After disappointing results from last year’s G-Unit released Mobb Deep effort Blood Money Prodigy is back with a vengeance to make a straight record. With bold intentions of dropping two solos this year P is showing no mercy for any Mobb haters. On the prequel to his highly anticipated second installment of HNIC P has enlisted the full services of renowned producer and close friend The Alchemist for the set up joint. The unique thing about Return Of The Mac is the full utilization of beats from the Blaxploitation era, most coming from the Black Caesar soundtrack. With two hot videos already causing a stir on youtube.com Prodigy is poised to take the Mobb’s legacy back to the Murda Muzik days with this one.    

Prodigy appropriately sets the tone for the album on the opener “”Return Of The Mac” by using an aggravated 2Pac voice sample throughout the hook. Producer Alchemist samples a majority of Gene Page’s “Blackula Strikes”. The album’s highpoint comes early when Prodigy spits about his three incurable vices on “Stuck On You”. Prodigy paints a demented portrait of revenge over Edwin Starr’s “Easin In” for the album’s Youtube jump off joint “Mac 10 Handle”. P and Al borrow from the late great James Brown’s “Down and Out In New York City” on the soulfully breathing “The Rotten Apple”. The Montclairs’ “Do I Stand A Chance” is sampled on another one of the album’s definitive highlights “Bang On Em”. On “Nickel And A Nine” P’s introspective attempt turns out to be a dud but on the very next track he redeems himself over a Rita Wright sample on “Legends” where he semi-chronicles he and Havoc’s rise from the block to the rap game. On the album’s closing effort “Stop Fronting” Alchemist cleverly intertwines samples of hits from Barry White, The O’Jays, and The Dramatics into one soulful concoction.

Even though it’s not an official album Return Of The Mac plays out better than most of this young years releases due to its clarity and consistency. Lyrically P still comes with his usual lazy and sometimes boring flow, but his constant gun talk throughout the album will be welcomed by long time fans of the grittier Mobb. Return Of The Mac delivered in the form of a mixtape / shelf album will definitely go down as an all time favorite out of the already illustrious Mobb Deep collection!

VERDICT – 14 /20
LYRICS: 3
PRODUCTION: 4
DELIVERY: 3
CONSISTENCY: 4