Mobb Deep is among the best New York-based hip-hop groups. We will examine the eight albums that the rap duo released as we rank every Mobb Deep studio album. Mobb Deep, who is from Queensbridge, New York, is regarded as some of the founding members of East Coast hip hop in the mid-1990s.
Mobb Deep, who sold over three million albums, was well-known for its gritty lyrics, hard-hitting delivery, and distinctive flow.
The pair consisted of Havoc, who is presently working on a new Mobb Deep album, and Prodigy, who passed away in 2017 as a result of issues associated with sickle cell anemia. The albums by Mobb Deep are listed here in order of worst to finest.
1. The Infamous (1995)
Given that The Infamous is likely Mobb Deep’s best album, it rightfully holds the top slot in our rating. Nas, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah had guest appearances on the album, which Havoc and Q-Tip produced mostly.
Dark lyrics and catchy melodies with lyrics discussing numerous elements of New York’s inner-city areas, such as crime, were featured on the album.
The single “Shook Ones (Part II),” the album’s most popular track and one of its most popular tracks, was both a critical and commercial triumph. The album received a platinum certification from the RIAA and debuted at number 15 on the US Billboard 200.
2. Hell on Earth (1996)
In the midst of rising animosity between East Coast and West Coast rappers, this album was released in 1996. The promotional song for the album, “Drop a Gem on ’em,” which also served as a diss tune for Tupac, helped it launch at #6 on the US Billboard 200.
Although the album never had a major song, it earned favorable reviews from reviewers and is regarded as a classic and held in high esteem as The Infamous (1995).
The Prodigy’s performance stood out at a time when artists like Jay-Z, Nas, and Notorious B.I.G. were at the top of their game, and he was regarded as one of the best lyricists in rap.
3. Murda Muzik (1999)
Murda Muzik barely faltered from the very first to the very final track on Mobb Deep’s 1999 album. The platinum-certified album, which has more than 1 million copies sold in the US, is Mobb Deep’s most commercially successful work.
“Quiet Storm,” the album’s highlight track, features one of the greatest rap music videos ever made. Nas, Cormega, Big Noyd, and Chinky were all included in the album, which raised the level of the music as a whole. In an age where New York emcees predominated, Murda Muzik was for many the final authentically hip classic record.
4. The Infamous Mobb Deep (2014)
The Infamous Mobb Deep was a double album that was published in 2014 that mostly included 1995 unreleased recordings. Due to a dispute between Havoc and Prodigy, the album was originally scheduled for an earlier release but was instead released in 2014 as a result.
For Mobb Deep fans, the album was a breath of new air because the pair addressed the issues that had contributed to their demise. This CD is a necessity for every serious Mobb Deep fan’s collection.
This album has all the characteristics of a classic Mobb Deep record, including amazing guest stars and a strong aesthetic sensibility.
5. Amerikaz Nightmare (2004)
Even though the majority of Mobb Deep fans were very critical of this album when it was first released in 2004, it is clear now, more than 16 years later, that Amerikaz Nightmare was actually a pretty good album.
The production of the album was not quite as nice as anticipated, and various sections appear to be repeated. R. Kelly, 50 Cent, Jadakiss, and Nelly were among the artists who made cameo appearances on the album.
Although this album is not in the same league as the classic Mobb Deep albums, some of the tracks on it were well-executed and offered some positives to take away with them, such as the incredible beats and flow.
6. Blood Money (2006)
Although Havoc’s mic talents on this album are amazing, we already knew he was a gifted producer. This raises more doubts about Prodigy’s reliability. Nate Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and 50 Cent had cameo appearances on the album, which was produced by G-Unit and Interscope.
You might mistake this album for one by G-Unit as 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and the rest of the group are featured in the majority of the songs.
Fans gave the album varying ratings, pointing out the duo’s change in lyrical direction and the G-Unit mob’s invasion of the CD. The album sold 106,000 copies in its first week and debuted third on the US Billboard 200.
7. Infamy (2001)
Sadly, this album fell well short of what the majority of Mobb Deep fans had hoped for. They had anticipated something along the lines of The Infamous (1995) or Hell on Earth (1996). Although some of the tunes did have the ominous, gritty feel that Mobb Deep is so famous for, the majority of the music had smooth R&B beats.
This album marked Mobb Deep’s transition from their hardcore style, which many people adored, to a more commercial one that would boost sales for many of them.
This album is at best average due to the shift toward a wider audience, and while it contains some good songs, there are also obvious filler tracks. “Pray For Me,” the album’s opening tune, is well-produced and has excellent backing singing.
8. Juvenile Hell (1993)
Originally known as the Poetical Prophets before changing their name to Mobb Deep, the group collaborated with DJ Premier and Large Professor to produce the album Juvenile Hell after releasing the mixtape Flavor for the Nonbelievers.
The album featured two promotional singles, “Peer Pressure” and “Hit from the Back,” which, while having a sexual subject, reached #18 on the US Rap Chart.
Prodigy and Havoc were still teenagers at the time of the album’s release, and it was evident that they had yet to develop their distinctive sound and voices. The record did, however, give us a taste of what the partnership was going to be like.