Prodigy of Mobb Deep - H.N.I.C. (November 14, 2000)

I've been waiting for a minute to pull the ol' switcheroo here on BBR and tackle a run of my choice in reverse chronological order. Due to the tragedy of recent events in hip hop, this next short run cannot be more perfect for such a flip.

I gotta be honest: I shared many a head in limiting my hip hop rotations strictly to material written by the recently-deceased legend Albert Johnson bka Prodigy from the ageless Mobb Deep, with the exception of my recent two subjects of course. During this time of hip hop loss, I revisited exactly why he was one of the earliest MCs whose lyrics I obsessed over. Nay, I reflected back on said reasons with a more developed ear for this game of ours and was even further amazed at his talent for visualization. Literally listen to any song he participated in off the Infamous, Hell On Earth or the Episodes Of A Hustla EP by unofficial 3rd Mobb Deep member TaJuan Perry bka Big Noyd aka Pizza Dude. (Lots of Mobb Deep fans haven't even heard of that last choice. Shame really, as its rightful reputation should be that it's every bit of a classic offering as those two projects.) And I do mean any song: Son was on a tear that very few MCs throughout hip hop history share. What made all this absolutely fascinating is that this skill for imagery came virtually outta nowhere, because nobody expected P (as many liked to call him) to become anything of note when they heard the Mobb's debut Juvenile Hell (which certainly had some surprisingly strong performances, despite every single piece of bad publicity it got.) In short: The man became an undisputed legend within the space of three years. Like I said: Fascinating.

So now, Mobb Deep are on top of the world. Critical acclaim and commercial success was piling in and the brand was gaining significant exposure, mirroring the trajectory of fellow label mates the Wu-Tang Clan. Of course, P was no bonehead, because he paid very close attention to the business model they pioneered: By spreading their group members within the industry as solo artists, they ensured maximum exposure to their brand. He took one look at the resulting influence they gained and decided now was a good time for a solo project.

Which brings me back to why this is the perfect post for me to tackle this next run in reverse chronological order: Prodigy actually started working on his solo debut, now titled H.N.I.C. (Head N**** In Charge, which was apparently what his legendary grandmother called herself. Why I say legendary? Do your Googles.), way before Mobb Deep began production on their most commercially successful project Murda Muzik. And it all began with one song: Quiet Storm, tka White Lines. That song was originally slated to be his debut single as a solo artist, so he wouldn't let anyone touch it for almost two years, while he crafted the rest of the album. However, the song eventually made its way out into clubs across New York and they went apeshit for it. Which led to his Mobb Deep partner Kejuan Muchita bka Havoc and the late Chris Lighty to convince him to give it to Murda Muzik instead. It was for the best, really, because that song alone made that album go platinum, which would've never happened with P's debut solo. Why?

Because P tried his damnedest to fill the gaping hole that Quiet Storm left, resulting in some focused sessions with frequent collaborator Alan Maman bka the Alchemist. (who would actually end up pretty fucking crucial to preserving the Mobb's legacy following Hav's beatmaking fall from grace. That's right: With all due respect, I still haven't budged in my opinion that Hav's slacking production was instrumental to P's later lyrical decline) Hav himself lends a couple of beats, while the rest is handled by various other producers P crossed paths with in the industry. Despite losing Quiet Storm, HNIC would wind up selling five hundred thousand units Stateside in one month, faster than both the Infamous and Hell On Earth.

Let's start this, shall we?

BARS & HOOKS (INTRO)
Self explanatory. Skip.

GENESIS
It was a pleasant surprise to learn that P himself produced this, proving that his ear for music, responsible for his initial prowess behind the boards, was still very much intact. The fact that he was a very specific type of fan of confusingly versatile rock band Genesis continues to blow my mind, as nobody from mainstream hip-hop, then or now, is checking for progressive rock. At all. Speaking of Genesis, I'ma be honest: I was itching for another reason to bring up Phil Collins again here on BBR and P has so generously given me such an opportunity. You see, I've already declared on this here blog my belief that songs like In The Air Tonight, Mama and many more during both the career in Genesis and the solo ventures prove that, very similar to P himself, Phil flourished most when the music he wrote, co-wrote or performed was straight up visceral. So, it speaks volumes that P chose to loop from the live version of a Genesis prog classic and turn it into one of his best lyrical displays ever: From the jump, everything one would ever enjoy about Prodigy's contributions to this art form are on full display here. I cherish this song.

DRIVE THRU (SKIT)
...

ROCK DAT
So, yeah, remember when Prodigy had some amazing music pushing him to achieve new lyrical heights every time he spit? What do you mean that was one song ago?! In all seriousness, this might be one of the worst beats P has ever rhymed over, courtesy of Bink Dawg, who should've known better than to give him a beat that sounds like those bumass instrumentals prepackaged with your production equipment. I cannot bear a mere minute listening to this song and neither will you.

