I was on twitta and came across the lank, http://t.co/kXBMCMqhO2 I liked what I heard except for two which were okay and I swear the song "Henny" Havoc used that same beat for "Learning (Burn)", anyway it's a pretty solid album overall.

the Burn rehash and the Sam Suffy jack sealed the deal for me

That shit is a classic. You don't touch those. Really you should leave your old work as is anyway. SMH. I just want the unreleased Infamous tracks. I can't front though some of those Havoc beats were heat. It doesn't all sound bad but they should have shaved some of those tracks off. Less is more.

which, of course, is a sample of "Burn". they should not have put it on their album by any means. maybe as a hidden track or something. but nah.

Been one of the most spun records on local radio and in local clubs for a minute.

Looks like Nas and Wu will do the same. Why can't rap artists put together proper anniversary releases?

To be honest I copped for the 1995 tracks, but the actual album is quite good too, I liked my first listen.

>To be honest I copped for the 1995 tracks, but the actual
>album is quite good too, I liked my first listen.


__
I don't like the beat anymore because its just a loop. ALC didn't FLIP IT ENOUGH!

Flip it enough? Flip these. Flip off. Go flip some f*cking burgers.(c)Kno

Allied State of the National Electric Beat Treaty Organization (NEBTO)

I was ready to be "meh" on this, but theres some jawns on here...

Hav got some nice beats on this one.

This is a BEAUTIFUL RECORD

This is a MAGNIFICENT album


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

Their best album since Murda Muzik, but it isn't for me anymore.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19240-mobb-deep-the-infamous-the-infamous-mobb-deep/

The foreboding, faraway skree announcing Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones Pt. II" is one of rap's most perfect sounds—but what is it? It might be a horn. But it also might be an exploding steam pipe, or a car alarm, or a laser-jet printer. An even stranger sound follows it: four notes played on either a guitar imitating a piano or a piano imitating a guitar. The line is so disorienting that it inspired a sixteen-year long hunt for its source, which only ended in 2011 when producer Havoc confessed that sample snitches had finally pinpointed their target – a three-second piece of a Herbie Hancock instrumental, sped up and then slowed down. Playing the sample back to back with its source does absolutely nothing to resolve the mystery of "Shook Ones Pt II."

For the kids who made it—Albert "Prodigy" Johnson, from Hempstead, and Kejuan "Havoc" Muchita, from Queensbridge—"Shook Ones Pt. II" was half war cry, half last gasp. It announced The Infamous, Mobb Deep's second album and their first classic, and in the canon of career-revitalizing rap singles—Kool Moe Dee's "How Ya Like Me Now", LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out", Dre's "Still D.R.E."—"Shook Ones Pt. II" is maybe the most effective, and certainly the most devastating. The song was a rebirth, and it foreshadowed their first classic album.

The Infamous was not supposed to happen. Johnson and Muchita had already gotten their shot, releasing a corny, forgettable debut called Juvenile Hell in 1993 that sold 20,000 copies before being dwarfed by Illmatic, which had already traveled the world as a demo before its official release in April of '94. At every radio interview, Havoc and P found themselves answering questions about Havoc's Queensbridge neighbor Nas. In his 2011 memoir My Infamous Life, Prodigy recalls "Halftime" pumping out of the speakers at what was supposed to be a Mobb Deep in-store in D.C. Shortly afterward, Mobb Deep were dropped from their label.

They retreated, licking their wounds, to Havoc's mother's house. In New York, things were getting increasingly serious–Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), also released in '93, had already shipped platinum by May of '94. A revolution was brewing in their own city, and the authors of puerile kiddie sex raps like "Hit it From the Back" were in danger of getting left behind forever. It was out of this brew of desperation and determination that The Infamous began to take shape. Their music took on a grimmer, darker tone.

A few key people took notice. One was Schott Free, an A&R at Loud Records and former member of the short-lived rap group Legion of D.U.M.E.; another was Matteo "Matty C" Capoluongo, who ran The Source's News section and wrote its venerated Unsigned Hype column. Capoluongo and Jacobs occasionally worked together on behalf raw, roughneck rap, the kind of stuff the industry required occasional nudging to embrace. It was Jacobs, for instance, who initially brought Wu-Tang's "Protect Ya Neck" into The Source offices. He and Matty C slipped Mobb Deep's new single, the fierce and focused "Patty Shop", to influential DJs Stretch and Bobbito. Word spread, albeit faintly, that the duo might yet have new life in them.

