Capone N Noreaga "The War Report" (25th Anniversary)

As Capone-N-Noreaga -- which naturally translates into the clever initials CNN -- were recording their debut album, Capone was sent to jail, leaving Noreaga to handle the majority of The War Report himself, with the occasional help of such stars as Nas. It's a testament to the talents of both Capone and Noreaga that C's absence is barely felt and The War Report turns into a stellar debut. Both rappers have a distinctive rhythmic style and aren't afraid to deviate from traditional hardcore rap themes. Nor are they constrained by musical stereotypes, since The War Report explodes with impressionistic samples, gritty and evocative loops, and funky rhythms. The only thing that makes The War Report a disappointment is the knowledge that it would have been an even better album if Capone had been able to participate in the entire recording. As it stands, it's merely superb. - AllMusic. Over the years, we've learned a lot about what went into the making of the album, how Capone and Noreaga met, handled recording between bids; Tragedy Khadafi's role behind the scenes, and so-on. BUT, I'm happy to edit this post to include Noreaga's latest Drink Champs podcast with co-host DJ EFN because they paid tribute to the album on its 25th Anniversary and they dove much deeper. Capone and Noreaga are joined by the power players that were part of the creation of their debut album The War Report, guests like: Tragedy Khadafi, Neil Levine, Geno Sims, Marty Most, Gregory Taylor, and the one and only Busta Rhymes. Lots of great stories that you don’t want to miss! From Iraq to Kuwait... watch that Drink Champs episode HERE, and below you can (and should) revisit The War Report. Art above by the ever-talented Torre Pentel. 25 Years!

Hit the archives for samplers, mixes, reviews, VHS tapes and more...

J-Love x Capone-N-Noreaga "Still Reporting" (Mixtape, 2007)

This is J-Love's Still Reporting mixtape; a 2007 tribute to Capone-N-Noreaga's catalog that included joints from The War Report, The Reunion, and various (early) unreleased joints that came before their Channel 10 album 2 years later. East Coast hip-hop at its finest, you'll hear tracks with Tragedy Khadafi, Mobb Deep, E Money Bags, Royal Flush, Kool G Rap, Foxy Brown, Cormega, The LOX, Mary J. Blige and Nature. J-Love used to drop off boxes of his mixes at Fat Beats and this one of the joints that still stays in rotation, along with J-Love's early Nas' Finest and Mobb Misses joints. Props to the whole Queens, check this mix below and dig into the archives for more mixes...

Capone-N-Noreaga "The War Report" (June 17, 1997)

The War Report dropped at the height of Puffy and the Bad Boy crew's strangle hold on hip hop coming out of the Big Apple. Capone-N-Noreaga's gutter chemistry, the unorthodox lyrical delivery of Noreaga coupled with Capone's tales of street life and Five Percenter references, provided a sharp contrast to the fantastical mafioso rhymes of groups like The Firm. The album reinvigorated the East Coast and hardcore hip hop with its unapologetic tales of violence and drugs delivered with gritty honesty. The duo helped open doors for similarly styled MCs... and who can deny the effect Capone-N-Noreaga had on hip hop in the mid 90s. Check out "Bloody Money" and "T.O.N.Y." for reference and then peep the rest of the album. Don't forget about their response to Tha Dogg Pound's "New York, New York," the Mobb Deep and Tragedy Khadafi featuring "L.A, L.A." Speaking of Tragedy he's all over this album! This is a true classic of the 90s that ended up sparking a return to the realities of the streets for the East Coast. Reflecting on the album with MTV, the group had the following to share: "I'mma be honest: For years, I could never listen to The War Report," N.O.R.E. told MTV News. "It wasn't because I wasn't proud of it; it just brought up so much pain and so much hurt. To listen to it, I used to tear up. I used to think about Capone when he was gone [in jail]. I didn't just lose a partner, I lost a best friend. It's like not being able to use your right hand. When I listen to The War Report, it's bugged out. I'm talking about years of not being able to listen to The War Report. "I really didn't listen to the War Report album for a long time too," Capone said. "The War Report was a long time for me. Besides what he was going through and what I was going through, it was a lot of family stuff — losing my mother, getting shot. ... During War Report, I had to go to jail. I was on the clock. I was on the studio-time clock and the judge clock. Every day, knowing I was getting closer and closer to going to jail, you feel like, 'Why am I doing this? I'm about to go to jail. Nothing is promised to me. Why am I recording this?' - MTV. I've posted several reviews, postcards, VHS tapes, samplers, interviews and more surrounding CNN's The War Report - that said, dig into the archives for a lot more content and as always, do follow all the breadcrumbs!

