Legendary Queensbridge, New York hip hop group Mobb Deep celebrate the 27th anniversary of their iconic studio album ‘The Infamous’, touted as one of the classic hip hop albums of all time. The album released by Loud Records April 25, 1995, received critical acclaim featuring special guest appearances by Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Nas and A Tribe Called Quest’s Q- Tip all playing a pivotal role in getting us “Stuck Off The Realness”.
The Infamous transformed Havoc and the late Prodigy from underground royalty to being one of the most successful duos in hip-hop, selling more than three million records. The album certified gold in June 1995 spent, 34 weeks on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Album charts peaking at number 3, and made the top 10 Hot Rap Singles chart with lead singles ‘Survival of the Fittest’ and ‘Shook One’s’. Mobb Deep’s ‘The Infamous’ went on to play an important role in contributing to the East Coast rap revival, led by Notorious B.I.G, Wu-Tang Clan and Nas, all trying to take back the spotlight the west had achieved by dominating the early 1990’s.
Watch Mobb Deep’s Havoc speak on the 25th anniversary of ‘The Infamous’
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Mobb Deep’s The Infamous, Sony Music released a special edition digital only re-issue of the Queens rap duo’s ground breaking platinum album. The new album will include bonus tracks “Shook Ones, Part I”(Original Version), Infamous Sessions Mixes of “The Money (Version 2)” and “Lifestyles Of The Infamous,”. Hip Hop fiends can also expect a special 12” vinyl 25th anniversary edition of ‘The Infamous’, featuring the original album and a variety of rare mixes, alternate takes and unreleased tracks recorded during the making of the album in 1994.
Mobb Deep – Shook Ones Part II
“When Prodigy and I started on The Infamous album, all we wanted to do is to make good music— give the world a glimpse of our lives — put out an audible image of Queensbridge so that people could hear what we see every day. I guess we were successful because 25 years later, many believe that this record is one of the greatest hip-hop records of all times. So to celebrate this occasion with Caffeine is not only exciting because it’s one of the best platforms for hip-hop and content streaming, but revolutionary. Their agreeing to work with a classic act like Mobb Deep and celebrate our legacy speaks to their commitment to bridging generations through technology in a way many have missed the boat. It is also bittersweet because I don’t have P next to me,” Havoc said.
Mobb Deep – Survival Of The Fittest
To conclude, many forget that in 1995, other than Biggie , Nas and Wu-Tang Clan, there was another name in New York making serious noise for their raw gritty street tales, which did not come from 36 Chambers, Ready To Die or Illmatic.
Watch Mobb Deep’s ‘The Infamous’ documentary
Get The Infamous on the platforms below
Apple Music
Deezer
Napster
Google Play Music
Mobb Deep – Give Up The Goods
RIP Prodigy
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Photo Credit: Chi Modu
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