"Intro" is typical but very well done filled with scratches saying "Capone and Noreaga" over a slow beat. I'd rather hear an intro like this than some stupid skit or just babble. As soon as you hear the intro, you know these are some heads who respect the hip-hop lifestyle because of the scratches.

"Bloody Money" is a rough and raw opening song which lets you know you're in for a wild ride with a style that is extremely rough around the edges. Noreaga does the chours which is obviously about the lust for ca$h while reppin' New York and the east coast at the same time: "New York get the Bloody Money, dirty cash- live n*ggas who smoke weed, car thief style - you monkey walk, a hunchback, keep quiett - talkin 'bout mi casa, scared to death when I pop up..." The next song is cool but has one little flaw.

"Driver's Seat" is a much more slower track but has the room to get wild. The chorus uses the phrase "keep it real" and that is the only reason I hesitate to like this song : "I keep it real when a  n*gga keeps it real with me, cut the hand of the thief if he steals from me - New York got that bomb diggy bomb ya' see - Capone -N - Noreaga in the driver's seat ..." Towards the end of the song, it almost sounds like Busta Rhymes is singing along but he is not listed.

"Stick You" is a dope hardcore hip-hop jam which brings the reality of the streets to wax. A skit opens the song up where Noreaga is pissed off because he got beat on a drug deal.  He's all mad as he plans to take care of business... obviously with heavy amunnition.They let you know they are living in a world where they have to stick up somebody or somebody is going to stick up them. Tragedy aka Kadafi kicks some rhymes on this joint too. He does a good job. The chorus, done by Noreaga and Tragedy, is hard down with boots laced up: As Tragedy raps, "This ain't your ordinary thug shh that you're used to..", Noreaga responds: "Q-U, we stick you, we're suppose to.." The song and the chorus is dope. What is odd about it is that it is filled with curses and swears while the chorus has them saying "shhh" instead of the word "sh*t". Why even bother to censor yourself there when the rest of the song is dripping with profanity? Still, it's a dope song!

"Parole Violators" features Havoc of Mobb Deep and Tragedy. This is a cool song but it would have been cooler if Prodigy was on it.. (Personally, I think he's the dopest emcee in the Mobb Deep family). Still, it's a hardcore song where Havoc does the chorus: "Yo, parole violating fugitives on the run, son-  live by the gun, son, die by the gun, son -  we can make it happen if we want to- jakes'll get that ass quick if they really want you...." The song is just short enough to be cool and not too long enough to be boring.. good job.

"Iraq (See The World)" features Castro, Musulini, Mendosa, and Troy Outlaw.. (a whole bunch of people who have proper names to fit in on this album).  They do a good job of keeping the lyrics rough, raw, and hard while Noreaga does the chorus: "It's long and mad track - keep the loot in Iraq, - Iraq, see the world, the world, see Iraq-  binoculars, ours is out, son, they watching us- jake hit the strip, now police try locking us..." It's not one of the best songs on the album but it has that gives you an idea of their home.

"Live On Live Long" is a slow jam which is basically Noreaga alone... Capone was in jail for much of the album's recording...  This is a sleepy track which is less cool and rough than the others. He spreads his love to his people in the chorus: "So if ya heart stop beatin' I'll go back in time - Make your heart beat again real niggas till the end -We try to succeed nigga smoke weed- Contemplated dedicated -To real niggas that could relate it ..." It's okay but not as cool as the earlier tracks. The next song, "Neva Die Alone" has a hard slamming beat and a voice generated effect over it saying "C.N.N". The pounding of the beat is dope but the lyrics and the hook is forgettable compared to the other tracks.

The next song is the classic joint "T.O.N.Y." which stands for "Top Of New York". This cut features Noreaga, Capone, then, Tragedy all ripping the mic perfectly. The chorus, done by Noreaga is rough and rugged: "T-O-N-Y invade N.Y. -multiply, kill a cop, - me and you,  - you got beef,  I got beef..." There are some classic rhymes on this joint which surpass the chorus. Noreaga starts the song off and introduces his rough, jagged rhyme delivery with confidence "..Air conditioned cooler system, yo, the tec glisten on a mission, shoot your back out position - found missing, 2-5 deep in prison -kid listen, die on the cross like a Christian -so f*ck you, plus your weak religion..." While the Capone has a more laid-back and cooler flow as he rhymes about his love for money: "... I did it for the love of cash your honor, traffickin' across the Verrazano, coke dealin', marijuana, and my persona, glitters in gold - unlike them other money getters who stack, turn quitters and fold..." His cool and mellow flow is just and confident. Tragedy does a good job too but he can't touch Capone or Noreaga on this joint.

