Always known for tackling controversial topic matter, the group’s sophomore project, Masters Of The Dark Arts, (which recently was a top 100 debut on the Billboard Charts) finds them once again in torch-bearing mode, addressing subjects that most artists shy away from as ILL BILL illustrates “as conceptually and musically dark as this album appears to be, there’s also a flip side layer to it that you may not notice until you listen to it a few times. Masters Of The Dark Arts is a storm before the calm and a celebration of the good things in life that can only be achieved by walking directly into the heart of darkness and facing your inner demons head on.”

While the group’s roster has been trimmed slightly due to Everlast having to leave the group (for personal reasons), La Coka Nostra returns re-invigorated “I think we approached Masters Of The Dark Arts with a chip on our shoulder and really took it back to our original mission of hardcore Hip-Hop amidst all the circus bullshit that is so prevalent in the current landscape of the genre. We are aware of the perception that somehow the group has suffered a loss we can’t recover from and in response we made an album that is the most conceptually focused and hardest hitting soundscape in the group’s history” Slaine asserts.

Super-groups are a tough call. Most of the time these things get planted as an idea that never comes to fruition, and other times the idea is milked for all it’s worth. The Gravediggaz, for instance, released an arguably classic album with 6 Feet Deep, only to lose a member – and a degree of quality – with each consecutive release. La Coka Nostra has suffered somewhat of a similar fate, as a series of their early mixtapes boasted a line-up including Danny Boy, Everlast, Muggs, Slaine, Ill Bill, Psycho Realm, DJ Lethal, Swollen Members, and other members of the Soul Assassins and Non-Phixion crews. By the time their first album, A Brand You Can Trust, dropped – membership had scaled back a bit, and with it’s follow-up, Masters Of The Dark Arts, it’s just been narrowed down to essentially Slaine and Ill Bill. However it just so happens that these two are the group’s most lyrically able members, so this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

That being said, there are times when these two completely nail it – such as on the opening track, “My Universe”, featuring Vinnie Paz and a brooding Rakim sample provided by Statik Selektah. The DJ Premier-helmed “Mind Your Business” also stands out, as the duo address internet fans and Twitter rumors, giving a rare glimpse into the men behind the mic. Later on “Malverde Market”, they examine the bloody drug wars currently plaguing Mexico, a politically charged topic mostly untouched in hip-hop.

However the absence of the Soul Assasins crew is felt, as Everlast’s blue-eyed soul singing added something to the group’s grim subject matter. The same can be said for that of B-Real, Muggs and Alchemist, who even if they only contributed in small doses, helped round out the sound of group. Much of the production is overly abrasive, with tracks like “Creed of The Greedier” and “Masters of The Dark Arts” just short of ending with broken glass or gunshot sound effects. This isn’t always a bad thing though, such as on the Ill Bill produced “Letter To Ouisch”, which almost has a Dre & Cube “Natural Born Killers” feel to it.

All in all, this might have been better marketed as an Ill Bill and Slaine collabo record. Both are strong emcees with enough cred to sell the album on name recognition alone, and would avoid the disappointment of a paired down La Coka Nostra. After all, it’s a brand we’ve grown to trust.

From Masters Of The Dark Arts, hitting July 31st.

(Produced by DJ PREMIER) – Directed by J.F. Martin/Tom Vujcic for Reel Wolf Productions – Cinematography by Dave Stuart – Executive Produced by Amir Radi – Taken from the forthcoming album “MASTERS OF THE DARK ARTS” LP In Stores JULY 31st, 2012.

Always known for tackling controversial topic matter, the group’s sophomore project, Masters Of The Dark Arts, (release date 7-31-2012) finds them once again in torch-bearing mode, addressing subjects that most artists shy away from as ILL BILL illustrates “as conceptually and musically dark as this album appears to be, there’s also a flip side layer to it that you may not notice until you listen to it a few times. Masters Of The Dark Arts is a storm before the calm and a celebration of the good things in life that can only be achieved by walking directly into the heart of darkness and facing your inner demons head on.”

