2008 Woodie Awards
Back to the drawing board
Prodigy rediscovers his lyrical genius in Return of the Mac
Ryan Burns '08
Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Last May, Mobb Deep released its seventh solo album, entitled Blood Money. When listening to the album, I pondered why the group changed so much. Was it the newfound "friendship" with 50 Cent, or did Mobb Deep just simply have nothing else to say? Furthermore, I wondered why one of my favorite emcees, Prodigy, sounded like he had a second grader's vocabulary for the majority of the album. Prodigy apparently felt the same way and went to independent record label Koch to release a solo album of new material. Luckily, Prodigy went back to his New York roots with his new mixtape/album Return of the Mac.
Exclusively produced by The Alchemist, Prodigy exhibits a resurgence of the grimy lyrics that made him one of the best in the mid '90s. With no guest appearances, many fans wondered if one producer and one emcee could hold down an entire album. Surprisingly, this mixtape shattered my expectations of what would happen if Prodigy got a chance to redeem himself. Gone are the lyrics glorifying partying, women, and other 50 Cent-inspired themes: Instead, we are treated to the gun talk that made Prodigy a force to be reckoned with in his pre-G-Unit days.
The album starts off with probably the coolest intro I've heard in a long time, featuring Prodigy explaining how important this album is, over a smoothed out Alchemist beat. Scratching classic Prodigy lyrics really took me back to 1996, an effective stroll down memory lane. The title track shows Prodigy at his lyrical best, even sampling his rival, 2pac, for the chorus. We see Prodigy representing New York to the fullest, rhyming over a beat that sounds like a theme song for a '70s crime drama T.V. series. This will become a running theme for this album.
The first single from the album, (although without 50 Cent, you will not hear it on the radio) is "Mac 10 Handle," a rather depressing track that features more of the same subject matter, plotting on his foes with his hand on the Mac 10. Great stuff. While listening to this track, I couldn't help but think that Prodigy is truly disappointed with the direction his career has been headed. Although he is making more money than ever, he did lose a great deal of respect due to the declining quality of his lyrics. Its unlikely that you will ever hear an uplifting Prodigy verse (remember "Drink Away the Pain?) At the same time, however, it is reassuring to hear him back to his old ways.
Exclusively produced by The Alchemist, Prodigy exhibits a resurgence of the grimy lyrics that made him one of the best in the mid '90s. With no guest appearances, many fans wondered if one producer and one emcee could hold down an entire album. Surprisingly, this mixtape shattered my expectations of what would happen if Prodigy got a chance to redeem himself. Gone are the lyrics glorifying partying, women, and other 50 Cent-inspired themes: Instead, we are treated to the gun talk that made Prodigy a force to be reckoned with in his pre-G-Unit days.
The album starts off with probably the coolest intro I've heard in a long time, featuring Prodigy explaining how important this album is, over a smoothed out Alchemist beat. Scratching classic Prodigy lyrics really took me back to 1996, an effective stroll down memory lane. The title track shows Prodigy at his lyrical best, even sampling his rival, 2pac, for the chorus. We see Prodigy representing New York to the fullest, rhyming over a beat that sounds like a theme song for a '70s crime drama T.V. series. This will become a running theme for this album.
The first single from the album, (although without 50 Cent, you will not hear it on the radio) is "Mac 10 Handle," a rather depressing track that features more of the same subject matter, plotting on his foes with his hand on the Mac 10. Great stuff. While listening to this track, I couldn't help but think that Prodigy is truly disappointed with the direction his career has been headed. Although he is making more money than ever, he did lose a great deal of respect due to the declining quality of his lyrics. Its unlikely that you will ever hear an uplifting Prodigy verse (remember "Drink Away the Pain?) At the same time, however, it is reassuring to hear him back to his old ways.