Prodigy (Mobb Deep) - Return Of The Mac
Label: Koch
Grade: B+
Dopeness Percentage: 57%
Highlight: Nickel and a Nail
Also Download: Mac 10 Handle, Take It To The Top, Stop Fronting
Overview: Who would have thought that Mark Morrison and Prodigy would share an album title? Rest assured, Prodigy’s version is the illest of the two. P is back with a “mixtape” that truly feels like a full album, albeit a short one. This album is technically the prequel to his upcoming H.N.I.C. 2 album due out later this year, but this is one teaser not to be slept on. The beauty of this joint is that Prodigy teams up with Alchemist for the entire album, a lost science in today’s hip hop. The consistency that these two bring throughout makes the joint feel complete. Another high is that P leaves the rapping to himself. With the exception of one nice cameo from Un Pacino and one spoke interlude from Madgesty, this is all P, all the time. The lead radio single, “Stuck On You,” is a romantic ode to gunplay.
There are already two underground videos out for the Biggie inspired single, “Return of the Mac,” and the Geto Boys influenced “Mac 10 Handle.” From one look at these “amateur style” videos, you can tell that P is back to his raw, gritty and uncensored ways. “Return of the Mac” was originally titled, “NY Shit,” but then a certain Mr. Rhymes took that to the next level. Other highlights include “Bang On ‘Em” and “Stop Fronting,” where Alchemist cleverly reworks the Black Moon “I Gotcha Opin” formula. So what’s the downside? The album is a short 39 minutes long, including the intro and three interludes. Only two tracks clock in at longer than 4:00. You may want to cop the three available bonus tracks (My Priorities, That’s That and Last Words) so you can get more bang for your CD-R.
While Return of The Mac is filled with plenty of bangers, there are some lazy tracks such as “Rotten Apple” and “Legends,” which feel less inspired than the remaining material. Other than those critiques, one could argue that the content is nothing original or innovative. Let’s be honest though…what do you expect from a Mobb Deep joint: tributes to street violence, crime, and the big apple. There’s nothing wrong with an artist doing what he does, so long as it’s done well.
Dopeness Percentage - Takes into account how many dope songs there are compared to tracks on the album. For example, if an album had 14 tracks and 5 of them were dope, you have a Dopeness of 36%.
