As the hip-hop community mourns the loss of rapper Prodigy, a member of the New York duo Mobb Deep, The ART of RAP concert scheduled at NJPAC in Newark, NJ on Friday, June 30th at 8 pm will now pay homage to Mobb Deep's
Prodigy due to his untimely death. Hip-hop's biggest veterans DMX, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and
Mobb Deep will take to the stage for a special tribute.
Earlier this week,
Prodigy (42) passed away on Tuesday, June 20th, Prodigy's publicist confirmed to the Associated Press that
Prodigy was hospitalized a week ago in Las Vegas "for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis."
Prodigy along with fellow rapper Havoc in
Mobb Deep found success in the 90's and became a landmark group representing East Coast rap.
Prodigy and Havoc grew up together in Queensbridge Houses, the famous Queens housing development also associated with Nas, the group portraying their struggles on their seminal 90s albums The
Infamous and Hell on Earth.
The ART of RAP at NJPAC follows in the footsteps of Ice-T's critically acclaimed documentary film "The Art Of Rap." The Art Of Rap at NJPAC will take place Friday, June 30th at 8 pm - tickets are available at NJPAC.org, 888.GO.NJPAC
(888.466.5722) or visit the NJPAC Box Office at 1 Center Avenue in Newark, NJ.
DMX -is a pioneer of the 90's rap scene and one of the most popular artists of that era. DMX is an established songwriter, producer, and actor. In 1999, DMX released his best-selling album
...And Then There Was X, which included the hit single "
Party Up (Up in Here)". He has been featured in films such as
Belly,
Romeo Must Die,
Exit Wounds,
Cradle 2 the Grave and
Last Hour. In 2006, he starred in the
reality television series
DMX: Soul of a Man, which was primarily aired on the
BET cable television network. In 2003, DMX published a book of his
memoirs entitled, E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX.
Raekwon is a member of the multi-platinum
Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut,
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded numerous solo albums, as well as continuing to work with Wu-Tang and providing an extensive number of guest contributions to other hip hop artists' works. He is the founder of his own label ICEH20 Records.
Raekwon has been cited as a pioneer of
Mafioso rap. In 2007, the editors of
About.com placed him on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987-2007).
The
Miami New Times described Raekwon's music as being "street epics" that are "straightforward yet linguistically rich universes not unlike a gangsta
Iliad."
Ghostface Killah, is a prominent member of the multi-platinum hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success.
Ghostface Killah debuted his solo-career with
Ironman in 1996, which was well received by music critics. He has continued his success over the following years with critically acclaimed albums such as
Supreme Clientele (2000) and
Fishscale (2006). His stage name was taken from one of the characters in the 1979
kung fu film
Mystery of Chessboxing. He is the founder of his own label Starks Enterprises.
Ghostface Killah is critically acclaimed for his loud, fast-paced
flow and his emotional
stream-of-consciousness narratives containing cryptic
slang and
non-sequiturs. In 2006,
MTV included him on their honorable mention list of The Greatest MCs of All Time.
Mobb Deep is a
hip-hop duo hailing from
Queensbridge Houses in
New York City. Members
Havoc and
Prodigy are "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast Hip-Hop groups." They are known for their dark, hardcore delivery as exemplified in "
Shook Ones (Part II)."
Mobb Deep has become one of the most successful rap duos in hip hop, having sold over three million records.
Two of their albums have been critical successes;
The Infamous (1995) and
Hell on Earth (1996).
Prodigy (42) passed away June 20th 2017 from complications with sickle cell anemia.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., is America's most diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey - where Great Performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state's and the world's best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted nearly 10 million visitors (including over 1.5 million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.
