***Capone -N- Noreaga***

The War Report (1997)

Released: June 17, 1997
Recorded: 1996 - 1997
Genre: East Coast Hip Hop, Hardcore Rap
Label: Penalty/Tommy Boy/Warner Bros. Records
Producer: Charlemagne, EZ Elpee, Nashiem Myrick, Carlos "6 July" Broady,
Naughty Shorts, Tragedy Khadafi, G-Money, Buckwild, Lord Finesse,
Marley Marl, DJ Clark Kent

The War Report is the influential debut album by the hip hop duo Capone-N-Noreaga (C-N-N for short). The album features
C-N-N classics "L.A. L.A.", "T.O.N.Y", "Neva Die Alone", "Driver's Seat", "Illegal Life", "Capone Bone", "Bloody Money",
"Closer", "Iraq (See The World)", and Noreaga's dedication to Capone "Live on Live Long". Tragedy Khadafi was in many ways
the mastermind behind the project and was at the time considered an un-official 3rd member, he appears on more than half of
the albums songs. Other guest appearances include Imam Thug, Castro, Mussolini, Mendosa, Troy Outlaw, Mobb Deep
and Busta Rhymes. Despite its strong underground-overtones, the album was surprisingly a commercial success,
making the Rap/R&B Top Five.

Considered a street classic by many, The War Report's signature sound was distinctively underground and hardcore for its time,
a trademark that garnered the group outstanding street credibility. The unique chemistry of Noreaga's unorthodox lyrical delivery
combined with Capone's streetwise slang, established the duo as a household name within the hardcore hip hop community. Furthermore, the album created a large and devoted cult following for the group, and launched the solo career of Noreaga, who subsequently went on to achieve a large degree of mainstream success (most notably with the Neptunes-produced club anthem "Superthug").
More importantly, The War Report is often credited with reviving East Coast and hardcore hip hop, signaling a return to realistic
and gritty hardcore street aesthetics (defined by unapologetic tales of violence and drugs) and spelling an end to the
surrealistic, ostentatious, and fictional narratives of Mafioso rap. Beginning in the end of 1996 and throughout 1997
(during the commercial height of Puff Daddy's pop-oriented Bad Boy Records), Mafioso hip-hop gradually lost its critical
acclaim within the underground scene from which it originated. As it crossed over into the mainstream, the concept was becoming
increasingly generic and comatose (as seen with the hip hop supergroup the Firm, which rhymed almost exclusively about Mafioso fan
tasies). Upon the release of The War Report, however, Capone and Noreaga brought new life into the gangsta rap sub-genre,
becoming an instant underground phenomenon that foreshadowed the rise of similarly styled emcees who went on to cross into
the mainstream for the remainder of the late 1990s (i.e. DMX and Ja Rule) and into the following decade (i.e. 50 Cent and
Jadakiss). On a side note, an interesting aspect of this album is the Islamic references made by Noreaga and Tragedy Khadafi.
"Allahu Akhbar, AlhamduliLah, AstagfirLah," among other forms of Islamic Dhikr, can be heard on various tracks throughout
the CD. Tragedy says "La ilaha ilaLah (ilaLah)" on "L.A. L.A." These are not references to traditional Islam, however,
because they are members of the Nation of Gods and Earths.

Tracklist:

01. Intro (1:32)
02. Bloody Money (4:33)
03. Driver's Seat (3:40)
04. Stick You (4:43)
05. Parole Violators (2:30)
06. Iraq (See The World) (feat. Castro, Musolini, Mendosa & Troy Outlaw) (5:33)
07. Live On Live Long (4:50)
08. Neva Die Alone (3:24)
09. T.O.N.Y. (Top Of New York) (4:28)
10. Channel 10 (3:21)
11. Capone Phone Home (Interlude) (1:43)
12. Stay Tuned (Interlude) (3:30)
13. Capone Bone (3:37)
14. Halfway Thugs (3:13)
15. L.A., L.A. (Kuwait Mix By Marley Marl) (4:49)
16. Capone -N- Noreaga Live (Interlude) (2:43)
17. Illegal Life (3:49)
18. Black Gangstas (2:59)
19. Closer (3:31)
20. Capone Phone Home (Outro) (1:33)