La Coka Nostra

La Coka Nostra is a hip-hop supergroup featuring members of <a href="spotify:artist:0AuW7OCyKfFrsMbtHrYgIV">House of Pain</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:14ZxDAK6ITtZZqPdiWrvSn">Everlast</a>, Danny Boy, and <a href="spotify:artist:2ajHgsmpiyhXrx3JoigTO2">DJ Lethal</a>), Non Phixion (<a href="spotify:artist:1mMjwoytmHP5dTJbIQxN4V">Ill Bill</a>), <a href="spotify:artist:545qedxfKJe5qr8CcjeE8m">Special Teamz</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:1z1ctFe6fCr5aZnCGKt6rN">Slaine</a>), plus solo artist <a href="spotify:artist:3cL25V6qQvPXesjsJglQTT">Big Left</a>. Formed in 2005, the group was originally a loose collective, but a year later they decided to begin work on a La Coka Nostra album. Tracks posted to the Internet, mixtapes, plus <a href="spotify:artist:1mMjwoytmHP5dTJbIQxN4V">Ill Bill</a>'s 2007 album Black Metal -- a "La Coka Nostra Presents" release -- all appeared before the group was signed to the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Suburban+Noize%22">Suburban Noize</a> label in late 2008. They spent 2009 on the road playing summer festivals and promoting their debut album, A Brand You Can Trust, which featured guest verses by <a href="spotify:artist:4P0dddbxPil35MNN9G2MEX">Cypress Hill</a>'s B-Real and <a href="spotify:artist:5CjSfZN385ZURm90nUeGsN">Sen Dog</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7hJcb9fa4alzcOq3EaNPoG">Snoop Dogg</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:45a6gCQWq61lIUDmr1tKuO">Bun B</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:7h8ja4JSORo2sXJPmCXRxa">Immortal Technique</a>.

In 2012, <a href="spotify:artist:14ZxDAK6ITtZZqPdiWrvSn">Everlast</a> parted ways with the group, just before the release of their sophomore set, Masters of the Dark Arts. In addition to appearances by <a href="spotify:artist:3rExe3A3FzAmYDlQuvW2Wx">Vinnie Paz</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2x6jz70u3sZq75tW10akUW">Sean Price</a>, Dark Arts also featured production by <a href="spotify:artist:6GEykX11lQqp92UVOQQCC7">DJ Premier</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5v0XTlB9FqNvfBfnw8n5b0">Statik Selektah</a>. It peaked in the Top 40 of both the Billboard Independent Albums and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. <a href="spotify:artist:3rExe3A3FzAmYDlQuvW2Wx">Paz</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5v0XTlB9FqNvfBfnw8n5b0">Statik</a> returned in 2016 to join La Coka Nostra on their third release, To Thine Own Self Be True, which was issued late in the year. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi