Hip-Hop has sadly lost a legend today. Mobb Deep emcee Prodigy has passed away at the age of 42. A representative for the rapper has confirmed his passing with the following statement:
“It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep,” the statement read. “Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis. As most of his fans know, Prodigy battled the disease since birth. The exact causes of death have yet to be determined. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.”
The initial news of the rapper’s passing broke when Nas posted a photo of him on Instagram with a caption that read “QB RIP King P.” Nas’ post was followed shortly after by another post by his younger brother and fellow Queens rapper Jungle.
Prodigy co-founded the iconic hip-hop duo Mobb Deep alongside rapper/producer Havoc in the early ’90s. The duo arrived on the scene with their debut album Juvenile Hell in 1993. The duo went on to release a series of critically acclaimed albums that included Hell on Earth and The Infamous. The latter featured the duo’s most popular track to-date, “Shook Ones Pt. II.”
Although the group disbanded in 2012, they had since reunited and continued to actively record and tour, releasing their last album, The Infamous Mobb Deep, in 2014. The duo recently performed at Hot 97’s Summer Jam on June 11, and had a number performances scheduled in the coming weeks.
Widely considered one of the greatest rap duo’s of all-time, Mobb Deep’s impact on hip-hop is immeasurable. From his rhymes to his cadences, Prodigy will be remembered as a Hip-Hop pioneer and a true East Coast original. Rest well, P. We’ll miss you, dun.
