In a revealing episode of What’s The Headline, Tha Alkaholiks—J-Ro, Tash, and E-Swift—joined Ambrosia For Heads founder Reggie Williams and Editor-in-Chief Jake Paine to reflect on a career defined by energy, irreverence, and longevity. Best known for their beer-soaked West Coast anthems, the trio discussed an unexpected shift behind their latest project, Daaam!: recording an entire album sober for the first time in their history.

Rather than dulling their edge, the change sharpened it.

The Sobriety Shift: “The Clarity Was Different”

For a group whose identity has long been synonymous with “The Liks,” recording Daaam! without alcohol represented a fundamental change in process. J-Ro and Tash explained that sobriety brought a different level of focus and awareness into the studio.

“For the first time in our careers, all three members made music without alcohol,” the group shared. Tash elaborated on how that shift affected performance: “Being sober in the studio, the focus was just different. We were already sharp, but this was a different level of awareness.”

The transition marks a clear break from the chaos-driven energy of the early 1990s. Instead of relying on momentum and atmosphere, the group leaned into precision, allowing lyricism and execution to take precedence over party energy.

Reclaiming the Masters: The Science of Re-Recording

A central motivation behind Daaam! was ownership. By re-recording foundational records like “Make Room” and “21 & Over,” Tha Alkaholiks are able to regain control of their music in an era where masters carry renewed financial and cultural weight.

E-Swift described the process as technical rather than nostalgic. “We wanted to make sure they felt indistinguishable from the originals,” he explained, detailing the painstaking effort to match drum swing, tempo, and vocal pocket from performances recorded decades earlier. “It wasn’t just about rapping the lines again; it was about finding that same energy we had at LOUD Records,” the group added.

The result is not a reinterpretation, but a reconstruction, allowing the group to reclaim their catalog while pairing it with new material that reflects where they are today.

The Chaos of ODB and the LOUD Records Era

The conversation turned toward the group’s formative years at LOUD Records, home to Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep. One standout memory involved the creation of “Hip-Hop Drunkies” with Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

The group recalled ODB’s unpredictable presence and the organic chaos of the session. “Old Dirty’s in the house and that’s my motherf—ing man,” J-Ro remembered of the atmosphere. They described a moment where the mic was passed freely in a room that was, by their own admission, “organically drunk.” “Tash came to steal it like the Grinch,” Tash joked, quoting his own line from the track.

The story captured an era where chemistry outweighed control and spontaneity shaped the record as much as planning.

West Coast Lineage and Learning from the Masters

When asked to name their Mount Rushmore of West Coast rap groups, the Alkaholiks pointed to N.W.A., Cypress Hill, The Pharcyde, and Souls of Mischief/Hieroglyphics. The list was less about ranking than lineage.

“I just want to make it clear: that’s our lineage,” J-Ro explained. “It wasn’t like we were trying to follow a trend… We learned from the masters, the sound masters.” The framing places Tha Alkaholiks not as a relic of the 1990s, but as direct descendants of foundational West Coast movements, bridging boom-bap grit with Los Angeles bounce.

The Vault Still Runs Deep

Tash also revealed the existence of an unreleased remix of his solo track “Attention Is A Drug,” featuring Q-Tip, Xzibit, King Tee, and Defari. “Attention is a drug and everybody’s on it,” he remarked, noting how the song’s theme feels even more relevant in an era shaped by algorithms, likes, and constant visibility.

The mention served as a reminder that the group’s history includes far more than what has officially been released.

Brotherhood, Spirituality, and Staying Intact

As the interview closed, the focus shifted from records to relationships. The group spoke about mentorship from Ice-T, spirituality, and the bond that has allowed them to avoid the public fractures that have undone so many groups.

“I just thought, man, that’s it. I’m done… but we’re directly connected to the beginning of hip-hop,” J-Ro reflected. With Daaam!, Tha Alkaholiks are not revisiting their past for nostalgia’s sake. They are reclaiming it, clear-headed, intentional, and still building forward.