‘We didn’t tell our story correctly and Nas with Illmatic helped us to realize that’
The Infamous is considered one of the greatest hip hop albums ever produced with hits “Survival of the Fittest’, “Temperature Rising” and the legendary “Shook Ones (Part II)" During a recent interview, Queens legend, Prodigy described how Illmatic changed him and bandmate Havoc’s direction for their certified gold second album.
The duo released their first album Juvenile Hell in 1993 when they were teens still learning to making beats and write lyrics around that same time Nas dropped Illmatic as Prodigy described ‘a work of art sonically, lyrically everything.’ Using Illmatic as a measure of success Prodigy and Havoc realized they failed to tell their story correctly not showing the world their pain or fears.
The goal of their second album was learning from the mistakes of the first ‘We regrouped, we went in the crib, mad forties, mad weed and started grinding’. The production was the first focus of the group making sure the beats matched their gritty lifestyle and as Prodigy states the beats were ‘dark sinister sounding shit’. The darkness of the sound made it easier for Prodigy to rhyme as it felt natural and lyrics came out fluid.
What do you think? Can you hear any Illmatic influence on the Infamous? Let us know in the comments.
Source: thisis50.com