 

I still love this album to death!

Capone-N-Noreaga "Blood Money" (VHS, 2000)

Blood Money is a promotional VHS tape released by Capone-N-Noreaga in 2000 ahead of their sophomore release, The Reunion, on Tommy Boy. The 30-minute street reel features music videos for "Blood Money Part 3," "T.O.N.Y.," "L.A. L.A.," and "Closer," as well as behind the scenes interviews with Capone in jail, on video sets, MTV, and more. 20 years later, it's now more of a companion piece to their classic debut album, The War Report, from 1997. Dig into the tags/archives below for other promo materials, album samplers, reviews and more from the legendary Queens crew, Capone-N-Noreaga. Props, ReelBlack, for the video - watch it below. Respect to Capone, Nore, and DJ EFN.

Capone-N-Noreaga "The War Report" (June 17, 1997)

Named after glorified/vilified outlaws, CNN are products of another desert storm, one centralized in the borough of Queens. What these two bring to battle are alert minds and even sharper tongues in lyrical maneuvers that involve attitudes of rah-rah proportions and scenes of underworld mayhem. Blessed with an exasperated flow and a penchant for choice Nuyorican Spanglish, Noreaga subscribes to O.C.'s work ethic: "the more emotion I put into it, the harder I rock." Hyper than any hype man, he performs double duty for his man Capone, who was incarcerated while making the record. Capone even calls from the joint on one realer-than-real skit. But, fortunately, he completed a large amount of the album and makes his presence felt through subdued, scabrous vocals. In fact, it's Capone's gritty voice that serves as a match to fuses like, "I did it for the love of cash, your honor/ trafficking cross the Verrazano/Coke and marijuana..." That line, from the tenacious "T.O.N.Y." is indicative of the many drug references throughout The War Report. Musically, CNN don't hold back, giving listeners a full-scale invasion with help from fellow Queens henchmen, most notably Khadafi, better known as Tragedy, the intelligent hoodlum. Almost every song is distinguished by choppy but memorable hooks similar to those made famous by QB homies Mobb Deep. It's only fitting that Havoc laces the duo with that static "Parole Violators," a simplified shot sure to make hard rocks smile. The moody "Married To Marijuana" showcases a solo Noreaga treading over tired ground. CNN basically follow the lead of many urban griots before them, reporting the horrors of street life. To critics who object, that's just how it is in America today - or better said, to quote Havoc, "And how it is... is kind of fucked up." - Rap Pages, June 1997. Hit the tags below for the album's review in The Source and XXL; the Next feature in Vibe; the Penalty Mixtape; Unsigned Hype; Vinyl, and lots more. The War Report was released on this day in the summer of '97, but it's the perfect album to carry us through a cold winter. Listen HERE.

Capone-N-Noreaga "Ya Heard! Vol.1" (The Penalty Mixtape)

A dope promo tape from Capone-N-Noreaga in '98, featuring released and unreleased tracks from "The War Report," as well as tracks from Noreaga's "N.O.R.E" album and a few other joints thrown in. The tape is awkwardly called "Ya Heard! Vol.1: The Penalty Mixtape;" mixed by Cipha Sounds & hosted by Funkmaster Flex who comes loud as can be on the mix, lol. Pics by me, but fortunately DJ Step One already has a nice copy of it on Mixcloud, so props to him for saving me the time ripping it, head over to his page for lots more content. Blast off with Funk Flex & Capone-N-Noreaga, enjoy "Calm Down," "Married To Marijuana," "Blood Money" and other dope throwbacks. Listen to it below...

