Specializing in Hip-Hop music, The initial releases on Penalty included the single "Crime Saga" by Shabazz the Disciple and both the single "Hip 2 Da Game" and the album "The Awakening" by Lord Finesse. Other early Penalty artists included Crooked Lettaz, Blackjack, Foesum, and the group Capone-N-Noreaga, whose first release on the label was the single "Stick You" in 1996. The Capone-N-Noreaga album "The War Report" followed in 1997, which reached a peak of #21 on The "Billboard" 200 album sales chart.