Mobb Deep’s Prodigy dies after Las Vegas performance
Rapper Prodigy, a member of the hardcore hip-hop duo Mobb Deep, has died. He was 42.
The rapper’s publicist said in a statement Tuesday that Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Las Vegas “for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis.” Prodigy, who had battled sickle cell since birth, performed with the group Saturday as part of the Art of Rap bill in downtown Las Vegas.
The exact cause of death was not clear, the representative said.
“It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep,” the statement read. “We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.”
Prodigy was born in New York. He found success in the ’90s with fellow rapper Havoc in Mobb Deep. The duo’s hits included “Quiet Storm” with Lil Kim, “Shook Ones (Part II)” and “Hey Luv (Anything).”
Fellow Queens, New York, rapper Nas called Prodigy a “king” in an Instagram post. Others also paid tribute to Prodigy, who was often praised for his skilled rhymes and lyrics.
Mobb Deep earned a platinum plaque for the
1999 album, “Murda Muzik,” which featured the memorable remix of “Quiet Storm,” still performed by Lil Kim on the road today. The duo also reached gold status with the albums “Infamy,” “Hell on Earth” and “The Infamous.”
Prodigy released several solo albums, including the gold-selling “H.N.I.C.” in 2000.
He released a cookbook of prison recipes last year, based on his time in jail. The book, “Commissary Kitchen: My Infamous Prison Cookbook,” was released on Infamous, Prodigy’s own imprint at Brooklyn-based Akashic Books.
He said being in prison changed him. Prodigy served most of a 3½-year sentence in a medium-security dorm at Mid-state Correctional Facility near Utica, New York, after a plea deal on a weapons possession charge in 2007.
“It made me realize the gravity, the reality of having everything taken from you. My career, my family, my freedom,” he said last year.