HNIC [PA]

Spin - 7 out of 10 - "...Titillating; its rugged beats and brooding rhymes rival some of the best in the [Mobb] Deep canon....it is the work of a thug shoving his steel...down your throat..." Vibe - 4 stars out of 5 - "...An outstanding combination of diverse sounds and complex themes....a vivid portrait of P as an artist..." NME - 7 out of 10 - "...It's just dark, grimy, gritty stuff. Hard demonstrations of machismo disguised as rhymes; casual misogyny and a studied disregard for human life; and verbal grenades that all tumble over bright and shiny beat surfaces, in a supremely nonchalant manner..." Muzik - 4 out of 5 - "...Prodigy just keeps getting better....We can't feel his pain, but we're feeling this." Entertainment Weekly - "...[He] still rocks the hardcore rhymes like no other..." - Rating: B- The Source - 4 mics out of 5 - "...Infectious....retaining its fluidity throughout..." The Source (1/01, p.190) - 4 mics out of 5 - "...Infectious....retaining its fluidity throughout..." Spin (11/00, p.212) - 7 out of 10 - "...Titillating; its rugged beats and brooding rhymes rival some of the best in the [Mobb] Deep canon....it is the work of a thug shoving his steel...down your throat..." Vibe (12/00, p.196) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...An outstanding combination of diverse sounds and complex themes....a vivid portrait of P as an artist..." Entertainment Weekly (11/24/00, p.83) - "...[He] still rocks the hardcore rhymes like no other..." - Rating: B- Muzik (2/01, p.58) - 4 out of 5 - "...Prodigy just keeps getting better....We can't feel his pain, but we're feeling this." NME (12/2/00, p.50) - 7 out of 10 - "...It's just dark, grimy, gritty stuff. Hard demonstrations of machismo disguised as rhymes; casual misogyny and a studied disregard for human life; and verbal grenades that all tumble over bright and shiny beat surfaces, in a supremely nonchalant manner..."

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-arranged and 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".|