HNIC

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
As the Queensbridge Project killer on a solo mission to stake out new territories, Mobb Deep's Prodigy drops scorching speech napalm on urban wastelands. "Genesis" is an exploration of environmental race warfare, both internecine and governmental in origin. The horn blasts on "Rock Dat Sh*t" make like the "Theme to Rocky" and find Prodigy on a street to search for an adrenaline boost of reality and "a cutie who likes to drink semen". The self-produced "Can't Complain" turns Barry White's "Rhapsody In White" into a multi-tracked theme for a ghetto Liberace, while "Infamous Minded" is a shattered mirror of stuttering drum patterns and kettledrum slave beat. Prodigy's partner in grime, Havoc, guests and produces on "Wanna Be Thugs", a mass of distorted beats and tensile strings that the Mobb-sters use to show off a necklace of skulls scalped from plastic gangsters. The title track sounds like the upbeat theme to a lost 1970s detective movie that opens with a sweeping helicopter shot of blood-soaked tenements. Prodigy runs through a "One Upon A Time In Queensbridge" tour of the environment that shaped him (and, long before the Mobb's time, Marley Marl and most of the Juice Crew). Overall, the production (by Rockwilder and a host of unknowns including The Alchemist, Bink Dogg and Ric Rude) adds a more user-friendly funk to the edgy King Of New York, cocaine-paranoia feel to Mobb Deep's music. And throughout, Prodigy proves that even without his other half, he's a force to be reckoned with. --Chris Campion

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Description
As half of the infamous hip-hop duo Mobb Deep, with four albums and many guest appearances to his credit, Prodigy (the rapper, not the UK techno fiend) has been responsible for some of the best New York-flavoured underground rap. On his debut solo effort H.N.I.C., he delivers more of that raw hardcore.
While his partner Havoc's strength lays in his production skills (illustrated here on tracks "Live Through It" and "Wanna Be Thugs", on which he's also featured), Prodigy is, without a doubt, lyrically superior. Every verse here highlights his vivid rhyming talent, particularly in the autobiographical "You Can Never Feel My Pain", which details his struggle with sickle cell anemia. The beats are well-arrangedand infectious, giving Prodigy the right backdrop to rip, which he does best on the title track "H.N.I.C". and first single "Keep it Thoro".

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2002-06-19 rating:
HNIC
I bought this album about a year back, gave it a couple of spins and then just left it to look pretty on my shelf among with the many other Hip-Hop CD's I own.

Recently after listening to to more previous albums by Mobb Deep and being a little disapointed with them due to them being extremely slow,i realised what a quality album this one was.
The album overall has a complete mix of beats to it. It ranges from mellow tunes such as the wicked 'Genesis' and the oustanding 'Diamonds' thru to 'Wat U Rep?' and 'HNIC' wich are a lot more head boppin and healthy for your sound system.
The real quality lies with the featuring artists such as outstanding N.O.R.E. and the up comming Bars & Hooks, who blind you with some dirty rhymes and kickin lyrics.
Even the skit's were impressive, as some of these were some memorable lines borrowed from some good film titles.

If your still a little unsure about this album take a listen as its not one where your bored after the first tune, its well worth a spin and one of his better albums.

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review by: date: 2001-01-30 rating:
Better than I hoped
don't really check for the majority of this 'thug shit'. Capone & Nore, Jay-Z, DMX, etc, etc... find it all kinda boring. There is a ever-decreasing minority that do it a little bit differently though, and Mobb Deep are the bleeding edge of this minority (Nas's first album was in this minority, the rest are in the toilet). I don't think they'll ever re-create the sheer darkness of 'the infamous' (mainly because hip-hop seems to care less, and less about the beats behind the rhymes nowadays), but lyrically they can still make it happen. HNIC see's Prodigy still living a thug life, but still finding time to express a little remorse, regret, personal pain, and all the other things that we all feel from time to time. Check it.


review by: omary2g date: 2000-12-16 rating:
Dark beats and grimy rhymes
Prodigy of Mobb Deep drops his eagerly awaited solo LP, and it doesn't disappoint. Production is by the excellent Alchemist,Havoc,Rockwilder, P himself and others. Rhymes are dark and grimy as always, subject matter is mostly the same guns, drugs and thugs, but told with spine chilling effect (listen to tune with Cormega). Standout track - You can neva feel my pain, which is about P's suffernig from sickle cell. Excellent albulm for anyone into QB hip hop.Mobb fans wont be disappointed.

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