Published: Wednesday - January 16, 2008
Words by Spiridoula "Speed" Zis
Prodigy (Photo: Getty Images)
In an industry of short-lived careers and momentary success, the duo known as Mobb Deep has seemly outlasted the careers of their peers, counterparts and naysayers.
Debatably, one of the most influential groups in the history of hip-hop music, it has taken the recent three and half year prison sentencing of group member, Prodigy, to physically separate Queenbridge's most infamous offspring.
Selling over 500,000 units of his debut solo release, H.N.I.C., in 2000, Prodigy now plans to release the highly anticipated follow-up, H.N.I.C. 2, through new technology based label, Voxonic Inc/Records early this year. But, with a recent third gun conviction (see "Mobb Deep's Prodigy Sentenced To 3 1/2 Years For Gun Charge"), which has resulted in P claiming police corruption, the half Ethiopian and Jamaican rapper promises his fans to never hold his tongue and sheds some light on what it's like to be H.N.I.C.
BallerStatus.com: Tell me about your new album, H.N.I.C. 2, and why you made the decision to release it when you won't be available to promote it.
Prodigy: Most of the writing is done, I'm just mixing it and mastering it now. It's been a long time coming; I've been working on it for a couple years now, before I caught the case. So, it's just time right now to put it out.
I couldn't really put it out before because we were doing Mobb Deep. We were touring, making a lot of new deals and everything. You know, I gotta make sure that Mobb Deep is straight first, to make everything else possible. Soon as we were done with all that, I had some time to focus on the album. It was [always] gonna come out.. I just happened to catch this case along the way.
BallerStatus.com: Do you plan on releasing any Mobb Deep albums while you're away?
Prodigy: We're going to wait until I get home and then drop the new Mobb Deep album. We still got one more album on G-Unit, 'cause it was a two album deal that we made. So, basically we gonna wait and [then] gonna drop that. We always working on Mobb Deep, all the time. We always got new songs. We could actually drop two albums while I'm gone, right now, but that's not the plan.
BallerStatus.com: What's the recording process between you and Havoc like?
Prodigy: Usually when I get up in the morning, I shoot out to Queens and I'll be in the studio. We got our own studio in Jamaica, [ Queens], you know, so I'll be up there and Havoc will already working on a beat and I be like, "That sh-- is fire," and start writing lyrics to it. That's usually how it goes down. If it doesn't go down like that, by the time I get in the studio, maybe Hav will have half the song finished already and I just gotta do my part.
BallerStatus.com: Explain to me what the Voxonic software is and why your recent record contract/venture with them is pioneering.
Prodigy: Basically, Voxonic owns this technology where they can take my album, and they can translate it into any language in the world and it's actually me saying it. So, it sounds like me speaking in say... Russian for example. The technology is crazy and they the only ones with it. I'm the first rapper to ever use this technology on an album. It's making my music more globally known. They got a lot of money and power behind them, so they started a record label to promote their technology and I was the first rapper that they signed.
BallerStatus.com: Some your fans, in different forums, were wondering why Mobb Deep won't be featured on Big Noyd's new release through Koch Records.
Prodigy: Big Noyd is our brother. That's our brother right there. He a grown ass man. Just cause he ain't on my album or we ain't on his, doesn't mean we don't f--- with each other. We don't gotta be on everybody's album all the time. That's corny. He was on earlier Mobb albums, so enjoy it and I'm sure he'll be on ones in the future. But I don't make it my business to get people on my albums. I just do my music naturally. If Noyd didn't make the cut, he didn't make the cut. Maybe he'll be on the next one. But, that doesn't mean we don't f--- with each other no more, just 'cause we not on a certain project.
BallerStatus.com: Talk to me about the beef with Saigon and the incident at S.O.B's.
Prodigy: Basically, I'll tell you how it really started. If you let that boy [Saigon] tell you, he'll be like, "Oh, Prodigy said, 'suck my d---' and I punched him in his head." Nah, that's not what happened.
What happened is, Saigon was on a Smack DVD burning our album cover for Americaz Nightmare. He was talking about us being old rappers and we need to give new n----s a chance. He stomped our CD out on the ground, after he lit it on fire. When I saw that, I was like, "Wow, where did that come from? I don't even know this dude. I don't even know his name." He came out of nowhere dissing Mobb Deep. I think these rappers, they do that 'cause they look at it as a way for more people to listen to them. Their music is not good enough, so in order to get people to listen to them, they gotta say something about somebody else. They want people to wonder who they are and why they're dissing Mobb Deep. Before that, no one was interested in him. So, that was the only way [Saigon] could get people interested in his music. That's number one.
