Throughout music history, there will be those artists whose very names elicit memories so powerful, fans can remember exactly where they were when they first played that track, first heard that album, and first heard them live. For fans of Mobb Deep, the last 25+ years have provided one of the greatest stories in Hip-Hop, starring two teenagers from Queens whose unadulterated talents created a gritty, urban soundtrack in the ’90s. The Infamous and Hell on Earth are two of the most significant Hip-Hop albums of all time and along with contemporaries like Cormega, Marley Marl, Nas, Prodigy and Havoc’s music has made Queensbridge Houses a landmark of music history.

In the last few years, the two have beefed and squashed and are now wholeheartedly embracing the 20th anniversary of The Infamous, one of those rare albums that destroys the trope of the “sophomore slump.” With an immensely successful anniversary tour currently underway, Mobb Deep brought an electrifying performance of their classic repertoire back home to New York City – the Birthplace of it all – at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. We sat down with the iconic duo to find out how their hometown influenced their music, why The Infamous is still relatable today, and more. Check out the interview and their performance of Shook Ones Pt. II.

Shook Ones Pt. II

Mobb Deep – "Shook Ones" Live at the Brooklyn… by BKHipHopFestival

Featured photo by Photo Rob.