Noreaga---Student of the Game

Noreaga-Student of the Game-E1/Militainment-(2013)

Artist: Noreaga/N.O.R.E.

Album: Student of the Game

Label: Militainment/Conglomerate/E1

Producers: Large Professor, Pete Rock, Scram Jones, SPK, Cookin’ Soul, others 

Lefrak is Iraq! Noreaga let that known in the 90’s when he was one part of the most cohesive recognized duo in hip hop history Capone and Noreaga. He has definitely paid his dues and his solo attempts prove that he can hold the microphone on his own. His first opus N.O.R.E. was a prime example of expanding himself to a solo artist. Noreaga doesn’t put himself as the legend many artists are influenced by his style. There are two sides to his demeanor: he is still Noreaga but also goes by P.A.P.I aka Power Always Proves Intelligence. By any means his new album Student of the Game says it all; even if you’re in something for so long, you still need to learn some new things and go back to the beginning.

            One thing about Noreaga is he does adapt to the new wave of hip hop music while still sticking to the old origins. He does that successful from the Queens inspired “Built Pyramids” featuring Large Professor showing love to every hood in the electric borough of Queens to the bouncy radio posse cut “Tadow” featuring French Montana, 2Chainz and Pusha T. One of the best tracks is the dark moody melodic title track produced by Spanish production duo Cookin Soul. Noreaga’s lyrics have not lost a step in this track speaking from the hood days at Lefrak till now: I knew enough Spanish not to get jerk when I brought work/plus, plus, plus I let the gun go berserk……remember war report CNN legacy/hip hop pedigree, rhyme is the felon/student of the game I take responsibility/giving me tranquility so niggaz can’t belittle me. Nothing beats a track from Noreaga’s right hand man SPK as he brings the best out of Nore on “What I Had To Do” featuring Scarface.

            Throughout the album have great hard moments. Some tracks have lost its steam in the process. The posse cut Faces of Death featuring French Montana, Swizz Beats, Raekwon and Busta Rhymes did not add that final blow; didn’t had that consistency like Banned from TV from his first album while “She Tried” experimented way too much and “Vitamins” didn’t add that spark. Things get straight real when NORE teams up with QB brethren Havoc and Tragedy Khadafi on the Scram Jones produced “Camouflage Unicorns” and the futuristic “The Problem” (Lawd) has taken Pharrell production skills to another level tightening the music chemistry between NORE and Pharrell since the superthug days.

            Majority of the tracks on this album are sure listens mainly because of the balance of new production with a consistent flow. The skits are top notch especially Victor Cruz and Scott Disick showing love, ultimately the best skits of the album this year. This album can take the average listener through a time machine twenty years; take a stroll to the present and come back enjoying the journey. Noreaga makes sure he can go back to the roots and adapt to the new trends without selling out. Although Noreaga claims he is not a lyricist, his storytelling lyrics mixed with party tracks and slick wordplay proves that he can hang with the ongoing changes of the hip hop genre. He is certainly a student of the game but this album also credits him the teacher of the game.  

            Strong Tracks: “Student of the Game”, “Built Pyramids", “What I Had to Do”, “Camouflage Unicorns”, “Thirsty”, “Fowl Niggas”, “The Problem (Lawd)”

            Average Tracks: “Tadow “, “Faces of Death”, “Dreaming”, “Vitamins”, "Only Bad Ones"

            Weak Tracks:  “She Tried”

            Rating:  out of