Photo: Genray Mena
Havoc has spent most of his time behind the boards cranking out songs for some of your favorite rappers. Within the past year alone, the seasoned rapper and beatmaker produced for the likes of ¥$ (Ye & Ty Dolla $ign), Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz and most recently 38 Spesh. When he's not focused on music, Havoc is hard at work building his new podcast.
"I always wanted to get into podcasting, but I got a lot of things going on," Havoc tells iHeartRadio. "So I said, 'Hey, let me just start a Havoc podcast' and it is what it is. I did that."
In the first episode of "Stuck Off The Realness," Havoc pays tribute to his late friend and the other half of Mobb Deep, Prodigy. In honor of the seventh anniversary of his death, Havoc reflected on P's lasting legacy in the music industry, and called him the "one of the best lyricists of our generation." He recalled the day he met the Long Island native in high school. He remembered how they formed their group after P dropped his solo record deal, and boasted about their hustle to become the Infamous M.O.B.B.
The ode to his late friend was the first of seven episodes Havoc has dropped so far. Since then, he has held authentic, rap-driven discussions with the likes of former NBA star Metta World Peace and Professor Todd Craig without relying on trending hot topics or gossip. The podcast, his upcoming joint album with Cormega, and a new documentary are just a few projects he's actively working on ahead of Mobb Deep's first studio album in 10 years.
Mobb Deep's ninth studio album Infinite was first revealed in 2022 when Prodigy's estate announced the late rapper's previous posthumous LP The Hegelian Dialectic: The Book of Heroine. Havoc says it took some time to move forward with the plans for Mobb Deep's upcoming project due to the estate. However, they finally got the ball rolling and aim to drop it this year on Prodigy's birthday, November 2.
During our chat with Havoc, the prolific producer opens up about working on Mobb Deep's album and a documentary about the duo. He also talks more about his podcast, a collaborative EP inspired by the election, and his upcoming concert with M.O.P. on August 27. Scroll below for the entire interview.
iHR: It's been some time since you and Prodigy's estate announced the upcoming Mobb Deep album. How's that coming along?
Havoc: With the Mobb Deep album, it took a little time to really start working on it productively because the estate. It's not me by myself no more. Prodigy's not here, you know what I'm saying? So I had to wait until the family felt comfortable enough to start working on the album and just of late, I had a conversation with the estate, with Prodigy's wife. We spoke and she was like, 'Yo, now it's time.' A few weeks before that, me and Alchemist had been already talking. Al was like, 'Yo, can you come to L.A.?' Al was like, 'Today, right now,' you know what I mean? So I flew to LA and from the airport straight to Alchemist crib, pulled out my laptop, hard drive, and we went to work.
Man, that's crazy. Alchemist has been involved, not just with the group, but he also worked on solo projects with Prodigy. So to have him involved means a lot. I know you're busy with multiple projects. What else are you working on?
Right now I got the Mobb Deep Album in effect. Of course, we keep on saying it, but we're trying to finalize the Method Man and Havoc album and the Cormega album. I'm working on a Havoc & Friends album as well, and not to mention the documentary that we starting to film.
You've got a lot on your plate! So is it a Mobb Deep documentary or is it just a Havoc documentary?
No Mobb Deep documentary. That's way more better than just a Havoc documentary.
That's dope. What subjects do you want to cover in that documentary?
I want to cover a lot of things. I want to cover it all. I want to cover how we met in high school, what it took to make a demo and our perils with some of our first labels that we were on and going to Loud [Records]. Some of our conflicts that we had between each other, but how we still showed unity through it all. So I would really cover a lot. It would be an honest documentary about Mobb Deep's story.
Man, that's incredible. I know it's an intense story too since you both went through a lot.
No, it really is an intense story. We've been through a lot. I mean, we've been through our ups and our downs and I wouldn't have it any other way. It made us who we are. It brought us to where we got, and I think it's a real dope story that people they'll appreciate. People will be able to relate to it.
You also launched your own podcast recently. Talk about Stuck Off The Realness and why you started it.
I always wanted to get into podcasting, but I got a lot of things going on, so it never really was going. And so I said, 'Hey, let me just start a Havoc podcast' and it is what it is. I did that. It's on the Rumble Channel and YouTube. It's called "Stuck Off The Realness" and we talking about hip-hop related issues. None of that clickbait stuff where people is talking about gossip and stuff like that —— not that I got anything against it, but it's just not my thing. We just focus on the art and that's it, you know what I mean?
That's dope, man. How has the reception been from the first few episodes?
