Mobb Deep - Hell On Earth

After releasing a classic album, an artist (or in this case, two artists) is faced with a pretty tough task of following it up. This is because there are pretty much two things you can do, both of which are guaranteed to have just as many naysayers as they have fans. You can either do something very similar to your classic, which could potentially be seen as repetitive and uncreative, or you can completely switch things up, and risk alienating the fanbase you created for yourself with that classic album. This is a position many artists in hip-hop have found themselves in, and perhaps none quite as much as Mobb Deep in 1996. After their alright debut Juvenile Hell, Havoc and Prodigy had released The Infamous in 1995, which in my opinion might be the quintessential '90s hip-hop album. The project not only had a brilliantly overarching message of animosity yet acceptance of the duo's violent lives in the streets, but it was also filled with some of the most haunting and intense instrumentals of the decade, and some of the most quotable and well-written verses too, especially from Prodigy, one of the scariest figures of the time in the genre. And who could forget the indisputable classics it produced - "Shook Ones Pt. II", "Survival Of the Fittest", "Give Up the Goods (Just Step)", "Hey Luv (Anything)" (wait no). The album was phenomenal, and left Mobb Deep wondering just what the hell they could potentially do to even match it, let alone top it. 

Well, what they did was take a look at the two options I mentioned above, and decided that with the correct calculations, they might just be able to pull off both of these simultaneously with just the one album. And so, in 1996, Mobb Deep released Hell On Earth, and... wow. 

All songs produced by Mobb Deep. 

1. Animal Instinct (feat. Ty Knitty & Gambino)

Immediately on Hell on Earth, Havoc lets us know that Mobb Deep aren't going to be doing too much switching up on this record - not only through his actual admitting that this album was going to be them making The Infamous again, but also through his instrumental and opening verse, the former of which is gritty yet cinematic, and the latter being violent, confrontational, and memorable, all in equal measure. I mean, Havoc's opening lines here could get stuck in your head for days. And it's not like these other chaps are slackers either, as they all continue the theme of violence and machismo, letting the listener know just what the fuck they are about to get themselves into. The structure of this song isn't the most interesting, and the instrumental isn't my favourite on the album, but as a whole package this is still a pretty damn effective way to open your album. But if you didn't like the almost classical sounding strings, I wouldn't worry - this song does sound quite different to a lot of the other tracks here. "Crime pay - but for how long 'til you reach your downfall??"

2. Drop a Gem On 'Em

The Mobb's infamous (get it?) retaliation to 2Pac's name-dropping them on "Hit Em Up", complete with one of the dopest and most iconic instrumentals of the entire '90s decade. I mean, have you heard this beat? The haunting pianos, the loud and in-your-face percussion, the ghostly female vocal samples that come in and out... shit, if I was Pac I would have been shook to my skin before the first verse started! And since it's Havoc and P in their primes here, you can expect the verses to be even more scathing, and that they are. Unlike on the first song, I do think Prodigy outshines Havoc quite a bit here, with one of the best verses on the entire record, but that isn't to say Havoc's performance is weak, because he held his own in there too. It's just that while Havoc gave the beat a firm talking to, Prodigy brutally slaughtered it, and it's mother too for good measure. His flow, his lyrics and his vocal delivery are all a significant improvement over those on the opening track, and probably over an amount of stuff on The Infamous too for that matter.  It's verses like that that make me never want to even try to rap again, since I'll inevitably never match it. In conclusion - this song is fucking incredible. 

