| | Full Review | Ratings (1101) |
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| 4.0 excellent | russano | June 26th 08 |
great album. this is reminiscent of some of the Gravediggaz and Brotha Lynch Hung material, along with some later groups I've heard like Immortal Technique. however, I would not associate this with horrorcore, as its got that dry dun style and keeps the lyrics tight, giving this a truly legitimate atmosphere. And its not disgusting, as some horrorcore turns out to be. Get this album. It will make you feel like you're laid back in an old rusty Lincoln, about to open up on the kid who messed up that drop.
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| 4.5 superb | BillyBrill | February 21st 23 |
This is just a scary Illmatic and believe you me I was SCARED.
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| 4.0 excellent | lz41 | July 26th 22 |
Takes a big stylistic chunk out of "Illmatic" to deliver an album that is realistically in the same tier.
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| 0.0 | Elmo | January 13th 22 |
gud ablum
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| 3.5 great | Introu1 | May 19th 21 |
A classic, the samples are good, the album is good, its just a bit long 3,6/5
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| 3.5 great | charlopiano | April 21st 21 |
The 90s were arguably the most important period for rap music. Because it evolved the formula popularized by Grandmaster Flash?s The Message and NWA?s Straight Outta Compton. Both were meant to confront the rest of the world with problems the black community was facing. Flash went for the moral and NWA went for in your face. In the 90s, rap evolved to a more emotional side. And Mobb Deep did exactly that, and they did it very well, but in retrospect, why this album? The Infamous is a good album by all means, but to consider it the 6th greatest hip hop album of all time? No. It?s crazy the number of rap albums that I can cite from that decade that I think are better than The Infamous. Pac?s Me Against The World, Outkast?s Aquemini and Atliens, Jay-Z?s reasonable doubt, A Tribe Called Quest?s The Low-End Theory, Ice Cube?s first three albums, Dr. Dre?s The Chronic, Snoop Dogg?s Doggystyle. There are still some incredible tracks in this album. Cradle to the Grave and Shook Ones Pt. 2 are out of this world, but the album as a whole, clearly not enough for me to call it one of the greatest albums of all time, or one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.
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| 5.0 classic | MisterDoe | April 10th 21 |
A dark, immaculately produced, and essential hour and 6 minutes for any hip-hop fan to listen to.
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| 4.5 superb | Bedex | February 8th 20 |
As quintessential as hip-hop gets. Not quite there yet and I have my doubts, but this is still very much a 5.0 contender. The opener is perhaps not as iconic as Illmatic's but is a godtier jam, and Shook Ones is perhaps even godlier - Prodigy's verse being one of the best in hip-hop and one of my favourite moments in music altogether. This is packed with jams on 1,3,6 (quite Nujabessy), 7 (ethereal and vox-centered), 8 (hard hitting but far from god tier), 10, 11 (cool but again far from godlike), and 14-16. The vocal deliveries are diverse with multiple guests but consistently surgically sharp and fitting for the song, eg. Q-Tip in the jazzier 14 which contrasts sublimely with the bleakness of 15 and 16. 13 had the ideas to be a godtier jam, but the execution pales and the prod often feels too minimalistic. The record only struggles on some of the darker tracks which reminisce of what we will later see on Hell on Earth and don't feel like they fit the aerial tone of the album, like on 4 or 9, where a track like 10 is hard hitting too but in a way that fits the album massively better. The skits aren't the worst and certainly not annoying, and while I kinda wish they weren't there they do offer flow and continuity to an album which I decidedly struggle to find flaws in. 4.75
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| 0.0 | zetsumeisama | March 12th 19 |
Favorite Tracks: Party Over (Feat. Big Noyd), Survival of the Fittest, Cradle To The Grave, Shook Ones Part II, The Start of Your Ending (41st Side), Eye For An Eye (Your Beef Is Mines), Give Up the Goods (Just Step), Up North Trip, Temperature's Rising, Drink Away The Pain.
