The hallmark hip hop duo, Mobb Deep, creators of the critically-acclaimed street anthem, “Shook Ones, Part II,” kicked off their 20th anniversary tour in March of 2013. Singles featuring Nas and the Alchemist were released in 2012 to whet fans' appetites after a six-year lull. They'll wrap things up with a self-titled album planned for 2014. Loyal listeners can’t wait to get a taste, but will have little choice unless they can score concert tickets.
Mobb Deep hit the scene in 1995 with the release of Juvenile Hell. Hailing from Queens, New York, Havoc and Prodigy would make major waves with their second album The Infamous. Noted as originators of reality rap and self-labeled as “heavy metal for black people,” the two quickly gained notoriety for their honest portrayal of street life. Inspiring and influential, their breakout song “Shook Ones, Part II” became an anthem for the hip-hop community of the mid-'90s. It was quickly followed by "Survival of the Fittest" and fueled the success of their third album Murda Muzik in 1999, sending it platinum. Although legal troubles and solo projects began to affect Mobb Deep’s early success, nothing could replace their beats' gritty and haunting flavor. The partners, who brought hip-hop “dun” speak and Mobb Phonics, would last through Prodigy’s successful solo career, starting with H.N.I.C. in 2000 and the rapper’s three-year prison stint. An explosive exchange over social media in 2012 left the group’s future up in the air, but new collaborations and tour plans for 2013 soon brought an end to rumors.