This was one of my favorite promo tapes at the time.

Capone-N-Noreaga "Next" Feature (Vibe, 1997)

I discussed my appreciation for the 'Next' features in Vibe on a post about Jay-Z recently, today I am back with Capone-N-Noreaga, who were featured roughly 6 months after Hov. Ironically, Capone-N-Noreaga's debut album, 'The War Report,' was the first CD I ever bought and I copped it on Woodhaven Boulevard, a few blocks from the Lost Battalion (and Lefrak) where I met Nore in the 90s. I never wanted to leave cassettes (or vinyl) behind, but I was already a few years behind technology.  In Queens, 'The War Report' was the album you heard from every car once you hit the boulevard. From 'T.O.N.Y.' to album cuts like 'Live On Live Long,' it was everywhere. Instead of discussing the album, however, I wanna share the one remix that I especially liked and wasn't included on the album, the Sam Sneed version of 'Closer.' It got me thinking, how hard it must've been to complete and promote the album with 1/2 the crew behind bars. The 'Closer' remix was a logical choice as the 3rd single, since it was one of Nore's solo joints from the album. Oh, and while I made the shift from cassettes to CDs in '97, it was the cassette single that gave me the remix!

Capone-N-Noreaga "The War Report" (XXL, Classic Material)

"During the mid-90s, East Coast hip-hop was in danger. The G-funk era was in full swing, and California artists were dominating the charts. To top things off, East Coast-West Coast tensions were at an all-time high, which culminated in 1995 when Tha Dogg Pound and Snoop dropped "New York, New York," a bold diss record complete with a video featuring them kicking down NYC landmarks. Despite the blatant disrespect, East Coast artists remained quiet - that is, until Capone-N-Noreaga (C-N-N), a pair of up-and-coming MCs from Queens who met in 1992 while serving time in jail as juveniles, decided enough was enough. The result was the scathing answer record, "LA, LA," featuring Mobb Deep and Tragedy, in 1996. "There was so much of a demand for an East Coast response to "New York, New York," says Nore today. "So, we threw "LA, LA" out there and people would not stop playing that record. It had a life of its own." Peep the visuals below...

"With the huge buzz generated from the single, the stage was set for C-N-N's highly anticipated debut LP, The War Report. Problem was, Capone caught a weapons-possession charge in the middle of recording and got sent to prison for three years. So, Noreaga was forced to finish the album on his own. Upon the project's release in June 1997, critics hailed it as a breath of fresh air for East Coast hip-hop, and fans agreed, propelling sales past the gold mark. "It was kinda crazy, recalls Capone. "I went to jail without any kinda recognition, and then it's like, I wake up one morning and there I was on TV. I watched my career progress without me even being there." Having branched off into credible solo careers, the Queens co-d's reunite to report on the album that helped bring the East back in the house. Oh, my God!" - XXL. Check out track breakdowns from C-N-N below...

Capone-N-Noreaga "The Reunion" (Vibe, 10/00)

"It's been a long time since we've heard Capone and Noreaga together on one album. After their debut, The War Report, dropped in 1997, Capone's legal problems landed him back on the Rock while Nore made a rap star out of himself with two solo records. The Reunion rekindles the magic that first made people love them. This time, CNN are more polished but no less thugged out. Case in point: "Bang Bang" is a chaotic mix of sampled voices and machine-filtered beats with "We're gonna thug this shit out" as a hook. "Gunz and Cash" and "Brothers" mesh smacking snares, solemn bass lines, and spaghetti western-style strings into a hood's-eye view of the wild streets of CNN's hometown, Queens, N.Y." Check out the visuals to "Y'all Don't Wanna" (Updated) // cont'd below...

"CNN show some thematic versatility on songs like "Phone Time" - a faux phone conversation from jail that muffles Capone's voice like the Firm's "Phone Tap" - and "Full Steezy," his ruffneck ballad. Fans of Capone's monotone style and graphic lyrics will be disappointed by his limited appearances on the album, and CNN's standard thug chants get a bit tiring, but overall the duo gives us the volatility we all expect." - Vibe Magazine (October 2000). You can check the full album review below...

