Prodigy Partners With Akashic For ‘Infamous Books’ Publishing Imprint

Prodigy, one half of Queens duo Mobb Deep, isn't a rookie in the publishing field—he published his first book, the autobiography "My Infamous Life," in 2011—but his upcoming second release, the novella "H.N.I.C.," will be the first for his own publishing imprint, titled Infamous Books, in partnership with Brooklyn-based publishing house Akashic Books. The book is scheduled to hit shelves on July 16.

While his first offering stirred up some controversy upon its release, this effort will be "a story of loyalty, vengeance, and greed," according to Akashic. It will also be the first in a series of crime fiction and street lit novels and fiction works, with authors such as JaQuavis Coleman, K'wan, and Miasha also lined up to release books under the imprint.

"H.N.I.C." was written alongside British writer Steven Savile, who had previously worked on stories for series such as "Star Wars," "Jurassic Park: The Lost World," and "Battlefield 3," and grew primarily from his experiences during his prison stint for gun possession from 2008 to 2011. Shortly after his release, he dropped "My Infamous Life," written with Laura Checkoway.

Prodigy isn't the only rapper to delve into the publishing game—YMCMB chieftains Birdman and Slim Williams launched a book publishing wing called Cash Money Content more than two years ago, releasing its first book, "Raw Law: An Urban Guide to Criminal Justice" by Muhammad Ibn Bashir, in February of 2011 and releasing a series of novels, memoirs, and motivational books in the past few years.

Prodigy's first fiction work comes out just over a month after his new EP with the Alchemist, titled Albert Einstein, which is set for release June 11. He's currently out on tour with Mobb Deep cohort Havoc.