Havoc Reveals That Prince Played Keys On A Mobb Deep Track (Video)

Throughout the last 25 years, Queens, New York duo Mobb Deep has worked with the likes of Mariah Carey, Nas, and 50 Cent. However, it is now learned that Prodigy and Havoc collaborated with late Pop icon Prince.

Speaking with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN’s “Drink Champs” Podcast (Episode #17), Havoc revealed that the M-O-B-B encountered the Purple Rain superstar while recording fourth album, Murda Muzik. Signed to Loud/RCA Records at the time, Mobb Deep was recording in Downtown Manhattan’s Electric Lady Studios, once owned by Jimi Hendrix. Hav’ told Noreaga and EFN, “We was working on 1999’s Murder Muzik and we was in Electric Lady [Studio] right there on West 8th [Street] and I came back and one of my homies was like ‘Prince is out there,’”

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Havoc recalled he and Prodigy rushing to meet the Paisley Park founder. “I was making the beat and I was like, ‘Holy shit, Prince!” Havoc was working on the song that would go on to become “Thou Shalt Not Kill,” featuring then-Eastsidaz Snoop Dogg and Tray Deee. Havoc said that upon introductions, Prince unexpectedly participated in the record. “That nigga got on the keyboard. Swear to God. And then Snoop [Dogg] rhymed on the beat.”

Later in the interview, Havoc added to Prince’s mystique, saying that the Twin Cities native unceremoniously returned to his own recording. “That nigga walked out and didn’t even say bye.”

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Although the song (which interpolates Gerald McMann’s “Cry Little Sister” theme from Lost Boys) was not included on the platinum #3 1999 album, it would later be packaged with The Infamous Archives compilation:

Before his death this April, Prince would record with Common, and perform with Questlove, Q-Tip, and Kendrick Lamar.

Several weeks ago, Havoc and Alchemist released their first collaborative album, The Silent Partner, on Babygrande Records.