While the group’s roster has been trimmed slightly due to Everlast having to leave the group (for personal reasons), La Coka Nostra returns re-invigorated and fresh off of a recently completed seventeen-city European tour which saw them rock crowds in eleven different countries “I think we approached Masters Of The Dark Arts with a chip on our shoulder and really took it back to our original mission of hardcore Hip-Hop amidst all the circus bullshit that is so prevalent in the current landscape of the genre. We are aware of the perception that somehow the group has suffered a loss we can’t recover from and in response we made an album that is the most conceptually focused and hardest hitting soundscape in the group’s history” Slaine asserts.

La Coka Nostra’s Masters Of The Dark Arts will impact on 7-31-2012 and be released by Fat Beats Records.

Tracklisting and credits for La Coka Nostra’s Masters Of The Dark Arts:

1.) “My Universe” f/ Vinnie Paz (produced by Statik Selektah)
2.) “Creed Of The Greedier” (produced by Sicknature)
3.) “המוסד” (produced by DJ Lethal & Scott Stallone)
4.) “Mind Your Business” (produced by DJ Premier)
5.) “Electronic Funeral” f/ Sean Price (produced by Beat Butcha)
6.) “The Story Goes On” (produced by DJ Lethal)
7.) “Letter To Ouisch” (produced by ILL BILL & DJ Lethal)
8.) “Snow Beach” f/ Thirstin Howl the 3rd (produced by Jack Of All Trades)
9.) “The Eyes Of Santa Muerte” ft/ Sick Jacken (produced by ILL BILL)
10.) “Murder World” (produced by C-Lance)
11.) “Coka Kings” f/ Vinnie Paz (produced by C-Lance)
12.) “.38 револьвер” f/ Big Left (produced by Sicknature)
13.) “Malverde Market” (produced by ILL BILL)
14.) “Masters Of The Dark Arts” (produced by DJ Lethal)
15.) “Everybody Down” f/ Jaysaun & Q-Unique (produced by C-Lance) ***iTunes Bonus Track
16.) “No Hay Tiempo Para Mañana” f/ Outerspace (produced by C-Lance) ***iTunes Bonus Track)

Second leak from the forthcoming La Coka Nostra Masters Of The Dark Arts album. In Stores July 10, 2012 on Fat Beats Records.

From La Coka Nostra’s Spring 2012 LP, Masters of The Dark Arts. Directed by NO/FI, produced by Ill Bill.
]]> http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/12/26/la-coka-nostra-malverde-market-video/feed/ 7 http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/08/09/tragedy-khadafi-narcotic-lines/ http://www.hiphopsite.com/2011/08/09/tragedy-khadafi-narcotic-lines/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:38:10 +0000 http://www.hiphopsite.com/?p=37218

Fellow Juice Crew member and Hip-Hop icon, Tragedy Khadafi is set to release a new mixtape on September 20th, 2011. Thug Matrix 3 features Killa Sha with production by: AraabMUZIK, Shroom, Audible Doctor, Now & Laterz, and Ayatollah.

LISTEN: Tragedy Khadafi – “Narcotic Lines”

It’s been a long time coming, but they’ve finally got it all wrapped up. The final art, tracklist and street date for Q-Unique’s Between Heaven and Hell dropping September 7th on Fat Beats Records

TRACK LISTING:
1) Paradise & The Abyss Intro
2) Listening Problem
3) Crack Era (cuts by DJ Presto One)
4) Mr. Lopez
5) Green Grass
6) Between Heaven And Hell Prologue
7) Just Because (featuring Cashis & Realm Reality)
8) Man Of God
9) Questions (featuring D Stroy & Freestyle)
10) On My Block (featuring D Stroy)
11) Conspiracy Theory (featuring Freestyle & D Stroy)
12) Gutter Talk (featuring Jise)
13) Dead Roses
14) Between Heaven & Hell (featuring Psycho Realm)(cuts by DJ FM)
15) Dark Knight (featuring Ill Bill & Jise)
16) Bk, Bx, Bk (cuts by DJ Eclipse)
17) The Brute Squad (featuring Mr. Hyde & Ching Rock)
18) No Turning Back (featuring Slaine & Jise)

Here is the lead single from Slaine and Leedz Edutainment, off the new mixtape The Write Off Vol 1. The mixtape has features from Slaine, Ritehook, Sicknature, XL and more. This track “King Villian” was produced by Sicknature and the video was directed by Timmy Slices. Check out the video above and download the mixtape or the single below.

