LOS ANGELES (Waxploitation Records) - Tha Alkaholiks, one of hip hop's most influential artists, announced today that their upcoming album, titled Firewater will be their last.
"It's the right time to go out with a bang," says, E-Swift. "Knowing it's our last album has made us much more focused, knowing we have to sum it all up right here, right now and the feeling is great. We owe it to the fans to put everything into one last album and blow it up."
Tha Alkaholiks (a/k/a Tha Liks) were formed in 1992 by E-Swift, Tash and J Ro. Their debut album 21 & Over featured seminal club jams including "Make Room", "Only When I'm Drunk" and "Likwit"." The follow up album, Coast II Coast (1995) featured party singles like "Daaaaaaaam!" and "Next Level." 1997 brought the Likwidation album, with all-star guests like Ol' Dirty Bastard, LL Cool J, Keith Murray and NAS. The most recent album, 2001's X.O. Experience featured The Neptunes, Rockwilder, Busta Rhymes and Xzibit.
"We've been doing this music together as a group for a long time. And times are changing, the world is changing, our lives are changing," says Tash. "We have been party animals for over a decade. Always a good thing to bow out gracefully and exit on top."
The Firewater CD is slated for an early 2005 release on the Waxploitation Records / KOCH label. A 'best of' CD and music video collection titled Mixed Drinks will drop at the end of 2005. 2005 will include their national farewell party tour.
"We all have different goals and things we want to do as individuals. So it only makes sense for us to move forward and find new challenges." Says J Ro. "I want to travel the world a little bit, find some new things to sign, new things to produce as well as do my solo album, but with a new world of influences. It's an exciting time for all three of us."
Tha Alkaholiks have been the core of what has been dubbed the Likwit Crew, a loose affiliation of West Coast artists that includes Tha Alkaholiks, Madlib, Phil Da Agony, King Tee, Defari, J. Wells, Styliztik and Lootpack. The extended Likwit Family includes Snoop Dogg, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Dilated Peoples, Beatnuts, Planet Asia and Xzibit amongst many others.
"It's the end of an era in some ways. But it's important to close one door before they can open another one", says Waxploitation CEO Jeff Antebi. "E-Swift is going to do a joint E-Swift & Madlib album for 2005 as well as finally produce the debut Likwit Crew album. Tash is preparing the follow up to his Rap Life CD and J Ro is putting together his solo album.
This is the right move for them creatively and it's very good news for hip hop because it means more music."
