6/29/17

R.I.P. Prodigy

The loss of a great artist always cuts deep. The passing of Prodigy, an MC nonpareil in the conveyance of tragedy and suffering, is all the more poignant, because in his absence the world recognizes the cold reality he illustrated so well, yet now there's no one left to vocalize it.

A number of touching tributes have been written and mixed in the days since June 20: Cormega's, Mister Cee's, Knxledge's, and the list will surely continue to grow.

To honor the legacy of Prodigy, Long Island Rap Blog reached out to artists who've been featured on this site before and asked them to share their favorite Prodigy or Mobb Deep tracks. Not surprisingly, many found the task of narrowing down their list impossible.

Hus Kingpin, of LA by way of Hempstead, said, "Too many favs to choose just one."

Elucid, of NYC by way of Deer Park,  said, "My favorite Prodigy verses never ended up on records! Tony Touch/Clue tapes had the jewels ... Anything on Hell on Earth though kicko."

Others simply didn't respond. From those who did, we've compiled a 10-song playlist documenting some of Long Island's favorite Prodigy recordings. These include solo cuts and Mobb Deep classics, as well as features that are sure to become the stuff of legend as Prodigy held his own alongside some of the all-time greats (namely Nas, Ghostface, Raekwon and Rakim).

Peace to Prodigy, his friends and family. Our thoughts are with them.

R.I.P.P.

1. Prodigy - ABC (Selected by Aesop Rock, Northport)
2. Mobb Deep - Eye for an Eye ft. Nas & Raekwon (Selected by Eternal Intellect, Amityville)
3. Mobb Deep - G.O.D. Pt. III (Selected by Theravada, Bellmore)
4. Prodigy - Keep It Thoro (Selected by Siege Spitfire, Brentwood)
5. Prodigy - Nickel and a Nail (Selected by Disco Vietnam, Huntington Station)
6. Tony Touch - Basics ft. Prodigy (Liked by Elucid, Deer Park)
7. Pete Rock - Tha Game ft. Prodigy, Raekwon & Ghostface (Selected by ADUM7, Freeport)
8. Big Noyd - Hoodlum ft. Mobb Deep & Rakim (Selected by Break Plissken, Stewart Manor)
9. Mobb Deep - Get Away (Selected by Chilo, Riverhead)
10. Prodigy - Mac 10 Handle (Selected by Aesop Rock, Northport)

6/24/17

Big Breakfast - "Magnolia"

"Your favorite blog maybe not gonna cover it / But this shit Long Island Rap arc of the covenant." Aw, you shouldn't have. "Catch the kid getting fresh like a peppermint / The only white LI rapper you should be messing with." Shots fired! Also, nah but go ahead. "When I'm in Mastic Beach I'm like the president / You should get my ass impeached like the president / I'm getting cash at least like the president / But I don't have to scam or cheat or embezzle it." 👾

6/8/17

TrueFreedom x Grandmilly - Voodoo

Word on the Tweet is that Grandmilly and frequent collaborator Shozae have signed to a certain record label that rhymes with thrones stow. So if you don't already know, you'll soon know all about Grandmilly the rapper. But what about Grandmilly the producer? Well, here's a little-heard collabo he did with the truth speakers from The TF Society. Stop sleeping.

6/5/17

Hus Kingpin - Cocaine Beach


"The vibe on this project is flat out what you see on the cover yo...the soundscapes of that 80s crack epidemic. Dirty Money. Reaganomics...dookie ropes n medallions the size of small rodents...Dapper Dan suits...Lamborghini Countaches n Ferrari Testarossas...Miami Vice...Chicks rockin aerobic shit wit colorful thong leotards on top of spandex leggings...Headbands... Let the music carry you away to that time...to a place called Cocaine Beach."
Only in America can a man establish himself as a Ghostface-aping rap reviewer and parlay that reputation into a critically acclaimed run as a rap producer. Download Cocaine Beach here.