Infinite: A much-needed resurrection of hip hop.

By Ndyebo Magwevana

Many, many aeons (months) ago, some rumours steadily trickled along the dark avenues of the internet, whispers traversing along the technological trade winds. We heard of hushed mentions of a highly revered and particularly infamous name within the hip-hop community, a name perceived to be dormant for nine years, which cannot be obscured by time. The name was said to resurrect itself within a few months, and with it, the essence of hip-hop, and its sacred name was only to be truly invoked and spoken to life once this resurrection is complete. This sacred name that now breathes with life once more can be none other than Mobb Deep.

The official cover art of the duo's album "Infinite", via Genius.

So, you might be wondering who in the world Mobb Deep are and what makes them so revered within the rap scene (and what made me write a blurb for a possible work of fantasy fan-fiction that might find itself on the avenues of Wattpad). Well, it would be my pleasure and honour to introduce you to them briefly. Mobb Deep is a rap duo consisting of Havoc and the late Prodigy. They are known for creating cult classic hip-hop anthems such as “Survival of the Fittest” and “Shook Ones Pt. II” and are also considered the progenitors of East Coast rap, with over three decades of expertise. Having suffered the tragic passing of Prodigy in 2017, Havoc, with assistance from producer The Alchemist and Prodigy’s then-unreleased verses, carries over the legacy with the ninth studio album, “Infinite,” released on 10 October 2025. It boasts a feature list including Clipse, Raekwon, Nas, and Jorja Smith and is hellbent on being a declaration of the group's longevity and a proper ode to Prodigy.

And just two days later, I find myself seated in my room again, eagerly staring at my screen as I put my earphones on and click on the album’s cover art on Spotify. I press play with haste.

Within no time, I find myself in the streets of Queensbridge, New York, where the voices of hip-hop echoed through the speakers of the cars, reverberating through the inky tar roads and dice-game-infested pavements; bright, foreboding and gritty all at once, the instrumentals pulse through my ears with a patience and ancientness that heavily echoes the decade I have ensnared myself in. The opulence and high life are just a few tracks away from here, and I begin my journey accompanied by none other than the dons of the East Coast: Mobb Deep.

My first steps are taken through the darker paths of this world, with the instrumentals at first ominous and ethereal, then gradually establishing the hardcore and dark atmosphere, the tension seething out of each ice-cold line delivered from Prodigy and Havoc, who paint an eerily vivid landscape of Queensbridge whilst keeping the listener well on their toes. The features do not let up in these first five tracks, with Clipse doing outstanding work in their guest segment of “Look At Me”, a dark and almost sadistic tune layered with splendid and justified bravado. In this track, both duos trade back-and-forth lines in a satisfyingly consistent fashion.

Mobb Deep return with their first posthumous full-length project, following the passing of Prodigy [right], via Rolling Stone

I soon find myself reaching the opulence I made out in the distance at the beginning, with a romantic mood invoked in “Down For You,” where Jorja Smith excels with her ethereal work on the choruses, and “Taj Mahal,” an Alchemist-produced track that reverberates with sheer golden bars and images of casinos and nightclubs, an affirmation that they truly are “from the borough that sold the most albums from rap.”

Then, it is back to the trenches with “Mr Magik” and “Score Points,” both anxious and tense turns of pace. The former dishes up a haunting tune, as vivid and chilling as it is lyrically clinical, with the magical theming of the unsettling verses just knocking me senseless. The latter oozes with anxiety and palpable vulnerability beneath the rhymes. The rest of the album follows suit, at times introspective and content and steadfastly affirming of the duo’s legacy, other times funky, whilst easily pulling off the gritty aspects of the tune. In the end, the listener finds themselves back in the present day, having endured the beauties and horrors of this world known as “Infinite.”

Overall, it is a satisfactory listen that not only lived up to the hype but exceeded it on first listen. It is cohesive and lush in production but gritty in lyricism, and that dichotomy is what makes this a special album. A truly spectacular way to properly honour Prodigy and keep the spirit of hip-hop alive with a long-awaited revival.