
Prodigy didn’t just solve lyrical problems, he showed his work. Violence was the core of so much of his music, but he was acutely aware of that violence’s pathology. His words elsewhere on The Infamous, from ‘Up North Trip’ to even the album’s prelude, were brutal, but acerbic.

“After that first big break, Jive wanted to sign me up for a real contract.”
Music prodigy infamous rymes movie#
“I flirted with the women at Jive and one of them, Kim, a good-looking heavyset black woman, got me on the soundtrack for a movie coming out that summer called Boyz N the Hood,” he wrote in his autobiography. He appeared on the soundtrack for John Singleton’s Boyz N the Hood with an opening salvo on Hi-Five’s ‘Too Young’. Prodigy first pursued music under the moniker Lord-T (the Golden Child). P’s father Budd Johnson, Jr., was a part of the doo wop group The Chanters, as well. His mother, Fatima Johnson (then known as Frances Collins), did a brief stint in the legendary girl group The Crystals (known for songs like ‘He’s a Rebel’ and ‘He Hit Me (But It Felt Like a Kiss)’) from 1964-1966 and his grandfather was Budd Johnson, a renowned jazz player from the bebop era. Music was a large part of Prodigy’s youth.

But New York rap didn’t really die until Jwhen Prodigy, né Albert Johnson, passed away in a Las Vegas hospital, where he was being treated for complications of sickle cell anemia, a disorder he had been suffering from since he was a child. II’ to Prodigy’s own blog, Claire Lobenfeld looks back at the Queens legend’s legacy.Įlements of ’90s New York hip-hop often have their influence overlooked in favor of the city’s pop stars (Puff Daddy, Jay-Z) and the monumental legend of The Notorious B.I.G. From Mobb Deep’s classic ‘Shook Ones, Pt. Prodigy was a legend in New York rap and a vital source of inspiration for rappers across the country. in 2000.On June 20, 2017, Albert Johnson, better known as Prodigy of Mobb Deep died in a Las Vegas hospital where he was being treated for sickle cell anemia. Prodigy released several solo albums, including the gold-selling H.N.I.C. The duo also reached gold status with the albums Infamy, Hell on Earth and The Infamous. Mobb Deep earned a platinum plaque for the 1999 album, Murda Muzik, which featured the memorable remix of “Quiet Storm,” still performed by Lil Kim on the road today. Others also paid tribute to Prodigy, who was often praised for his skilled rhymes and lyrics. Nas, who is also from Queens, New York, called Prodigy a “king” in an Instagram post.

The duo’s hits included “Quiet Storm” with Lil Kim, “Shook Ones (Part II)” and “Hey Luv (Anything).” He found success in the ’90s with fellow rapper Havoc in Mobb Deep. “We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.” “It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep,” the statement read. The exact cause of death was not clear, the representative said. The rapper’s publicist said in a statement Tuesday that Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Las Vegas “for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis.” Prodigy has battled sickle cell since birth and was in Las Vegas for a performance. NEW YORK-Rapper Prodigy, a member of the hardcore New York hip-hop duo Mobb Deep, has died.
