Prodigy is the name of more than one artist. For the electronic group, plea… Read Full Bio ↴Prodigy is the name of more than one artist. For the electronic group, please correct your tags to The Prodigy.

1) rapper from Mobb Deep
2) group fronted by Todd Duane and Lale Larsen
3) 90s teenage rapper
4) 70s powerpop from Minnesota
5) US progressive/power metal
6) lounge jazz, alias of Miki Litvak
7) 90s US metal
8) US rapper in The Dominion

1) Albert Johnson (born November 2, 1974 in Bradford, Brooklyn, New York and died on June 20, 2017 in Las Vegas), better known by his stage name Prodigy, was a member of the hip hop duo Mobb Deep. Prodigy worked as a solo artist since the early 2000s. He was born to parents of Ethiopian and Jamaican descent. Prodigy was born with sickle cell anemia and suffered from the disease throughout his life. Propelled to awareness partially by fellow Queens, New York rapper Nas, who took a similar approach lyrically on his championed "Illmatic" album from 1994, as well as with the aid of a successful single, "Shook Ones Pt. 2," Mobb Deep suddenly found themselves developing a quickly growing cult. A year later, in 1996, Prodigy and Havoc released "Hell on Earth"; debuting at number six on SoundScan, the album found them fully realizing their approach, dropping both evocative beats and cinematic rhymes that communicated the dark side of New York's urban landscape. Thanks to a grim video for "Hell on Earth (Front Lines)" and theatrical Scarface-like photos inside the CD booklet picturing the duo with guns and a mound of cocaine, Mobb Deep had created an elaborate image for themselves that took hardcore gangsta rap to a new level for East Coast hip hop. Their next release, "Murda Muzik", was heavily bootlegged while still in its demo stage, leaking rough versions of the nearly 30 songs the duo had recorded onto the streets and over the internet.

Months after the bootlegs leaked and after several pushed-back street dates, "Murda Muzik" was formally released, debuting at number three on the Billboard charts and quickly going platinum on the strength of "Quiet Storm," a song that epitomized the Mobb Deep style. The album was welcomed by critics, who again lauded the group's lucid cinematics, driven primarily by Havoc's production. In late 2000, Prodigy finally released his long-rumoured solo album, "H.N.I.C.", which saw the more lyrically gifted member of the group collaborating with outside producers such as The Alchemist and Rockwilder on tracks that didn't depart far from the trademark sullen Mobb Deep style. Their follow-up, "Infamy", was the duo’s last album for Loud, distributed by Columbia Records and was, for some, a disappointment lyrically and musically, while others praised it as amongst the best rap albums of the year. Loud was absorbed by its new distributor shortly afterwards.

Mobb Deep then signed with Jive, under a unique deal that gave the duo its own imprint, Infamous Records, and released "Amerika'z Nightmare", a very uneven effort, which featured production by The Alchemist and Lil' Jon. However, despite a successful single that featured a Thomas Dolby sample. The duo was not happy with Jive, and were let go at its request. The duo took a hiatus afterwards and came back in 2006, signing to 50 Cent’s Interscope/Universal-distributed G-Unit imprint. Their well-hyped "Blood Money" was a failure from the money side when compared to fellow label mates like 50 Cent, Young Buck and Lloyd Banks. Some accused the duo of selling out, with their beats and rhymes not up-to-par with previous efforts on Loud.

He completed work on his third solo album "H.N.I.C. Part 2", which was previewed on his official mixtape "The Return of the Mac" on the independent label Koch Records. The mixtape single and mixtape video are called "Mac 10 Handle," and it shows Prodigy once again reverting to his trademark braids that he had prior to the release of Mobb Deep's 2004 "Amerika'z Nightmare" album; different from the short fade he had from 2004 to 2006. "H.N.I.C. Pt. 2 was released through Voxonic Inc., of which Prodigy is an equity holder.

www.hnic2.com/

Waddup Gz
Prodigy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What up? What up G's
What, what up? What up G's
What, what up?

It ain't nothing but this murder rap
It ain't nothing
It ain't nothing but these money stacks
It ain't nothing

It ain't nothing but the same old
Plan that we had planned from the front door
I write a 16 and disrespect your whole career
Compared to me you sound like an amateur
Just a novice I'm an expert word smith
Playing games I'm an animal with this
We're not the same
That's very fucking obvious
You're not a made mobster you're an obelisk
Don't let me catch you in
The streets you're a sandwich
Or picnic, pick a nigga I will damage
Little boy get his motherfucking head flew
It ain't nothing
It ain't nothing I ain't been through
My practice makes perfect aim
Nah you're not ready for war, bang bang

It ain't nothing but this murder rap
It ain't nothing
Ain't nothing but these money stacks
It ain't nothing
Ain't nothing but the same old
Plan that we had planned from the front door
I'll pop a shot that'll wrap
Up your whole life
One shot, one shot and it's good night
Nice and neat
Tuck 'em in the with the white sheet
Sleeping bags for them fags
Trying to fight me
Can't fight it, this was meant
This was meant to be
You a false prophet, P is eternally
At odds with the Devil
Stay try'na murder me
But I keep comin' back like a dope fiend
Watch me spawn back with no jewelry on
Born again, it's on again, let's get it on
It be a slaughter
Turn this shit Sodom and Gomorrah

I cut a snake nigga head off, yeah
And I stick with my dogs, be like

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Prodigy's song "Waddup Gz" paint a vivid picture of the harsh realities of the streets and the life of crime. The repeated refrain of "What up? What up G's" sets the tone for a conversation among gangsters, establishing a sense of camaraderie and solidarity among those involved in criminal activities.

The artist delves into the dark world of murder, money, and betrayal, emphasizing the ruthlessness and brutality that come with living by the code of the streets. References to "murder rap" and "money stacks" convey a sense of the gritty, dangerous lifestyle that the singer inhabits, where violence and material wealth go hand in hand.

Prodigy showcases his lyrical prowess by boasting about his superior skills as a wordsmith, positioning himself as a veteran in the game compared to his less experienced rivals. The imagery of disrespecting someone's career with a 16-bar verse and likening himself to an "animal" in the rap game highlights his confidence and dominance in the industry.

The ominous references to "one shot and it's good night" and "wrapping up your whole life" underscore the lethal consequences of crossing paths with the singer. The artist portrays himself as a relentless force, always ready for war and willing to go to extreme lengths to protect his reputation and honor in the streets.

In the final lines, Prodigy solidifies his loyalty to his crew, metaphorically likening them to dogs who stand by his side through thick and thin. The song encapsulates the harsh realities of street life, where survival often depends on strength, cunning, and unwavering loyalty to those who have your back.

Line by Line Meaning

What up? What up G's
Greetings, fellow gangsters

It ain't nothing but this murder rap
This song is about violence and crime

It ain't nothing but these money stacks
Money is all that matters

It ain't nothing but the same old plan that we had planned from the front door
Our criminal activities are routine and expected

Compared to me you sound like an amateur
I am much more skilled than you

Just a novice I'm an expert word smith
You are inexperienced, while I excel in using words

We're not the same, that's very fucking obvious
We are nothing alike

You're not a made mobster you're an obelisk
You're not a true gangster like me, you're just a monument

Don't let me catch you in the streets you're a sandwich
If I find you outside, you're in trouble

It ain't nothing I ain't been through
I've experienced it all

My practice makes perfect aim
My skills are honed and precise