WHAT U REP (FEATURING N.O.R.E.)
Prodigy has collaborated with Hangmen 3, production team of respected Boston crew The Almighty RSO (of which fuckwad Benzino is a member) various times, where he would body everyone sharing a track with him each and every time. So they decided to return the favor via a minimalist early-oughties gem of a beat sampling Roy Ayers that is their best Havoc imitation. Naturally, P annihilates his guest, but NORE uncharacteristically does pretty well for himself. Nice!

KEEP IT THORO
Listen, I know how beloved this song is, and I like it too as it's cherished for a reason. But this definitely didn't deserve lead single status, as there were infinitely more worthy tracks recorded during the same period. The fact remains that this song is cherished for a reason: P goes completely ham with his punchlines, adding more vitriol to his performance with each passing second. All this is done to Alchemist's Jack Mayborn-sampling beat while P was recovering from a fairly nasty cold. He was simply that MC. All in all, this is the worst Alchemist beat on the album and it's still addictively fucking good. That should tell you what type of rapport these two had.

CAN'T COMPLAIN (FEATURING BIG TWINS & CHINKY)
The skit opening this song is pretty useless, to be honest. I don't care if it's directly related to the subject matter, you can cut the skit and the narrative wouldn't miss a goddamn thing. No disrespect, but Chinky doing her Queen Latifah interpolation is no Crystal Johnson, which is the only thing I'll ever say about her on this blog. Yet another example of P's fine-tuned musical ear, this time flexing his production technique as the sampled Love Unlimited Orchestra classic actually spends its entire duration utilizing a completely different scale than how it was looped. Hat's off to P the producer, man. Son had skills. P & Twin both delve into a well-told tale where they have a particularly memorable encounter with the cops and how they spent the rest of the day enjoying the resulting good mood, hence the title. You'll enjoy this song, too.

INFAMOUS MINDED
Basically P rhyming over a beat that's meant to invoke the feel of hip hop staple Criminal Minded by BDP. You won't feel the throwback, though, as it sounds fairly forced. That all I gotta say.

WANNA BE THUGS (FEATURING HAVOC)
You remember this?! Jump to my review of the song Survival there to find exactly what I think of this song. And now that P ain't no longer with us, I feel songs like Wanna Be Thugs are even more disrespectful to his legacy, as Hav is somehow even worse on the mic as a result of his horseshit beat. P can only do so much before succumbing to the same trite. Fuck this garbage.

THREE (FEATURING CORMEGA)
Seriously, I feel that musically Al and P had developed a symbiotic relationship with each other in the later periods of both of their careers: Together they're legendary, apart they're just not up to par. This wasn't the case back when P was the man though, because this beat, sampling Latin American legend Marco Antonio Muniz, was built when Al was trying his absolute best to impress P. Needless to say, he shone in doing so, because P and Cory McKay bka Cormega deliver that boom bap thuggery storytelling, the love of which forced you to come to this site. As always, the focus of P's tales is never glorification but condemnation of these circumstances, one which Mega shares with him on this joint. Another album highlight, and definitely a superior cut to Keep It Thoro.

DELT WITH THE BULLSHIT (FEATURING HAVOC)
Havoc must've sensed that he shorthanded fans with the earlier piffle he produced, because he brings the fucking business in looping current GZA collaborator and notorious recluse Vangelis. The resulting beat is as sinister as anything Hav produced for the Mobb during their heyday, and trust me: That's saying a lot. Hav also redeems himself on the mic, until P steps up and obliterates his shit with too much ease. Misspelling of 'dealt' aside, wouldn't've sounded outta place on a proper Mobb album, this.

TRIALS OF LOVE (FEATURING MZ BARZ)

Let's get one thing straight: I personally come from a place where a union between a man and a woman is quite literally a matter of life and death. Cheating would utterly destroy the lives of everyone even remotely related to the couple. So on the strength of that alone, I simply cannot relate to the subject matter of this song. That being said, whatever worked for P and his wife (Yep. Mz Barz is actually P's current widow Kiki Johnson in her lone recorded appearance.) is absolutely none of my business. As such, this song was supposed to be some type of therapy they'd put themselves through to maintain their relationship. Which apparently worked, because they remained married for the next 17 years. Strictly song-wise though, this joint is done really well: Alchemist's Lou Bond-sampling beat sounds exactly how a boom bap beat about broken relationships is supposed to. And P wrote his and his spouse's rhymes with a startling degree of detail, proving just how talented the man was at describing human emotion. Final verdict? This never got me nowhere near fathoming salvaging a relationship after infidelity, but those who don't mind said issue will find a truckload to enjoy here. Hell, it would be a better take on infidelity woes than whatever Jay-Z and Beyoncé are attempting these days. Especially when considering that back then, Jay’s hypocritical ass actually laughed at P for taking on such subject matter in his music.

