|
Prodigy - H.N.I.C., Pt. 2Album Review by:
John Burnett
Monday, April 21, 2008
 Despite the absurdity of Prodigy’s off-the-mic monkeyshines (i.e. getting two-pieced by Saigon), you have to give dude props for putting together a catalogue with some serious jewels embedded. Like...you can’t front on his collection. Whether it’s his highly graphic details of hand-to-hand combat or hallucinatory recollections on loading up hammers while high on drugs, Capital P consistently delivers. Unfortunately, Prodigy’s set to do a 3-year stint in the pen which means he’ll be missing in action until around 2011, but right before he takes an involuntary upstate furlough he plans on dropping H.N.I.C. 2 to hold Mobb heads down for a few calendars.
H.N.I.C. 2 turns out to be a bizarre ride laden with a neurotic/schizophrenic P whose constantly ranting on conspiracy theories and throwing subliminal darts in every which direction. P clumsily addresses the secret society on “Illuminati” not really using any detail to describe who this group that’s after him is or what they’re attempting to stop him from doing; basically failing to describe anything that’s remotely coherent. “Real Power is People” is similar with P rhyming, “it’s a secret government that worship an owl/they practice witchcraft to harness their power/pedophiles rape lil’ kids for energy/satanic ritual W.T.C.” Seriously though, what the fuck?!? At points H.N.I.C. 2 is just plain weird and other points downright trash.
“The Life” will be more familiar to Prodigy fans. Alchemist is helming the boards sonically producing something real grim and murky with P providing his usual tough guy bravado (“I break face bones with my platinum rings”). “Young Veterans” and “Field Marshall P” come off in a similar vein but lack the potency that P’s forthright rhymes used to channel. Usually Prodigy’s “rock you in face, stab your brain with your nose bone” approach does the trick but even that angle fails for Prodigy on this joint. “Veterans Memorial Part 2” brings a rare moment of lucidity on the album. Here P expressively laments a dead partner and memories of his pops. He relates anecdotes about both in an intimate manner that illustrate his close relationships to both providing a graphic illustration of his interactions with the two. It’s a moving track and perhaps one of the few that has some clarity on this rambling effort. H.N.I.C. 2 never really catches any momentum for longer then a 2-song spell and towards the end prompts a premature ejection.
How H.N.I.C. 2 (a god-awful album) came after Return of the Mack (a really dope album) proves to be a mystery to me. Part of the reason this album suffered was due to the production. I get that Sid Roams and Alchemist were attempting to cook up something dark but the effect of the beats are that they lull you to sleep and bring out the worse in P. Havoc should’ve done more beats as that cryptic, grimey shit is his steez. The blame can’t be put entirely on the production though as Prodigy provides his fair share of “what the fuck” moments putting together some pretty ass verses throughout. H.N.I.C. 2 comes off as an album that was written and composed while high, like extremely high and unless you’re high—like really high—it would be difficult for you to enjoy this one.
 ( 28) Comments | Post a comment »
|
|
