La Coka Nostra Album: “A Brand You Can Trust”

If your like me and tired of mainstream hip hop, rest assure this album puts that to rest. With 3 of the members being from the early 90s hip hop group House of Pain, along with Ill Bill, and Slaine, each member brings something new to the table on this album, making the album what it is. Its definitely worth a listen in my book...

If you're on the side fo sick beats and INCREDIBLE raps, COP THIS NOW!!! Just got it and it's on it's second spin back2back, it really is as good as it gets...

When you approach A Brand You Can Trust, you need to leave your reservations at the door. Not knowing much going into this project, I was amazed to open up the booklet to find a who's who in the hip hop scene. Ill Bill, Slaine, Everlast, DannyBoy, DJ Lethal and Big Left round out the roster, with guest spots by Sen Dog, B-Real, Snoop Dog, and plenty of other guests that makes this a showcase of hardcore hip hop.

The album rips with guitar ridden beats and ruthless variety. The album start with "Bloody Sunday" featuring Big Left and Sen Dog is a great kick off, "Choose Your Side" with great samples, "Bang Bang" is smooth with Snoop Dog on the track. Then we see a few tracks with Everlast that sound...like Everlast. "The Stain" and "Cousin of Death" are quite a departure from the rest of the album, but not an altogether unwelcome one.

In the end, La Coka Nostra is a great display of why you probably got into hip hop in the long run and is going to be on the medium rotation slot of my play list.

Finally, in a world of either fake-pop-bling-rap or underground-wussy-emo-rap there comes a boot to the face of thuggish, hardcore, bangin' rap. Not since Heltah Skeltah's D.I.R.T. have I been impressed with a release in the hip-hop sector as of recent. The production of this album is amazing. DJ Lethal knows what's right. There are two tracks on here that are slow-ish but since it's Everlast sing/rapping I suppose it's all right. Bang-bang is an awesome track with a Snoop Do-double-g chorus that soothes the soul for the G in all of us. La Coka Nostra comes through with the experience and rep of some of the originals of this rap culture: House of Pain and Cypress Hill. Bringing with them the incredible styles of Slaine, and my personal favorite, Ill Bill. For some good old fashioned drugs and violence over amazing beats, pick this one up!

It's about time for the mainstream crap that calls itself rap to be wiped off the board.

It's grimy, unapologetic, banging music to crash your car to.

If you want to know what rap is supposed to be, get this album.