Mobb Deep’s 1995 album The Infamous is not the duo’s debut album (that would be Juvenile Hell, which arrived two years prior), but it is generally considered to be. A starkly gorgeous bookend to Nas’ classic Illmatic, Prodigy reveals that the albums have more in common than fans of both albums may know.
Speaking to Mass Appeal for their “Open Space” series, P speaks on the actual influence Nas had on their album (he would also appear on “Eye for a Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)” as well), saying that it changed their whole everything.
“it made us look at ourselves, like ‘what the f*ck is we doing?'” Prodigy quips. “‘Look at this masterpiece this kid just made. We with him damn near every day.’” Prodigy also says that Nas helped he and Havoc be more personal in their rhymes as well.
A highlight of the piece is Prodigy recounting the first time he ever met A Tribe Called Quest‘s Q-Tip; and encounter which would ultimately lead to The Abstract both helping them embark on on their musical career and producing three tracks on The Infamous.
Prodigy also shares a tale about “Quiet Storm,” and how he begrudgingly gave up the song for their Murda Muzik album rather than his own solo debut, H.N.I.C.
Watch below.
