THA LIKS
"X.O. EXPERIENCE"
#85782
In Stores Now!




FOR MORE INFO:
http://www.thaliks.net

Imagine the flavor and aroma of an extraordinary cognac, coupled with a draw from a fine Cuban cigar. Picture swirling your finger in the glass in order to catch the delicate amber glow when the light reflects. Feel the smooth, tingling sensation of that first sip and the warmth as it travels toward your stomach. Finally, the ambience overcomes you. You have just experienced X.O., the highest quality elixir distilled from the purest ingredients known to man. You know at the first sip that finest ingredients and lots of patience went into creating the masterpiece.

The same care goes into Tha Liks' fourth album, X.O. Experience. The formula for X.O. Experience begins with the best ingredients – proven mic-wrecking skills, head-nodding production, and O.G. wheels of steel finesse that has been able to withstand and transcend hype. E-Swift (Eric Brooks), Tash (Rico Smith) and J-Ro (James Robinson) decided to shorten their name from Tha Alkaholiks to Tha Liks for their forthcoming album, X.O. Experience. With X.O. Experience, the group plans to stick to what people know and love about Tha Liks while expanding their sound. J-Ro explains, "Although we changed the name, we didn't necessarily change our formula. We didn't hold back on anything and we're gonna reach a bigger audience on this album." Tash adds, "Most of our fans have been calling us Tha Liks for a while now. It's always been an abbreviation of our name. Once an alkaholik, always an alkaholik." Unlike other hip-hop groups, fans of Tha Liks range from hardcore hip-hop to alternative.

Whether called Tha Liks or Tha Alkaholiks, hips fans recognize them for their high-energy performances, tight flow, party music, and humor. Tha Alkaholiks formed in 1991 and caught the attention of Loud Records owner and CEO, Steve Rifkind. Tha Liks were the first group to signed to Loud/RCA in 1992. They exploded on the underground scene in 1992 with party anthem "Make Room." Their debut album 21 & Over released in 1993 spawned another hit single "Likwit/Only When I'm Drunk" chased two years later by their second album, Coast II Coast. The third, Likwidation, left fans eagerly waiting for more, but the group held back on recording their album choosing instead to tour overseas to strengthen their worldwide fanbase.

Their fourth album, X.O. Experience, is top shelf hip-hop in its highest form. The title thought up after an all night studio session. E-Swift, Tash, and J-Ro took a break and headed to their local liquor store. Tash asked the clerk for the best he had and X.O. was it. "X.O. Experience is our best album yet. It's the top shelf of Liks' album," Tash explains. With the multiple role of producer, DJ, and MC, E-Swift wanted to create the same formula he's used on their previous three albums, but with a twist. When it came to recording, Tha Liks did it the old-fashioned way. E-Swift explains, "For this album, I had to get Tash and J-Ro together and just bounce. Like how we used to do back in the day when we'd sit at my house all day, drinking forties while recording. We did it Animal House style, but we had a big mansion out in the suburbs of Las Vegas."

On X.O. Experience, E-Swift passes the turntables to a few of his contemporaries including The Neptunes, Rockwilder, DJ Scratch, DJ Twinz and Thayod. "Sonically, the album is tight from beginning to end. There are no throw-away tracks. We wanted this album to be a Liks album, to reflect our style, so we chose artist who are either down with the Likwit Crew or whose sound we felt complimented ours," says E-Swift. The Neptunes produce and appear on the album's first radio single, "The Best U Can". East coast producer, Rockwilder, produces two tracks on the album, "Run Wild" which features vocals by Lik's protege, Shea Fiol (pronounced Shay Feel) and "Sickness" featuring Butch Cassidy. Building on Tha Liks appearance on "Alkaholik," from Xzibit's Restless album, Xzibit returns on the DJ Twinz produced "151" named after the address of the Las Vegas studio where the song was recorded. Busta Rhymes casually falls into place on "Bullyfoot" produced by DJ Scratch. Kurupt brings the classical experience on the orchestral "Promote Violins" crafted by E-Swift; while Defari twists the cap with his Likwit Crew brethren on"My Dear," produced by E-Swift." Sober or smashed, you'll soon be singing "Da Da Da Da" produced by Thayod. Another hip-hop classic comes from "Barcode" also produced by E-Swift.

X.O. Experience represents 13th of the 12 Step program, a graduation to the top shelf. So get your X.O. off the top shelf, it's an experience not to be missed.