For those of us with classic albums in our music collection, we should agree those special sets are marked by defining moments.
The relevance of Mobb Deep’s much-heralded gritty sophomore album The Infamous is popularly credited to their smash single “Shook Ones Pt. II”. Its impact proved timeless, a true force among songs praised throughout Hip Hop lore.
Truthfully, the entire album is much greater than the sum of one. Projecting great detail through stellar wordplay and storytelling, MC/producer Havok and his best friend and aggressive partner in rhyme Prodigy took listeners to the most unsafe areas of their Queens, NY surroundings.
“Trife Life” is exemplary of these characteristics.
Scored with an ominous beat accented with crackling snares, pounding bass, and a dope-yet-eerie melody, verse one finds Prodigy scripting an ex-lovers plot to exact heart-broken, murderous revenge.
In its second verse, Havok visualizes how a stick-up attempt was provoked to a fatal outcome.
The defining moment of “Trife” happens at the 4 minute 53 second mark. After two high-powered rhymes the beat goes completely silent, seconds later the track returns with a banging, instrumental vengeance. That’s Hip Hop!
Though most of the music here is handled in house, The Abstract aka Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest) contributes a trifecta of moody swings – “Temperature’s Rising” (featuring Crystal Johnson), “Drink Away the Pain”, and “Give Up the Goods” (featuring Big Noyd). Each joint hits like a closed-fist. As it stands, which is undoubtedly the test of time, The Infamous is as much about production as it is well-written lyrics. It’s a complete album chocked with highlights worth playing repeatedly from beginning to end! |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
Classic Hip Hop albums reviews was trend originated by our friends at Concrete Magazine. Visit Concrete615.com.