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| 5.0 classic | Nicksput | April 25th 18 |
The Infamous was yet another mid-90's game changer from the East coast. Every track has some sort of redeeming quality to it, whether that is the haunting beats or articulate, grim lyrics. Havoc creates a dark background with a unique production style mixing mainly laid back tempos with tense, sinister keys and drums. He rivaled RZA at the time in terms of innovation, and while being no where even close to the level his partner in rhyme was at, still is able to deliver a handful of solid, sometimes morbid verses. What he lacked in wordplay, Prodigy more than makes up for it. He drops some of the best verses of all time, each one dripping with a particular sense of paranoia and downright hatred for his rivals. P's striking attention to detail and overlooked subtlety make these verses sound like first hand accounts of what he's talking about, and that is scary as hell and depressing at the same time. Maybe these two weren't authentic, but the overwhelming feelings of despair along with the specific lyrics sure make it seem that way. The duo are more than capable of handling these tracks by themselves, and utilize limited guest spots (incredible verses from Big Noyd, legendary ones from Nas and Rakewon) well. The Infamous was a gangsta rap record that may not always explicitly state the downside to the trife life, it implies it with mood and atmosphere.
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| 4.5 superb | Britch2tiger | July 21st 15 |
Another essential hip hop album in my ears w/ having little fat (boastful rapping) to trim and a lot of meat (Message-of-the-Street hip hop). I would figure another supergroup of artists would have to compromise together to make an album rivaling that of the 36 Chambers, and then I was amazed to find that a humbling hip hop duo created this album. Staring to notice a pattern that most of the better/essential hip hop albums originating in the 90s. Hope to find more albums such as these very soon!
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| 4.5 superb | Masochist | April 8th 15 |
This is not an album you let wash over you. It's viscous and vicious, dark and dense, with atmosphere that just oozes
ominousness. This is not a picture of the ghetto given a digestible gloss so that the masses can absorb it; Nas and Biggie gave
the world that much a year earlier. No, this is a manifesto of the streets, by the streets, and for the streets, with a very real
fear that the authors might soon perish from the Earth.
The beats are never crisp; instead, they hang low and dank like the smell of sewage in a New York alleyway. The lyrics don't
speak much of hope or luck or making it out; rather, they live entirely within the urban strife that made up the lives of Prodigy
and Havoc to that point, from being harassed by police after a family member's arrest, to learning the hard way that the master
of the street is usually the one with better aim.
'The Infamous' is one of hip-hop's greatest albums because it doesn't hide its disdain for the environment in which it was born.
There's no sugarcoating here, only what might be the most unabashed account of inner city ever to grace a record. THUG LIFE in
context, without glamour. YOLO as a survival instinct. Real. Heavy. Deep.
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| 0.0 | dsroka005 | October 8th 12 |
this just may be equivalent to illmatic.. well maybe not but damn close
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| 4.5 superb | breesuschrist | January 14th 12 |
lord forgive me the hennessey got me not knowin how to act
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| 5.0 classic | LF96 | November 16th 06 |
Although I might actually like Hell on Earth more than this album, it cannnot be denied that this album was probably more important for the hiphop world in general. HoE is actually just more a continuation of the sound brought forth on The Infamous than anything else. This sound was incredibly grimey and dark, displaying the fact that Prodigy and Havoc were not to be messed with. Heavy drumbeats, simple (but effective) basslines and threatening keyboard atmospheres dominate the beat-side of this album. Lyrically this just might be one of the best in the gangsta rap genre. The best example of this is "Shook Ones Pt. II", an incredible dark threatening song with some not-so-friendly rhyming by the group's two MC's. Another hiphop-classic.
