The War Report
The War Report is the debut studio album by American hip-hop duo Capone-N-Noreaga. Released in 1997, the album features the singles "L.A., L.A.", "T.O.N.Y.", "Illegal Life" and "Closer". Tragedy Khadafi appears on more than half of the album's songs and served roles as both producer and executive producer. The success of the album managed the group to make a sequel titled The War Report 2: Report the War. The album was originally scheduled to be released on June 15, 2010, almost exactly 13 years after the original, but it was pushed back a month later to July 13, 2010. In 2022, Rolling Stone placed it at number 187 on their list of the 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time.
Track listing
| # | Title | Producer | Featured Artist | Length |
| 1 | "Intro" | Charlemagne | 1:32 | |
| 2 | "Bloody Money" | EZ Elpee | 4:33 | |
| 3 | "Driver's Seat" | 3:40 | ||
| 4 | "Stick You" | Naughty Shorts | Tragedy Khadafi | 4:43 |
| 5 | "Parole Violators" | Havoc | 2:30 | |
| 6 | "Iraq " | EZ Elpee | 5:33 | |
| 7 | "Live On, Live Long" | Naughty Shorts | 4:50 | |
| 8 | "Neva Die Alone" | Buckwild | Tragedy Khadafi | 3:23 |
| 9 | "T.O.N.Y. " | Tragedy Khadafi | 4:28 | |
| 10 | "Channel 10" | Lord Finesse | Tragedy Khadafi | 3:21 |
| 11 | "Capone Phone Home" | 1:43 | ||
| 12 | "Thug Paradise" | D-Moet | Tragedy Khadafi | 3:30 |
| 13 | "Capone Bone" | Marley Marl | 3:37 | |
| 14 | "Halfway Thugs" | Charlemagne | 3:13 | |
| 15 | "L.A., L.A. " | 4:49 | ||
| 16 | "Capone-N-Noreaga Live" | 2:43 | ||
| 17 | "Illegal Life" | 3:49 | ||
| 18 | "Black Gangstas" | Buckwild | Tragedy Khadafi | 2:59 |
| 19 | "Closer" | DJ Clark Kent | Nneka | 4:04 |
| 20 | "Capone Phone Home" | 1:33 |
^Busta Rhymes' part is cut off before he starts. He only appears on the last 20 seconds of the song, ad-libbing over the hook.
The songs "Stick You," "Parole Violators," "Halfway Thugs," and "L.A., L.A " are partially edited, even though the album was released with an explicit-lyrics sticker.
Sample-clearance issues caused two tracks, "Married to Marijuana" and "Calm Down," to be cut from the retail version of the album. Both songs were originally on the promo version sent out for reviews but were omitted from the retail album when it hit stores. Both became popular mixtape and underground radio tracks and were released as white label 12-inch singles.
Samples
- "Bloody Money"
- *"Impeach the President" by the Honey Drippers
- *"Philadelphia Morning" by Bill Conti
- "Capone Bone"
- *"Step into Our Life" by Roy Ayers
- *"Cruisin'" by D'Angelo
- "L.A., L.A. "
- *"The Letter" by Al Green
- *"New York, New York" by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
- "Iraq "
- *"Night Song" by Noel Pointer
- "T.O.N.Y "
- *"Speak Her Name" by Walter Jackson
- "Live On, Live Long"
- *"Who's Gonna Take the Blame" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
- "Closer"
- *"Closer Than Friends" by Surface
- *"Promise Me" by Luther Vandross
- "Channel 10"
- *"M5 " by Roy Budd
- "Stick You"
- *"Orange Was the Color of Her Dress, Then Silk Blues" by Charles Mingus
- "Halfway Thugs"
- *"A Change Is Gonna Come" by Aretha Franklin
- *"Only Because of You" by Roger Hodgson
- "Black Gangstas"
- *"Olhos De Gato" by Gary Burton
- "Driver's Seat"
- *"Do the Thing That's Best You" by Willie Hutch
- "Stay Tuned"
- *"Theme from S.W.A.T." by Rhythm Heritage
Album singles
- "Illegal Life"
- *Released: 1996
- *B-side: "L.A,. L.A."; "Stick You"
- "T.O.N.Y. "
- *Released: 1996
- *B-side:
- "Closer"
- *Released: 1997
- *B-side: Closer Produced By Sam Sneed
- "Capone Bone"
- *Released: 1997
- *B-side: "Calm Down"
Charts