My Infamous Life
The Autobiography of Mobb Deep’s Prodigy
by Albert “Prodigy” Johnson, and Laura Checkoway
Published By: Touchstone, 2011
Genre: Nonfiction | Biography & Memoir, Arts & Entertainment
Page Count: 320 (Paperback)
Audiobook Length: 13 hours and 47 minutes
Audiobook Narrator: Albert “Prodigy” Johnson
ISBN: 9781439103197
Publisher’s Description
In this often violent but always introspective memoir, Mobb Deep’s Prodigy tells his much-anticipated story of struggle, survival, and hope down the mean streets of New York City. For the first time, he gives an intimate look at his family background, his battles with drugs, his life of crime, his relentless suffering with sickle-cell anemia, and much more. Recently released after serving three and a half years in state prison due to what many consider an unlawful arrest by a rumored secret NYPD hip-hop task force, Prodigy is ready to talk about his life as one of rap’s greatest legends.
My Infamous Life is an unblinking account of Prodigy’s wild times with Mobb Deep who, alongside rappers like Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Jay-Z, and Wu-Tang Clan, changed the musical landscape with their vivid portrayals of early ’90s street life. It is a firsthand chronicle of legendary rap feuds like the East Coast–West Coast rivalry; Prodigy’s beef with Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Ja Rule, and Capone-N-Noreaga; and run-ins with prodigal hit makers and managers like Puff Daddy, Russell Simmons, Chris Lighty, Irv Gotti, and Lyor Cohen.
Taking the reader behind the smoke-and-mirrors glamour of the hip-hop world, so often seen as the only way out for those with few options, Prodigy lays down the truth about the intoxicating power of money, the meaning of true friendship and loyalty, and the ultimately redemptive power of self. This is the heartbreaking journey of a child born in privilege, his youth spent among music royalty like Diana Ross and Dizzy Gillespie, educated in private schools, until a family tragedy changed everything. Raised in the mayhem of the Queensbridge projects, Prodigy rose to the dizzying heights of fame and eventually fell into the darkness of a prison cell.
A truly candid memoir, part fearless confessional and part ode to the concrete jungles of New York City, from the front line of the last great moment in hip-hop history.
About the Author
Albert “Prodigy” Johnson (1974-2017) was an American rapper and songwriter. He was best known as a member of the hip-hop duo Mobb Deep, along with Havoc. Prodigy was known for his intelligent and introspective lyrics, and his work was often praised for its social commentary. He was also a prolific recording artist, releasing seven studio albums with Mobb Deep and three solo albums. Prodigy died in 2017 at the age of 42 from sickle cell anemia
Laura Checkoway is an American music journalist and author. She is best known for her work on hip-hop culture, and she has written for a variety of publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone. Checkoway is the author of several books, including How to Rap: The Art and Science of the Hip-Hop MC (2006) and Mercury Rising: The Power of Music in the Age of Attention Deficit (2019). She is a regular contributor to NPR’s All Things Considered, and she has also appeared on a number of other radio and television programs.