While it might seem like the last time you heard Big Noyd spit a hot 16, Mobb Deep were still a prominent force in Hip-Hop, he’s actually had a pretty active 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

Words By Khalid Strickland

Pics By Eric Russ

On Thursday, I attended the listening party for Prodigy’s latest album, H.N.I.C. Pt. 2, at Smash Studios in NYC and it was a pretty cool event. After indulging in the catered soul food and Hennessey that was on hand, I went into one of Smash’s many sound-proofed rooms to preview P’s latest jump-off, along with the other journalists in attendance. Close friends and affiliates of Mobb Deep such as Big Noyd, Un Pacino and Superb (Supreme Clientele’s alleged ghostwriter, no pun intended) also soaked in the album; heads around the room nodded to the concrete-hard beats emanating from the studio’s massive speakers. With top-notch production by The Alchemist and P’s longtime co-defendant Havoc anchoring H.N.I.C. Pt. 2, heads had no choice but to nod.

The album is a welcome return to Prodigy’s dark, edgy and gleefully grimy roots. There’s no gloss to be found here. Voxonic, the company which will be releasing H.N.I.C. Pt. 2 on its Vox Music imprint, has developed software that can translate the album into various languages, using Prodigy’s own voice. Prodigy will be the first Hip-Hop artist to usher in this new technology and challenge the traditional marketing methods. Now the entire world can hear that NYC gutter shit in their native tongue. Read the rest of this entry »

“Yo it’s the R-A-double P/E-R/N-O-Y-D/niggas can’t fuck wit’ me…” proclaimed Big Noyd on Mobb Deep’s monumental classic, 1995′s The Infamous. The aforementioned verse not only propelled “Give Up The Goods (Just Step)” to become a fan favorite but the rapper that “pushed the Infiniti straight outta QB” became identified as the unofficial third member of Mobb Deep. However, legal troubles and fallible record deals hampered Noyd’s chances of really capitalizing on any notoriety that comes along with being a rap star. In spite of all the setbacks, Noyd proves perseverance is key on the respectable Illustrious. Backed by independent powerhouse Koch Records and bursting with Queensbridge bravado, Noyd mixes gritty lyrics with grimy beats to deliver possibly his strongest effort to date. Read the rest of this entry »