Number two is, Havoc had an album release party at S.O.B.'s and it was a Mobb Deep/CNN show. No one else was on the bill. When we got there, we see Saigon on the mic. We like, "What the f--- is he doing here? This ain't his party." So, the first thing that pops into our mind is like, "Ok, he was just burning our CD cover and the only reason why he is here is to try and be like, 'Look, Mobb Deep is p----. I burned their CD cover and still performed at their show.'" Like he trying to do something to somebody. So, we like, "ok" and surround him on the stage. [Then] my people's was like, "P, we gonna get him, right now." I gave them the green light to go ahead. In the mists of [Saigon] getting punched all in his head and hiding under the table, he got back up and hid behind a security guard. He sees me standing right next to him, so he decided to take a swing at me. [He did that], so he could say at least he did somethin'. After he did that, it was really over for him. He took a swing at me, his man hit me in my shoulder and knocked me down. I hopped right back up. By the time I got back up, them n----s was getting chased out the building, getting they ass kicked.
The part that they don't show on YouTube, is that HOT 97 was filming that night. They were taping everything, because it was a HOT 97 event. They had the main camera right in the middle. The video that had the super close-up of Saigon swinging on me and his man getting me in my shoulder. They had the best shot of it. Now, after the fight broke out and you see Saigon running out of the club, it's funny how the cameras just stopped. They stopped the footage right there to act like that was the end of [the show]. It wasn't the end. We did a whole show after that. If they would have shown the performance part, people would have seen that nothing was even wrong with me. I didn't have a mark on my face and was still performing. Soon as we chased him out the building, we did a whole entire show. Why didn't they put that on YouTube? Why did the cameras stop rolling? Because they trying to sell violence. That's all. Whoever didn't show the whole [video] is hiding the truth.
BallerStatus.com: From the beginnings of your career, it seems as though Mobb Deep has always had beef with other artists. Why do you think that is?
Prodigy: It's just hate, jealous and envy. A lot of these new rappers are tired of Mobb Deep. They like, "When are these motherf---ers going to stop dropping albums and give me a chance to shine?" Cause when Mobb Deep is out there shining, that sh-- overshadows everybody else, man. I'm not trying to say we better than everybody, even though I really do feel like that inside. But I'm bias, I don't really listen to anybody else. I just do Mobb Deep. Since we been blessed with longevity, being able to make good music, and blessed with talent, I feel like every time we keep putting out albums, making videos and keep coming out, people get tired. They feel like, "You need to give new n----s a chance." Cause Mobb Deep keep coming.
Just like artists' jealous, these cops are jealous because we keep running around with nice cars, we speak our mind and don't give a f---. They all jealous, straight up.
BallerStatus.com: I know that you read a lot and could be considered to be a very spiritual person. I don't think that is something your average fan knows about you. Tell me about your belief system.
Prodigy: I mean, as far as my beliefs, they're real rebellious. I know we been lied to. Our whole culture is being raped and pillaged. You know what I'm saying? They stole everything from us. They enslaved us. They forced their man-made religion on us. They told us we're ugly and black. But at the same time, these people injecting sh-- in they lips, going to the tanning salon, getting big titties, injecting sh-- in they ass, trying to be black... I don't get it. That type of sh-- turns me into a rebel. You tell me one thing, but you going and doing another. So now, you just a devil and a demon to me. They lying to the people. They lying to the world in order to control everybody.
BallerStatus.com: Now when you say, "they," who are you referring to? White people, the government, law enforcement...?
Prodigy: I'm talking about the people that control this world and this planet. The people in positions of power who control things and manipulate the pieces. They the ones that's moving the pieces around, cause they in positions of power. They in the positions to say who's the president. They run the show. They run the media outlets, the newspapers, the new channels, the television stations... they run everything. Your cell phone company. They listening to our conversation right now. Like, fo real. These are the people that run the planet. That's who I'm talking about. The same people who said, "Black is ugly. Black people are dirty. Black people should be slaves." They the same people who try and look black, but at the same time, they telling you, "You too fat to get on the cover of Cosmopolitan." You know I'm saying? But at the same time they injecting sh-- in they lips, titties and ass. I don't get it. It's time for all that sh-- to get exposed and that's what I'm bringing to the table.
BallerStatus.com: Does that ever make you nervous being outspoken about your views?
Prodigy: Nah, hell nah. I don't give a f--- if I get killed. I really don't care. I know what my job on this planet is to do. This is what I was born for. I'm not scared at all. Not even a little bit. I will never hold my tongue, never again in my life. Now that I know what time it is, I'm not scared at all.
BallerStatus.com: After your arrest, you went public about the police allegedly asking you to plant evidence in 50 Cent's car and the corruption that took place with your recent court case. Do you or 50 have any plans to take action against this or sue the city?
Prodigy: My only plan is to expose it and speak my mind about it. [To] show them that I'm not scared to speak my mind on it. There's no way that they can intimidate me. So, that's what I'm going to do, I'm going to speak my mind.
[Suing] doesn't happen just easy like that. Just like they were scheming and planning to lock me up and set 50 Cent up. I'm scheming and planning too. Trust me, don't think this thing is not going down, because it ain't happened yet. There's a lot of scheming and planning going down right now. On both ends. They scheming and planning on me, and I'm scheming and planning on them.
BallerStatus.com: Do feel like you've been harassed by law enforcement in the past?
