I think the line "I'm only 19 but my mind is older" says a lot about what this song is. It's a slice of life in the Queens projects seen through the eyes of a kid who grew up there seeing all kinds of crime, violence and poverty. That's combined with, as you guys said, creative bravado and clever lines about what'll happen to you if you step to them ("Rock you in your face/Stab your brain with your nosebone"). This whole album captures a very cold vibe. Classic '90s rap record.

That's what I call a Shook reaction 😂

You still hear this being played from cars here in Queens 25 years later.

one of the greatest beats in hip hop HISTORY

R.I.P Prodigy 1974 - 2017 one of the greatest Rappers of all time

Love that you a checking out rap. Prodigy was 17 when he wrote this. Obviously he is rapping about the life he was seeing. I hope your not put off by the content of the lyrics. There is so much more good than bad out there

I love that she didn't immediately critique or down the song. She asked for clarity. I'm not Mobb Deep, Prodigy or Havoc but from all I've heard as a hip hop head and clarity I would say this. They were speaking on their way of life and environment. Being as honest as they could be of their situation and upbringing. I feel like they were saying, dont Live or try to represent this life if you don't have to but if you do life this life, you can't pretend or be half way about it. You have to be real or not. You either live the life of diamonds and guns or you live as a shook one; a coward or frail person.

This album really captured the vibe of the environment they were living in. Crime ridden, poverty, kill or be killed... The albums production was dark and grimy and really matched the vibe of the lyrical content. Despite this particular song being super agressive alot of the songs on this album were reflective, and touched on wanting to escape that type of life & situation.. which they eventually did with the success of this album.

The contrast between your Zen background with the HOME and this video made me laugh.

When these 2 were growing up, NYC was a warzone so you can imagine what they've seen. Over 1,000+ homicides a year every year from the late 60s to the mid 90s in NYC.

@3:30 If you listen through The Infamous and Hell on Earth (their two most acclaimed albums), then you will see all of those themes mentioned are true, simultaneously. At the time, the environment they grew up and remained in, did facilitate hopelessness (New York in the 90s had a surge of crime). In addition, they do have regrets and are humans with empathy, with lines wondering about their fate or lines displaying remorse. They do have many instances of warning against their lifestyle throughout their discography; in general, the dark atmosphere in of itself is not glorifying it either. Then, somewhat ironically but understandable, they do fend off against their adversaries and are willing to walk the walk of the lifestyle they live in, because it is one derived unconditionally from their environment. They eventually (from rap) move to a better environment and did eventually stray from that lifestyle (Prodigy did go to prison in 2007 and was changed from the experience). They were aware enough to know that they needed a way out of their environment.

You got it! It’s a warning they giving to others. Great reaction

mobb deep made hard core lyrics seductive ,with the poetical word scapes, smooth but menacing cadence and jazzy boom bap music which was popular at the time , Before you know it you are fully locked inside their dystopian dank vision of life, that is real artistery , they transmit that energy to you and you rap along with them and feel as dope as them.. you look beyond the darkness of the lyrics and see inside the minds of the young men of the time who could relate to this life style.....being only 19 with an old mind, suggests that he won't make it to old age, since he lives an existence of diamonds and guns where life is definately cheap, they are not goading you into the life style or forcing the life style on you..they are saying, you want to live this life, but you dont want the consequences.... this is one of the realest songs ever. ....the reviewers did the song zero justice, and missed a perfect oppurtunity to show that they were not bots reviewing a vid just because everyone else was,

This song is legendary

appreciate the reaction guys! I too cannot relate to the lyrics but i appreciate the wordplay and the beat is crazy. some oasis reactions would be great if one on you haven't heard them. also some more Dave would be great, Dave Lesley is a great song with a brilliant message. Thanks guys!

Masterpiece... the realest rap that emerged from that era... theres no one colder than mobb deep.. shivers.. and all that its cuz its true

Great song! Mobb Deep is the best hip hop duo ever! 😅

Greatest beat of ALL TIME!!!

I think its about the stress of living in the situation and having to constantly be on alert. 'survival of the fittest, only the strong survive'

Moment hall of fame group

About the lyrics, this is the life they used to live…

Queens, NY. Yall. Welcome.

Great you guys are checking out rap, but this song is definitely a lot deeper than just aimlessly talking about "Murder, he's gonna shoot you full of bullets and you'll die on the street bleeding". I think it is quite difficult to understand if you didn't grow up in a low socioeconomic status/the hood. There is some bravado in the song, yes, but if you look into it, they're not even saying that they are happy about the life they life. Multiple times ethical dilemmas are brought into whether or not what they are doing is justified or not, but this is how they have to live life in the hood, in poverty and in neighborhoods where crime is excessive. You do what you do to survive and you are either scared of the street or you become the street. "Ain't no such things as half-way crooks".

It’s basically calling out people that act like they are in the street life and doing dirt but aren’t actually into that life and get nervous or “shook” when things actually get serious

He’s saying if your not part of this life stay out of it because you don’t belong we live it and your not ready for it

As far as the timeline. This song wasn't a tupac diss supposedly but Tupac felt an earlier song on the same album, Survival of the Fittest, was a diss towards him.

This is hilarious.

Omg yall funny

Nas - NY state of mind

Can you react to Lost Boyz - Renee please 🙏 Keep up the fun videos 👍

Shookones was before hit em up. I’m not entirely what exactly sparked the beef between Mobb Deep and PAC. They have a reply diss track to hit em up called Drop a e on em from there 1996 LP Hell on Earth

Cmon, nobody thinking about 2Pac when listening to this man. This was 1 of their 1st songs...so of course before they had issues with 2Pac man. But the lady had a good question though.

love the reaction can you please react to dave lesley

He's telling someone else that they aren't real crooks that they are posers, if they go against his crew that they will die. That you can't trust anyone else but yourself because others come close to knowing you but they never really do etc. They are forced to live this life because they have no other option, no hope, all they can do it follow the pattern and try to survive...

A tribe called quest - Award Tour

This is Eminem favorite rap song ever

It basically means if your not about that life don’t pretend you are

This is the life in Queens Bridge in the 90's Horrible place. However so many talented rappers came from here; notorious big, 50 cents and dozen others

It's definitely a warning, not to test their crew, violence is what the answer would be

Check out South African OG...(Stogie T)doing Freestyle On Sway in the morning on NAS- N.Y STATE OF MIND PART2.

Immortal Technique- Dancing With The Devil Lyrics

Hahaha... they shook lmao

Listen to self conscious by prodigy

React to biggie smalls juicy

Yall shook from listening to shooked ones i can see it 8n yoir face.

He is warning other neighborhoods and crews that they neighborhood queens bridge is dangerous

He's saying you're either all the way in or you're not in at all, no such thing as half way crooks

Why did you even decide to watch or listen to this. You have to have understanding of the lifestyle they lived at that time.

React 1:10

This has got to be the single cringiest reaction of all time

the whitest reaction to this song ive ever seen

You cant relate cause these songs weren't written for you.

Take a step out of the suburbs, then you will see this shit all around. Guns, drugs ext