10 Essential Prodigy Verses You Need In Your Life Right Now

Photo: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images

Hip-Hop is still in shock about the sudden passing of Prodigy. Since “Shook Ones, Pt. II” the Mobb Deep MC continually blessed us with classic verses.

Whether it was his brutal approach to street bravado (“stab your brain with your nose bone”), his at times nonsensical delivery or helping to usher the always beloved “Dunn/Thunn Langauge,” P was truly special.

Additionally, from 1995 to about 1999 he was giving every other top tier MC from the Big Apple a run for their money for the King of New York crown.

HipHopWired is very sad to see the H.N.I.C. go but his legacy will continue to live forever with a myriad of bars that not only shaped our musical tastes but major parts of our youth. In celebration of his storied career here are 10 essential Prodigy verses you need in life right now, and forever.

10. “You Can Never Feel My Pain”

With Prodigy’s passing it is only right this tune makes the list. Here P literally bares his soul sharing his trials and tribulations with Sickle Cell anemia: “My handicap took its’ toll on my sanity, my moms got me at the shrink at like 13.” Additionally, admissions of heavily sedating himself to cope with the agony sheds further light on why he was so rigid at times.

9. “Recognize And Realize, Part II”

This feature is criminally slept on as Prodigy’s second verse is something stuggle rappers dream about penning. “Like Greek sculptures your’re left limbless” might be one of the illest threats you will ever hear on wax.

8. “Hell On Earth (Front Lines)”

This was just yet another great album cut from the seminal Hell On Earth that confirmed Prodigy’s lyrical prowess. The first couple of bars would be a staple of P’s as he just had the knack of setting an incredible tone with the first couple of lines. Also to be appreciated is how he was able to use a higher grade of vocabulary when describing casualties of war (“Blood flood your eye, f*ck up your optics”).

7. “Still Shinin'”

From the clothes to the cars, to the block wars,”Still Shinin'” gives us a look on how ingrained P was in the New York streets. This album cut is full to the brim with slang that just was so aligned with the mid 90’s action (shame on you if you don’t know what an “Ac’ Vigor” is). Also, we get spiritual references (“At peace with myself like Islam”) that show some levels of consciousness and quips that prove he was woke (“We rob land like white man”) before it was all trendy.

6. “Survival of the Fittest”

If you had to point to a flawless verse in Prodigy’s discography than look no further than “Survival of the Fittest.” From start to finish this 30 bar performance hits with every line. His signature opener was one of his greatest (“There’s a war goin’ on outside no man is safe from”), he showed himself as vulnerable (“New York got a n*gga depressed”), gave us a uncompromising braggadocio (“And all unfinished beef, you will soon be killed/Put us together, it’s like mixin’ vodka and milk”) and some hints of their true to life Queensbridge background (“Or maybe it’s the words from my man Killa Black that I can’t say so it’s left a untold fact”). Lyrical perfection.

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Photo: Getty

5. “Drop a Gem on ‘Em”

Tupac was talking really greasy about Mobb Deep on “Hit Em’ Up” and most of the East Coast in general. Few had the courage to respond but Mobb Deep did just that on their first street single to Hell On Earth. Prodigy laced ‘Pac with some lines that really stung (“You would think that getting ya heads shot enough but then…”) and were downright eerie considering Shakur’s eventual fate (“What you think you can’t get bucked again?”). Don’t sleep on this diss record.

4. “I Shot Ya (Remix)”

When you talk about those critical moments when Prodigy was just a verse or two away from claiming the King of New York crown you have to bring up his guest appearance on LL Cool J’s star-studded “I Shot Ya (Remix).” This song really shows how much of a technician he was when you analyze his bar pattern use. On average he uses about seven to eight words per line but they were all still potent. Additionally, his use of spelling out words (s-h-i-n-e) was a welcomed touch. Lastly, this verse features the most popular mention of the Illuminati in Rap; you know that secret society that wanted his mind, soul and body?

3. “Keep It Thoro”

With his debut solo album H.N.I.C. we saw a different side of Prodigy as an MC. For the large part he set aside the dark contemplative approach for a far more street feel. This was embodied perfectly on the first single “Keep It Thoro.” Prodigy was straight to the point with brash bars that captured his newfound no cares given attitude (“I rap like no one out there can f*ck wit me, you feel different?, n*gga, see me”). The icing on cake was one of the illest threats in Rap music ever “I throw a TV at you crazy,” Yeah P, you crazy (and we say that with utmost respect).

2. “Quiet Storm”

Even though Hell On Earth did its numbers it took the Mobb another three years to release a follow-up album. The streets were doubting that the Queensbridge duo still had it in them but boy were they wrong. Originally intended for Prodigy’s solo album, “Quiet Storm” was an undeniable classic as soon as it hit the streets. What makes this truly special is the fine balance of punch you in your mouth Rap (“You try to stop mines from growin’
I’ll make your blood stop flowin'”) and self-reflection (“I spent too many nights sniffin’ coke, gettin’ right”) P walked on this. This song singlehandedly brought the Mobb back, and the remix did the same for Lil Kim.

1. “Shook Ones Part II”

This should come as no surprise as this is one of the key songs that helped define 90’s Hip-Hop. Gritty is not the word to describe P’s verse which includes several legendary lines including his most famous “I got you stuck off the realness.” This verse has been sampled countless times for hook purposes thanks to greats like DJ Premier, Pete Rock and others. It doesn’t get better than this.