"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
