Infamous

Melody Maker (12/23-30/95, pp.66-67) - Ranked #28 on Melody Maker's list of 1995's `Albums Of The Year.'
The Source (6/95, p.71) - 4.5 Mics - Superior - "...By favoring straightforward, near spoken-word deliveries over stylish vocal gymnastics, Mobb Deep earn credibility, winning the crucial battle between style and substance....reminiscent of a young Erick and Parrish..."
Rap Pages (8/95, p.28) - 8 - "...THE INFAMOUS...epitomizes `The Message' line for line with, at times, subliminal solutions to the problem of juvenile and postpuberty life in the projects as a young African male. It's transparently manifested that mainstream, commercial and racist Americans will never grasp the meaning of Mobb Deep's concealed stress..."
Vibe (6/95, p.127) - "...Despite the fact that the album has more cameos than WHO'S THE MAN, the focus stays on Mobb Deep. While describing their lives with brutal realism and raw imagery, Havoc's love for his hometown hits you in the head like a Mike Tyson comeback punch..."
Rolling Stone (11/16/95, p.113) - 3.5 Stars - Good - "...a darkly nihilistic masterpiece. Call it the CLOCKWORK ORANGE of gansta-rap records, in which violent, unsupervised teenagers roam the streets..."
Spin (8/95, p.92) - 9 - Near Perfect - "...state-of-the-art East Coast reportage: drug-selling, police-fleeing, and homie-dying vignettes, all told with vivid detail and a deadpan thousand-yard flow....If only to clock a stunning panoply of mike skills, THE INFAMOUS is indispensible..."
Melody Maker (7/1/95, p.40) - Bloody Essential - "...the kind of jaw-dropping innovation that makes a good hip hop LP make everything else sound pallid and emasculated by comparison...immaculate backing tracks, phat beats, sliding bass, always with at least one jarring mind-f*** element thrown in to really detonate the soundscape and your head..."
New Musical Express (7/1/95, p.48) - 8 (out of 10) - "...shuttering nitro beats and scratchy jazz samples cut back to reverberating piano chords and the odd squealing horn break. As rappers they bring the clipped, rolling style of a Rakim or EPMD, adding a chill menace to neighbourhood boasts like `Right Back At You' and `Eye For An Eye'..."
Entertainment Weekly (5/5/95, p.71) - "...Over mostly self-produced, bare-bones beats, the pair's hard-edged rhymes paint a chilling picture of life on their mean streets....Underground rap-heads--and those who can break away from Jeep beats--will rejoice..." - Rating: B+