People are spreading rumors about who informed the police, but I do not know for sure
So stop askin, then I know I'm not goin crazy
Stop asking about the case, and I won't go insane worrying about it
From windows, I see lights flashin and maybe
I can see flashing lights outside my window, possibly from police cars
Somebody's takin' pictures - you know who that be
Someone is taking pictures, and I suspect it to be the police or neighborhood snitches
Police lovers, and neighborhood snitches
People who support the police and those who inform the authorities for personal gain
They put up your sheet so everybody's pointin fingers
The police have publicized your photo as a wanted person, causing people to accuse and suspect each other
And lyin, aiyyo son, the temp is risin
People are spreading lies and rumors, and it's causing the situation to become more dangerous
What up black? Hold your head wherever you at
Hello, how are you? Stay strong wherever you may be
On the flow from the cops with wings on your back
You are running from the police, who are chasing you like they have wings
That snitch nigga - gave police your location
One of our own group members betrayed us and informed the police about your whereabouts
We'll chop his body up in six degrees of separation
If we find the snitch, we will harm them and dismember their body in a way that it becomes unidentifiable
Killer listen, shit ain't the same without you at home
Things are not the same without you here at home, and we need you back
Phony niggas walk around tryin to be your clone
Fake people are pretending to be like you in order to gain respect and attention from others
They really fear you, when you was at home they was pale
When you were around, people were afraid of you and acted nervous in your presence
That's why they wanna see you either dead or in jail
They either want to kill you or see you locked up in prison
By the time you hear this rhyme you'll probably be locked up
You will likely be in jail by the time you hear this song
Tried to hide somewhere along the lines your plans slipped up
You attempted to hide, but something didn't go according to plan, and you were caught
Got caught up in a crime that you can't take back
You committed a crime that cannot be undone
Reminisce on how I used to pick you up in the Ac
I recall how I used to pick you up in a lowrider car
Years ago when we was younger seemed the hood took us under very deep
In our younger years, we were deep into gang activity and could not escape from it
Wonderin who snitched it got me losin lots of sleep
I am worried about who informed the police and cannot sleep because of it
At night, you know my mouth is tight
I keep my mouth shut at night and do not talk about our illegal activities
I never sang to the cops cause that shit ain't right
I will never inform the police about what we do because it is not the right thing to do
Sometimes I stroll past the scene of the crime and backtrack
I sometimes revisit the place where our crime took place and try to remember what happened
Damn - why the situation go down like dat?
Why did things happen the way they did?
It'll be a long time before the heat dies down
It will take a long time for the police to lose interest in our case
And a - couple of years 'fore we see you around
It will take a couple of years before you can come back home
Butt 'til then maintain and keep your story the same
Until then, stay strong and keep your story consistent if questioned by the police
The cops is grabbin wrong niggas, lookin for someone to blame
The police are arresting the wrong people and are looking for someone to blame
They harrassin, strugglin to find the truth
The police are harassing people and struggling to find the truth in this case
There's a chance ya case'll get thrown out, cause they ain't got no proof
There's a possibility that your case will be dismissed due to lack of evidence
To say you're guilty, your fingerprints filthy
They cannot prove you are guilty just by your fingerprints
Deliver - me the gun, I'll tie it to a brick and throw it in the river
Give me the gun, and I'll hide it by tying it to a brick and throwing it in the river
Make sure it sinks to the bottom
Ensure that the gun cannot be found by making it sink to the bottom of the water
Outsmart police, snuck you out the projects, we got 'em
We have evaded the police by sneaking you out of the neighborhood, and we have outsmarted them
The temperature's risin, no there's nothin surprisin
The situation is becoming more dangerous, and it's not surprising
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The situation is becoming more dangerous, and it's not surprising
The temperature's risin, huh and ain't nothin surprisin
The situation is becoming more dangerous, and it's not surprising
The temperature's risin (There's nothin surprisin)
The situation is becoming more dangerous, and it's not surprising
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALBERT JOHNSON, KEJUAN WALIEK MUCHITA, KAMAAL IBN JOHN FAREED, FREDDIE WASHINGTON, LYNN BLYTHE DAVIS, PATRICE L. RUSHEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ssnjayden
I’m building a time machine, who’s going with me
@adgefromdaj4319
I'm down
@factualfractal423
Me too
@marcvoghouie2361
Fake news
@countercuIture
Let's goo
@purch3134eva
Down
@marlennixon2230
One of the coldest beats in Hip-Hop History. Thank You Patrice Rushen!!!
@PlaAwa
and of course q-tip
@danielwilliams7458
Yes indeed, and just like this song Miss Rushen is a hidden 💎!
@goodetodd5731
Q/ tip/ Genesis