Murda Muzik Explained

Murda Muzik is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Mobb Deep, which was released on August 17, 1999, through Columbia Records and Loud Records.^[1] It features one of the group's best-known tracks, "Quiet Storm." It is also the duo's most commercially successful album to date, for shipping over 1 million copies in the United States and was certified Platinum by the RIAA on October 26, 1999,^[2] debuting at #3 on the Billboard 200 charts. Murda Muzik also garnered positive reviews from The Source and Allmusic, among others. A censored version of the album, titled Mobb Muzik, was released simultaneously.

Background

The release of Murda Muzik was originally planned for the beginning of 1999, but Loud Records switched distributors from RCA to Columbia. Murda Muzik was shelved until this deal was finalized. Within this time the album was heavily bootlegged and Mobb Deep had to record new songs to make sure fans would still buy the album. The duo recorded 5 new songs:

• Spread Love
• I'm Going Out (featuring Lil' Cease)
• Can't Fuck Wit (featuring Raekwon)
• It's Mine (featuring Nas)
• Quiet Storm (Remix) (featuring Lil' Kim)

These songs replaced earlier recorded tracks.

Critical reception

The duo toured on the Family Values Tour for the album. Appearing on the second edition in 1999 with other Nu Metal, Hip Hop and Rap Rock acts at the time, they supported the first half of the tour; appearing on the first 12 dates alongside headliners Limp Bizkit with support from Filter, Staind, The Crystal Method, Run-DMC, Korn from September 21st - October 8th.

Bootleg tracks

Murda Muzik leaked in early 1999. The following tracks were on multiple bootlegs that didn't make the final cut.

Full tracks:

• Feel My Gat Blow
• Thrill Me (featuring Big Noyd)
• 3 The Hard Way (featuring Big Noyd) = also called "You Fuckin’ Wit" and "3 From NYC"
• This One (featuring Big Noyd) = also called "Pyramid Points."
• Perfect Plot (featuring Big Noyd) = also called "Mobb Coming Thru" and "We Got The Drop"
• Pile Raps = also called Power Rap
• Nobody Likes Me
• Shiesty (featuring Big Noyd) = also called "Fuck That Bitch"
• QB Meets Southside" (featuring Sticky Fingaz and X1)

Remixes of retail tracks:

• Deer Park ft. Cormega (What's Ya Poison with intro) = also called "How You Want It"
• Hoe Gonna Be a Hoe with intro
• Streets Raised Me (OG Mix) (also called "That True Shit") = different sounding hook. There supposedly is also a version where children are singing the hook.
• Street Kingz (featuring Nas) = U.S.A. (Aiight Then) with a Nas verse. Colombia didn't want to clear Nas for two songs. They had to cut his verse from U.S.A. (Aiight then) since he also appears on the It's Mine song.
• White Lines (Quiet Storm without Havoc on the hook). Prodigy talked in between verses, it was mastered in a way that this talking sounded like it came out of a megaphone.
• Thug Muzik = Has a verse of Mike Delorean from Bars & Hooks instead of Prodigy.
• Murda Muzik = Longer track with a final verse from Prodigy that ultimately ended up on Thug Muzik in the retail release. There's also a version without that final verse but a freestyle from Cormega instead.

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.^[3]

Samples

Intro

• "Crime Inc. Theme" by Giles Swayne
• contains an excerpt from a speech of Ronald Reagan^[4]

Adrenaline

• "Ballad Of The Decomposing Man" by Steve Hackett

Where Ya Heart At

• "Fear" by Sade

It's Mine

• "The Boy Is Mine" by Brandy & Monica (interpolation)
• "Scarface Cues" by Giorgio Moroder

Quiet Storm

• "White Lines (Don't Do It)" by Grandmaster Melle Mel
• "A Quiet Storm" by Smokey Robinson

The Realest

• "Born to Lose You" by Ecstasy, Passion & Pain

I'm Going Out

• "Farewell" by Miklos Rozsa

Thug Muzik

• "The Toys" by George Winston and Meryl Streep

What's Ya Poison

• "1000 Rads" by David Axelrod

Where Ya From

• "The Champ" by The Mohawks

Quiet Storm (Remix)

• "10% Dis" by MC Lyte

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)	Position
US Billboard 200[5]	136
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[6]	46

Notes and References

1. Web site: Murda Muzik (1999). Genius. March 1, 2017.
2. News: Gold & Platinum - RIAA. RIAA. March 1, 2017. en-US.
3. Murda Muzik . 1999 . booklet . Loud, Columbia.
4. Web site: Remarks at Ceremonies Marking the 75th Anniversary of the Federal Bureau of Investigation . Reagan.utexas.edu . July 26, 1983 . March 2, 2012 . June 4, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110604012700/http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1983/72683a.htm . dead .
5. 1999 Year-End Charts – Billboard 200 Albums . Billboard. May 14, 2016.
6. 1999 Year-End Charts – Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Billboard. May 14, 2016.