THE STORY BEHIND CNN WAR REPORT

STREET HOP OUT/SHINY SUIT IN

To really understand how special Capone N Noreaga’s War Report album really was, You had to live through real time to really understand the climate. Ive said in many articles that Puff Daddy really changed the vanguard for not only New York City but for also hip hop culture period. The sad unfortunate demises of Tupac and Biggie during their prime due to their real life beef forced hip hop a turn to a different direction

Labels didn’t want nothing to do with “Gangster Rap” or “Reality Rap” out of fear of these artists getting killed so the over the top commercialism became the in thing. Puff Daddy along with Will Smith, Trackmasters, Wyclef Jean and many others led the charge with talented from the grit emcees like JayZ, Nas, Mic Geronimo even trying to follow the wave to keep up.

My Introduction to CAPONE N NOREAGA

I wasn’t really familiar with Capone N Noreaga. I do remember their album getting heavily promoted in The Source magazine. It was highly regarded as one of the most overlooked albums of 1997 because it stayed true to the hardcore Queensbridge/Mobb Deep sound that we’re known to love. It wasn’t until T.O.N.Y dropped was where I was pretty much sold. I hadn’t for one never heard a beat like that on T.O.N.Y. and the type of shit Tragedy Khadafi(More on him later), Noreaga, and Capone were saying left you with a hanger. The same way Prodigy had some of the illest lines, Those 3 had them here. Then not to mention LA LA where they were one of the few that really stood tall for NYC against the West Coast during the East/West beef.

The Story Behind War Report/NORE becoming a star

Unfortunately Capone got locked up during the record of this album so this left Noreaga to really carry the album on his own for the most part.. They recruited East Coast heavyweights such as Buckwild, EZ Elpee, Lord Finesse, Havoc, to provide the gritty street feel so you’re not gonna get no real commercial records. Nore has always had a unorfidox flow and delivery that has always worked for him, Capone had a raspy voice that was very distinct and Tragedy’s influence is definitely felt here as they focused on the theme of “War” with the sectors being labeled as Iraq, Kuwait. They had lighter records such as Capone Bone and Closer but it never shifted focus from the overall theme.

The LEGACY of War Report

War Report would be remember as one of those albums that kept NYC within the street element. NORE would later on become one of the biggest solo stars in hip hop the following year with his debut N.O.R.E. which would later open up doors for him to transition from artist to media personality. Capone on the other hand still stayed down with NORE despites the ups and downs and fall outs and would later come out with “The Reunion” album and also the sequel to the War Report a decade later. This album wasn’t a multi platinum seller but it captivated and kept the gritty energy flowing going into 1998(Which returned to the street element)