H.N.I.C.
EZ Elpee & something called a 'Corparal' bring P a sample from Saint Tropez that would be a staple throughout the 00s. Best thing about the resulting beat is that it leaves ample room for P to simply talk his shit. Everyone who has been a Mobb fan knows exactly what that means: Another trademark braggadocious performance from the late legend. This is really all you need to know to enjoy this.

BE COOL (SKIT)
A throwback excerpt from the classic Education Of Sonny Carson film, made famous by Ghostface Killah's Ironman. Skip, though.

VETERAN'S MEMORIAL
Another Alchemist production, sampling Puerto Rican icon Lucecita Benitez. In this album's case, this means you need to brace yourself for a truly timeless song. Sure enough, this is two of the most gutwrenching verses you will ever hear from Albert Johnson, set to one of the best beats Alchemist has ever made, and without question his best contribution to HNIC. I dare those who know how to properly listen to hip hop to tell me that they didn't feel a thing while listening to P reminiscing here about the loved ones he lost. And the shoutouts closing out the song will hit you in the heart even harder, please believe. To top it off, his death brought a whole new context to this slice of music. If you ever claimed love for this man, this art piece is essential listening.

DO IT
This track is notable for proving that the beef between the Mobb and Def Squad was effectively done & buried, as Def Squad's Rockwilder produced it. Literally nothing else.

LITTLES (ACAPELLA)
Alfredo Bryan bka Littles would go on to have a nasty feud with P that was thankfully reconciled before his death, but here he was P's prize protege. It's obvious that this was modeled after the acapella cypher on the Infamous between P and unofficial 3rd Mobb Deep member Big Noyd. Littles ain't nowhere near the level Noyd was back then but he was aight. P was fantastic as usual.

Y.B.E. (FEATURING B.G.)
This may very well be the lone time I review a rapper from the cash money roster (I deliberately mentioned them in small letters because they ain't worth respecting) on BBR so here goes: The beat by P & Nashiem Myrick from the repugnant Comby's jolly bag of Hitmen is typical shiny-suit-era sewage, P brings a lackluster effort as a result and that cash money dude is typically garbage.

DIAMOND (FEATURING BARS & HOOKS)
Just Blaze brings an OK beat sampling Syreeta that is absolutely trashed by the song's ridiculous subject matter. This is really a far cry from the poems P wrote about how humans felt pain in his street tales. I'm sorry but there was no way this was going to be anything but a forgettable embarrassment for all parties involved. I really hate saying this when P ain't here but he wouldn't've respected an opinion of one that never speaks his mind. I owe it to him to say that this song is a failure.

GUN PLAY (FEATURING BIG NOYD)
Now this is more like it! Rockwilder brings a fair improvement of a beat to his previous contribution, heralding the sonics of his mentor, the iconic Erick Sermon of EPMD fame. And I must say: Even though Rockwilder is far from a Havoc, he's still savvy enough of a producer to bring the electric chemistry which P and Pizza Dude are known for outta them! I was pretty tough on this song in the past but I'm man enough to admit that it has grown on me considerably!

YOU CAN NEVER FEEL MY PAIN
Queens producer Ric Rude brings this Angela Bofill-sampling gem to our late host, who commits his most personal and relevant song ever to wax. This is the song where he takes you through the suffering that the condition that would ultimately take his life put him through, and naturally his spite at this condition comes flying off his lyrics, lashing out at anyone attempting fake understanding or sympathy. In light of his passing, this may effectively be the closest window we'll ever get into his darkest condition, which may very well explain his talent for describing pain. As such, you'd be an absolute fool if you somehow skip this. I remember hearing the boneheaded Ibrahim Darden talk about how he feels that except when explicitly mentioned, P was aiming all the vitriol he displayed in his legendary career at sickle cell, which is kind of awesome if true. As appropriate an album ender as I can think of, I would not be surprised in the least if this track somehow becomes the celebrated anthem of sickle cell patients worldwide.

H.N.I.C. (OUTRO)
A simple uttering of what the acronym stands for. Worthless.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Again, I feel like I owe it to P to keep my opinions honest. Which is why I say that this was a fairly good album, even though it has quite a fair share of useless skits. The reason why it simply can't be viewed as a classic album is unfortunately because P just wasn't successful in keeping the beat selection cohesive: Imagine how strong this album would've been had Alchemist, P himself or both handled the production back-to-back. We surely would've had that solo classic that an MC of P's stature deserves. Instead, we have to settle with an uneven album with lows that will make your skin crawl and highs that remind you why so many people were absolutely spellbound by this dude's lyrics. However, this album is effectively a solo album, meaning that P gets to talk about shit he normally can't on Mobb albums. Personal matters such as beliefs, eulogies, health and infidelity woes are all fair game without sounding out of place. And it's during those moments where I feel P shines the most here, as the change of direction, when done right, felt truly refreshing as it breathed new lyrical life into him. Lyrical life that I regret to say we've lost as hip hop in its entirety mourns yet another legend. RIP Albert Johnson.

