Mobb Deep

New York hip-hop duo Mobb Deep are Prodigy and Havoc. They are credited with providing one of New York rap's greatest albums with The Infamous (1995).

Their debut album was largely ignored, failing to stand above the clamour of other hip-hop albums of the time. Their next album The Infamous was a different story. Released in 1995, the album was universally hailed by critics who described it as elevating East Coast rap to new levels. The stripped-back sound and lyrical strength, as heard on "Shook Ones Part II", proved to be a hit with fans as well, and the album made the Top 20 of the Billboard 200, and went on to gold sales. Other singles "Survival of the Fittest" and "Temperatures Rising" helped secure the album a place on The Source magazine's Top 100 Rap Albums list. They carried on the success with follow-ups Hell on Earth and Murda Muzik, both of which went platinum.

There was a change of style on the Infamy and Amerikaz Nightmare albums, with a move towards a fuller production sound. However this perceived commercialisation wasn't a hit with fans and neither album sold well.

With poor sales Mobb Deep had to change labels, and to the surprise of their fans, they signed to G-Unit Records, despite a feud with label owner 50 Cent. Their debut for G-Unit, Blood Money (2006), was seen by fans as a further shift towards the mainstream and away from the stripped-down sound that made their name. Despite this, the album attracted new fans and made it to the top of the Top Rap and Top R&B/hip-hop Albums charts. It featured contributions from G-Unit regulars Young Buck, Mary J. Blige and Nate Dogg.