Prodigy (rapper)
| Prodigy | |
|---|---|
 Prodigy of the rap group Mobb Deep. |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Albert Johnson |
| Born | November 2, 1974 Hempstead Village, New York |
| Origin | Queensbridge, Queens, New York |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Years active | since 1990 |
| Labels | G-Unit, Koch, Voxonic |
| Associated acts | Mobb Deep Havoc The Alchemist Big Noyd G-Unit Infamous Mobb Un Pacino 40 Glocc Sid Roams |
| Website | HNIC2.com |
Albert Johnson, (born November 2, 1974[1]) better known as Prodigy, is an American rapper and one half of the hip-hop duo Mobb Deep.
Contents |
Biography
Debut album
Born in Hempstead, New York, in Long Island, Prodigy became a member of the duo Mobb Deep. He is currently serving a 3 year prison sentence in midstate correctional facility for a gun charge and will be released sometime in 2011.[2]. Prodigy was born with sickle cell anemia and has suffered from the disease throughout his life[3]. Propelled to awareness partially by fellow rapper Nas, who took a similar approach lyrically on his Illmatic album from 1994, as well as with the aid of a successful single, "Shook Ones Pt. 2," Mobb Deep released The Infamous. A year later, in 1996, Prodigy and Havoc released Hell on Earth; debuting at number six on SoundScan the album was composed with both evocative beats and cinematic rhymes that communicated the dark side of New York's urban landscape. Due 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. Its 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.
Recent events
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,". H.N.I.C. Pt. 2 was released through Voxonic Inc., of which Prodigy is an equity holder.[4]. In late 2009, Mobb Deep were released from their contract with 50 Cent's G-Unit label[5].
2008 Presidential Election
In early June 2008, Prodigy revealed he wasn't too fond of Barack Obama while he was a presidential candidate. He told BallerStatus.com that Obama was a "phony" and a "plastic president", but also wished him the best of luck. "I wish nothing but love and happiness for him," the rapper said. "But he's either gonna be assassinated to create chaos and bring about Martial Law or he'll live and then years down the line, at the end of his term everybody will see that he's just like the rest of these plastic Presidents, who does absolutely nothing good. Just another puppet for the Royal family"[6]. He has also voiced support for Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas), praising the Republican presidential candidate's stances on government, world banking, and war. Prodigy raps about these issues in a track called "Illuminati" off his third solo album, H.N.I.C. Pt. 2[7].
Feuds
2Pac
In 1993 to 1999, the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry was occurring. This "beef" started when Tha Dogg Pound released "New York, New York". Mobb Deep took offense to that and with Capone-N-Noreaga and Tragedy Khadafi they released "LA, LA" in response. 2Pac "dissed" Mobb Deep (along with The Notorious B.I.G.) in "Hit 'Em Up" where he made the remark " Oh yeah, Mobb Deep, you wanna fuck with us?/You little young ass motherfuckers/Don't one of you niggaz got sickle cell or somethin? " as a taunt to his ailiment and "When We Ride on Our Enemies" . Mobb Deep responded in a diss track called "Drop A Gem On 'Em" which was released as a single after 2Pac was murdered, although the song come out before his death. 2Pac also dissed Mobb Deep on the song "Against All Odds"[8] which was released after his death.
Keith Murray
On The Infamous, made remarks about rappers who rap about "smoking weed" and talk about "space shit"[9]. Def Squad took offense but the feud was settled when Prodigy and Keith Murray met at a video shoot[9]. The feud was rekindled when Prodigy again referenced "space shit" in his appearance on LL Cool J's "I Shot Ya" which also featured Murray. Murray saw Prodigy at a club one night and punched him[9]. Prodigy recalled the altercation and threatened Murray in the song "In the Long Run" on Hell on Earth. Murray released a song "Call My Name" on his Enigma album dissing Mobb Deep. The feud seemed to die down until Prodigy dissed Murray again in his 2004 song "Bad Blood." Murray has responded with numerous songs since[9].