The third important figure behind The Infamous is Q-Tip, whose bemused presence floats over Mobb Deep's early career. When they were still teenagers hungry for a record deal, Havoc and Prodigy accosted Tip outside of the Def Jam offices. He obligingly ushered the duo into the hallowed offices of Lyor Cohen, whereupon they rewarded him by accidentally shooting a Def Jam employee in the stomach. He didn't give up on them, however, and on The Infamous, he does enough work to qualify as a temporary third member—co-producing and rapping on two songs("Give Up The Goods" and "Drink Away The Pain") and working with Havoc to refine and perfect the album's indelible atmosphere.

It is that atmosphere that lingers, untouched and intact, now that Havoc and Prodigy are reissuing the album via a PledgeMusic-funded project. In addition to the original album, they are including a disc of rare and unreleased tracks from the sessions along with a full new album, confusingly, also called The Infamous Mobb Deep. The branding is odd, and the timing for the project feels a little off: For one, they are claiming a 20th-anniversary celebration for The Infamous a full year ahead of schedule. For another, the duo recently suffered through a highly publicized, and extremely ugly, split while Prodigy was in prison. Maybe the reissue functions as a renewal of the vows between the two, a way to patch up relations while reminding rap fans, and themselves, of the potential power of a flagging, listless brand.

The reissue, if nothing else, is a helpful reminder that this power is still there, for whoever wants it. The reason The Infamous remains so untouchable today goes beyond its individual qualities —the vividness of Prodigy's imagery, or the richness of the Queensbridge slang they introduced —into more rarefied air. With The Infamous, Mobb Deep invented a feeling, one that was more important than any individual word, chorus, or rhyme. All of New York was embracing degraded sounds at the time, but Havoc pushed beyond the low-resolution samples of RZA's Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) into near-total abstraction, producing a masterpiece of low, muffled, and malevolent sounds. The stand-up bass sample on "Trife Life" sounds like it has cotton balls behind the strings. The implication of vinyl crackle in "Eye for An Eye" feels like a needle dragging on tendons. "Q.U. -- Hectic," boasts a glowing, pulsing piano echo that feels nearly sentient, like some kind of slit-eyed pet monster Havoc is resting one hand on to keep calm.

Throughout, Havoc and Prodigy exude the confidence and comfort of artists who have found their voice and their ideal environment, and can break whatever rules they want. If they want to interrupt their album after one song in so Prodigy can deliver an Henny-soaked rant promising to punch other rappers in the face "just for living?" They'll do that ("The Infamous Prelude"). If Q-Tip wants to drop into "Drink Away The Pain," a tightly themed song about alcoholism, to rap only about his clothes—he'll do that. Nothing disturbs the surface. Every decision feels seamless and inevitable within the bubble Havoc and P. created.

There is a wholeness, an impenetrable circularity, to The Infamous as a result. Havoc, who grew up in Queensbridge, taught Prodigy how to rap in the secret-handshake style of his projects, while Prodigy, whose grandparents were jazz royalty, taught Havoc how to use studio equipment. In each case, the student became more adept than the teacher, and the result is a seamless cohesion, Havoc and Prodigy representing two halves of an endlessly repeating thought. Sounds repeat themselves like distant lights, or recurring nightmares, blurring your sense of the album's progression: That unforgettable "skree" from "Shook Ones" reappears on the chorus of "Q.U. – Hectic." With apologies to Nic Pizzolatto, there is a distinct "This has all happened before, and will happen again" air of fatalism to The Infamous. And while gangsta rap had been fatalistic before 1995, it had never sounded quite this fatalistic.

Appropriately, The Infamous also marked the moment that the language in gangsta rap shifted from corner scrambles and specific vendettas to all-out war, endless and impersonal. "Every angle of the car was smoked out and tinted/ So we couldn't tell if the enemy was in it," Prodigy raps on "Trife Life". He's not targeting anyone in particular--just "the enemy." This was the logical conclusion to the lyrical (and literal) arms race in mid-90s gangsta rap; Mobb Deep got all the way to the end first, and said everything best. The album's most famous and oft-quoted lyrics remain "There's a war going on outside no man is safe from," from "Survival of the Fittest", but Havoc's "Q.U.--Hectic" line "Real like an innocent child that turned killer" tells it just as well: From here on out, this would the only kind of reality Havoc and P would explore, or acknowledge.

That worldview is what's missing on The Infamous Mobb Deep. Or, if it’s there, it comes through crackly and unreliable, like a radio station just out of range. As a Mobb Deep project, it's mortifyingly weak—before 2006's Blood Money, the duo had never made a bad album, and Blood Money was bad precisely because it wasn't a proper Mobb Deep album, but rather a fourth-rate G-Unit record with Havoc and Prodigy rapping listlessly on it. This time, they have no one to blame but themselves. Their lack of investment is audible on every level: The beats feels tinny and wheezy, and the album hardly sounds mastered, full of clippy snares and poorly synced vocals. The beat on "Get Down" is barely audible. The hooks are just flat chants with no rhythm or life in them.

