Finding The GOAT Group: Mobb Deep vs. The LOX. Who Is Better?

“Finding the GOAT Group,” the fourth installment of Ambrosia For Heads’ annual competition series features Hip-Hop’s greatest collectives vying for the #1 spot. Sixty-two groups have been pre-selected by a panel of experts, and one slot will be reserved for a wild-card entry (which has been determined), including the possibility for write-in candidates, to ensure no deserving band of MCs and DJs is neglected. The 2018 contest consists of seven rounds, NCAA basketball-tournament style, leading to a Top 32, then the Sweet 16 and so on, until one winner is determined. For each match-up, two groups are pitted against one another with a ballot to decide which one advances to the next round. Though there will be an enormous amount of debate in comments, on social media, in barbershops and text messages, which we encourage, only votes cast in the official ballot count.

Two “rotten apple” Rap groups clash as Mobb Deep faces off against The LOX. Each cross-town clique formed in the early 1990s. M-O-B-B released eight albums, in addition to a lot of combined guest shots as Prodigy and Havoc. The LOX’s discography tells a different story, with just three albums, but handfuls of mixtapes and assistance (as a crew) on others’ work. Ahead of P’s death, he and Hav’ appeared on the most recent L-O-X album (after past work together) showing that these crews can bust up bars and break bread together. In “Finding The GOAT” however, only one can survive—and you are faced with the decision of who. Your vote says it all.

Mobb Deep
(defeated Black Moon in Round 1, 83% to 17%)

With a legacy that goes back over 25 years, Havoc and Prodigy are Queens, New York kings. The duo is responsible for some of the most iconic sounds in ’90s Hip-Hop, bringing the grimy, rugged feel of the Big Apple streets to life through their beats and rhymes. First getting widespread acclaim with their 1995 sophomore album, The Infamous, Mobb Deep went on to release a string of classics, surviving feuds with legends like Tupac, JAY-Z, and Nas, and coming out with a legacy that almost all Heads seem to respect. The pair spent the 2000s going for more mainstream appeal with a stint on G-Unit Records, splitting up in pursuit of solo careers, and reuniting for one last album together before the untimely passing of Prodigy in 2017. Possibly with more music in the cannon, Mobb Deep will forever be synonymous with Queens Hip-Hop.

The LOX
(defeated Clipse in Round 1, 73% to 27%)

For 25 years, Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P have concocted concrete rhymes with the streets in mind. Emerging as part of the Bad Boy family, the Yonkers, New York trio of Ruff Ryders now have a partnership with Roc Nation. Through all of those maneuvers, the D-Block collective remained true to its core foundation, while working fitting in across the Rap landscape. Within their catalog, the trio has been able to adapt to the times, making songs that embrace their hunger-pain pasts and provide wisdom on how to secure the bag. Despite taking a 16-year-break between LPs, this brotherhood of bar-spitters knows how to preserve their brand and product for freshness. The Warlocks have the prowess of punchlines, authenticity, and chemistry to leave Hip-Hop Heads spellbound.

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So who is the better Hip-Hop group? Make sure you vote above.