3. Bloodsport

Easily one of the more underrated tracks on the album, this song very nearly matches the previous one in my opinion when it comes to haunting intensity. I mean, sure there's much less energy in this beat, but that can be a good thing - imagine this shit in your headphones while walking through the woods at night. Of course, you might go from dead scared to bursting out laughing when it comes to Prodigy's verse - I'm sorry, but some of the blatant homophobia in '90s hip-hop is just hilarious nowadays when listening in the world today. P's line "nigga get down, queer, stay down" is probably my favourite for sheer humour. Other than that, the rest of the lyrics on here are pretty damn great - once again, it sounds like they're dissing someone, and that someone could be one of many given the amount of disagreements Mobb Deep got into in this era. 2Pac? Keith Murray? It could be anyone. Still, I see it as one of those "if you think it's about you it probably is" situations, and it works well - this is another banger. I do wish they didn't repeat that final hook though, as that was a bit of overkill.

4. Extortion (feat. Johnny Blaze a.k.a Method Man)

Possibly my favourite song yet, thanks to the presence of the ever charismatic and incredible Method Man, who just does not miss on his guest appearances. Seriously, how the hell does he come up with this stuff? I'd say that so far, he has the second best verse on the album, after P's on "Drop a Gem On Em", and even then it's damn close. The instrumental on this one also helps with my positive feelings towards it, as it's funkier than some of the previous beats, with a dope-ass bassline and some ghoulish synths moving around over the drums in keeping with the spooky sound of this album. Havoc and P make light work of the instrumental, but it's Meth that really sends this one over the edge, with his wonderful flow and humorous lyrics that are actually a nice relief from the cold blooded threats of our two hosts. This is one of Mobb Deep's best deep cuts, and a classic that I wish more people knew about. 

5. More Trife Life

Following up one of my favourite joints from The Infamous, Havoc goes it alone to tell a most likely fictional but still very entertaining story about being set up by an ex-girlfriend he went to meet with. I won't spoil more of the story for anyone who hasn't heard it, but I will say that this is a really nice switch in subject matter, and this track feels much more directioned and focused than some of the other songs we've heard up to this point. Not to mention, the instrumental is also incredible, mixing intensive percussion similar to that on "Drop a Gem On Em" with the haunting instrumentation that reminds me more of "Bloodsport". While I don't quite enjoy this as much as the original "Trife Life", it does come close, and that tells you all you need to know about the quality of this one. 

6. Man Down (feat. Big Noyd)

This song is most notable for it's multiple shots aimed at Def Squad, with references to the group's "spaced out shit", and also to Redman's classic "Time 4 Sumaksion". Of course, P had addressed them before on The Infamous, but this is the first time he (and Big Noyd too) made it clear exactly who they were talking to, and also the first time the disses were in actual song form. As a big, big Redman fan I'm not as keen on these disses, but otherwise this is yet another top class Mobb Deep song, with one of the more loud beats on the album that once again feels straight out of a horror film - only this time perhaps more of a comedy one. The rhymes on here are some of the most memorable on the whole album too, and Big Noyd once again proves himself as easily the best Mobb Deep affiliate with a fantastic, very quotable final verse. This is another brilliant song. 

7. Can't Get Enough Of It (feat. General G)

Completely diverting from the harsh sounds of all of the previous tracks, Havoc's beat here sounds more sentimental and sorrowful, like the sort of thing you would see on those "Dead Homies" joints that rappers always feel the need to do. Oddly, however, the Mobb don't appear to switch things up much lyrically here, offering similar aggressive content to every other track - the difference here being that their vocals are given a sad and depressing air thanks to the instrumental. General G's feature on here is pretty fun, as his voice certainly stands out, and I enjoy the verses from our hosts plenty... but this is the first flawed song on the album, less because of the strange atmosphere of the beat, and more because of Prodigy's terrible sung chorus, which makes absolutely no sense on the song, and sounds corny as hell. Make no mistake, I still enjoy this song a lot... but don't ask me what they were thinking with that. 

8. Nighttime Vultures (feat. Lex Diamonds a.k.a Raekwon)

Isn't it amazing how so many instrumentals can have almost exactly the same feel, and yet all sound so brilliant and diverse? This track makes up for earlier's "More Trife Life", as while Havoc provides the hook, he has no verse, and instead leaves his spot for the second Wu-Tang member to appear, Raekwon. While his verse here is nowhere near as incredible as Meth's on "Extortion", I still like it a lot, and Prodigy does even better, with a verse that was surely a big inspiration behind Eminem's song "3 a.m.". There's not really too much to say on this one - it's just yet another really great song. 