The chemistry between the two, more troublingly, is nowhere in sight. Prodigy has receded further and further into idiosyncrasy as a solo artist, to the point where it's difficult to imagine him belonging to a group at all. He doesn't even offer any of his choice "HOW I FOLD MY BANDANA" weirdness: "I flood the cold streets with your hot blood", from "Taking You Off Here", is about as hard as he tries, as far as imagery or wordplay or contrast goes. He can still summon vivid, bone-chilling imagery, and was doing so as recently as his Bumpy Johnson EP. But he barely shrugs his way through The Infamous Mobb Deep. Taken as a whole, the album is exactly the sort of hastily tossed-off, forgettable project that legacy acts will sometimes tack onto can't-miss releases such as this. It's a shame they did.

The disc of rare and unreleased tracks from the 1994 The Infamous sessions, on the other hand, is exactly the sort of thing that reissues are made for. Many of these songs have been available to hardcore rap fans for years, but the best of them, like “Take It In Blood” and “Gimme The Goods”, are the equal of anything that made The Infamous. They extend the album’s long shadow and give a fuller picture of Mobb’s startling leap in confidence from Juvenile Hell to Infamous. There are a couple fan Easter Eggs here too, the most notable of which is the “lost reel” early version of their Raekwon/Nas collaboration "Eye For An Eye" with an alternate and a vintage Ghost verse. But my favorite moment might be the mind-bending live freestyle session between Mobb Deep, Raekwon, and Nas. Rae spits a verse that would end up on “Incarcerated Scarfaces”; Nas follows up. Both of them, however, quiet down when Havoc and P start rapping. The duo are still in complete, blissful sync, their voices young but old-sounding, their newfound chemistry a thing to behold. Apart from murmuring some appreciate noises, Rae and Nas are reverently silent. You realize, with some amazement, that they just feel lucky to be in the room.

that bonus material from the original Infamous recording sessions is worth it. They could have just done a proper 20th anniversary with just the OG version and bonus material but I understand why they tagged it on the new LP. Most people wouldn't buy that shit otherwise.

What is wrong with you guys?

Serious question

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

I'm sure we agree more often than not. This Mobb album ain't that serious.

With all the great reviews the new stuff is getting, I'm gonna have to give it a listen.

*Begin swipe*
http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/reviews/2014/04/mobb-deep-the-infamous-mobb-deep-album-review/

Mobb Deep Offers Their Trademark Sound On ‘The Infamous Mobb Deep’

Hip-Hop’s landscape has undergone a great deal of change since Mobb Deep released their critically acclaimed breakthrough album, The Infamous, in 1995. The hardcore lyricism and street tales that dominated the hip-hop scene during the “East Coast Renaissance” era are now a sweet memory for hip-hop lovers of an earlier generation. Nearly 20 years later, many of the wordsmiths of that era have disappeared from the scene. This Queensbridge duo, however, has refused to disappear – even after a public falling out on Twitter in 2012. Despite the minor setbacks, Prodigy and Havoc have reunited to give their fans The Infamous Mobb Deep, a double-disc album that revisits and pays homage to the glory years, while assuring longtime fans that “The Infamous M.O.B.B.” has no intention of going anywhere.

Disc one of The Infamous Mobb Deep contains 17 tracks of brand new material. As expected, Prodigy and Havoc employ their trademark formula of hardcore, sinister beats and gritty rhymes. What makes it notable this time around is their ability to maintain their signature style and chemistry, while bringing their sound up-to-date for this generation. Havoc’s production, while still ominous and hard-hitting, sounds much more polished, progressive, and eclectic than his Infamous-era work. Havoc shines on “Waterboarding”, a track that plays like an eerie mid-1970s Blaxploitation film soundtrack, with sounds of water torture in the background. Prodigy, who has stood the test of time as an MC, attacks every beat with his trademark grit. Prodigy’s tough-talk and hardcore imagery are balanced by a charisma and genuineness that sets it apart from your garden variety gangsta rap.

The Infamous Mobb Deep’s production is nothing short of outstanding. Along with Havoc, who produces half of the album’s tracklist, the album features production from names like The Alchemist, Illmind, and Boi-1da. UK producer Beat Butcha provides beautiful production for one of the album’s standout cuts, “Timeless.” The album boasts appearances from Hip-Hop heavyweights including Snoop Dogg, The LOX, and Busta Rhymes. The best guest appearance of the album is saved for last. A fellow Queensbrigde representative and longtime collaborator Nas provides the closing verse of the album on the hard-hitting “Get It Forever.”

