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.^[1][2] 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.^[3]

Masters of the Dark Arts
Studio album by La Coka Nostra
Released	July 31, 2012 (2012-07-31)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	50:16
Label	Fat Beats Records
Producer	Beat Butcha C-Lance DJ Lethal DJ Premier Ill Bill Jack Of All Trades Scott "Supe" Stallone Sicknature Statik Selektah
La Coka Nostra chronology
A Brand You Can Trust (2009) Masters of the Dark Arts (2012) To Thine Own Self Be True (2016)

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

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
HipHopDX	3.5/5[4]
XXL	4/5 (XL)[5]

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".^[5] 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".^[4] 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".^[6] 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".^[7]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"My Universe" (featuring Vinnie Paz)	William Braunstein George Carroll Vincenzo Luvineri Patrick Baril	Statik Selektah	4:00
2.	"Creed of the Greedier"	Braunstein Carroll Daniel O'Connor Jeppe Andersen	Sicknature	3:43
3.	"המוסד"	Braunstein Carroll Leor Dimant Scott Stalone	DJ Lethal Scott "Supe" Stallone	3:16
4.	"Mind Your Business"	Braunstein Carroll Christopher Edward Martin	DJ Premier	4:35
5.	"Electronic Funeral" (featuring Sean Price)	Braunstein Carroll Sean Price Eliot Dubock	Beat Butcha	3:33
6.	"The Story Goes On"	Braunstein Carroll Dimant	DJ Lethal	3:34
7.	"Letter to Ouisch"	Braunstein Dimant	Ill Bill DJ Lethal	2:37
8.	"Snow Beach" (featuring Thirstin Howl the 3rd)	Braunstein Carroll Victor DeJesus Jim Heffernan	Jack Of All Trades	4:01
9.	"The Eyes of Santa Muerte" (featuring Sick Jacken)	Braunstein Carroll Joaquin Gonzalez	Ill Bill	4:31
10.	"Murder World"	Braunstein Carroll Craig Lanciani	C-Lance	2:45
11.	"Coka Kings" (featuring Vinnie Paz)	Braunstein Carroll Luvineri Lanciani	C-Lance	3:48
12.	".38 Револьвер" (featuring Big Left)	Braunstein Carroll John Faster Andersen	Sicknature	3:59
13.	"Malverde Market"	Braunstein Carroll	Ill Bill	3:11
14.	"Masters of the Dark Arts"	Braunstein Carroll Dimant	DJ Lethal	2:43
Total length:				50:16

iTunes edition bonus tracks

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
15.	"Everybody Down" (featuring Jaysaun and Q-Unique)	C-Lance	3:34
16.	"No Hay Tiempo Para Mañana" (featuring OuterSpace)	C-Lance	3:03

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

Charts

Chart (2012)	Peak position
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[8]	21
US Top Current Albums (Billboard)[9]	176
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[10]	40
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[11]	31