Slaine – “King Villian” (MP3)

Leedz Edutainment – “The Write Off Vol. 1″ (Mixtape)

Above is the cover art for the forthcoming new LP from La Coka Nostra / Arsonists member Q-Unique, Between Heaven & Hell LP. The album is set for a summer release on Necro’s Psycho+Logical-Records, and has been in production since 2008. The first video released from it was “Rise Above”, as seen below.

New music from the La Coka Nostra fam seeps out, once again featuring the trio of Ill Bill, Slaine, and Q-Unique. Not quite the “Imperial March”, but just as sinister.

Slaine + Ill Bill + Q-Unique – “Science of The Trife” (MP3)

New track from rapper Jimmy Powers featuring La Coka Nostra’s Slaine. This will appear as a bonus track on Jimmy Powers new album Cali-Foreigner.

LISTEN: Jimmy Powers + Slaine (of La Coka Nostra) – “Classless”

In many cases, the idea of a super-group never comes to fruition, it just creates a lot of hype, and usually a handful of dope posse cuts that never amount to a full length. We’ve all been excited by the ideas of Golden State Warriors (Xzibit, Ras Kass, Saafir), Murder Inc (Jay-Z, Ja Rule, & DMX), CRS (Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell), The Orphanage (Aesop Rock, Slug, Blueprint, Eyedea), and the list goes on. History has shown us some success with full-length records released by each  The Gravediggaz, Dr. Octagon, The Firm and most recently Slaughterhouse. La Coka Nostra – a group with so many members it seemed impossible – can also be added to that list.

In theory, this seems like a perfect idea for these artists to reinvent themselves. Considering that some of the older members of this crew are well past their prime, it doesn’t hurt them to be collaborating with today’s younger talent. Say what you will about Everlast, for instance, but the man has transcended his humble beginnings in Rhyme Syndicate, blew the door open with House of Pain, and flipped the script completely with his Whitey Ford projects. La Coka Nostra is no different, as he once again finds a niche for himself, treading the line between blues-singer (“The Stain”, “Cousin Of Death”) and pistol-packing, Illuminati-fearing, street-hop emcee. His presence hear rounds out the group as a whole, lending a brand of soul to the music that saves it from simply being a collection of posse cuts.

Slaine is the other stand out artist of the crew, who’s wicked Bah-stin accent and intricately penned poetics help him steal the show every time (“Hardcore Chemical”, “Brujeria”). With so many members however, it does make it harder for everyone to shine. While Danny Boy is the founder of the group, and does hold it down next to his peers, at times he gets lost in the shuffle. Ill Bill on the other hand, what he lacks the poetic brilliance of Slaine or the old soul of Everlast, he makes up for in his over-the-top, politically-incorrectness (“Fuck Tony Montana”) and conspiracy theorizing (“I’m An American”).

While the album has a solid string of concepts and well written songs, where it falls short is in the production. Considering DJ Muggs was an original member of this group, his absence here speaks very loudly as the other producers pick up the slack. DJ Lethal heads up most of the production, while second-tier producers like Q-Unique, Sicknature, and Cynic handle the rest, but this group of multi-talented emcees deserves better. The lone Alchemist track, “Choose Your Side” (feat. Bun B) steals the show, with a night-and-day difference in production value, as Al’s hypnotic, middle-eastern tinged track is easily the best song on the album.

Additional guest spots from B-Real (“I’m An American”) and Snoop Dogg (“Bang Bang”) help round the project out, but at the end of the day, something seems missing. Much of the group’s previously recorded material released before the album outshines what’s here, however it’s surprising and equally impressive that they were able to complete this album in the first place. Whether in the sum of it’s parts or equally as a whole, still, La Coka Nostra more or less lives up to their promise. – DJ Pizzo

Not quite a video, more like a commercial for the song, but this is the first place you’ll hear it. Dope however, now if Everlast, Ill Bill, Slaine, and the crew could get this damn album out. Slaine is killing ‘em on this one. – DJ Pizzo