Capone-n-noreaga-war report 2 review

You know when Capone-N-Noreaga dropped their last album “Channel 10” it was dope as their previous but sounded too commercial on some ends of it and then comes word of another album oh I dunno called “The War Report 2: Report the War”. And all the hype begun sprouting like sunflower seeds being spit from the stoop on a summer day. Then a few month stuff start coming out and the lead single “Thug Planet” dropped featuring Tragedy Khadefi protege Imam Thug and Musaliny, and it proved the joint was a certified hood banger and another testament to Queens Hip-Hop legacy.

From the moment the 1st song drops you feel Capone-N-Noreaga chemistry is their and it's shown largely on “Pain” and “My Attribute” but other songs like 90's rap trio The LOX bring the Yonkers' heat with “Bodega Stories” and all the emcees spit things that saw or at the bodega, and any hood kid knows how things be by the bodega. Two of my favorite tracks so far has to be “Favor for a Favor” cuz it's a story of how things go in cycles and you never know how the cycle is gonna fall on any given day and the other track is the hotly anticipated “With Me” featuring Nas and it's because of Nas being on the hook with a somewhat sounding vintage verse NORE claims it's from the vaults but who really knows, still all in all the song is ill as hell.

All in all this is a sequel that's up their with their debut just a lil short, be regardless “The War Report 2” is definitely another dope record by Capone-N-Noreaga and they told the stories, spit the hard bars, talked the trash and spoke on everything they have to still remain on top even with some flaws this is a solid 4 out of 5 stars. I know many fans will argue that it ain't the “War Report 2” without Tragedy Khadefi and even so it's still dope hiip hop record regardless.

4 out of 5 stars

Sheepish

Didnt enjoy the unecessary long Obituary, there both rhyming great together though, I need that TONY II soon. Review it later

my review after 3 listens:

1. Pain Prod by Alchemist

Sick intro to the joint....a nice ass alchemist banger comes on and heartfelt lyrics from both Nore and Pone.........4.5/5

2. Bodega Stories ft. the LOX Prod by Scram Jones

Sick beat from Scram as usual ........bit simplistic....but still illy......the lox come thru wit great verses from each member.....sheek is my fav on this....4.5/5

3. Dutches vs. Phillies vs. Bamboo ft. Raekwon Prod by Scram Jones

An even better beat from Scram........straight grimey lyrics from rae NO and pone........i feel NO took this one tho....one of my fav trax on the album.........5/5

4. My Attribute prod by Dready

Not feeling this one as much just bc of the chorus being repeated after each bar....still a pretty good beat by dready....sounds dr. dreish........like Pone on this one............3.5/5

5. Favor for a Favor Prod by BT

A sick ass BT beat......he's starting to release some heat behind the boards......almost has an egyptian sound to it.........desert sound to it just like Dutches vs. Phillies vs. Bamboo.......Pone and NO rippin it up.......4.5/5

6. Hood Pride ft. Faith Evans Prod by Neo da Matrix

typical single type material....dont like the hook.....not WR worthy.......beat pretty commercial.....least fav track on the album...........3/5

7. Tha Reserves ft. Raekwon Prod by Tha Bizness

Sick joint.......weird beat by grimey as hell...rae on the hook........pone and NO's verses both on point.........4/5

8. With Me ft. Nas Prod by Buckwild

Sick beat by Buckwild......Nas on the hook.........all 3 rippin this joint......5/5

9. Live on Live Long Pt. 2 Prod by SPK?

Def on of my favorite Joints on the album........usually pt 2's are underwhelming but not this one.......heartfelt lyrics from both NO and Pone.....show Trag mad love......5/5

10. The Oath ft. Raekwon and Busta Rhymes Prod by Hazardis Soundz

My favorite Joint on the album.....sick concept and just sick ass beat.......knew Hazardis could produce based on the mixtapes....but nothing like this......Rae took this one for me....but all verses were standouts in my eyes......5/5

11. Brother from Another Prod by Kyze?

Another standout track with NO and Pone speaking on how they are basically brothers and that they'd do nething for each other......great track.....5/5

12. Thug Planet ft. Imam Thug and Musaliny Prod by Tony Heathcliff

First street single for the album and a grimey ass one.....like Imam 's energy........sick grimey beat that also has that desert feel to it.....atleast 2 me....4.5/5

13. Scarface Prod by AraabMuzik

Sick beat prod by Camrons dude Araabmuzik.....hard hitting Bass......would thump in the trunk ...........CNN sounding hungry and ill like 97 again....4.5/5

