The Alkaholiks, which
comprise of group members E-Swift, Tash and J-Ro, have announced that their upcoming
album Firewater will be the last in a prolific career.
"It’s the
right time to go out with a bang," E-Swift said. "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."
Firewater
will be the group’s fifth album. Group member Tash said that many things
had changed since the group was founded in 1992.
"We’ve been
doing this music together as a group for a long time,” Tash added. “And
times are changing, the world is changing, our lives are changing. We have been
party animals for over a decade. [It’s] always a good thing to bow out
gracefully and exit on top."
In addition to
the Firewater album slated for release in early 2005, the group will
release a best of CD music and video collection titled Mixed Drinks in 2005.
A farewell party tour is in the works as well.
"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" said 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."
While the group
is in retirement, Waxploitation CEO Jeff Antebi said that fans can expect each
member to produce music in the future.
"It’s the
end of an era in some ways. But it’s important to close one door before they
can open another one", explained 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."
Firewater
will drop in early 2005 on Waxploitation Records/Koch.
