H.N.I.C. is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Prodigy. Originally scheduled for a summer 2000 release, the album was ultimately released on November 14, 2000 through Sony Music, Loud Records, SRC Records, and Prodigy's Infamous Records.
After four Mobb Deep albums, Prodigy took a temporary break from the group and released his first solo effort. "H.N.I.C." is an initialism for "Head Nigga in Charge." Prodigy enlisted a number of producers for the album, including The Alchemist, EZ Elpee, Rockwilder, Just Blaze and his Mobb Deep partner Havoc. Music videos were done for "Keep It Thoro" and "Y.B.E" (Young Black Entrepreneurs). The album received widespread critical acclaim.[8] The song "Keep It Thoro" was released on vinyl.[citation needed]
A sequel, H.N.I.C. Pt. 2 was released on April 22, 2008. It features production by Havoc, a fellow member of Mobb Deep and The Alchemist among others. In 2011, after being released from prison, Prodigy began work on the third album in the series, H.N.I.C. 3.
Several rappers took inspiration from H.N.I.C., including Wiz Khalifa for his album O.N.I.F.C. (2012),[9] and then-16-year-old Kendrick Lamar for his debut mixtape Y.H.N.I.C. (2003).[10]
H.N.I.C. was certified Gold by the RIAA on December 18, 2000.
"Quiet Storm", a track that appeared on Murda Muzik, was originally intended for H.N.I.C. Prodigy utilized the song as a platform to share his personal struggles with Sickle-cell disease, which has affected him throughout his life. In the track "You Can Never Feel My Pain," Prodigy delves into the emotional toll of the disease, revealing that it has led to depression and a desire for controlled substances and alcohol.[citation needed]
The 6th track "Keep It Thoro" does not have a hook or chorus; this was the central idea of the song, with Prodigy making this clear with the penultimate line "heavy airplay all day with no chorus." However, Prodigy's manager at the time, Chris Lighty, thought the song would receive more radio airplay with a chorus. After the album release, Havoc released a version with a chorus, editing the penultimate line out. The Alchemist, the producer of this track, later commented that "the hook was dope too but the song was already powerful enough." This version of the song was included on the Japanese edition of the album as a bonus track.[11]
Prodigy's wife KiKi appears on the track "Trials of Love" as B.K. (aka) Mz. Bars, the only time she appears on a song. She made her video appearance in the Hey Luv video from Mobb Deep's Infamy (2001).[citation needed]
The album appeared on "The 100 Best Albums of the 2000s" list by Complex magazine.[12]