14. The Corner ft. Avery Storm Prod by M3

I like this song....not a hard beat but nice street lyrics and the singing by Avery sounds good......4.5/5

15. Obituary Prod by DJ Green Lantern

shouting out all their buddies that have passed away...a bit long...but good ender IMO.......decent beat by Green Lantern......4/5

Overall a very good album.......sucks trag couldnt make it....but NO and Pones lyrics were very solid....the beats overall were pretty fucking ill.........only about 3 tracks I dont feel.....the rest are sick as fuck........Rae directed them real well.......he also came nice on his features......

Top 5 Tracks:
1. The Oath
2. Live on Live Long pt 2
3. Dutches vs. Phillies vs. Bamboo
4. With Me
5. Brother from Another

my rating.............66.5/75 = 89/100 = 4.45/5

Superior Album

"Not feeling this one as much just bc of the chorus being repeated after each bar....still a pretty good beat by dready....sounds dr. dreish........like Pone on this one............3.5/5"

Agreed, the constant chorus repeat reminds me of Wu's Life Changes

The Oath, Brother from another & Thug Planet are my favorite. I still have to listen to it to make up my mind. So far i think the album could have been better. The 2nd half is better than the first half.

my top 5
the oath
pain
dutches vs. phillies vs. bamboo
with me
bodega stories

How u gonna review the album after 3 listens? LOL wait a week or 2 or a month, let it soak in...u might not feel the same way about songs as u did when u first heard them...

nah im pretty sure ill feel the same way....just like i feel the same way bout songs like thug planet tha reserves bodega stories hood pride ..........all songs which have been out for basically 2 months

i think the could have added 1st degree murder and kick it to em to this and it would have been that much better

After witnessing the success of Raekwon’s classic sequel album “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II,” many ’90s Hip Hop icons quickly began to follow suit and announced their own upcoming sequel albums. First we experienced the debacle that was Fat Joe’s “J.O.S.E. 2″ and shortly after that release in 2009, we were attacked by the killer Hip Hop sequels (with announcements that included AZ “Doe or Die 2,” Cappadonna “The Pillage 2,” Killah Priest “Heavier Mental,” Busta Rhymes “Extinction Level Event 2,” and GZA “Liquid Swords 2″ among many others).

When I first heard Capone-N-Noreaga announce they were working on “The War Report 2″ back in September of 2009, I was very skeptical (especially after they had just released their third and very wack album, “Channel 10,” in March of 2009, fully equipped with auto-tuned hooks and hand clap sounds in their beats). I honestly couldn’t fathom them living up to the classic stature that is associated with their 1997 highly acclaimed debut album, “The War Report.” What drastically altered my opinion and anticipation was CNN’s signing with Raekwon’s independent label, Ice H20 Records. That particular chess move was ultimately what solidified this sequel to become great. Check mate.

Be sure to read the rest of this album review after the jump…




“The Oath” by Capone-N-Noreaga (ft. Raekwon & Busta Rhymes) [prod. by Hazardis Soundz]

Capone-N-Noreaga released their undeniably classic album “The War Report” on June 17, 1997, during the height of Puff Daddy’s commercial success, as he went on to win a Grammy for his debut #1 album “No Way Out,” which dropped only two weeks later. Amidst the glitz and glamour that began to seep its way into Hip Hop that year, CNN and Tragedy Khadafi joined forces to fabricate one of the hardest and grittiest sounding records of all time, breaking the mold and garnering commercial success as well.

Ironically (or maybe not so much), ‘Pone and N.O.R.E. find themselves in the same predicament again in 2010 with actor/R&B singers posing as emcees owning the charts. Going against the grain of auto-tuned features from pop singers as well as guest appearances from out-of-towners, CNN created a truly gully New York street album in “The War Report 2.” With features from the likes of Raekwon, Nas, Busta Rhymes, The LOX, Imam Thug, and Musaliny, they summoned the core essential New York soldiers to accompany them into battle.



The album begins with an intro of explosions and gun fire which transitions into some military veterans describing the emotional and psychological effects war can have on people. We then immediately hear the sinister thumping of kicks and snares from The Alchemist on his ominous instrumental for the track “Pain.” CNN aggressively obtain first blood in combat on this track as they emotionally reflect on various accounts of fallen comrades and terrible acts they’ve committed throughout their lives. The hardcore sound and tone of “The War Report 2″ becomes evident with the following two tracks coming from the studio boards of super producer Scram Jones who delivers two bass heavy, hard hitting, hypnotizing bangers with The LOX featured on the “Bodega Stories” and Raekwon on “Dutches vs. Phillies vs. Bamboo.”



