Soul Strut 100: # 43 - Mobb Deep - The Infamous
- Thread starter RAJ
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People really think this record is overrated?
I certainly wouldn't call it one of the "last great hip-hop albums", but then I'm not that guy who thinks nothing good has come out since Deltron 3030/Operation Doomsday/Dr. Octagon/The Cold Vein/[insert 'critically revered' rap album here]. However, I've always felt that it exemplified a particular style or approach that came to define East Coast rap for a lot of people during what was a very fruitful period for the music generally. If someone were to ask me to draw up a list of records that I thought summed up New York hip-hop during the first half of the 90s, this would be in the top five, easily.
I certainly wouldn't call it one of the "last great hip-hop albums", but then I'm not that guy who thinks nothing good has come out since Deltron 3030/Operation Doomsday/Dr. Octagon/The Cold Vein/[insert 'critically revered' rap album here]. However, I've always felt that it exemplified a particular style or approach that came to define East Coast rap for a lot of people during what was a very fruitful period for the music generally. If someone were to ask me to draw up a list of records that I thought summed up New York hip-hop during the first half of the 90s, this would be in the top five, easily.
batmon said
ossum Slim said:Cuban Linx and Liquid Swords, Sittin On Chrome, Livin Proof, Lifestyles of The Poor and Dangerous, Soul Food, Return to the 36 Chambers, and KRS-One, were the only albums I listened to more in 95.
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Just limiting it to NYC rap, I was still very hooked on each of The Extinction Agenda, Word...Life, and Magnum Opus throughout '95.
But yes, dudes, if The Infamous made you feel that great about speaking the dunn language, then so be it.
I definitely played my Shook Ones cassingle in my headphones more than any tape since Life Is Too $hort.
Just never thought the album was all that.
ossum Slim said:Cuban Linx and Liquid Swords, Sittin On Chrome, Livin Proof, Lifestyles of The Poor and Dangerous, Soul Food, Return to the 36 Chambers, and KRS-One, were the only albums I listened to more in 95.------------------------
Just limiting it to NYC rap, I was still very hooked on each of The Extinction Agenda, Word...Life, and Magnum Opus throughout '95.
But yes, dudes, if The Infamous made you feel that great about speaking the dunn language, then so be it.
I definitely played my Shook Ones cassingle in my headphones more than any tape since Life Is Too $hort.
Just never thought the album was all that.
tripledouble saidiedpiper said:
Looks a bit awkward and unintentionally funny IMO.
umm...what you talking about?? i dont see much to laugh at and i definitely wouldnt roll up to that loading dock expressing those opinions.
Well, mostly it??s just a low budget video, but I especially refer to the part that starts at the loading dock around 0:35 and frequently reappears then, where they perform with their crew/gang/supporters... their expressions, dance moves or whatever this is supposed to be - and all these dudes appearing and standing around in the background. It looks a bit unintentionally funny IMO and worse than in many other videos of the time.
iedpiper said:Looks a bit awkward and unintentionally funny IMO.
umm...what you talking about?? i dont see much to laugh at and i definitely wouldnt roll up to that loading dock expressing those opinions.
Well, mostly it??s just a low budget video, but I especially refer to the part that starts at the loading dock around 0:35 and frequently reappears then, where they perform with their crew/gang/supporters... their expressions, dance moves or whatever this is supposed to be - and all these dudes appearing and standing around in the background. It looks a bit unintentionally funny IMO and worse than in many other videos of the time.
haven't read the whole thraed so not sure if this was brought up, but i wanted to say that i had friends BITD who thought Havoc's production on this and Hell On Earth was overly repetitive with the "snare".
and even though i listened to The Infamous... back to front, again and again when it dropped, I was initially let down by Hell on Earth for the same reason (before it grew on me).
i guess i'm wondering if that's what some of you are let down by with this album: the H.A.V.O.C.?
but yeah, i'm a big fan of their first two albums.. very unique sound for that era/place. and the skits were hard.
and even though i listened to The Infamous... back to front, again and again when it dropped, I was initially let down by Hell on Earth for the same reason (before it grew on me).
i guess i'm wondering if that's what some of you are let down by with this album: the H.A.V.O.C.?
but yeah, i'm a big fan of their first two albums.. very unique sound for that era/place. and the skits were hard.
It was a powerhouse at a time when there were other great albums and factions.
Ill give them props for being on some relaxed story tellin shit but lyrically they are not killin shit at all.
I also feel like they became fetishized by suburban dudes like NWA years prior. "Oh shit they so real while posturing in the mirror".
