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The Infamous. Murda Muzik. Hell On Earth. Infamy. Amerikaz Nightmare. Blood Money. H.N.I.C. H.N.I.C. 2. Return of the Mac. Not many hip-hop artists can say they have a resume like this but Prodigy can and his and Mobb Deep’s albums are just a fraction of what P has done for hip-hop.

Very few people realize what an influential album The Infamous actually was. In all actuality it helped shape East Coast hip-hop, as we now know it. It’s not only the albums either; Prodigy doesn’t get his just due as a lyricist. Besides influencing a bevy of artists his voice spitting classic lines has been sampled in several songs.

When nobody would answer Tupac’s scathing disses, Prodigy stepped up and let’s not forget that he didn’t back down against Jay-Z either. He and Havoc caused mayhem in the industry just by signing with G-Unit. So to say Prodigy is just influential is actually an understatement. He is now in prison where he is serving a three and a half year sentence for his third arrest involving a gun.

He claims he’s going to come out stronger both physically and mentally and truth be told, I believe him. Sixshot.com got to talk to Prodigy in an exclusive interview where we discussed how he is passing the time, how he feels about the < STRONG>Sean Bell incident, and what we can expect when he finally comes home.

First things first P, I wanted to ask you how everything is going inside, how are they treating you?

Everything is good. I guess it’s as good as it’s going to get.

Before you went away you promoted H.N.I.C. 2 hard. You shot videos and did a lot of promo. Were you happy with how the fans responded to it?

Definitely, I’m definitely happy, you know what I’m sayin’? When I get back home I plan to take it even further. That album is gonna last a long time. My album has a long shelf life. Good music has a long shelf life. People are still going to the store to buy James Browns’ first album and that’s how I plan to make music. I don’t ever plan on stopping. I’m doing good right now but I’m gonna do better when I get home though.

I wanted to get your opinion on this. How do you feel about the police officers who shot Sean Bell being acquitted?

It’s kind of crazy what went down that night. I definitely don’t know about the acquittal and them getting off or whatever. I mean they killed somebody and there was no weapon found. They’re not doing any time. Meanwhile, I’m here sitting in jail. It’s just ill how police get away with the most scandalous shit and we get arrested and locked up for the small mistakes. It’s just real crazy. On my album I got a song called “Field Marshall P” dedicated to Sean Bell and on the DVD I got a video on there with Sean Bell’s wife, Al Sharpton, the other dudes who were in the car at the time of the shooting, and everybody from the neighborhood. It was kinda ill, you know what I mean? I think sometimes cops need to go to jail. I mean, they did kill somebody.

Three years is a long time to be away. Do you feel this will affect your career in a big way?

Yeah, I feel like it’s going to affect my career in a positive, big way. I’m going to be mentally stronger. I’m going to be physically stronger. I’m in here reading things that I never read before, things that I never read when I was in the streets. I just never had the time because I was so busy. I was always busy running around doing shows or recording in the studio. I never had the time to sit down and read a thousand page book before. Now I got the time to read real interesting things and learn new, interesting things. I’m getting stronger mentally and physically so when I get home it’s gonna be a problem. I’m gonna use this time I got in a positive way.

Have the fans been reaching out to you and showing love?

Yeah, I get letters from overseas, everywhere all the time. Everybody is writing and showing love and support. The fans overseas want to come over here and protest. It is what it is.

You said you’re reading a lot. What else do you do to pass the time?

Yeah I’m reading a lot and I write. I write songs. I write my books. I write my movies. I’m a writer. I’m a serious writer so that’s all I do is read and write. I started writing a lot of poetry. I got a lot of ideas. I have time to sit down and think like never before so I got a lot of good ideas coming to me.

Since you have a lot of time to think I’m assuming you think about what you’re going to do when you come home. What are some of your plans for when you get released?

I plan on selling my movies. I definitely plan on doing my music. I’m definitely gonna put my autobiography out and just keepin’ it going. I had been doing it but even stronger now with more material.

I always felt you influenced a lot of rappers styles. Do you feel you get enough credit for that?

I really don’t care about the credit; you know what I mean because people know where it comes from. If they say they don’t they’re lying or they’re just straight up ignorant, you know what I’m sayin’? I really don’t care. I do it how I do it and if people copy me then hey that’s what it is. You gotta follow my lead. You gotta keep up. If they copy my last trend then I’ll just move on to the next one.

I was also curious about the deal with Vox. Are you happy with your decision to sign with them and what did you get out of that deal?

Vox is a real good company and they made me a partner in the company. They got the patent on their own technology where they could change any song to any language in the world. It sounds incredible when people get to hear it. They made me a partner in the company and they also hired me to do A&R so I could sign artists. We’re promoting it as the new independent company of 2008. Koch is competition and all that but Vox is what’s up. They got a lot of connections in the industry and in the business world overall. It was an excellent deal I made with them.

I know you probably don’t get mush of a chance but are you listening to any of the new hip-hop that’s been coming out?

I don’t really listen to nothin’ new because I been locked up, you know what I’m sayin’? I can’t really get anything new except for what I see on BET or whatever. Some of the newer cats from the Bay Area are doin’ it. Alchemist is doin’ it of course. People think Lil Wayne is new but he’s been rapping since he was ten years old. He was rappin’ in the early nineties when Mobb Deep first came out. People don’t even realize that. He definitely ain’t new and he deserves all the fame he got right now. He worked hard for years for that. Soulja Boy, my son loves Soulja Boy. Those Collipark artists down in Atlanta are poppin’ off right now. I like what they’re doing.

How much has hip-hop changed since the first Mobb Deep album was released?

Since Mobb Deep’s first album hip-hop has changed a lot as far as fashion, as far as the sound of the music. We’re hearing a lot of new sound coming out of the South and the Midwest like Kanye West; he’s a new artist really. Kanye’s music is definitely influenced by our era as far as the sampling and the soul music and all that. You got Nelly, Nelly is pretty new and he’s bringing a different sound to the table, the way he spits and everything. He’s a cool artist. I would definitely say hip-hop has changed a lot overall.

Alright Prodigy you have a lot of people who want to know you’re okay and wish you well. Is there anything you want to say to them?

Just keep up the support. Shout to Voxonic Music. All you up and coming artists and established artists, if you’re looking for a deal let’s sit down and talk. The office is right in Manhattan. That’s it, thanks for the love and support.

rigo209

P knows niggas in the bay area got shit crackin 24/7

too bad P couldnt shoot his part of Keak's remix in Oakland like P wanted.

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"50's Enemies Are My Enemies" - Tony "Godfather of the Ghetto" Yayo

"Loyal to G-Unit Fa Death Doe"

PhillyOG

props on this