Capone and Noreaga both shine throughout “The War Report 2″ as they spit street tales of crime, drugs, murder, incarceration, love, loyalty, despair, pride, regret, and sorrow. The album serves as a rugged account of how growing up in the projects can have adverse effects on people. Both Capone and Noreaga have been in and out of prison in their own lives and these experiences mold the content of their sequel. Noreaga described the creative process of “The War Report 2″ best in an interview with XXL Magazine earlier this year: “When you listen to ‘The Reunion’ we didn’t have those elements… When you listen to ‘Channel 10′ that was way far off so this is really going back to the basics you know what I’m sayin’? It’s going back to the basics just like ‘The War Report’ and that’s just makin’ fuckin’ music. Who cares if a chorus goes there or not, that’s just not what it is… Hip Hop is rhyme, nigga, we’ll figure it out later.”





“Brother From Another” by Capone-N-Noreaga (produced by Kyze)

Even their lead radio single “Hood Pride” featuring Faith Evans is a bass heavy, head banging hood anthem, wonderfully produced by Neo Da Matrix. One standout track is “With Me” featuring Nas with production from Buckwild where these three Queens legends rhyme about street loyalty. After hearing Nas and Damian Marley rhyme about the betterment of the world on “Distant Relatives,” it’s great to hear Nas back on his street shit rhyming the way he famously perfected in the mid ’90s. Another standout is “Live On Live Long Pt. 2″ where CNN dedicated this joint to their incarcerated friend Tragedy Khadafi (as opposed to the original which was dedicated to the then locked up Capone). We also get blessed with verses from original War Report contributors Imam Thug and Musaliny on “Thug Planet,” which boasts menacing and venomous production from Tony Heathcliff. One of the best joints on the album is “Brother From Another,” which explains the unique brotherly bond these two emcees have had for years and truly gives us incite into Capone and Noreaga’s friendship outside of Hip Hop.

Unfortunately, “The War Report 2″ is lacking two important pieces. The first being the influence and style of Tragedy Khadafi who was featured on half of the songs on the original War Report. Despite rumors of CNN using an old verse they had in the vault from Tragedy and the recent report on HipHopDX.com that Tragedy was released from prison seven months early and immediately began recording for this record, he is no where to be found on this sequel. The second piece void from this album is the highly anticipated and rumored track “T.O.N.Y. 2,” which was reported to have been produced by Just Blaze. It’s unclear if this song was actually made or not, but none-the-less it’s not on this LP (not even hidden).

Despite those shortcomings, “The War Report 2″ is one of the hardest street albums to come out of New York in quite some time. Unwavering in the creative process of this project, both Capone and Noreaga remind us what true New York Hip Hop is supposed to sound like. Upon first listen of this record, a sense of deja vu grasped me as I listened straight through sans interruption. For the first time since “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II,” I had the same exciting feeling of triumph I used to get in the ’90s when listening to classic New York Hip Hop. By no means is this sequel as good as its original counterpart, but it’s certainly ammunition for all those blood thirsty New York street soldiers who are sick and tired of the Rap & Bullshit (R&B) that has bogged them down in rhyme battle.

4/5 hiphop and bs review

Damn this is nice. First OBFCL2, now this?

Top 5: Pain, Dutches vs. Phillies vs. Bamboo, With Me, Live On Live Long Pt 2, The Oath (fav)

Grade: (4/5)

"It’s unclear if this song was actually made or not, but none-the-less it’s not on this LP (not even hidden)."

Shit aint no rumor, read the new XXL. They review that track praising Blaze's work and later confirmed by Raekwon as a iTunes bonus track

^not my review it's hiphopandbs review

Oh I know, wasnt too u portis

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jin10304

"It’s unclear if this song was actually made or not, but none-the-less it’s not on this LP (not even hidden)."

Shit aint no rumor, read the new XXL. They review that track praising Blaze's work and later confirmed by Raekwon as a iTunes bonus track

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I'm pretty sure Raekaon was bullshitting the fans again. I never trust what that guy says.

I do believe there is a T.O.N.Y 2 but it wont be released on itunes or anywhere anytime soon kinda like Rockstars.