Masters of the Dark Arts

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Masters of the Dark Arts
Studio album by
La Coka Nostra
ReleasedJuly 31, 2012 (2012-07-31)
GenreHip hop
Length50:16
LabelFat Beats Records
Producer
La Coka Nostra chronology
A Brand You Can Trust
(2009) 		Masters of the Dark Arts
(2012) 		To Thine Own Self Be True
(2016)

Masters of the Dark Arts is the second studio album by American hip hop supergroup La Coka Nostra. It was released on July 31, 2012 via Fat Beats Records.[1][2] Production was handled by members DJ Lethal and Ill Bill, as well as C-Lance, Sicknature, Beat Butcha, DJ Premier, Jack Of All Trades, Scott "Supe" Stallone and Statik Selektah. It features guest appearances from Vinnie Paz, Sean Price, Sick Jacken, Thirstin Howl III and Big Left.[3]

Member Everlast left the group in order to attend to his daughter's medical issues.

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
HipHopDX3.5/5[4]
XXL4/5 (XL)[5]

Adam Fleischer of XXL magazine noted that "La Coka Nostra remain decidedly true to their core with their new album" and "that they are indeed masters of the dark arts".[5] Justin Hunte of HipHopDX gave the album a positive review and noted that the album was a "sinister, happily violent detour from the pop-centric".[4] Peter Marrack of Exclaim! also gave the album a positive review and noted that the album was "more or less a one-way ticket to hell".[6] Nathan G. O'Brien of Scene Point Blank gave it four out five star and said "with Master of the Dark Arts La Coka Nostra’s pluperfect union of bombastic boom-bap, record scratching, and realism-based hardcore rhyming".[7]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."My Universe" (featuring Vinnie Paz)
Statik Selektah4:00
2."Creed of the Greedier"
Sicknature3:43
3."המוסד"
3:16
4."Mind Your Business"
DJ Premier4:35
5."Electronic Funeral" (featuring Sean Price)
Beat Butcha3:33
6."The Story Goes On"
  • Braunstein
  • Carroll
  • Dimant
DJ Lethal3:34
7."Letter to Ouisch"
  • Braunstein
  • Dimant
2:37
8."Snow Beach" (featuring Thirstin Howl the 3rd)
Jack Of All Trades4:01
9."The Eyes of Santa Muerte" (featuring Sick Jacken)
Ill Bill4:31
10."Murder World"
  • Braunstein
  • Carroll
  • Craig Lanciani
C-Lance2:45
11."Coka Kings" (featuring Vinnie Paz)
  • Braunstein
  • Carroll
  • Luvineri
  • Lanciani
C-Lance3:48
12.".38 Револьвер" (featuring Big Left)
  • Braunstein
  • Carroll
  • John Faster
  • Andersen
Sicknature3:59
13."Malverde Market"
  • Braunstein
  • Carroll
Ill Bill3:11
14."Masters of the Dark Arts"
  • Braunstein
  • Carroll
  • Dimant
DJ Lethal2:43
Total length:50:16
iTunes edition bonus tracks
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
15."Everybody Down" (featuring Jaysaun and Q-Unique)C-Lance3:34
16."No Hay Tiempo Para Mañana" (featuring OuterSpace)C-Lance3:03

Personnel[edit]

  • William "Ill Bill" Braunstein – vocals, producer (tracks: 7, 9, 13)
  • George "Slaine" Carroll – vocals
  • Leor "DJ Lethal" Dimant – producer (tracks: 3, 6, 7, 14)
  • Daniel "Danny Boy" O'Connor – art direction, design
  • Vincenzo "Vinnie Paz" Luvineri – vocals (tracks: 1, 11)
  • Sean Price – vocals (track 5)
  • Victor "Thirstin Howl III" DeJesus – vocals (track 8)
  • Joaquin "Sick Jacken" Gonzalez – vocals (track 9)
  • John "Big Left" Faster – vocals (track 12)
  • Jason "Jaysaun" Rosenwald – vocals (track 15)
  • Anthony "Q-Unique" Quiles – vocals (track 15)
  • Mario "Planetary" Collazo – vocals (track 16)
  • Marcus "Crypt the Warchild" Albaladejo – vocals (track 16)
  • Eric "DJ Eclipse" Winn – scratches (tracks: 2, 6, 11, 14), management
  • Patrick "Statik Selektah" Baril – scratches & producer (track 1)
  • Jeppe "Sicknature" Andersen – producer (tracks: 2, 12)
  • Scott "Supe" Stallone – producer (track 3), mixing (tracks: 2, 3, 5-14)
  • Christopher "DJ Premier" Martin – scratches & producer (track 4)
  • Eliot "Beat Butcha" Dubock – producer (track 5)
  • Jim "Jack of All Trades" Heffernan – producer (track 8)
  • Craig "C-Lance" Lanciani – producer (tracks: 10, 11, 15, 16)
  • Peter Humphreys – mastering
  • Zach Shuta – cover art
  • Mike McRath – back cover
  • Donna McLeer – layout

Charts[edit]

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[8] 21
US Top Current Albums (Billboard)[9] 176
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[10] 40
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[11] 31

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bacher, Danielle (July 31, 2012). "La Coka Nostra Returns, With Scars - LA Weekly". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  2. ^ Dulaney, Josh (July 27, 2012). "Slaine Opens Up About New La Coka Nostra Record, Friendship w/ DJ Premier and La Coka Nostra Without Everlast – OC Weekly". OC Weekly. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  3. ^ Wolfe, Roman (June 22, 2012). "La Coka Nostra Returns With "Masters Of The Dark Arts"". AllHipHop. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Hunte, Justin (July 16, 2012). "La Coka Nostra - Masters Of the Dark Arts". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Fleischer, Adam (July 28, 2012). "La Coka Nostra, Masters of the Dark Arts - XXL". XXL. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  6. ^ Marrack, Peter (July 31, 2012). "La Coka Nostra Masters of the Dark Arts". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  7. ^ O'Brien, Nathan G. (October 1, 2012). "La Coka Nostra - Masters of the Dark Arts | Review". Scene Point Blank. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  8. ^ "Swisscharts.com – La Coka Nostra – Masters of the Dark Arts". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  9. ^ "Top Current Albums". Billboard.biz. August 18, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
  10. ^ "La Coka Nostra Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  11. ^ "La Coka Nostra Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2016.

External links[edit]

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