It's been a little over a week since Prodigy began serving a three-and-a-half year sentence for weapons charges. Before his incarceration, the infamous Mobb Deep frontman enlisted long-time producer and friend, The Alchemist, to head up promotions for his sophomore disc, H.N.I.C.2.

In this exclusive interview caught up with Beverly Hills beatsmith as he discussed the preparations made in P's absence, the rapper's mindset and the arrival of H.N.I.C.2.

"We're here holding him down," ALC confirmed. "The same ways I always promote - by doing shows [and] advertisements - we're just going to have to go a little harder because P's not actually here. But we have a whole team of people and support group."

As previously reported, Prodigy (born Albert Johnson) and The Alchemist were arrested in Manhattan back in October 2006 when police pulled the rapper's SUV over and found an unlicensed fully loaded .22 caliber handgun in the console compartment in between the two.

Initially telling prosecutors that he was unaware the gun was in the vehicle, P switched his story in court and later admitted to the fact that the pistol was his. Shortly after, he pled guilty to violating his parole on two previous gun charges. Prodigy later struck a deal, which shortened his original sentence of 15 years to three-and-a-half.

The embattled MC was originally supposed to start serving his prison sentence on January 9, but Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Edward McLaughlin granted P an additional 30 days of freedom while doctors to complete his medical records. Wasting no time, Prodigy and Alchemist went in to complete H.N.I.C. 2.

"It was great," explains Alchemist, who executive produced the album. "Some of the records were things we worked on over a period of time, joints in the stash, and others were just organic. P always has a plan and we just moved according to his plan."

According to Alchemist, jail time was not going to stop Prodigy's hustle. The rapper released a series of new videos for the project including the controversial "ABC," aimed at dirty cops.

"They were asking me a lot of questions about 50 Cent and a lot of rappers," Alchemist stated confirming P' s charge that the cops asked him to set up Fif. "They were doing a lot of things but I wasn't speaking on that. I don't talk to the police. So I just left it at that."

Although an early version of H.N.I.C. 2 leaked on the net, Alchemist stated the final count on the album is not completed.

"The sh*t is dope," he explained. "We just did a lot of [new] joints. I'm not sure what exactly they're going to do with the bonuses, but we got busy."

ALC has yet to speak to P since his incarceration, but the West-Coast based producer is looking forward to seeing him once he flies back East.

"I haven't had an opportunity to speak to P yet because I'm over in L.A. doing some work and he can't call three-way," he said. "So, when I get back to New York I'm a go see him."

In related news, Alchemist is prepping the release of his new disc Chemical Warfare slated for a summer release on Koch. The follow-up to his debut 1st Infantry, ALC will hit the road with fellow left coast MC's Dilated People on their tour, this June.

"I'm excited to put it out. I waited a long time, so I just don't want to jump out a window and put all these records out," he explained. "Right now, we're just working on visuals and the artwork, making it a cohesive project. It's officially on the way."