XXL sat down with Ice Cube for a 360 segment on Wednesday, June 21, and got his thoughts on the passing of legendary Mobb Deep rapper Prodigy. As one of the most important gangster rappers of all time, few people could give perspective to what another gangster/reality rap artist has contributed like Ice Cube. And he did just that while giving context to who Prodigy was for the game, particularly for his era in New York City.
"Prodigy and, not only him but just all of Mobb Deep... I think they did a lot to ensure the resurgence of like street hip hop from New York. I think Wu Tang was a step in the right direction again. You know, you had people like Biggie, then come Jay-Z," said Cube. "But Mobb Deep to me felt like, uncut straight from the street. And it just seemed like they, you know, lived like everybody else pretty much, you know. Not on some super in your face stuff, but some super real stuff. And I just think, uh, he had a lot to offer."
Scores of artists, athletes, journalists and other respected professionals and community leaders have come forth to recollect memories of indulging in the dark cinematic layers P and Havoc brought with what was rap's original mood music. As dictated by his transition from the West to the East after his fallout with NWA, Cube has more of a unique and perhaps even balanced perspective on what a group like Mobb Deep was doing, during an era in which the various regions hip hop was expanding into grew apart all the while growing together, as rap began to concentrate on street tales over the more eccentric work that started to bubble in the earlier part of the 90's.
Source: youtube.com