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| 4.5 superb | Matty CONTRIBUTOR | April 20th 24 |
| 4.5 superb | CamiloG | January 29th 24 |
| 4.5 superb | Yep321 | January 19th 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | doofy | January 8th 24 |
| 3.5 great | Votex | November 23rd 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | platttt | November 20th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | KuyJuk | November 10th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | shioaz | September 21st 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Above | August 26th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | carved | May 23rd 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Glovoc | April 19th 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Ben STAFF | April 4th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kuna | February 21st 23 |
| 4.5 superb | Marxman | February 19th 23 |
| 5.0 classic | memnite | November 16th 22 |
| 4.5 superb | MvdW | October 2nd 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | yinei007 | September 14th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Piglet | July 1st 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | cvlts | March 7th 22 |
| 3.5 great | sncold | February 10th 22 |
| 4.2 excellent | Atari STAFF | January 21st 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | EyeSock | January 20th 22 |
| 5.0 classic | Em1994 | October 25th 21 |
| 5.0 classic | Zeuzo | October 10th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | Feels | October 6th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | tinytim | October 5th 21 |
| 5.0 classic | Ryus | September 26th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | peahat | August 13th 21 |
| 5.0 classic | BankZZ | July 14th 21 |
| 5.0 classic | Rinami | July 12th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | defty12 | December 15th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lassie | December 10th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Fort23 | December 4th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | kevbogz | November 19th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | benkim | October 25th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | Josh | October 24th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | jsmith | August 29th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | botb | August 7th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Source | July 5th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | john | June 20th 20 |
| 3.5 great | remi | June 7th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | Gillie | June 6th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | Ray91 | March 24th 20 |
| 5.0 classic | TOBD | March 19th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Suyan | February 27th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | bobby72 | February 19th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | wojodta | February 13th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Living | January 6th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Emily | December 19th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | jp1 | December 6th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Coast | November 9th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | Seeger | October 3rd 19 |
| 4.5 superb | TyLaw | September 10th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | alpsi | September 6th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | bSmith | August 9th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Onater | April 26th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | kabster | April 25th 19 |
| 3.5 great | blou52 | March 28th 19 |
| 5.0 classic | ttktv | February 15th 19 |
| 3.5 great | crab | January 5th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | NateMa | November 22nd 18 |
| 3.5 great | A.R.O. STAFF | October 18th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | rdawg20 | October 10th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | DrAtivan | September 14th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | LamboGD | September 6th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | W1NG00 | July 27th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jeejee | July 26th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | tycobb | July 17th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | Risodo | July 9th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | CGayda | June 20th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | DJMarz | April 22nd 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | tyler | February 3rd 18 |
| 4.5 superb | Rory32 | February 1st 18 |
| 5.0 classic | Loch | January 20th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | F1Aaron | January 16th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | 2ool | January 3rd 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | SinNanna | November 25th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | StBrox | October 16th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | ToddDC | October 12th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | Rambles | September 11th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Corney | September 7th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | btati | August 7th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Mvrkv | July 19th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | YeeHaw | July 11th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | lg433 | July 8th 17 |
| 2.5 average | Ceg | June 25th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | Tulten | June 23rd 17 |
| 4.5 superb | wtabor | May 25th 17 |
| 3.5 great | Pon EMERITUS | April 23rd 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kadence | April 21st 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nash J! | March 1st 17 |
| 4.5 superb | Jake E. | December 19th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | ffs | November 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Wolfe | October 15th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | elch21 | October 10th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | helti | October 10th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | lumucc | October 4th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Nights | September 27th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Lanas | September 20th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | bmelt CONTRIBUTOR | September 15th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | md5 | August 22nd 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Ankit | June 18th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | Henry | June 2nd 16 |
| 5.0 classic | tgdv | May 7th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Shamus248 CONTRIBUTOR | April 11th 16 |
| 3.0 good | Greem | April 10th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Tom Read CONTRIBUTOR | April 9th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | mttgry | March 12th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | teeawgo | January 19th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mac | January 14th 16 |
| 5.0 classic | KGB1990 | January 1st 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | DazSkunk | December 22nd 15 |
| 4.5 superb | sheep | October 28th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | 2CHAINAL | September 11th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | MO | September 6th 15 |
| 3.5 great | Yotimi | July 27th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | Sapee | July 7th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | lxxwj | May 17th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | Prole | May 1st 15 |
