One of the greatest rap tracks ever made is Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones (Part II)." One of the greatest hiphop albums ever produced is Mobb Deep's Hell on Earth. Both were released between 1995 and 1997. The former represents, in my opinion, the closest hiphop has ever come to a state of architecture.
The rappers on these important works, which blended gangster poetry with beats that had the drama and grandeur of a cathedral, are Havoc and Prodigy. The former died today in Las Vegas. The cause of his death is said to be "complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis." He was 42 at the time of his passing.
A week before Prodigy's death, I happened to write this about this experience in my piece on Beacon Hill's Plaza Roberto Maestas:
The Rapper on the Light Rail
I'm heading south on a Link train. Night is falling on the city as the train rises from the ground and turns to the left on the elevated section of the line that runs into Beacon Hill Tunnel. The lights of the business district fall on the stadiums and manufacturing complexes of Sodo. The man sitting across me in the middle section of the car claims he is one of the top rappers in the 206. I have never heard of him. Where did he come from? He reads my thoughts from the expression on my face. He says: "You don't believe me, huh? Let's get off at the next stop, and I will show you." The train arrives at Beacon Hill Station. An elevator lifts us to ground level. He looks at me and then looks to his right and says: "Let's go there. I will download a beat and rap for you."
We walk to the cafe, the Station, which is closed at this time, 9 p.m., but its wi-fi is still on and available from the sidewalk. "What beat do you want me to rap to?" asks the rapper. I say, "Mobb Deep's 'Shook Ones Part 2.'" It's one of the greatest beats ever produced. It's a 1990s beat, and the young rappers are not accustomed to the hard slam of that old "boom bap." They have evolved during and adapted to the Atlanta "boom-boom" sonic environments. "Shook Ones" will trip the brother up.
But the rapper launches into heady, swirling lines that rhyme, partially rhyme, and don't rhyme at all. And because it all comes out of him so easily, he is able to play his lines like a horn instrument: speeding up, slowing down, going loud, going soft. Yes, this man can rap. But when he sees the 60 bus, he stops his performance and explains he has to bounce and will catch me another time. As I watch him dash across the street, I think to myself: That was the most perfect Station moment.
I will leave this post on the death of Prodigy with a line from Tragedy Khadfi's eulogy to Grand Groove: "As long as I'm alive, you're gonna live on and on."
