| Over the past 14-years, Mobb Deep (the Queensbridge duo consisting of Havoc & Prodigy) has become one of hip-hop’s most influential entities, releasing a string of acclaimed classics such as The Infamous, Hell On Earth and Amerikaz Nightmare. To date, Mobb Deep has sold over 4 millions records. Over the years, Havoc’s eerily chilling production has influenced countless producers, set the bar for NYC producers and become the identity for the Queensbridge sound.
While Havoc’s partner Prodigy has already leaped into the solo realm, Havoc had previously not done so due to a hectic recording schedule with Mobb Deep that has led some of the most essential hip-hop tracks of the last decade (“Shook Ones Pt.2,” “Drop A Gem On Em,” “Quiet Storm,” and “The Learning (Burn)” are among just a handful of classics) and the fact that he is one of hip-hop’s most sought after producers (he’s worked with a who’s who of hip-hop’s A-list, including Nas, Capone & Noreaga, Foxy Brown, 50 Cent, LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Lloyd Banks, The Game, Jadakiss, Lil Kim, Method Man, The Notorious B.I.G., and many more). Havoc reaffirms, “I was always ready (for a solo album), but the reason why it took me so long is because the timing wasn’t right. I was always working on Mobb Deep material and working with other artists and I used a lot of the material I was going to use for a solo LP for Mobb Deep records.” All that changed with the release of Havoc’s dark, hard-hitting solo debut The Kush in September 2007. Although he’s worked with virtually every big-name artist in the Urban genre and created some of the most timeless music hip-hop fans have had the pleasure to lay ears upon, Havoc doesn’t have trouble staying motivated. “The thing that keeps me motivated is just my love of music, I just love to create,” he says. |
