With a tribute mural to Prodigy, who passed away June, defaced twice after its creation, many were left wondering about the dynamic between the rapper and members of the Queensbridge community.
Mike Delorean, who recorded under Mobb Deep’s Infamous Records imprint in the group Bars N Hooks, weighed in for a video posted to the Gully TV YouTube channel.
“He did a lot in the hip-hop culture,” Delorean offered. The remarks about the mural begin right away at the 30 second mark. “At the same time, as a person he scarred some people personally. He talked about people in jail. He talked about people in a bad way that were supposed to be friends of his—people that embraced him. And he didn’t do that to people that he grew up with.”
The Delorean interview comes roughly a week after a similar Gully TV video, entitled “Prodigy’s Book My Infamous Life is the reason his mural can't exist in Queensbridge.” As it relates to Delorean, he is mentioned in one passage of the book where Prodigy and co-author Laura Checkoway touch on a now-squashed beef with Nas.
“Mega didn't like Nas ever since Nas booted him out of The Firm and had started dissing Nas for a living,” Prodigy wrote. “But I didn’t diss him, Mega did. Why you not confronting Mega? I wondered of Nas. You scared? Why didn't you fight Mike Delorean (Bars N Hooks) when he choked you up in the studio? You scared?”
Mike Delorean addressed the book, although not that particular passage, by saying he and Prodigy talked at some point between the book being published and P’s death. The rapper has previously confirmed the confrontation with Nas in an interview with MusicalFury.com. He also addressed the previous Gully TV interview and what he perceived as a bias in Prodigy’s favor.
“I wanted to hit you up because I fuck with y’all on some real shit, because we met regular,” Delorean said. “At the end you took a side. You said, ‘I felt like you could’ve settled that.’ Like we did some sucker shit. And then you said we’re like the same side. That was wack, and that was wack—especially being media.”
The host goes on to explain his position in the following exchange:
“So you feel that I was biased?”
If you’re curious about Prodigy’s relationship with Queensbridge and any potential fallout, both interviews may potentially shed some light on why Prodigy’s mural was defaced.