"Channel 10" is a mellow song which as the same line up of rhymers as the previous "T.O.N.Y." but the beat and sample melody is slow, stoned out and dreamy but the lyrics are much more hard. There's some background talking but Capone kicks the rhymes off: "It takes nothin' but a hot slug to fill a villian -Crook I'm about to make a killin'  -So weed to escalate the feelin'..." The chorus, rhymed by Tragedy aka Kadafi, somewhat forgettable : "Microchips in the celly the game don't stop (don't stop) -Tappin' in your bank funds with the labtop (labtop) -Wanna own a block before the ball drop (ball drop) -Arab natiz puttin' hits on the cops ..." Noreaga kicks some rhymes and repeats them making you think this is the chorus when it really is not: "C.N.N. network channel 10 it's on again -Street n*ggas that' grown men -Bold face gat in your face stay in your place-Yo crime lace catch more beef then Scarface .." The beat does not change at all and the song gets a little boring but it's not wack, that's for damn sure!

"Capone Phone Home" is a skit where Capone calls Noreaga from jail. This cut shows the reality of street life since Capone is in jail. Even though he's a rapper, he's in jail and "bleeding" surrounded by many of the cats he knows from the neighborhood.  It does not glorify jail at all, if anything, it scares you from going there.

"Stay Tuned" is a fast dope song which is also called "Thug Paradise" Like "Top Of New York", everyone rips it right. The chorus is cool too: "All my convicts, livin on the edge of life- Criminal type thugs who love to pull a heist - We move sheist, livin in these days of trife -Rockin four carat ice, in Thug Paradise.." The old school dance beat does not make this commercial due to the street thugged out lyrics. They are hungry for paper and not simply flashing it.

The next song, produced by Marley Marl is the very dope "Capone Bone" which features Capone rocking the mic by himself over a slow and sexy beat and sultry organs and a macked/pimped out horn. The chorus is just a break in the music as a woman sampled "If you want it you can lick from the front - If you want it- If you want it you can lick from the front..." as Capone goes "So hot- so hot" Not only is the beat dope but the rhyme and delivery of Capone is so incredibly dope that he displays himself as a strong solo artist who has the potential to make a dope solo album. In my opinion, this is one of the dopest tracks on the album. Even though his lyrics are very rough and somewhat obscene to some, his voice and flow are so damn' cool : "...I like your stockings, stretch socks even your Reeboks -Thug you out, take you on tour, learn all the weed spots- We can sip wine, bump and grind on the slow-mo,  But on the d-low I heard your man was a homo... I got the fireplace, bearskin rug so kick your feet out- Hit me on a hit bay hundred I got the weed out- Hydro keep it on low now bust the weed out- Slide off the DKNY's so I can eat out..." At the end of the song, he leaves enough room to do some hip-hop lyrics for the party: "..Real niggas in the front, fake niggas in the middle- Live niggas in the back say just a little..." This is a dope song!!! Smooth and sexy while at the same time, rugged and raw!

"Halfway Thugs" is another track which gets lost in the other thugged out money getting sentiments while this one directs the thugs and emcees who do not take the game to the heart. The world is filled with wack emcees and C.N.N. uses this song do display it.

"L.A., L.A. (Kuwait Mix by Marley Marl)" featuring Mobb Deep and Kadafi,  is a dope song which has a similar sultry feel like "Capone Bone" because of the beat but the lyrics give it the hardcore Pro-east style. This is an answer to the Dogg Pound's wack song called "New York, New York" but C.N.N. states (not in the song mind you..) that they are not anti-west, they are just pro-east. The hook flips the usual one as Queens comes in strong and takes over California: "L.A. L.A. big city of dreams -but everything in L.A. aint always what it seems , you might get fooled if you come from outta town, cuz we comin from Queens and gets down.. " Prodigy does a dope job on this song but he should have been in it more... oh,well, nothing's perfect. In the whole east-west coast stupidity, this song was need for the east and it is very well done. It represents a time in hip-hop that was a crucial moment where everything could have either crumbled or have been built stronger.. Now, I think we became wiser due to the loss of Biggie Smalls and Tupac.

"Capone-N-Noreaga Live" is an interlude that is not really them live. It's just their voices. Capone leads it and Noreaga repeats what he says. It's cool but a little too long. Since there's no music, this can be used by DJs to cut and slice into other songs.