Prodigy: Yea, they been harassing us and pulling our cars over. They been saying sh-- like, "Get used to us everyday, we've been assigned to Mobb Deep and G-Unit." They listen to my phone call conversations. My phone always buggin' out cause it's tapped. Sh-- is crazy, like they really don't like motherf---ers. They jealous or whatever the case may be. There are a lot of reasons, but they just don't like us. We not even doin' nothing illegal. They doin' stuff that's illegal.
BallerStatus.com: How are you preparing yourself right now for leaving?
Prodigy: I'm really just working, finishing up the album and doing my interviews. I got a video for every song on the album. That's how I'm preparing.
Other than that, I'm already mentally ready for jail. My father was in jail my entire life. All my friends have done way more time than three and half years. Everybody around me, fo real, like real numbers. Some of them never coming home. I'm prepared and it doesn't scare me. The only thing I'm thinking about or concentrating on is my album. I just gotta make sure that the awareness is there and people know, P is about to drop H.N.I.C. 2. That's the only thing that's always on my mind.
BallerStatus.com: Is there a concern for you having to maintain your sickle cell and your health while in prison? Do you have any regimens that you have to keep up?
Prodigy: Everybody with sickle cell, they gotta take care of they health more than a normal person. They gotta drink more water. I gotta eat better. I gotta exercise and take care of my health, more than your average person. That's my regimen.
As far as being locked up, New York State has to make sure they put me in a place where they can treat my sickle cell. Because if they can't treat my sickle cell, I can sue the entire state. I got a deadly disease and if they don't treat my sh--, I could die. If they put me in a spot, where they can't treat me and something happens, I could sue. So, I'm not worried about that. I would love for them to put me in a spot like that, cause I would love to sue New York State.
BallerStatus.com: What did Havoc say when you told him you were going away for three years?
Prodigy: Well, he was just heartbroken like, "Damn, son." I mean, we been through a lot of sh--. I've beat a lot of cases, cause I'm really not out here doing no violent criminal sh--. I'm not a criminal, really. I do my music and protect myself from a lot of sh-- that's going on out here in the street. People might look at me as a criminal, because I got a gun on me or something like that, but I'm not out here robbing and shooting people. I don't get down like that. I carry a gun incase somebody try to rob me, 'cause they're jealous. This is what I got to deal with. I'm in the streets everyday, in every borough, running around by myself. I don't got time dealing with a bunch of n----s. Most of the time, I'm by myself, but I got a little army also. I could just touch a couple numbers in my phone and get a whole bunch of n----s. But most of the time, I'm by myself, so I keep a little gun on me and will take somebody's head off, fo real, in self defense.
BallerStatus.com: [Laughs] Ok, well, then I definitely won't be sneaking up on you in the dark, any time soon...
Prodigy: Yea, nah, definitely don't sneak up on me. I'm constantly on point. I don't know if somebody is walking up to me, to say they love my music or try to rock me. They could be like, "P, I love your music, but give me your chain." Like fo real. That's why I tell fans not to even walk up to me, show me love from over there. They gotta be careful when they approaching people. You don't just walk up to people like you know em.
BallerStatus.com: You've recently begun posting and blogging on your website HNIC2.com. What made you want to reach out to your fans?
Prodigy: The website is like a community and a social network where people can talk to other people. You can talk to Prodigy if you want. You can see pictures, videos, mostly all sh-- that I'm into, because I'm the moderator of the site. I control everything that's on there, the pictures, the videos. Everything gotta get through me before it goes up. So, everything you see up there is something that I like. It's basically like my little community for the fans, so they can interact.
BallerStatus.com: Speaking of pictures, Mobb Deep's 16+ year career has been well documented over the years. What goes through your head when you see the old school pictures of you both first starting out?
Prodigy: I just look at it like, "Wow, we real veterans. We been doin' this for a minute, yo." Like when we was little kids, we was doing sh-- that people cant do right now. People still trying to do what we were doing at 16 years old -- the cars, the jewelry, all that sh--. People still trying to chase that now and that's like bugged out to me. When I look back at it, it's like it's incredible.
BallerStatus.com: A little off topic, but for the record, in closing -- what was the real story behind that Lindsay Lohan rumor? Keep it real.
Prodigy: I don't even know where we was at, somewhere overseas... I think London. 50 has a lot of rich friends, you know what I'm sayin'? A lot of powerful, influential, rich motherf---ers and one of his friends had thrown a party at his house. Super rich, stupid rich dude -- his name is Ahab. We were in his party chillin'. I think it was an afterparty for the Massacre tour. We had a lot of people in there. So, I see Lindsay and basically, she started talking to me, we started kickin' it and um, we just got cool. I mean, we just got cool and she started hanging out a lot. Like, I would call her and be like, "Yo, come to the video shoot." She would come to the video set, hang out, get drunk with us, and get high with us. I mean, I ain't putting it out what people do with their personal lives and all that. But I'll put it like this, we got real cool. Word.
Features Slim (of 112): Hi Haters What else do you want from Slim? His prolific group 112 has sold over 20 million records worldwide, and with a bevy ... full story
Beyond Hip-Hop Game Review: Far Cry 2 Gone are Jack Carver, his Hawaiian shirt, and the trigens from the first installment of "Far Cry," but in comes spine ... full story
Digg It
Del.icio.us