WORTH IT? Even with the horseshit very present on this album, you owe it to yourself to acquire HNIC if you were ever a Mobb Deep fan. This album houses many songs where P delivers his end of the bargain and in spades. Again, don't expect the Infamous-Hell On Earth levels of consistency tracklist-wise and you'll be just fine.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
POWER RAP
An HNIC/Murda Muzik throwaway, added to the QB's Finest compilation curated by Nas, this Havoc-produced dark gem of a one verse-wonder is exactly what people thought of when the idea of a Prodigy solo album was unveiled to them. And really, count me the fuck in, as the brooding piano-pounding Havoc instrumental clears the path for a one-verse thuggery typhoon by the man who called himself Cellblock P. I just want to know why the dude's consistency with these dazzling performances regressed to the point where one has to comb numerous albums with varying levels of relevance to find them. Still as I said, both beat and rhymes are flawless and they gloriously mesh together.

DON'T BE A FOLLOWER
Off the Black & White OST, a movie which I still don't know how to feel about. Prodigy flexes his production chops hard on this one as he loops a simple-but-effective dusted violin sample for a beat that's the closest he'll ever get to the Wu-Tang sound. (God, they're prevalent in this review, aren't they?) On the mic, it's imagery city as P delivers a one-verse wonder that's hella heavy on imagery. It's songs like this that make me miss him a little more because man did he ever have a talent for painting pictures with his words.

SELF CONSCIENCE (FEATURING NAS)
Another lyrical marvel by both Prodigy and guest Nas yet again added to the abovementioned compilation, this time produced by the Infinite Arkatechz, who established a fan-fucking-tastic chemistry with Loud labelmate Raekwon on his rightfully-trashed sophomore album Immobilarity. Why do I credit this track to P, you ask? Because even though Nas brings a stellar contribution, this is truly the Albert Johnson show, all the way. With P arguing with himself in a compelling 40-bar verse while Nas brings a dope ass 20 bar reflection, this is one of the few tracks where these two share mic time and there's a clear standout, because normally they're neck and neck, but not this time, though.

For more of P's lyrical triumphs as part of Mobb Deep, here.

Wu-Tang Clan - The W (November 21, 2000)

Finally! The last review related to the Wu-Tang Clan for what may very well be a long friggin' while. Don't like it? Go engage in your analities somewhere else please. I'm pretty proud of myself, actually.

So when all this Wu business was but a pipe dream in one Prince Rakeem's head, he gathered his two cousins The Genius and the late legend Ason Unique, along with a tad more people, and convinced them they'll be millionaires in five years' time. Sure, they went along with it, but nobody expected it to alter the topographical map of hip hop as they knew it. The plan was to remain under son's dictatorship for said period as he maneuvered their every move within the fickle hip hop industry, and then he'll let them go and waste all that money in 72 hours pursue their solo careers in the artistic direction most fitting of their respective personalities. Upon one condition: Whenever he throws the flag up, they reconvene under his dictatorship once again to craft a new LP every now & then. Ultimately, it would gradually grow more & more difficult to bring them back for each successive album, to the point that many mainstream pundits consider this timeless movement to be a thing of the past. If so, how is it that Wu members continue to find ways to reinvent themselves? Enough rambling.

Like I said, the string of Wu material that followed the Clan's magnum opus Wu-Tang Forever was so excessive, none of the fans knew where to focus on. Well, except for Supreme Clientele, the success of which caught everybody by surprise and breathed new life into the unfairly-stagnating Wu brand. I say unfairly because albums like Method Man's Tical 2000, GZA's Beneath The Surface & Inspectah Deck's Uncontrolled Substance, while not quite Ghostface Killah's sublime sophomore, really do deserve a fresh & honest second jam session. Maybe it's because they were released the same time as that when truly horseshit albums from their Wu brethren attacked the helpless masses. You know, gems like RZA's In Stereo, where he debuted that stupid-ass Bobby Digital gimmick. How about Cappadonna (aka Cappachino The Great aka Papi Wardrobe aka Oh Donna aka that dude who almost ruined Wu-Tang Forever aka he who was kicked out of the Wu camp for a long time and had to resort to driving a goddamn cab until he got back into the Clan's good graces) and his gleaming Pillage experiences? Truly timeless album, that. (Admittedly, some songs on there were among the best the Wu as a whole ever came up with. Go figure.) Let's not forget Mr. Uey's pearl of an album that was Golden Arms Redemption. Oh, dare I not mention Raekwon's national treasure, Immobilarity. All solid examples of one timeless lesson: Dont be a bonehead.