Saigon
During an interview Prodigy stated that he didn't like Saigon, Tru-Life or many other rappers for that matter. Saigon took offense and dissed Prodigy back in an interview.
On the night of September 19, 2007, after an impromptu performance by Saigon during a Mobb Deep show, words were exchanged between Saigon and Prodigy[10]. This escalated into an argument, which resulted with Saigon punching Prodigy twice in the face[11]. Two video versions of the events have since emerged. One version with slow motion footage shows a clear look of Saigon punching Prodigy, while another video shows Saigon being chased and running out of the club[12].
Crooked I
While in prison, Prodigy wrote a letter about his disillusionment with hip hop and rappers. He directly referenced Crooked I's name in the rant about vibe.com's best rapper alive 2008, specifically commenting,
| “ | Vibe says 920,000 people voted for it. I would personally b*tch slap all 920,000 of these voters if given the opportunity. Who in the f*ck picked Crooked I, Flo Rida and Rich Boy? How did Vibe approve this? | ” |
Crooked I has since responded in a blog entry, challenging Prodigy to a one-on-one fight upon the rapper's release[13].
Discography
Solo albums
- 2000: H.N.I.C.
- 2007: Return of the Mac
- 2008: H.N.I.C. Pt. 2
Singles
- "Keep It Thoro" (2000)
- "Rock Dat Shit" (2000)
- "Y.B.E." (2000)
- "Trials Of Love" (2001)
- "Mac 10 Handle" (2006)
- "New York Shit" (2006)
- "Stuck On You" (2007)
- "A,B,C" (2007)
- "The Life" (2008)
- "New Yitty" (2008)
- "Young Veterans" (2008)
- "I Want Out" (2008)
- "Stop Stressin" (2008)
- "Shed Thy Blood" (2008)
- "Damn Daddy" (2009)
Filmography
- Blackout (2007)
- Murda Muzik (2004)
- Full Clip (2004)
References
- ↑ Birchmeier, Jason "Mobb Deep Biography", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
- ↑ Birchmeier, Jason "Prodigy Biography", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation
- ↑ "Prodigy Interview: Pre-Prison Exclusive", DJBooth.net
- ↑ What Would You Do by Laura Checkoway. XXL Magazine. January 2008
- ↑ http://www.sohh.com/2009/11/50_cent_released_mobb_deep_from_g-unit_r.html
- ↑ Prodigy Calls Obama 'A Phony' And 'A Puppet' BallerStatus.com. June, 2008
- ↑ Music: Prodigy - "Illuminati" BallerStatus.com.
- ↑ Heinzelman, Bill. "Top 11 Diss Songs in Hip-Hop". UGO.com. http://www.ugo.com/music/diss-songs/?cur=mobb-deep-vs-2pac. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Reid, Shaheem; Joseph Patel, Rahman Dukes, Curtis Waller and Kimberly Rufen-Blanchette (2005-01-28). "Mixtape Monday: Game and 50 On Fame-Haters; The Mobb Deep/Keith Murray Beef Goes On". MTV.com. http://www.mtv.com/bands/m/mixtape_monday/013105/. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- ↑ Saigon, Mobb Deep Get Into Physical Altercation During Music Showcase In New York BallerStatus.com (September 20, 2007). Accessed December 19, 2007.
- ↑ Saigon Punches Prodigy of Mobb Deep HipHopDX.com (September 20, 2007). Accessed November 21, 2007.
- ↑ Saigon Talks Fight With Prodigy Sohh.com (September 20, 2007). Accessed November 21, 2007.
- ↑ [1]
External links
- Prodigy on Myspace
- Prodigy on Myspace (2nd page)
- Mobb at YouTube
- "Prodigy: Mac Attack" - interview with SoundSlam
- H.N.I.C. Movie info at NationofMillions.com
- Prodigy at Ning
- "Prodigy: Live from the Belly" - interview with Hip Hop Lives - HHLO.net
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