Given how much Mobb Deep has accomplished in the rap game, boasting an incredible discography and no shortage of legendary tracks, it’s hard to imagine a time when they were only getting started. Yet on this day in 1993, twenty-eight years ago to be specific, Havoc and Prodigy’s debut album Juvenile Hell was first released. Though hindsight would see it — perhaps unfairly — overshadowed by their classic sophomore The Infamous, there remains plenty of charm found on the Mobb’s first LP.
Especially on the DJ Premier-produced “Peer Pressure,” a track that eschews their signature darker sound in favor of a more typically old-school sound. Though it might prove a little too vintage for certain modern sensibilities, hip-hop historians should appreciate this blast from the past — especially considering how integral New York’s hip-hop scene was in building the culture as we have come to know it.
Be sure to show some love to Havoc and the late Prodigy, two key figures in the existing rap pantheon of greats, uncredited though they sometimes are. With a legacy that continues to resonate today, be sure to revisit the place it all began — Juvenile Hell — and show some love in the comments below.
For more from Mobb Deep, check out our exclusive interview with Havoc right here.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
Most don’t understand how it is
In the world of today growin’ up as a young black teen
I used to dream, of bein’ an architect
Easier said than done, believe me it’s hard to get
Out of the projects, without forgettin’ where you came from
My parents told me from day one
Finish school and avoid all obstacles
But my environment makes it so impossible