Infamous to Infinite feat Havoc

Infamous to Infinite feat Havoc

From The Almanac of Rap by Donwill/Okayplayer

April 9, 2026 · 45 min · Season 4 · Episode 7

About this episode

Donwill interviews Havoc about his influential production work and the legacy of Mobb Deep in hip-hop.

🤳🏾 Got a question, comment or compliment? Leave a message today at 1-877-DONWILL (366-9455) It might just end up in an episode!🎙️ Few sounds in hip-hop are as poignant, or as influential, as the gritty production that came out of Queensbridge in the ‘90s. This week on The Almanac of Rap, Donwill sits down with Havoc, producer, rapper, and one half of Mobb Deep, to break down the sonic blueprint that helped define East Coast hip-hop. From crafting signature beats behind classics like The Infamous to shaping the identity of Queensbridge rap alongside Prodigy, Havoc reflects on his production style, creative process, and the raw realities that informed their music. The conversation dives into sampling, drum programming, and how limitation often led to innovation in early hip-hop production. Havoc breaks down: Legacy, longevity, and how the Mobb Deep sound continues to influence generations of producers and artists today from underground purists to mainstream trap. The making of Mobb Deep’s signature dark sound. Havoc’s production techniques and sampling approach. Producers rappers that he would solicit beats vs rhymes from today. Follow Donwill for fun hip-hop history, cultural…

People in this episode

Host: Donwill

Guest: Havoc

Topics covered

  • hip-hop production
  • Queensbridge rap
  • Mobb Deep
  • sampling techniques
  • East Coast hip-hop

Keywords

  • Havoc
  • Mobb Deep
  • Queensbridge
  • hip-hop production
  • sampling
  • drum programming
  • East Coast hip-hop

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mobb Deep, Okayplayer, AREYA ME

More episodes of The Almanac of Rap

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Almanac of Rap podcast page.