| 3.5 great | Let | April 5th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | yahumi | April 1st 15 |
| 3.5 great | Runeii | March 29th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jaqz | March 26th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | p4p | March 21st 15 |
| 4.5 superb | "Tab" | January 22nd 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nigtwig | January 17th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | Sithese | December 31st 14 |
| 5.0 classic | KOSTER | November 23rd 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | apert | November 11th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Zorak | August 29th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | jfirak | August 16th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | slagun | July 31st 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | tene | July 16th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | lecube | July 9th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | ASZend | June 17th 14 |
| 3.5 great | ethos | April 28th 14 |
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| 4.5 superb | TanMan | March 8th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Tomes | February 27th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | EJinHD | February 19th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Jips | February 6th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | joaozi8 | January 30th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Ringo00 | January 28th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | Rabseye | January 24th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rubvo | January 19th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | YBG613 | January 17th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Cakes23 | December 14th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | adr | November 22nd 13 |
| 5.0 classic | jaama94 | October 5th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | akimbo | September 18th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | cmilli | September 4th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | TheDMV | August 26th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | Gnome7 | August 10th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | jmh886 | August 1st 13 |
| 5.0 classic | random | June 18th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | tlhk | June 14th 13 |
| 3.0 good | Skoj | April 30th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | rien333 | April 3rd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Trebor. EMERITUS | March 8th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | PunkMoon | February 17th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Hoppip | February 5th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | kn2985 | January 31st 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | kb36 | January 22nd 13 |
| 3.5 great | Lenix | December 31st 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | devon69 | December 31st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | urzadek | December 17th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Goatzy | December 16th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | MudIdol | December 13th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | T5Cx | December 6th 12 |
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| 5.0 classic | shrek | October 25th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | JBott | October 13th 12 |
| 3.0 good | cuki92 | September 21st 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hjertify | September 8th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Jerbz | July 25th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | JThack4 | June 10th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Dunnus | May 31st 12 |
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| 4.5 superb | Bessie | April 26th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | DMEmery | February 22nd 12 |
| 3.5 great | Naenia | December 25th 11 |
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| 4.5 superb | svjchtr | December 14th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | leycec | December 11th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | gosk8n | November 14th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | JWT155 | November 8th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | 808muzik | September 27th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Cadda | September 3rd 11 |
| 3.5 great | Phaze | July 8th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | telex | June 27th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | War | June 19th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | s796h | June 2nd 11 |
| 4.5 superb | BiOZed | May 10th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | FearUs | April 30th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | WooHa | April 26th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | T0rr35 | April 20th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Riano | April 10th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Hocmat | April 6th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Aids | February 5th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nytro | January 28th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | tom79 | January 19th 11 |
| 3.5 great | wylpyl | January 16th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | fulgrim | December 30th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Manic_ | December 24th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Inveigh | December 6th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Groink | December 5th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Hawks | December 1st 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hep Kat | October 30th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | liledman | September 2nd 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Tade | August 30th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Sousa | August 24th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Funko | August 18th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | IAJP | August 14th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jekub | August 1st 10 |
| 4.5 superb | dcha | August 1st 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Jayree | June 5th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Valle | June 4th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | KILL | May 21st 10 |
| 3.5 great | Skyler | April 27th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | hval91 | April 23rd 10 |
| 5.0 classic | cirq | April 14th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kiran EMERITUS | March 16th 10 |
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| 3.0 good | Beorn | January 17th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | adamf | December 31st 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Treska | November 23rd 09 |
| 5.0 classic | Brayden | November 7th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | mareep | October 19th 09 |
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| 5.0 classic | 1zero | August 3rd 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | kracked | June 21st 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Hollow | March 20th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | casual2 | January 10th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Winxco | January 2nd 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | kygermo | January 2nd 09 |
| 4.5 superb | ratcfc | December 16th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | abinge | September 11th 08 |
| 3.0 good | ThaFlu | August 22nd 07 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tyler EMERITUS |
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