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 (Front Lines)," 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 ("In the Long Run") that at the time, had to be unlocked with the use of a computer.
| Hell on Earth | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 19, 1996 | |||
| Genre | East Coast hip hop, Hardcore hip hop | |||
| Length | 61:35 (North America) 65:47 (international) | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Mobb Deep | |||
| Mobb Deep chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Hell On Earth | ||||
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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
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[2] |
| Los Angeles Times |  |
| Q | |
| RapReviews | 8.5/10[5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| The Source | 4.5/5[7] |
| Spin | 8/10[8] |
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
- All songs produced by Mobb Deep.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Animal Instinct" (featuring Twin Gambino & Ty Nitty) | 3:30 |
| 2. | "Drop a Gem on 'Em" | 4:17 |
| 3. | "Bloodsport" | 3:35 |
| 4. | "Extortion" (featuring Method Man) | 3:31 |
| 5. | "More Trife Life" | 3:45 |
| 6. | "Man Down" (featuring Big Noyd) | 5:03 |
| 7. | "Can't Get Enough of It" (featuring Illa Ghee) | 4:51 |
| 8. | "Nighttime Vultures" (featuring Raekwon) | 4:30 |
| 9. | "G.O.D. Pt. III" | 5:17 |
| 10. | "Get Dealt With" | 3:56 |
| 11. | "Front Lines (Hell on Earth)" | 4:34 |
| 12. | "Give It Up Fast" (featuring Big Noyd & Nas) | 3:58 |
| 13. | "Still Shinin'" | 4:11 |
| 14. | "Apostle's Warning" | 4:07 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 15. | "In the Long Run" (featuring Ty Nitty & Money No) | 2:38 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 15. | "In the Long Run" (featuring Ty Nitty & Money No) | 2:38 |
| 16. | "Reach" (featuring Chinky) | 4:39 |
| 17. | "Every Day Gun Play" | 3:51 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Animal Instinct" (featuring Twin Gambino, Ty Nitty) | 3:30 |
| 2. | "Drop a Gem on 'Em" | 4:17 |
| 3. | "Bloodsport" | 3:35 |
| 4. | "Extortion" (featuring Method Man) | 3:31 |
| 5. | "More Trife Life" | 3:45 |
| 6. | "Man Down" (featuring Big Noyd & Money No) | 5:03 |
| 7. | "Can't Get Enough of It" (featuring General G a.k.a. Illa Ghee) | 4:51 |
| 8. | "Nighttime Vultures" (featuring Raekwon) | 4:30 |
| 9. | "G.O.D. Pt. III" (featuring Godfather Pt.III) | 5:17 |
| 10. | "Get Dealt With" | 3:56 |
| 11. | "Shook Ones Pt. 1" | 4:12 |
| 12. | "Front Lines (Hell on Earth)" | 4:34 |
| 13. | "Give It Up Fast" (featuring Big Noyd & Nas) | 3:58 |
| 14. | "Still Shinin'" | 4:11 |
| 15. | "Apostle's Warning" | 4:07 |
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[9] | 52 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[10] | 67 |
| US Billboard 200[11] | 6 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[12] | 1 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[15] | Gold | 500,000^ |
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*sales figures based on certification alone | ||
See also
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1996 (U.S.)
References
- Allmusic review
- "Mobb Deep: Hell on Earth". Entertainment Weekly: 138. November 1996.
- "Los Angeles Times: Archives – POP MUSIC". pqasb.pqarchiver.com.
- "Mobb Deep: Hell on Earth". Q: 126. June 2000.
- "Mobb Deep :: Hell on Earth :: Loud/RCA". www.rapreviews.com.
- Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (20 June 2017). "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide". Simon and Schuster – via Google Books.
- "Mobb Deep: Hell on Earth". The Source: 123. December 1996.
- LLC, SPIN Media (1 January 1997). "SPIN". SPIN Media LLC – via Google Books.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Mobb Deep – Hell on Earth". Hung Medien.
- "Mobb Deep | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
- "Mobb Deep Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- "Mobb Deep Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
- "1997 Year-End Charts – Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
- "1997 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
- "American album certifications – Mobb Deep – Hell on Earth". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.