And a Thugged Out New Year! Queens rappers Capone-N-Noreaga were riding the success of their classic album The War Report by 1997. With Capone in jail and N.O.R.E. well on the road to becoming a solo artist, Penalty Recordings decided to preemptively push him into the spot light. During the holiday season, Penalty released a double 12-inch promo entitled “Have a Very N.O.R.E. Christmas and a Thugged Out New Year“. The 12-inches were pressed on red and green vinyl in true “holiday” fashion. While the concept is extremely strange, the promos contained 3 previously unreleased cuts by N.O.R.E.
The first track is a “Freestyle” featuring fellow Thugged Out Entertainment artists Maze & Musolini. The freestyle features the 3 trading verses of popular Dr. Dre beats (including some by The Firm).
The second track is a cult favorite, “Married to Marijuana“. The song features N.O.R.E. professing his love for weed over a smooth Al Green sample, reminiscent of the production on War Report.
The third is a slightly different style for Noreaga – “Noreminati“. Most will recognize the beat from Tragedy Khadafi‘s “Alluminati“.
Below is the full track list, with links to the unreleased tracks. Peep out and enjoy your N.O.R.E. Christmas lol.
Side A:
1. Bloody Money (Clean)
2. Bloody Money (Dirty)
3. Bloody Money (Instrumental)
Side B:
1. N.O.R.E. Freestyle (feat. Musolini and Maze)
2. Bloody Money (Acapella)
Side C:
1. Married to Marijuana (Dirty)
2. Live On Live Long (Dirty)
Side D:
1. Live On Live Long (Clean)
2. Noreminati