Alas, it was that time again. RZA had another one of his absurd whims after the roaring success of GFK's sophomore, so he called for his brethren to assume their positions in the Wu Mansion. Once again, they were to reassemble under his rule as he temporarily reestablished his dictatorship, bringing in only one Wu-Element, DJ Mathematics, to assist in production this time. One absence was painfully obvious, though: ODB's demons, brought forth by his gimmick, have landed a critical blow, which involved numerous instances where people would shoot him, including one where the police shot him for merely pulling out his cellphone. Other problems included living on the run for a while and finally a miserable prison term in Riker's Island. The abuse he suffered there remains very notorious, and it is absolutely appalling that the people responsible for said injustices are still without a shred of accountability. Nevertheless, the Wu would find a way to include Russell on the proper album, now branded the W.

The W would go on to sell one million units stateside, doing so in less than a month. Compare that to 36 Chambers, which took a year and a half to achieve the same feat. It also received a heap of critical acclaim, though not quite as unanimous as its two predecessors.

True story time: I left the US for good in 1997 as a preteen. Since then, the one time I set foot back there was in the summer of 2011 for two weeks, residing in LA for one and in my former hometown of Boulder, CO for the other. During those times, four albums or their worth kept me company: Aquemini by Outkast, Royce's Primo & Bad Meets Evil collaborations and most of all, this album and its successor, Iron Flag.

The W, boy/girl (pick one):

INTRO (SHAOLIN FINGER JAB)/CHAMBER MUSIC
The Wu were apparently listening to the feedback to their solo material. Because RZA goes on a mission to create the dopest instrumental from simple kung fu samples, whether dialogue or music. And you know what? It worked better than expected. A lot of people forget this beat when talking about their favorite RZA productions and hey, I'm occasionally one of them. Anyway, Raekwon has apparently had enough of his Clansmen bodying the fuck outta his verses so he has come with one scorching opener. Seriously, this verse is one of his best ever. Of course, GZA and Mef still outclass him with their respective verses, with Mef in particular being the standout here. Masta Killa shows up as well, but his verse is uncharacteristically average. I loved the way how the reference game is on fire in this song with GZA referencing dated music piracy tool Napster and Mef especially referencing the post-Forever era twice through his own sophomore and Deck's debut. This continues the Wu's often overlooked streak of brilliant openers.

CAREFUL (CLICK, CLICK)
Already you arrive at one of the best songs on the album, courtesy of RZA spreading out numerous excerpts of Rufus Thomas through the song, including the awesome drum break, while mixing them with music from various kung fu movies from his prized collection. I genuinely believe that these two cuts house his best usage of kung fu samples yet. Yes, even better than 36 Chambers and Forever. RZA and MK both rely on referencing previous landmarks in the Wu canon, with MK particularly privy to his own contributions so far. After which Cap, GFK, Uey and Deck all come with their best imagery servings with surprisingly equal potency. See? I told you Cap and Uey, when controlled, deserve their place within the Clan. This track and its predecessor are one of the finest one-two combos in hip hop history.

HOLLOW BONES
Over RZA's soulful Syl Johnson loop, RAGU and Deck attempt to relax your mind with a story apiece. Stories about the perilous hiccups during criminal activities. Yeah, that'll chill me the fuck out when I just wanna smack the teeth outta my smug boss's mouth. Still, a pretty entertaining song with all three flexing their flow muscles something proper. Not as good as the previous two, of course, but fairly good nonetheless. A short kung fu sample leads into...

REDBULL (FEATURING REDMAN)
Redman resurfaces on a Wu-related project once again. And it's an official Wu album. Yes! One thing though: Wu stans seem to criticize the hell outta RZA's beat, which utilizes this Hugh Brodie drum break, to which I say: Y'all brain dead fucks prefer Stroke Of Death to this?! Some people really don't deserve nice things. The beat is absolutely masterful in highlighting the barrage of punchlines that Red, Mef and Deck (here he is again!) rain down upon you. Unsurprisingly, Deck hangs with the two punchline giants pretty comfortably. RZA has made a pretty weird choice to replace a traditional hook with simple shoutouts from RAGU. And by God, do they do him proud. This of course neither adds nor detracts from your enjoyment of the song. Once again, if you're not one of the brain dead fucks who prefer Stroke Of Death.

