Capone-N-Noreaga
| Company type | Hip hop duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Queens, New York , United States |
| Products | Hip hop music, albums |
Capone-N-Noreaga—often abbreviated as C-N-N—is a hip hop duo originating from Queens, New York, established in 1995. The group consists of two prominent East Coast rappers, Capone and N.O.R.E..
History
In October 1995, Capone-N-Noreaga gained early recognition through a feature in The Source magazine’s "Unsigned Hype" section. By 1996, they had signed with Neil Levine’s Penalty Recordings. However, before their debut album was completed, Capone was incarcerated due to a parole violation. During his absence, Noreaga finalized The War Report with assistance from notable New York hip-hop artists such as Mobb Deep and Tragedy Khadafi. The album achieved both critical praise and commercial success, playing a role in the East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry by responding to West Coast duo Tha Dogg Pound’s track "New York, New York" with their own "L.A L.A."
Their sophomore effort, The Reunion, was released in 2000 under Tommy Boy Records. Despite featuring collaborations with high-profile artists, the album received mixed critical feedback. Promotion suffered due to Capone’s incarceration on gun possession charges prior to the release. In 2001, the duo signed with Def Jam Recordings, yet Tommy Boy retained ownership of the names Capone-n-Noreaga and Noreaga because of outstanding recordings. This led to a rebranding as CNN, while Noreaga adopted the moniker N.O.R.E. for his solo projects. The pair recorded New Religion in 2003; its lead single "Yes Sir" was released but did not achieve commercial success, resulting in the album being shelved. A compilation titled "What Up 2 Da Hood Thugged Out" followed in 2004.
Later that year, Capone-N-Noreaga were reportedly connected to a non-lethal shooting incident involving rival factions including rapper Lil' Kim, occurring outside New York’s Hot 97 radio station (WQHT). Both members denied any involvement and were not charged. Early in 2005, Def Jam released Capone from their roster while retaining N.O.R.E.; that same year Capone debuted his solo album Pain, Time, and Glory.
By 2006, N.O.R.E. suggested a possible reunion and new material from the duo. They subsequently dropped the mixtape Back on That Q.U. Shit on June 12, 2008. Their third studio album, Channel 10, arrived on March 17, 2009, featuring production by DJ Premier, Havoc, The Alchemist, among others. The lead single "Rotate" included guest appearances from Busta Rhymes and Ron Browz.
In June 2010, their fourth album The War Report 2: Report the War, serving as a follow-up to their debut, was released but attracted only moderate attention. Afterward, both artists concentrated on solo careers once again. In June 2011, N.O.R.E. confirmed via Twitter that the group had officially disbanded.
However, in March 2013 during an interview with Sway Calloway, Capone and N.O.R.E. announced another reunion.
In August 2016, they partnered with Supreme to launch a merchandise collection inspired by The War Report, which included clothing items and a skateboard deck featuring original artwork from the album. Notably, in 2020 the instrumental track "Streets Favorite" from Capone’s 2005 solo album gained viral popularity on TikTok as part of accident-related memes.
Discography
- Studio Albums
- The War Report (1997)
- The Reunion (2000)
- Channel 10 (2009)
- The War Report 2: Report the War (2010)
- Lessons (2015)
Video Game Appearances
- Def Jam Vendetta (2003)
- Def Jam: Fight for NY (2004)
- Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover (2006)
External links
- Articles with short description
- African-American musical duos
- Musical duos from New York (state)
- American hip-hop duos
- Five percenters
- Hip-hop groups from New York City
- Musical groups established in 1995
- Musical groups disestablished in 2011
- Musical groups reestablished in 2013
- Musical groups from Queens, New York
- Tommy Boy Records artists
- East Coast hip-hop groups
- Gangsta rap groups