Masters of the Dark Arts

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. 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.

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

Critical reception
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". 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". 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". 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".

Personnel

 * 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