H.N.I.C.
AlthoughH.N.I.C.is billed as Prodigy's solo debut, it's liberally peppered with guest appearances.Mobb Deep'sinfamous one chose, with the exception of Cash Money MillionaireB.G., to rely on folks of Queens pedigree. His borough loyalty givesH.N.I.C.a polished yet organic-sounding edge on today's crop of industry-endorsed thugs. The bulk ofH.N.I.C's subject matter scores few points for originality, but no one speaks to corner-hustling shorty rocks as clearly as P. Standout tracks in the Mobbphonic vein include "Infamous Minded." FeaturingBig Noyd, the song referencesBDP's"Criminal Minded" and is pushed over the top by a badass reggae-tinged beat. Havoc contributes both lyrical and rhythmic support; his beat on "Wanna Be Thugs" proves why he's the production don of Queensbridge. Getting past the gun talk and guest appearances, "You Never Feel My Pain," which unflinchingly details P's battle with sickle cell anemia, is a hardcore analysis of the artist's frame of reference for daily living. That alone is worth the price of admission.--Rebecca LevineEND