"Illegal Life"  featuring Havoc of Mobb Deep and Kadafi, is a dope song which, like "Stick You", gives the listener the harsh reality of the streets and the sheer toughness of violence and crime in New York. The chorus is all about their life of crime: "We hate the law so we break it, loyal to this life there's no way to escape it, you either make it or you take it, if the game's in you, dedicated stay true- Illegal Life..." It's a hard song that this hip-hop world needs instead of shiny suits and weak hooks from 80's songs which were not that great the first time. This is original and dope! Then, it all goes wrong! The next song, "Black Gangstas" which features the usual three emcees of Capone, Noreaga, and Kadafi. The chorus is cool but does not stand out as good as the other fine cuts: "N*ggas scared to pull a hit- for sh*t, my team will know a b*tch snif a pyriamid off a dollar bill, she will, 97 to the hill, get ill, do your thing, I ain't mad at you son, it's how you feel......" It's a cool song but it seems more like filler than a slamming track. Unfortunately, it is perfect compared the the next song.

"Closer" is not only the worst song on the album but a horrible song! It should not even be on this album and it disrupts the hardcore street quality that this album maintained so far. It's a horrible commercial way to end it. Like "The Way We Live" featuring Chico Debarge on Noreaga's solo joint or "Too Late" by Brand Nubian, this song has very cheesy dancy/electronic beat that sounds like it's' from some song you run to in gym class. It's so wack that they even sample Puff Daddy from Craig Mack's "Making Moves With Puffy" where he raps "Gotta get the cash, gotta get the doe.. " ... agghh! There's even an R&B singer who sounds more like Paula Abdul. It's completely sell-out commercial crap! The chorus has very good sentiments but the horrible singing and the horrible beat weakens the dope album: "If you don't know (if you don't know) -Knowlegde is what makes thugs grow -Just stay on point cause you reep what you sew.."

The last track is an outro where Capone calls home again titled "Capone Phone Home Outro". Here, Nas and E Money Bags greet him on the phone. This track gives you a wake up call to the street reality which these people just face everyday. Capone is in jail and he has a dope album.. it's a shame. Still, this shows the strength and devotion for the C.N.N. and Queens family.

Besides "Closer", Capone -N- Noreaga have made a dope hardcore hip-hop album. For the most part, the beats are good though they are not thick and they do not change often. Songs like "Capone Bone" and "L.A.,L.A." have the thickest and dopest beats while the beats of "T.O.N.Y." and "Stick You" hit hard but are not as full as they should be. "Closer" has not only the worst beat on the album but probably worse than any Will Smith or Puffy beat. I can't believe that it's on the album... it's obvious that it has no business being there. Lyrically, Capone and Noreaga are tight. They can tell vivid stories of street life, drugs, sex, prison, and money. They stick to their themes and are versitile as they could be within their enviroment. Both emcees have an original delivery and flow. While Capone is cool and laid-back, Noreaga is buckwild as his jagged flow is sharp sometimes going off beat and on again. It works wonderful plus they work together wondeful too. The production on the album is good overall but ranges better in some places than others. While "Never Die Alone" is produced by Buckwild from Diggin' In The Crates, while a guy named Naughty Shorts produce other tracks. Marley Marl, a Queens legend and native, produced the best songs on the album "Capone Bone" and "LA,LA" while "Thug Paradise" & "Top Of New York" is up there too. Still, some of the beats hit hard but they are not thick and there is not enough scratching on the tracks.Though the intro is tight and filled with them along with the extremely wack "Closer", there are many tracks on the album which  a thirsty for good ol scratching. The album flows well because none of the songs are too long. Since Capone was in jail for some of the recording, his parts are scattered throughout the album, shining bright each time. The contrasts of the ol school beat of "Thug Paradise" or "Stay Tuned" and the new school beats of "Stick You" work well as they go back and forth. Nothing is too obvious since they are original in flow, rhymes, and style. No one in the rap world has a theme of Iraq and Kuwait. Noreaga's flow is so fresh and original that it sounds like no one has ever done anything like it while Capone's flow is so smooth compared to Noreaga's that everything is evened out. I'm glad that Mobb Deep are the only well known guests on the joint. This maintains their hardcore appeal. C.N.N. are hard to the core rhyming about true to life situations of jail and the streets where violence and guns and money are everyday situations. They are former drug dealers who are not lying about their past. They are straight up honest. It's so refreshing to see people not fronting! Unfortunately, "Closer" kills it all! Still, Capone -N- Noreaga made an underground hardcore hip-hop classic! Since they came along, any kind of "war report" was never so damn' cool.
Beats:  8/10.
Lyrics: 9/10.
Production: 8/10.
Originality/Creativity: 9/10.
Album Flow: 8.5/10.
Hardcore Rating: 9/10.
[ Overall Rating: 8.6/10 ]