The Infamous
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The Infamous is the second album by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep. 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.[2] The record was originally given a rating of 4.5 mics out of 5 in The Source in 1995.[3] Publications usually gave it its highest possible ratings, such as Allmusic, which gave it five stars.[2] 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 had been since the mid-1980's.[4] 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.[5] It was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 26, 1995.[6]
The Infamous has received many accolades since its 1995 release. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. It also found its way on to 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.[7]
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. In The Source, Dimitry Leger wrote "Havoc and Prodigy, two 20-year-olds from the Queensbridge Housing Projects, never crack a smile on the album's sinister cuts, but nevertheless paint vivid scenes of roughneck life with a humorous deadpan".[3] Furthermore, the album helped redefine the sound of the hardcore hip-hop genre using its production style—which incorporated eerie piano loops, distorted synthesizers, eighth-note hi-hats, 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 | Mobb Deep |
| 2 | "[The Infamous Prelude]" | Prodigy | |
| 3 | "Survival of the Fittest" | Havoc | Mobb Deep |
| 4 | "Eye for an Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)" | Havoc | Mobb Deep, Nas, Raekwon |
| 5 | "[Just Step Prelude]" | Prodigy, Big Noyd | |
| 6 | "Give Up the Goods (Just Step)" | Q-Tip | Mobb Deep, Big Noyd |
| 7 | "Temperature's Rising" | Q-Tip, Havoc | Mobb Deep, Crystal Johnson |
| 8 | "Up North Trip" | Havoc | Mobb Deep |
| 9 | "Trife Life" | Havoc | Mobb Deep |
| 10 | "Q.U.–Hectic" | Havoc | Mobb Deep |
| 11 | "Right Back at You" | Havoc, Prodigy, Schott Free | Mobb Deep, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Big Noyd |
| 12 | "[The Grave Prelude]" | ||
| 13 | "Cradle to the Grave" | Havoc | Mobb Deep |
| 14 | "Drink Away the Pain (Situations)" | Q-Tip, Havoc | Mobb Deep, Q-Tip |
| 15 | "Shook Ones Pt. II" | Havoc | Mobb Deep |
| 16 | "Party Over" | Havoc, Matt Life | Mobb Deep, Big Noyd |
Sample(s)
Give Up The Goods (Just Step)
- "That's All Right With Me" by Esther Phillips
- "It's A New Day" by Skull Snaps
Temperature's Rising
- "UFO" by ESG
- "Where There Is Love" by Patrice Rushen
- "Body Heat" by Quincy Jones
Up North Trip
- "I'm Tired Of Giving" by The Spinners
Trife Life
- "You Are My Starship" by Norman Connors
Q.U. -- Hectic
- "Kitty With The Bent Frame" by Quincy Jones
- "You Are My Starship" by Norman Connors
Right Back At You
- "Benjamin" by Les McCann
- "Bumpy's Lament" by Isaac Hayes
Cradle To The Grave
- "And If I Had" by Teddy Pendergrass
Drink Away The Pain (Situations)
- "I Remember I Made You Cry" by The Headhunters
Shook Ones Pt. II
- "Kitty With The Bent Frame" by Quincy Jones
- "Dirty Feet" by Daly Wilson Big Band
- "Thackeray Meets Faculty, Then Alone" by Ron Grainer
Party Over
- "Lonely Fire" by Miles Davis
2004 Re-issue
The Infamous was re-released and remastered in 2004 with two bonus tracks:[citation needed]
- "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 | #15 | #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
- ^ XXL (2007). "Retrospective: XXL Albums". XXL Magazine, December 2007 issue.
- ^ 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) - ^ a b Dimitry Leger (June 1995) The Source Album Review. The Source.
- ^ "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) - ^ "The Infamous at Acclaimedmusic.net". Retrieved December 31.
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