ONE BLOOD UNDER W (FEATURING JUNIOR REID)
By flipping the James Bond theme by John Barry & Monty Norman and forming a timeless banger out of it, RZA provides the perfect backdrop for Masta Killa to have his "Aight, I'm done playing with these motherfuckers" moment. If this song doesn't convince you that Masta Killa is a lyrical BEAST, then you should probably leave my blog right now. This really felt like his coming out party. Hell, it felt like the entire Clan were bowing to him in acknowledgment of his efforts within the collective so far and admiration of what he brings to the table, and by God does he bring the lyrical bloody business here. He even throws a scathing line towards future radio-whore Curtis Jackson aka Gorilla Curt. RZA even leaves his trademark of letting his beat ride after MK's done disembowling it in the most violent way, which I always love if the beat is worth said gesture. Junior Reid is also in fine form here, as the Wu pay tribute to his One Blood anthem, six years before The Game even thought of the idea. This song is a serious contender, alongside the two album openers, for the best song on the album. One of my favorite songs from the entire Wu discography.

CONDITIONER (FEATURING SNOOP DOGG)
You hear a short ballad excerpt from, um, The Ballads, where the late great ODB vents about his recent legal problems with, of all people, Snoop Dogg ad-libbing in agreement with him. Following which the blandest of all Bobby Digital beats stops you dead in your tracks and throws you completely the fuck off the enjoyment train you were riding so far. Think about it: RZA managed to make a beat that renders Snoop Dogg and Ol' Fucking Dirty Bastard (in his lone appearance on this album and his last on a Wu album during his lifetime, mind you) sound boring as fuck.  Further salt is rubbed into your wounds when you realize the lengths the Wu went to acquire this ODB verse during his incarceration. They had to go and record his verse at Rikers from those phone-like things you always see in jail visit scenes in movies. Think of how frustrating it is for everyone else to have RZA piss all that effort away with his maddeningly generic shit. After the song ends, a distorted Roy Budd sample attacks your senses in the best way possible. It's then that GZA drops one of the hottest 16s you'll ever hear, with Inspectah Deck playing cleanup with a hook. the second beat and Gary's verse don't last very long, but they damn sure purge the sorry experience preceding them outta my brain.

PROTECT YA NECK (THE JUMP OFF)
The lead single, which RZA backs with a fusion of samples by Albert King, Lowell Fulson & the team of Otis Redding & Carla Thomas, along with some Chinese music thrown in for good measure lest you forgot what made this clique so memorable to begin with. The order was planned deliberately to mirror their debut single 8 years ago. All present bring their a-game as expected. Interesting thing is that the beat switches completely to a low-key Bob Digi beat that thankfully keeps its predecessor's thumping nature when Golden Arms takes to the mic. Cap is once again brought in to fill ODB's painful absence. Unlike the original Protect Ya Neck, though, Deck takes this with his shoutout to ODB at the end of his opening verse. All in all, it ain't Triumph or anything but it lives up to its namesake well.

LET MY N****S LIVE (FEATURING NAS)
Following an excerpt from the forgotten 70s prison drama Short Eyes (which is sampled multiple times throughout this album), where  RZA brings yet another distortion of the same Roy Budd sample GZA bodied earlier for Nas' return to a Wu-related album. Listen, I know Rae opens the song with a solid verse, but the true money's on the duel between Nas and the Rebel. They're even stylistically similar so it'll make a damn good spectacle. And call me crazy, but Deck matched Nas' wizardry blow for blow, even outperforming him at points. So yeah, Deck takes it, despite Nas putting up the best fight he can.

I CAN'T GO TO SLEEP (FEATURING ISAAC HAYES)
RZA lets the opening minutes of Walk On By by the legendary guest of this song himself, the timeless Isaac Hayes, play in their entirety. Which is all to set up GFK’s inspiration to peak and bring the absolute best outta him. And he succeeds in said endeavor, as GFK sheds a verse exhibiting every quality that drove Wu stans to state that he carried the Clan on his back during those years. Really, the mesh of tragedy and thuggery mixed with that peerless delivery pitch of his never ceases to be a refreshing experience every time you hear it. RZA is apparently influenced a great deal by said pitch as well, because he also delivers his heartbreaking verse as if he was bawling too. In fact, RZA's verse is so effective it eclipses GFK’s shit. Props to the late great Mr. Hayes for his hook. A true epic in hip hop form and a damn fine followup to Tearz.

DO YOU REALLY (THANG, THANG)
DJ Mathematics, the lone Wu-Element to appear on this album, chops up some David Porter to cook up one hell of a banger. Forget anyone telling you that Masta Killa or Golden Arms is the forgotten Wu member, because that distinction is  Streetlife's, by far. Still, him being a legitimate Wu General means that he was, or maybe still is, nice with his shit. His verse here definitely proves him such. And for the first time in his career, he fucking bodies Mef on a song. Speaking of which, the beginning of Mef's contribution is a mere whimper of a Snoop Dogg interpolation. He does gradually improving with each bar, though. His hook's pretty good, as well. Masta Killa does his thing of blending imagery with some pretty convincing thuggery, moving the song along pretty effectively. And it's here where you experience a true shocker: Inspectah Deck brings the absolute worst verse of the bunch. That's never happened before. Still, the song's pretty entertaining regardless.