Capone-N-Noreaga In The Source (May, 1997)

"After making their initial splash on the Queensbridge, all-star studded single, "LA, LA," featuring Mobb Deep, and Tragedy, Capone-N-Noreaga continue to infiltrate the rap game with further correspondences from the frontlines of urban warfare. Motherf#ck cable, CNN are a word warrior tag team whose roots span across the rough-hewn plains of the Q-borough, bridging Capone's foundation of realness, The Bridge (a/k/a Kuwait), with Noreaga's homebase of operations, Lefrak City (a/k/a Iraq), in a compelling crosstown Black-Latino connection. If the duo's associates, Mobb Deep, deliver a convincing portrait of hell on earth, think of CNN's environment as the earth in hell. Going out blasting, taking their enemies with them, Capone-N-Noreaga's well executed debut, The War Report, blazingly demonstrates that crime rap in the hands of the right thugs can be a plot beyond kidnapping the president's wife without a plan... CNN's transmissions were temporarily interrupted when Capone was recently sent on an impromptu up north trip for undisclosed reasons. With his partner unavailable, Noreaga discussed the unleashing of CNN's dramatics and mathematics to living rooms worldwide..." You can read the full interview, up above, definitely check it out... originally from The Source, May 1997. Below is an MTV interview from July 1998 after the release of "The War Report" and the "N.O.R.E." album, with an exclusive jail interview with Capone. Check it out...

CNN "Married To Marijuana bw Calm Down" (12", 1999)

This an unofficial pressing of Capone-N-Noreaga's "Married To Marijuana" and "Calm Down," unreleased joints from around The War Report days, and "Yo!" from Sadat X. I'm especially thankful for the instrumentals, since the vocal versions had been floating around for some years. Otherwise, "Calm Down" was my favorite track on this 12", featuring Tragedy Khadafi & Nas. The rumor had been that Nas (allegedly) had issues with Tragedy removing E-Money Bag's verse from the record, so he wouldn't clear the record for Capone-N-Noreaga to use on "The War Report." To smooth it over, Nas put Noreaga on The Firm album with his breakthrough track, "I'm Leaving." Afterall, his problem wasn't with Noreaga. That worked out to Nore's benefit as it helped jumpstart his solo career, and was the gateway to a lot more money. In the end, "Calm Down" is still very dope! Listen to it below...

Capone-N-Noreaga "The War Report" (The Source Review)

"Although their monikers are adopted from a gangster and drug lord, Capone-N-Noreaga have with their full-length debut, The War Report, avoided the usual hustler-on-the-corner, I'll-murder-your-ass-for-two-cent narratives found in the rap game, and created a sound that can best be described as organized confusion. Combining Third World admiration with their Americanized ghetto stories, splashed with a touch of Islamic and Spanish overtones, this Queens-bred duo have not only created new styles, but created their own chaotic new world. Unfortunately, reality struck during the recording process of putting their investigative reports on wax. With his partner locked away somewhere in the belly of the beast, Noreaga is forced to carry the weight by himself for the majority of this LP. And he does an admirable job. Whether it's his tribute to his partner and other incarcerated homies ("Live On"), or his cold-blooded indicted of studio gangsters ("Halfway Thugs"), Nore proves that he's CNN even he's by himself..." Peep the beef-driven "LA, LA," cont'd below...

