Fans in Queens Reflect on Prodigy’s Impact in Hip-Hop

Prodigy's unexpected death took the rap game by surprise last week when the legendary hip-hop artist was pronounced dead at the age of 42 on Tues., June 20. With causes of Capital P's death still unknown, rap fans are still mourning the loss of the Mobb Deep rapper, who leaves behind a number of classic hip-hop songs from his days with Mobb Deep as well as his solo projects.

Born Albert Johnson, Prodigy grew up in the Long Island neighborhood of Hempstead, N.Y., before his family moved to LeFrak City. While attending school in NYC, P Double met his future partner-in-rhyme and Queensbridge native Havoc, and both decided to pursue a rap career as a duo. Coming up as young MCs in the game, P and Havoc would frequent the Queensbridge Housing Projects to meet and work with up-and-coming musicians from the area as they established their identity. Earning the respect of the Queensbridge community, Prodigy was taken in as one of QB's own, and along with his partner Havoc, the duo represented for the housing projects with each one of their releases.

Sharing tales of the hardships and socioeconomic conditions of the Queensbridge Housing Projects, Mobb Deep became symbolic to the notorious neighborhood as their dark storytelling and eerie rhymes became a reflection of the everyday struggle in the projects, with non-Queensbridge residents able to understand and relate the difficult living circumstances.

Prodigy's untimely death has had a strong effect on the entire hip-hop community as well as those who reside in the Queensbridge area, who watched Capital P rise from the bottom of the slums all the way to rap's stardom. Prodigy's legacy and impact will be forever remembered by rap fans, but more, to those who reside in Queensbridge because P showed the hood that anything is possible in life.

With that said, XXL hit the Queensbridge Housing Projects to speak with residents on the impact of Prodigy in hip-hop and in Queensbridge. Check out the video above. Our condolences go out to Prodigy’s family, friends and colleagues during these hard times.

R.I.P. Prodigy.

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