THE MONUMENT (FEATURING BUSTA RHYMES)
We switch to a skit where Golden Arms shows up for what seems like forever while RZA gives us a special Fat Larry's Band interpolation over one of his dope original compositions. He starts to rap a bit, gaining momentum until GFK orders the song to be paused as he reveals it to be part of the skit, following which RZA scarpers off to unveil the real beat: A keys mashup of Black Heat & Electric Prunes. Busta repays RAGU for the cameo they did on his Large Professor-produced The Heist with as good a tongue twister of a verse as he can muster. Rae gives his traditional flossy crhymes performance, leaving plenty room for GZA to sweep in and body both of his costars with the sheer power of thought behind his shit. Another song hated by braindead boneheads who prefer Stroke Of Death. Yeah, I got a chip on my shoulder.

GRAVEL PIT (FEATURING MADAME MAJESTIC)
RZA sets you up for a party with a short Grant Green interpolation, followed by a clever loop of a classical piece by Antoine Duhamel as your club banger. Which is funny to me because the lyrics are anything but club friendly. Mef's punchlines and GFK’s assonance are appreciated but it's Golden Arms who steals the show here. I swear, with It's Yours and Cherchez LaGhost, son must have a penchant for shining on club records. Even though Cherchez LaGhost was absolute garbage. Thought you'd catch me slipping, didn'tcha? The song ends with the second and final excerpt sampled from Short Eyes, setting up the following track

JAH WORLD (FEATURING JUNIOR REID)
Junior Reid returns, but his performance here isn't as crisp as his earlier showing on the album, which weakens this song's bite a bit. The second GFK/RZA slow combo of the album also touches on similar subject matter and themes as the first, and while the beat is ingeniously crafted from cheesy kung fu flick music to achieve a genuine sense of sorrow, I still feel I Can't Go To Sleep was the better song. Sorry but it is what it is.

CLAP (HIDDEN TRACK)
DJ Math returns in this song, hidden in the same track as Jah World, armed with a Dionne Warwick loop that isn't neither bad nor good. It just is. The hook is the part of the song that's atrocious, to the point it almost kills your interest in the shit's lyrics. Upon further inspection, however, you find that RAGU & Mef play their parts right. Overall, this was no way to close the W but as a standalone, it's aight.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Weird fact: Some Wu stans actually trash this album now. Maybe it's because it started off with such a bang that it's hard to measure the rest of the project against those first few songs. Once again, though: the latter half has some overlooked gems that just need a closer look. Situations like this can only be caused by poor tracklisting. Really the downfall of many albums with a good collection of songs. Because this was crafted with as much care and fine-tuning as the previous two proper Wu albums. This leads to some absolute scorchers that fly under some radars like One Blood Under W and Let My N****s Live. Hell, even cuts like Gravel Pit surprise upon further inspection. Leading me to believe without a shadow of a doubt that The W is the most underrated Wu album during their heyday. Well, aside from the debacle of including ODB on the album. That really should've been handled better, RZA.

WORTH IT? I say this with the least bit of bias I can muster: Absolutely. The highs of this album are as good as any this legendary crew achieved during their career span. The lows? Well, RZA should never be allowed near a honey-dipped blunt again.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
THE W
The song playing in that Monument skit. Added as a bonus track to Iron Flag, which never made sense to me. Of course it's the exact same beat, which is fantastic, but this time RZA commands Uey to perform the interpolation he was soldiering for dolo with him. GZA, Mef, Uey & Rae show up for lyrical duty. Uey's verse never should've left the cutting room floor, I'm afraid, as his negative capability here is absolutely embarrassing. As for Mef, performances like this are what he's talking about when criticizing his form during the early years. God I wish he used his bars on that Fast Shadow joint, because he was the lone amazing MC on that song. Rae, despite giving a scorching offering, never seems to catch a break because the Genius unsurprisingly bodied everyone with his opener. Poor Cheffy. But yeah, I really liked this song. And we're done.

The Wu's extensive saga continues here.

Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele (February 8, 2000)

 

If you ever loved hip hop with any sincerity, then these last few days were absolute torture to you.

The world lost a truly gifted mind in one Albert T'Chaka Johnson, author, theorist, visionary, publisher and what started it all, poet Prodigy of immortal hip hop duo Mobb Deep. Prodigy was one of the very first MCs whose lyrics I obsessed about, simply because of how much he enforced an expression we've learned round these parts: 'Oratory can be magic'. There was a six-year period where Prodigy wasted zero words in his lyrics: Each and every line he delivered then was a timeless quotable enshrined in hip hop history.

