By Cameron Lee
August 12, 2025
Two of hip-hop’s most acclaimed albums — Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (the “Purple Tape”) and The Infamous — turn 30 this year, and Raekwon and Havoc of Mobb Deep are marking the milestone with a winter tour, stopping in Charlotte on December 10 at The Fillmore.
1995 is often regarded as one of the most iconic years in music, particularly for New York hip-hop, with Staten Island’s Wu-Tang Clan and Queensbridge duo Prodigy and Havoc at the forefront. The Infamous, Mobb Deep’s second studio album, is widely considered a classic, featuring guest appearances from Nas, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Q-Tip.
Certified Platinum in 2020, the album produced enduring New York street anthems like “Shook Ones, Part II,” “Survival of the Fittest,” “Eye for an Eye,” “Cradle to the Grave,” and “Temperature’s Rising.” Prodigy, who battled sickle cell anemia, passed away in 2017 at the age of 42, but his musical legacy lives on through Mobb Deep and his solo catalog.
Simply known as the “Purple Tape,” Raekwon’s debut followed Wu-Tang’s groundbreaking Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 1993, delivering a cinematic mafioso narrative with Ghostface Killah as his chief collaborator. Produced entirely by RZA, the album fused gritty crime-drama atmospheres with Wu-Tang’s signature lo-fi sound. It also featured contributions from Method Man, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, U-God, and Nas. Upon its release on August 1, 1995, it debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, receiving a five-mic review from The Source magazine.
Mobb Deep last performed in Charlotte as a duo in 2016 at Amos’ Southend, and Raekwon performed in 2022 as part of the Wu-Tang and Nas NY State of Mind tour, having previously performed in 2019 with Ghostface Killah at The Fillmore. Raekwon is also coming off the release of his eighth studio album, The Emperor’s New Clothes, which dropped on July 18 through his Ice H20 Records and Mass Appeal Records.
Presale for the tour, including the Charlotte date on December 10 at The Fillmore, begins Wednesday, August 13 at 10 a.m., with tickets available to the public starting Friday, August 15 at 10 a.m.
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