[DOCUMENTARY] TRAGEDY - "The Story Of Queensbridgde"

For my two first posts of 2015, as well as taking this time to wish all of my readers a terrific new year ahead of us all, you know I had to come with the big guns. First out is something that many of y'all have probably seen before although i know me myself has been looking for the full version of this for a long ass time, since the versions I constantly found always cut off after 68 minutes or something like that and had French subtitles. I'm talking about the excellent Brook Simms 2005 documentary on Tragedy Khadafi, who you should know by now is one of my all time favorites, "Tragedy: The Story of Queensbridge". YouTube user Hallvard Fauske Ekdahl has uploaded the, in my opinion, ever made on Queensbridge hip-hop as Tragedy pretty much inspired the major players of QB, from the Juice Crew, to Nas, to CNN, to Mobb Deep, to Cormega, Killa Sha, and so on. The narrative takes us through Trag's young days working as The Super Kids with DJ Hot Day, as the solo artist Intelligent Hoodlum, with the major underrated classics "Intelligent Hoodlum" and "Saga of a Hoodlum" under his belt, to his work with Capone-N-Noreaga creating "The War Report" and his long running solo career as Tragedy Khadafi, and much more. If you've never seen this before you are in for a REAL TREAT, a major shout out to Ekdahl again for the upload, and also be sure to support Trag's new street album "Pre-Magnum Opus" which is out now on iTunes. The video won't embed so head over to the playlist (which also includes two bonus footage), and has an all over running tme of about 85 minutes.

"TRAGEDY - THE STORY SAGA OF QUEENSBRIDGE"

CAPONE-N-NOREAGA w. TRAGEDY & RAEKWON - "Foul 120"

Capone-N-Noreaga reunite with Tragedy Khadafi and Raekwon, their main collaborators from "The War Report" volume one and two, respectively. As expected Tragedy absolutely murders this beautiful hardcore beat, but they all came correct. Not sure who produced this but this beat got me HYPE! "Foul 120" is lifted from N.O.R.E.'s new EP "Militainment Presents DRINKS" which also features cameos from Busta Rhymes, Styles P, Mack Wilds, Troy Ave, Chinx Drugs and a bunch of singers and/or rappers that I've never hard of. Production is handled by The Alchemist, Scram Jones, Jahlil, SPK, etc. Check out "Foul 120" below, thanks to WTCFoLife Blog, and cop the nine track EP @ iTunes. You can also stream the project for free @ Spotify.

CAPONE N NOREAGA / SADAT X - "Bringing the Gods Back"

While I have a kind of ambivalent relationship to CNN, as I feel that their debut album is one of the finest hardcore hip-hop LP:s ever crated. and "The Reuion" was pretty dope too. Since then it's been up and down, I did ike "War Report 2" quite a bit, but its been a real long time snce we had a masterpiece from the camp, whether group or solo effort. That don't mean that they occassionaly pump out heavy bangers ona semi-regular basis; the latest being a new single featuring none other than the always incredible Sadat X who gives a memorable performance on ¨Bringing the God Back". Rumour says that this will appear on a new CNN album to drop in 2015, we'll see what happens with that but it's an exciting thought. Stay tuned!'

CNN Ft. CORMEGA & NATURE - "Rap Rushmore"

Queensbridge is in the house with this one! Capone-N-Noreaga grabs perhaps the artist of the year with Cormega a long with Nature (who had some of the best guest verses on "Mega Philosophy" for their new single. "Rap Rushmore" is produced by frequent CNN collaborator Hazardis Sound who does a great job bringing the necessary hardcore vibe to this giant lyrical meeting.

N.O.R.E. / Bumpy Knuckles - "Thiz Iz Hip Hop"

N.O.R.E.'s new Green Lantern hosted mixtape "Crack On Steroids" is now available and definitely has some gems. Production and features comes from a host of dope artists including RZA, Just Blaze, Raekwon, Styles P and others though the most interesting thing is the Bumpy Knuckles collaboration, "Thiz Iz Hip Hop". Laced by none other than DJ Premier too, so you know it's a banger!

N.O.R.E. x BUMPY KNUCKLES - "THIZ IZ HIP HOP"

Nutso Ft. Capone-N-Noreaga & Royal Flush

Here goes the new video from Nutso who provides that pure, uncut raw QB sound on this track called "Queens Galaxy" produced by SPKilla. Also features Royal Flush and what I believe to be the first Capone-N-Noreaga reunion since they broke up the group earlier this year. A verse by Tragedy Khadafi, who appears in the video to recite his sampled hook, would've catapulted this to even heigher heights! Thx to the homie Rob for the tip 'bout this one. EDIT: Just noticed the original version has Imam Thug in place of Capone.

C-N-N has disbanded

Yesterday Noreaga went on Twitter and publicly announced that his duo with Capone has officially been disbanded. "I'm not making another War Report album or another N.O.R.E. album; I'ma make the 1st S.U.P.E.R. T.H.U.G. album cuz that's what's good for now. C-N-N was a great group/ Time has changed and I must move on... Doesn't it hurt to watch a boxer still box when his heart isn't in it. That's what the group feels like right now", the Super Thug from Lefrak commented. I'm glad they at least went out with "The War Report II" as their final album instead of that horrible "Channel 10" LP; I think the former was a good enough album to honor their legacy with.

To say that I was a big fan of Capone-N-Noreaga would be a bit of an overstatement. I do think they had a unique style and chemistry that unfortunately often were wasted on wack beats that didn't fit them at all coupled with lazy performances. However when they got shit right, they got it RIGHT. Together with Tragedy Khadafi they managed to create one of the most classic hardcore hip-hop albums of the late '90s in "The War Report" and for that I will always respect them and their craft.

After reading the news on HipHopDX this morning I've been compiling a tracklist of some of their, imo, better music from their start in 1996 to last years mixtape crusade. I tried to stay clear from album material but I did include "Grand Royal" since I can't imagine people listening much to "Channel 10" either way; the Marley Marl produced "40 Island" was on "N.O.R.E." but to me it always sounded just like a "War Report" joint; "Gunz & Cash", produced by Buckwild, was found on the vinyl version of "The Reunion"; the Sam Sneed remix of "Closer" was available on the European version of "The War Report", though I always thought it to be the superior version and a much better way to end the album. There's a lot more goodies on here and all in all I think it's a great representation of CNN at their best, so TURN IT UP and enjoy!

01. "Intro: Stay Tuned"
02. "LA, LA [Marley Marl's Iraq Mix]" (Ft. Tragedy & Mobb Deep)
03. "Blood Money Pt. 2" (Ft. NaS & Nature)
04. "Gunz & Cash" (Ft. Final Chapter)
05. "Married to Marijuana"
06. "40 Island" (Ft. Kool G Rap & Musolini)
07. "Stomp Tha' Shit Out Ya" (Ft. M.O.P.)
08. "Grand Royal"
09. "1st Degree Murder" (Ft. Raekwon & Armageddon)
10. "Exhibit CNN" (Ft. DJ EFN)
11. "Kick It 2 'Em Man" (Ft. Tragedy & Imam THUG)
12. "Blood Money Pt. 3"
13. "Calm Down" (Ft. Tragedy)
14. "Real Live [K-Def's Thug Mix]" (Ft. Tragedy & Larry-O)
15. "Strange Fruit" (Ft. Tragedy, Pete Rock & Mekolicious)
16. "Closer [Sam Sneed Mix]"


CAPONE-N-NOREAGA - "THE TESTAMENT ('96-'11)"