9. G.O.D. Pt. III

Probably the scariest song in the entire Mobb Deep catalogue. Over the theme tune from Scarface and some phenomenally intense drums, the pair rip shit up with aggressive verses that fit just perfectly with this beat - I almost feel like this is the quintessential beat for Mobb Deep, despite the fact that "Shook Ones Pt. II" and "Drop a Gem On Em" exist. Perhaps my favourite part of the entire song is the drop in after the ridiculous skit at the start - those synths exude menace and paranoia, and almost make me want to run screaming for the hills as I hear them come in, that's how horrifying they are. Sure, the effect isn't as strong once you get about halfway through the song, but even then it never really loses its oomph, and the rapping always keeps things afloat - "horror tales in braille for the vision impaired" is a personal favourite line. Overall, this is easily one of the best songs here, and one of the best Mobb Deep songs full stop. What a banger. 

10. Get Dealt With

Dare I say it, one of the more chilled out tracks on this album, even if the rhymes typically will occasionally make you take a glance over your shoulder if you're bumping this in the street. One thing I think The Infamous has over this album is that it's not quite as one-dimensional - this album always felt a little too much in the same vein to me, and there are points where it feels like it's rehashing it's old ideas. Thankfully, this song keeps things fresh by having a more relaxed mood to it, and it works as a great shorter track in-between some of the more intense moments on the record. It's a dope one. 

11. Shook Ones Pt. I

There are many positives to living in the UK and not the US. Free healthcare, incredibly strict gun laws, no chance of being massacred by a bear, and so on. But perhaps the best advantage for us is that our Hell On Earth CDs came packaged with this gem, the original version of Mobb Deep's most notorious song. Of course, I'm talking about "Shook Ones Pt. I", which would probably be regarded as one of the best tracks of the '90s if it weren't overshadowed by its sequel. Whilst the chorus and Havoc's verse (the last third of which is performed by Prodigy here) are basically the same, Prodigy's opening verse is very different, as is the instrumental, which is more atmospheric and wavy, but at the same time just as gritty, as the original. Seriously, if you haven't heard this I'd check it out ASAP, as it's a worthy companion to Pt. II. What a track.

12. Hell On Earth (Front Lines)

The most notorious song on the entire album, and I guess you could say the emotional climax too, as this is the most somber and saddening track on the album - it's also utterly phenomenal. Let's talk about the beat first, which is a masterpiece. The drums are fast paced, but calmer than a lot of the others throughout this record, and keep a sense of urgency while still maintaining the depressing and bleak feel of the track. Then, we have the instruments on top playing the bassline and the melody, which come together to create a simultaneously relaxing and haunting musical backdrop for the MCs. This beat is masterful, and what's even more incredible is that the pair manage to do it justice, with some fantastic verses, and one of the more memorable hooks of the whole album. Inevitably, it's P who is the MVP of this one - his opening verse is enough to send you flailing off your chairs in astonishment, and when he comes back in for another verse at the end, you'll probably flail off again, cartoon-style. This man was truly a monster on the mic, and it's songs like these that prove this to full effect. R.I.P. Prodigy, man... . I cannot stress enough how much of a classic this track is - I envy those that will get to hear it for the first time. Damn this shit is dope!!

13. Give It Up Fast (feat. Nas & Big Noyd)

You know what could make this album even better than it already was? Nas. And that's exactly who they got, for this track that sonically sounds kind of like the first song, with it's cinematic instrumental that implements some orchestral strings (or at least I think that's what they are). Nas actually starts this one off (following the sound of a plane landing to tie into the story), and he does an excellent job as you'd expect from the greatest rapper of all time (in my humble opinion) - everyone else does their best to match his performance, with Prodigy coming out on top. Seriously, I think P may well have been the best rapper in the world in '96 - either him or Andre 3000. This isn't one of my favourite instrumentals on the album, and this track certainly isn't hugely memorable, but when you're listening to it it's as entertaining as could be. Great stuff. 

