Hell on Earth (Mobb Deep album)


Hell on Earth is the third studio album by East Coast hip hop duo Mobb Deep, which was first released on November 19, 1996, on Loud and RCA Records. The album is largely a continuation of Mobb Deep's previous album, the critically acclaimed The Infamous. The album is produced by Mobb Deep and also features guest appearances by emcees Nas, Raekwon, Method Man, and frequent collaborator Big Noyd. The album stands out for its acclaimed singles "G.O.D. Pt. III" and "Hell on Earth," as well as "Drop a Gem on 'Em," a response to 2Pac's diss track "Hit 'Em Up." A promotional single, "Still Shinin'", was released earlier that year and later added to the album. The album, one of the earliest enhanced CDs, also contains an additional track that at the time, had to be unlocked with the use of a computer.

Background

Since most of the album was recorded during the height of the East Coast-West Coast rivalry, many fans considered the darker songs to be subliminal disses toward 2Pac and other West Coast emcees, but Prodigy sends shout-outs to a list of west coasts artists such as Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and Xzibit in the liner notes.

Music

Havoc experiments with a more atmospheric type of production, using more classic piano and soul samples.

Reception

Hell on Earth was met with widespread critical acclaim from music critics and is considered by many to be among the duo's best work. The album was included in Q Magazine's 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time. The album was certified Gold on April 9, 1997, by the RIAA.

Track listing

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications