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Hip-hop has come a long way since the 1970s, and along the way there have been plenty of iconic and revolutionary albums that have helped define the genre.

One such piece of hip-hop history is the 1995 album The Infamous by Mobb Deep.

Mobb Deep is a duo consisting of Queens natives Havoc and Prodigy, and their sophomore album, The Infamous, not only skyrocketed them into the spotlight, but also changed the way hip-hop would sound forever.

This sound is most iconically and most easily heard on the track “Shook Ones, Pt. II,” which features an ominous and chilling beat accompanied by the style of lyrics that can be heard throughout the album.

This style is a type of storytelling from Prodigy that features tales of the hardships and grim reality of his own experiences in Queens.

Although storytelling had been done in hip-hop before, the way Prodigy tells his stories is so real that listeners feel as if they have been transported to Queens and are viewing the events that Prodigy raps about.

Prodigy is able to make his stories feel so real because they come from his heart, and because they sound more like a cry for help than a way of bragging about his experiences.

This album not only served to transform the beats and sound of hip-hop instrumentals forever, but it is also an iconic album that conveys the devastating experiences that this duo had been through.

If music fans want to listen to a compelling piece of hip-hop history and get a little perspective into how the genre has turned into what it is today, then they should check out The Infamous.