Return Of The Mac

One half of Queensbridge thug-rap legends Mobb Deep, Prodigy has long established himself as one of the coldest voices is the business through his brutal depictions of everyday gunplay and world-weary, casual yet focused delivery. Over the years he has appeared on many undeniable classics, alongside Havoc and various like-minded associates. Some old school fans abandoned the Mobb after their questionable flirtation with R&B on \"Hey Luv,\" while others jumped ship when they hooked up with G Unit for the ill-fated *Blood Money* album. At a time when his credibility and relevance were seriously in doubt, Prodigy silenced all haters with *Return of the Mac*. Originally released as a mixtape, this is exactly what many disillusioned followers had been waiting for, a relentlessly grimy return to form, produced entirely by the Alchemist, who crafts 14 lush backdrops that are both ultra-funky and seriously hard. Squealing horns, wah-wah guitars and thundering drumbreaks set the stage for P\'s murder-murder kill-kill wordplay, and the two fit together like an icepick and the back of the neck.  

More than a decade ago, a teenage Prodigy-- half of the existential Queensbridge duo Mobb Deep-- was one of the fiercest and murkiest rappers in New York. But after six years of car-crash career decisions, Prodigy's made the comeback no one saw coming.

As a member of the hardcore crew Mobb Deep, Prodigy lost some fans the minute they signed with 50 Cent's G-Unit, and their first full-length for the label, the merely fair Blood Money, didn't help in the least.

Dear Rappers,I have been defending you -- and hip-hop as a whole -- for many years now, mostly unnoticed. I know, I know