"Despite these highlights, it's not surprising that the tracks that Capone recorded before his untimely up-north trip are the best of the bunch. The triumphant single "T.O.N.Y. (Top Of New York)," and the dark and deadly "Neva Die Alone," reveal the duo's charismatic chemistry, while the Marley Marl produced "Capone Bone" features the QB soldier on a solo mission for the ladies... The War Report is one of the most promising debuts in recent times. Let's hope that CNN survive hell on earth and, in the future, are able to deliver more award-winning broadcasts." - The Source, 5/97

Capone-N-Noreaga "T.O.N.Y." (Review, 1997)

"T.O.N.Y." was the 3rd - and most successful - single release by Capone-N-Noreaga in promotion of their debut album, "The War Report," in 1997 on Penalty Records. The Source featured the single in their Sure Shot Singles section, where Elliot Wilson gives a full breakdown of the record, saying: "To the uninitiated, Capone-N-Noreaga are that other dope-ass duo coming out of the Q borough. Backed by the constant support of their mentor and guiding force, Tragedy, the C N' N crew continue to deliver their brand of street news from an uncompromising, rotten apple perspective. After first garnering attention on the controversial "LA, LA," and then hitting the masses with the double-sided, underground pavement shaker, "Illegal Life/Stick You," the Lefrak-Queensbridge connection are now ready to attack the rap world on a national level. The first offering from their upcoming full-length, War Report, is "T.O.N.Y. (Top Of New York)." Watch the video below, cont'd...

"Produced by Bad Boy entertainment upstart Nashiem Myricks, this ominous but melodic track fits the two MC's perfectly. While many of you are already enamored by Noreaga's word association style poetics, his raspy-voiced, no-nonsense partner Capone also comes equipped to spray the hip-hop nation. He vividly adds his own fresh perspective on the hustling lifestyle: "I did it for the love of cash, your honor / Trafficking across the Verrazano, coke dealing, marijuana / See my persona, glitters in gold / Unlike them other money getters who stack, turn quitters and fold." Continuing to establish themselves as one of rap's most promising duos, Capone N Noreaga are putting together a musical program that you don't want to miss. Stay tuned." You can read the full review below.

Capone-N-Noreaga "Unsigned Hype" (October, 1995)

"By now everyone should be familiar with the resurgence Queens has made in the hip-hop arena. In particular, Queensbridge has played a major role (Mobb Deep, Nas), and with artists like Capone-N-Noreaga waiting in the wings, it doesn't appear that the borough's most notorious area will be falling off any time soon. By just glancing at the names of these two brothas, you can quickly figure out what type of vibe they're on. In the same vein as Nas Escobar and the Wu-Gambinos, this two man crew is strictly on some kingpin, "on top of the world" shit. But the topics aren't limited to drug deals and blastin' their way to the top; they focus more on the good things acquired once the pinnacle is reached... With a flow that resembles their Queensbridge counterparts, only more laid-back, Capone & Noreaga create vivid descriptions of the good life on their tracks "Creme" & "1/2 A Mill." Amazingly, the list of all that can be acquired when life is good seems to never end, as the two never get repetitive when listening to all that they've earned... Capone & Noreaga's most beneficial quality could be the tight production that accompanies their modest but vivid rhyme styles. With laid back tracks topped with thick baselines, the crew's potential to impress rap fans outside of their region is unlimited." (Unsigned Hype, The Source 10/95). Listen to the "1/2 a Mill" demo below.

Capone-N-Noreaga "Stick You" (Review, 1996)

"Capone and Noreaga, the Queensbridge stick-up kids who introduced their skills on "L.A., L.A.," return with their first joint for dolo, "Stick You," an epic saga of a drug deal gone bad and the fatal consequences suffered by the Dominican drug lord who double crosses the C&N Crew. The track starts off with an ominous sounding rainstorm in the background, as Capone and Noreaga (plus special guest MC Tragedy) discover that the product they've bought off their supplier is less than dope. The rain continues as a drum track kicks in and then a sparse piano loop sets the tone for some tales from the criminal side." Hear the 2nd single from "The War Report" below, con'td below...

"From the simple piano loop to the chant that ends the song - "Not your ordinary shit / Thug shit that you're used to / Q.U. / We stick you" - "Stick You" has an undeniable Mobb Deep influence. MCs Capone and Noreaga have obviously studied their Queensbridge predecessors and now want to follow in their footsteps. "Stick You" is a step in this direction, another dose of those patented criminology rhymes that put their section back on the map." - The Source (August, 1996). (Updated)