14. Still Shinin'

That title reminds me of another fantastic rapper from this year, Busta Rhymes, who had released a song with almost this exact same title months before this Mobb Deep record came out. I remember not really caring too much about this song when I was first getting into this album, probably because the beat is more soulful than menacing, which doesn't really fit the Mobb Deep sound in my opinion. Upon relistening today, however, I've gained a newfound appreciation for this song, which sees a more positive side to this duo, and seems more of a celebratory track than anything on this album or their previous effort. This song is a small island of positivity and happiness in a sea of murder and violence, and I very much appreciate it for that. I really wasn't expecting to enjoy that so much this time. 

15. Apostle's Warning

The final song on this album sees Havoc using a female vocal sample similar to on the last track, only this song fits more conventionally within this record sonically. Havoc's vocal presence on this track is barely notable though, as Prodigy's verse is far longer, and also goes into some areas which he hasn't explored yet on this album, such as the paranoia that he won't be able to see his child grow up as he'll be killed on the streets while his kid is still a baby. He makes you feel his words on this one, and it's one of the more powerful moments on the album - of course, this wouldn't be a Mobb Deep track without the murderous and violent moments, and there's plenty of that too ("I won't snap at you, I'm going for throats" comes to mind). This was probably the perfect way to finish the record off, with a nice balance of typical Mobb Deep with more introspective stuff. It's yet another brilliant tune.

Some pressings of this album came with a bonus track titled "In the Long Run", but sadly I don't own that particular version. Once I've located this track, I'll come back here and review it. 

Coming off of Mobb Deep's previous record, this album had some pretty planet-sized boots to fill, and while I personally prefer The Infamous, since it's a little more diverse and quotable (and also obviously more innovative), I would completely understand someone saying that they preferred this - that's how incredible of a follow up it is. On this album, Havoc took the sound of The Infamous, muted any jazzy and funky inspiration that album took (whilst throwing Q-Tip out of the studio like Jazzy Jeff), and then turned the horrorcore right the fuck up, making for an even darker and bleaker listen that is ideally played whilst sitting on a rock in the middle of Venus during the summer months, when all the lava is bubbling up around you. Not just because this album feels like that, but also because that would help match the paranoia and fear that this album succeeds in expressing to the listener, in a similar way to The Infamous. I do feel that this record fails in bringing across the violence as a bad thing, which is very clear to me on The Infamous, but that's alright - this record works as a perfect companion to that album as an insight into the minds of killers in their darker moments, when they really do feel the motivation to kill and torture. Sure, the album is called Hell On Earth, but a lot of the time Havoc and Prodigy make their surroundings sound more like their personal heaven, with the amount of passion that goes into their diatribes here. And how could I possibly end this review without talking about Prodigy, who ups his game here even further than on The Infamous. Havoc is perhaps less essential on this album, but the best Prodigy verses here are his best full stop, and there's a couple that could legitimately stand as top ten rap verses of all time. This album isn't just the follow up to The Infamous - it's an incredible piece in its own right, one that aims to delve even further into the mind of a gang member on the streets, and does this successfully through some incredible rapping, and some similarly incredible production. Don't ask me how Mobb Deep managed it, but with Hell on Earth they actually created a worthy follow up to The Infamous. And if that doesn't set them firmly in place as hip-hop legends, then I don't know what the hell could. Thanks for reading!

Best Tracks: Drop a Gem On 'Em, Bloodsport, Extortion, More Trife Life, G.O.D. Pt. III, Hell On Earth (Front Lines), Apostle's Warning

Worst Tracks: Can't Get Enough Of It

Catch up on more Mobb Deep write-ups over here!