And yes the overused hard snare is a weakness.
The bangers on this album are timeless. But dont act like the shiit is filler free.
what's the filler? "Up North Trip"? "Party Over"?
I'm not hearin that at all.
Hard to be impartial, though. shit was the sound of NYC when I first arrived. This and the purple tape were out of every Pathfinder, in every club, every walkman, on every mixtape sold in those binders at Jimmy Z. To me it's not really about there being weak or strong tracks, the whole thing is a bleak ass statement from a particular area and era.
Analyzing the shit cut-for-cut is like missing the projects for the buildings (does that work? I'm rolling with it regardless)
I'm not hearin that at all.
Hard to be impartial, though. shit was the sound of NYC when I first arrived. This and the purple tape were out of every Pathfinder, in every club, every walkman, on every mixtape sold in those binders at Jimmy Z. To me it's not really about there being weak or strong tracks, the whole thing is a bleak ass statement from a particular area and era.
Analyzing the shit cut-for-cut is like missing the projects for the buildings (does that work? I'm rolling with it regardless)
I always thought the drum programming was heavily influenced by Q-Tip, who had those huge snares all over Midnight Marauders and of course produced a number of the joints on Infamous
maybe Extra P too?
maybe Extra P too?
Jonny_Paycheck said:I always thought the drum programming was heavily influenced by Q-Tip, who had those huge snares all over Midnight Marauders and of course produced a number of the joints on Infamous
maybe Extra P too?
Interesting - I never thought of it that way. I was actually guessing that the Mobb co-production credit on Drink Away The Pain must have been to add the heavy snare texture that the rest of the album had to make the whole album more cohesive.
maybe Extra P too?
Interesting - I never thought of it that way. I was actually guessing that the Mobb co-production credit on Drink Away The Pain must have been to add the heavy snare texture that the rest of the album had to make the whole album more cohesive.
The_Non said:Here's me listening to this record still: :face_melt:
For those that are :ehhx2:
Me and P got this mug on our faces to question if you really rael: :icegrill:
Yes, midgets who get their asses kicked on the regular talking bout I'll shoot you, that's where the raelly rael is at.
I'm actually just kidding. But then again, I was never fully convinced. Black Moon though, I'll admit, I pretty much bought the same sort of thing from them. So I guess it's pick your poison.
For those that are :ehhx2:
Me and P got this mug on our faces to question if you really rael: :icegrill:
Yes, midgets who get their asses kicked on the regular talking bout I'll shoot you, that's where the raelly rael is at.
I'm actually just kidding. But then again, I was never fully convinced. Black Moon though, I'll admit, I pretty much bought the same sort of thing from them. So I guess it's pick your poison.
How DARE you call me a midget sir!
:lol:
I really like this record. I also like UGK, particularly Supertight more so than Ridin Dirty. But Supertight nor Ridin Dirty (imo) is a complete record like this.
Anyhoo, for those that suggest there's filler/garbage tracks, what are they? Ed said Party's Over, which I admit is prolly the snooziest track on the record. Any other suggestions?
:lol:
I really like this record. I also like UGK, particularly Supertight more so than Ridin Dirty. But Supertight nor Ridin Dirty (imo) is a complete record like this.
Anyhoo, for those that suggest there's filler/garbage tracks, what are they? Ed said Party's Over, which I admit is prolly the snooziest track on the record. Any other suggestions?
The_Non said:How DARE you call me a midget sir!
:lol:
I really like this record. I also like UGK, particularly Supertight more so than Ridin Dirty. But Supertight nor Ridin Dirty (imo) is a complete record like this.
Couldn't lose me anymore than you just did. Ridin Dirty is both complete and never had to be revisited. It's never left and is still as contemporary sounding as it gets.
:lol:
I really like this record. I also like UGK, particularly Supertight more so than Ridin Dirty. But Supertight nor Ridin Dirty (imo) is a complete record like this.
Couldn't lose me anymore than you just did. Ridin Dirty is both complete and never had to be revisited. It's never left and is still as contemporary sounding as it gets.
Jonny_Paycheck said:I always thought the drum programming was heavily influenced by Q-Tip, who had those huge snares all over Midnight Marauders and of course produced a number of the joints on Infamous
maybe Extra P too?
According to that Check the Technique book, Q-Tip did a lot of uncredited production work on the album in addition to his credited work. That would certainly make sense.
maybe Extra P too?
According to that Check the Technique book, Q-Tip did a lot of uncredited production work on the album in addition to his credited work. That would certainly make sense.
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