The Infamous
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The Infamous is Mobb Deep's breakthrough album, perhaps one of the most influential hip hop albums of the East Coast hardcore rap genre. Embedded with hypervisual lyricism, dark soundscapes, and gritty narratives, it marked Mobb Deep's transition from a relatively unknown rap duo to an influential and commercially successful one.
Acclaim
The Infamous garnered much acclaim and was, by some, considered to be a cornerstone of New York hardcore rap.[1] Publications usually gave it their highest possible ratings, such as All Music Guide, which gave it five stars.[1] One writer for Rolling Stone magazine said that with the help of Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep elevated the spirit of New York hip hop to the highest that it has been since the mid-1980's.[2] The Infamous also received positive commercial acclaim upon release: it spent 18 weeks on the Billboard 200 album chart, peaking at #18, and spent 34 weeks on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, peaking at #3.[3] It was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 26, 1995.[4]
The Infamous has received many accolades since its 1995 release. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source Magazine's 100 Best Rap Albums.[5] It has also found its way onto Blender magazine's "500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die" in 2003 and Vibe's "51 Albums representing a Generation, a Sound and a Movement" in 2004.[6]
Musical Style
The album's haunting style, defined by its evocative melodies, sullen rhymes, and rugged beats, followed the recent success of Wu Tang Clan and reflected the dark side of New York City's urban landscape in a manner that garnered special recognition and critical praise. Furthermore, the album helped redefine the sound of the Hardcore rap genre using its production style—which incorporated eerie piano loops, distorted synthesizers, and sparse bass-lines.
The album also features several notable Mobb Deep songs, including "Survival of the Fittest", "Up North Trip", "Temperature's Rising", "Give Up The Goods (Just Step)", "Drink Away The Pain", and "Eye for an Eye" (featuring Nas and Raekwon). However, the focal point of the album is "Shook Ones Pt. II": a street anthem that has since become Mobb Deep's signature song.
Influence
The Infamous was an important contribution to a regional stylistic change. Along with artists such as Wu Tang Clan, Mobb Deep's songs were often dark stories of crime and poverty in the city streets. Consequently, the New York style of production greatly changed from upbeat and jazz-influenced, into raw, gritty, stripped-down, and minimalist beats. This style of production, often characterized by low-fidelity drum samples and heavily filtered bass lines under melodic loops, would soon be recognized nationally as unique to New York City.
Track listing
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Start of Your Ending (41st Side)" | Havoc | Havoc, Prodigy |
| 2 | "[The Infamous Prelude]" | Prodigy | |
| 3 | "Survival of the Fittest" | Havoc | Havoc, Prodigy |
| 4 | "Eye For An Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)" | Havoc | Havoc, Nas, Prodigy, Raekwon |
| 5 | "[Just Step Prelude]" | Big Noyd, Prodigy | |
| 6 | "Give Up the Goods (Just Step)" | Q-Tip | Big Noyd, Havoc, Prodigy |
| 7 | "Temperature's Rising" | Havoc, Q-Tip | Crystal Johnson, Havoc, Prodigy |
| 8 | "Up North Trip" | Havoc | Havoc, Prodigy |
| 9 | "Trife Life" | Havoc | Havoc, Prodigy |
| 10 | "Q.U.-Hectic" | Havoc | Havoc, Prodigy |
| 11 | "Right Back at You" | Havoc, Prodigy, Schott Free | Big Noyd, Ghostface Killah, Havoc, Prodigy, Raekwon |
| 12 | "[The Grave Prelude]" | ||
| 13 | "Cradle to the Grave" | Havoc | Havoc, Prodigy |
| 14 | "Drink Away The Pain (Situations)" | Havoc, Prodigy, Q-Tip | Havoc, Prodigy, Q-Tip |
| 15 | "Shook Ones Pt. II" | Havoc | Havoc, Prodigy |
| 16 | "Party Over" | Havoc, Matt Life | Big Noyd, Havoc, Prodigy |
2004 Re-issue
The Infamous was re-released in 2004 with a remastered audio quality and two bonus tracks:
- "Shook Ones Pt. I (Original Version)"
- "Survival Of The Fittest (Remix)"
Album chart positions
Chart positions from Billboard magazine (North America)
| Year | Album | Chart positions | ||
| Billboard 200 | Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | |||
| 1995 | The Infamous | #18 | #3 | |
Singles chart positions
Chart positions from Billboard magazine (North America)
| Year | Song | Chart positions | |||
| Billboard Hot 100 | Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | ||
| 1995 | Shook Ones Pt. II | #59 | #52 | #7 | #7 |
| 1995 | Survival of the Fittest | #69 | #60 | #10 | #6 |
| 1995 | Temperature's Rising | - | - | #33 | #9 |
References
- ^ a b "The Infamous at allmusic.com". Retrieved December 31.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The Infamous at rollingstone.com". Retrieved December 31.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "MobbDeepWorld.com". Retrieved June 25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Gold and Platinum Database Searach at riaa.com". Retrieved December 31.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "100 Best Rap Albums at rocklist.net". Retrieved December 31.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The Infamous at acclaimedmusic.net". Retrieved December 31.
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