“It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep. Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis. As most of his fans know, Prodigy battled the disease since birth. The exact causes of death have yet to be determined. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.” Prodigy and his partner Havoc formed Mobb Deep — a leading light of the “hardcore” hip-hop sound of the 1990s, with its raw depictions of inner city life — in their home Queensbridge Houses in New York City and released their debut album, “Juvenile Hell,” in 1993. The following