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On this date in 2001, Queensbridge crime rhyme giants Mobb Deep released their fifth full length studio album Infamy on the Loud and Columbia imprints. The project arrived during one of the most contentious moments of their career, landing in the aftermath of their very public lyrical clash with Jay Z. That controversy became an unexpected engine, pushing the album to gold certification from the RIAA at a time when early digital piracy and the ringtone era were beginning to undercut physical sales across the industry.
Infamy stands as one of the final full length releases from the Mobb and remains a testament to how Havoc and Prodigy could straddle the line between uncompromising street rap and broader commercial appeal. Singles like “Get Awa”y and” Hey Luv” featuring Bad Boy R&B group 112 helped the album connect with mainstream listeners without sacrificing the Queensbridge edge. At the same time, tracks such as “The Learning” featuring Noyd and Vita reminded fans that the Mobb would always return to their signature raw intensity.
Even as the soundscape of rap shifted around them, Havoc and Prodigy delivered a project that carried both the grit of the tunnel era and the polish required to chart in the early 2000s. Infamy became another chapter in the duo’s legacy of crafting music that resonated from the streets of Queensbridge to the national stage.
Salute to Prodigy in his physical absen