Earlier this year the legendary member of Mobb Deep, Prodigy sadly passed away, leaving behind one of the most influential bodies of work in hip-hop. On what would have been Prodigy’s 43^rd birthday, an unreleased song that he had recorded earlier this year, as reported by Stereogum. The song, “Hardbody Karate” was produced by Vanderslice and features guest appearances from frequent collaborator Big Twins and Conway. Musically the song is a grooving slice of hip-hop that relies on a smooth jazz/funk beat and percussive guitar licks over which Big Twins, Conway, and Prodigy lay down some furious rhymes. It is a testament to Prodigy’s skill and worth ethic, as he was working on new material up until his final days.

As a member of Mobb Deep, Prodigy rose to fame in the early 90’s with the release of the classic album The Infamous, which was a massive success, achieving gold certification from the RIAA just two months after its release in 1995. At the time of his death, Prodigy and his fellow Mobb Deep member Havoc were planning a tour to commemorate the lasting success of The Infamous this fall.