Disc two of the album, The 1994 Infamous Sessions, serves as a treat for all the fans that have supported Mobb Deep over the years. It features 14 unreleased cuts from the making of 1995’s The Infamous. Fans will be excited to hear the original recordings of tracks that went on to become classics like, “Temperature’s Rising” and “Survival of the Fittest.” Even the skits are valuable, one of which features a rare freestyle session with a young Nas and Raekwon.

The Infamous Mobb Deep is a must-have in a true Mobb Deep fan’s collection. Crafting such a quality hip-hop album, two decades after your magnum opus, is a remarkable feat. Such longevity in hip-hop is rare, and Prodigy and Havoc deserve their due respect. If this is Mobb Deep’s last album, this legendary duo couldn’t have chosen a much better way to go out. Let’s hope they have a little more in store for us.—Chisom Uzosike
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sig:
I got Chad in my heart and DJ Screw in my cup.

Twitter: @chuy_vuitton

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

1 why doesn't the version I purchased from Best Buy have the Snoop and Lox features and only has 13 tracks instead of the 17 on iTunes?

2 anyone else convinced that Q-Tip did a lot more production than credited for after listening to disc 2?

Google Play has three versions, non of them has the Henny remix:

https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Mobb_Deep_The_Infamous_Mobb_Deep?id=Bvpvzbpjpr236ur5multdb7qnpa (standard)

https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Mobb_Deep_The_Infamous_Mobb_Deep_Deluxe?id=Bhkbschzkuq6i4lefhinpmuq2cm (deluxe)

https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Mobb_Deep_The_Infamous_Mobb_Deep_Super_Deluxe?id=Blar6m36hj4zgmmhdc4u6zesdxu (super deluxe) - missing 'The Infamous' on disc two, and a bunch of songs on the remaster (WTF)

The super deluxe version on 7digital is also missing 'The Infamous', but both versions have Henny remix.

I'm just glad Tip got involved with Gimme The Goods. That song's barely ok with that repetitive beat, but the final product (Give Up The Goods) is AMAZING.

>2 anyone else convinced that Q-Tip did a lot more production
>than credited for after listening to disc 2?

Looking back at the liner notes, he was credited five times on that project. 3 production credits and mixing credits on Up North Trip and Trife Life. That Red Bull Academy interview made it seem like he did a little more though. The 53min 25sec mark is where they discuss The Infamous http://vimeo.com/redbullmusicacademy. You can tell he cleaned that album up a lot.

While playing the album I heard Eye For An Eye and thought "this sounds more like an attempt at a Wu beat than anything.

Then I heard the few leading up to Gimme The Goods and was whatever on those. They're cool but definitely demo sounding.

Then Gimme The Goods came on and I thought "good fucking thing Tip remixed this shit".

Survival of the Fittest sounds like a demo version as well.

Then Temperature's Rising came on and it's pretty much the same but it just doesn't sound as crisp.

The rest of the album I had the same feeling...this sounds like a demo.

To me it seems like they missed on their debut and said "ok we gotta come with some grimy shit" which is what they were doing and then Tip got involved and took their direction and ran with it.

I wouldn't be surprised if he had a hand in every track.

....the way Mobb was talking, Tip did have his hands all over that album; and I'm not talking about just the joints he's credited for producing. If memory serves me correct, he's cleaned up some drums and what have you on joints that he's not credited for.




Since 1976

>While playing the album I heard Eye For An Eye and thought
>"this sounds more like an attempt at a Wu beat than anything.
>
>Then I heard the few leading up to Gimme The Goods and was
>whatever on those. They're cool but definitely demo
>sounding.
>
>Then Gimme The Goods came on and I thought "good fucking thing
>Tip remixed this shit".
>
>Survival of the Fittest sounds like a demo version as well.
>
>Then Temperature's Rising came on and it's pretty much the
>same but it just doesn't sound as crisp.
>
>The rest of the album I had the same feeling...this sounds
>like a demo.
>
>To me it seems like they missed on their debut and said "ok we
>gotta come with some grimy shit" which is what they were doing
>and then Tip got involved and took their direction and ran
>with it.
>
>I wouldn't be surprised if he had a hand in every track.



How did you manage to miss THOSE readily available versions of Survival of the fittest & Temps rising? Both were on th 12"'s.


And you ARENT losing your mind off THIS version of 'gimmie the goods'????? HOW????

I'll admit I only copped for the second disc and was hoping at best for a couple of good tracks on the new album, but after a few listens I'm only skipping a handful of tracks.

__
I don't like the beat anymore because its just a loop. ALC didn't FLIP IT ENOUGH!

Flip it enough? Flip these. Flip off. Go flip some f*cking burgers.(c)Kno

Allied State of the National Electric Beat Treaty Organization (NEBTO)

Like every other album, it would've been better with less songs. That said, Hav is rapping better than he has in a while.