Yo, the response has been really good, man, to be honest with you, I'm not going to lie. I know it's a slow and steady road. When you start doing a podcast and a stream, it takes a while to gain traction. Surprisingly enough, when I did my first one, "Remembering Prodigy," then my second one "90s vs. Now," it's been really picking up. The views alone. I got 90,000 views on the first video that I did about Prodigy. Then the next one, it was like 60,000. Then I did one with Alchemist that went like 130,000 views. And then I did one with World Meta Peace that was like a 100,000 views. So it is building up and I don't have to do none of the clickbait controversial saying issues to get somebody to tap in. It's just hip-hop and it's growing.
I know that Prodigy passed a little bit before podcasting really blew up, but what do you think Prodigy would say about you getting into that podcast world?
First of all, I think that he would be supportive of it. That's number one. And number two, he would probably have a podcast right now. You know what I'm saying? So we would be supporting each other right now.
What would you say is your favorite memory of Prodigy?
Some of the best memories I have of Prodigy are how unselfish he was and how giving he was. He was generous, you know what I mean? He was one of those types of people. He was all hands on deck. When we shoot a video, he'd be the one to buy all the clothes, the outfits, to kind of direct how we should look in a video and stuff like that. He was a real good dude, man. If you ain't have it, he would look out for. So those are my fondest memories of Prodigy.
Are you also involved with Prodigy's upcoming posthumous solo album that's coming out?
I haven't got any word about that. If the family wants me involved, I wouldn't hesitate at all.
I also hear that you’re working on something big around the 2024 presidential elections with some legendary artists. What can you tell us about that?
So my manager Storm and I got a call from our friend Marvin Bing who is like the streets inside man in that world of politics, someone we trust. He called us about doing a creative project with our friends Pastor Mike and our sister Tamika Mallory to really get the artists in the community talking about what’s at stake in this election. We are working on a project called Or Else. It’s an EP coming out on September 17, which is National Voter Registration Day.
That's incredible! Who else is involved with the project?
Wayno and Shaheem Reid are helping on the executive/A&R side. We are talking to some other guys like Jay Electronica and Mysonne about getting on. We're just trying to do our part. Beanie Sigel is getting on it. Me and Bun B are working on something now. Smoke DZA has a song on there. Rockwilder did some beats. Symba is supposed to send something. The artists are like, “Let’s talk about the issues we are really dealing with and how we are working with our communities. Our brothers and sisters need to band together to really talk, educate, and fight for what we want and use our voices and votes to make it happen.” It’s Vote or else!
It's great to see y'all banding together to make a difference ahead of the elections. I know fans will be looking out for that. You also have a show coming up on August 27th with M.O.P. What can the fans expect from that event?
You would think that if MOP and Mobb Deep were performing that M.O.P. will go on or Mobb Deep will go on in whichever order. Nah —— we going to be on stage together going, kind of, back to back with our catalog.
Now that's a show. Will there be some surprise guests?
Oh yeah. I mean the special guest is going to be crazy. People can expect a few surprises.
It's not lost on me that we're speaking just two days before hip-hop's 51st anniversary. What are your thoughts about hip-hop reaching this point in its existence?
I just think it's a testament to show you that hip hop wasn't a fad. It wasn't a fluke when it first came out. I think they thought it was just kind of like a fad or a trend or something like that that would go away. Even though breakdancing was part of the hip-hop culture, breakdancing kind of faded away, and they probably thought hip-hop would do that, but hip-hop didn't do that. Hip-hop just kept going. So for it to turn 51 years old, it's exciting and you get a sense of pride knowing that something that you are involved in is here to stay.
Facts. Who are some of the artists from the new generation that you've worked with lately?
Of course Griselda. I produced a track for Conway a couple of years back. Kanye West —— he's not new, but he's still part of pop culture or whatever. To be able to come from the era that I came from, to still be able to produce on a high level and work with the likes of those people, it feels good just to still be in the conversation. I just worked with 38 Spesh too. That's another good artist that I respect. His talent is crazy.
Word I actually just heard his new single with Method Man. We can add that album to the growing list of projects you've been involved with. What else do you got coming in 2024 that fans can expect?
We got the tour coming up in Canada, a few other places. Like we mentioned earlier, the Mobb Deep album. We planning on dropping that album on Prodigy's birthday to make it really significant. So we got our work cut out for us on that, and I'm making beats every day working with artists. I got 41st Side Records that I'm going to be launching to curate fresh new talent. So it's a lot of things down the pipeline.