I've already raved about how much of an impact dude's material left on my psyche, and undoubtedly countless others. So what I choose to highlight today is another side few people focus on when studying greats like him: Business mentality. It's no secret that P wasn't given the tools to be a Dr. Dre or a Jay-Z in his business life. But he did find a workaround, eventually. I recently watched his interview with Elliot Wilson where he talks about his numerous recent business evolutions, from a publishing company to a record label, and it struck me just how much he bigged up my subject for today in that particular field. See according to P, it was actually the Wu-Tang Clan who schooled him on how to move within the industry, how to establish relations with figures from various fields and learn as much as possible from each field so as to have more control over your shit. So I feel it's only appropriate to continue talking about the second most important time period in this act's business history. That, and the fact that P's last public appearance was headlining alongside Nas and two Wu members. This post is for you, Cellblock P. Rest In Peace, Albert Johnson.

'Twas the dawn of the new millenium. The Y2K craze turned out to be one monstrous disappointment of a hoax, and George W. Bush was about to force America into yet another war.

In the rap industry, however, the once-mighty Wu banner has been nearly forsaken by their most ardent supporters. The blame was shifted around within the camp, with arguments ranging from too many Wu-Affiliate material to lacklustre projects from some Wu Generals such as RZA, Cappadonna, Golden Arms and Raekwon to horseshit promotion of worthy albums from the likes of Method Man, GZA & Inspectah Deck. Everyone was pointing fingers at everyone else. Only one member stood silently in the shadows, observing everyone else and patiently plotting his next move. His name? Masta Killa.

You didn't think I was going to imply that Dennis Coles bka Ghostface Killah aka Ironman aka Tony Starks aka Pretty Toney aka P.Tone aka The Wallabee Champ aka Ghostdini The Great would sit idly by and watch this happen, did you? Patience is not a trait this man is particularly known for. Simply put, when Dennis saw all this mess unfold, he decided to take matters into his own hands. Add that to the fact that GFK felt that his previous work on the revolutionary twin albums Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... and Ironman wasn't properly compensated, and you've got one driven human being. Hell, I'd be that pissed off as well had I had an album credited to me sell over one million units without me getting enough to show for it.

Also of significant incentive to GFK is the fact that when all the dust settled, it was his partner Raekwon who was awarded all the media hype and all the perks that came with it: accolades, guest appearances, etc. Meanwhile, GFK was restricted to Wu-related albums only, with a very marginal few crediting him for the scorching venom he was spewing on albums like Wu-Tang Forever (the Wu's best material ever, group or solo) Of those few, however, was one who knew just how to disperse all of GFK’s woes moving forward. That, of course, was his brother-in-law (Former? Current? DKDC) RZA. RZA pimped the ever-living shit outta GFK’s verses on various Wu-related albums, further wetting the appetite of ravenous Wu fans who still believed in the product. Interest continued to grow while GFK soldiered on with his amazing Forever form, until he appeared on Blackout!, the debut collaboration album between Mef and Hit Squad general Redman. The exposure that album received rubbed off on GFK’s image and it was finally time to make an album.

Now, since RZA relinquished dictatorship over the Wu's solo careers post-Forever, every Wu General who released a solo album after that made it a point to diversify his beat selections. Naturally, fans didn't know what to expect from GFK. So when he brought in dudes ranging from Junkyard Juju from the motherfucking Beatnuts to the UMCs' Haas G to familiar Wu collaborator Carlos '6 July' Broady, people initially thought nothing of it. Everyone gave our host his beats and left the building. It was then that RZA decided to step in and rework every single beat given to the project, which was done to establish consistency very quickly dwindling from the rap scene then. Which must've been great news for GFK, as one of the songs supposed to be on the album, Cobra Clutch, was relegated to the Wu vanity album The Swarm.

Don't think for a second that this move hurt GFK’s reputation, as the song drove hip hop heads worldwide absolutely apeshit for it, hailing it as the best song off the gold-selling compilation. (You read correctly. A mere compilation record from Wu and friends sold five hundred thousand copies on the strength of the Wu brand alone.) Less than a year after that, the DJ Mathematics-produced Mighty Healthy was unleashed on the masses and it drove people further into delirium for this project. Suddenly, there was a possibility that GFK was sitting on the album of the decade. Literally.

Interesting of note, GFK actually left the States and spent some time in Africa to write the album's lyrics, with RZA following him there to tighten up everything. This was done to parallel his trip with Raekwon to the Bahamas to write Cuban Linx, where RZA followed them there as well. Maybe it's a viable inspiration tactic. Maybe it's an excuse to splurge the label's money. Who knows. Thank God, I'm not a rapper.

Supreme Clientele sold five hundred thousand units within one month only in the US alone. Also, it shared the year of release with the Wu's third opus The W. From hereon out, GFK would continue to release a solo album every year the Wu dropped to this very day. Time to find out if his gamble here paid off and if it really was the album of the decade:

INTRO

RZA places a couple of bits from the Ironman 60s show. This would later come back to bite GFK in the ass.

NUTMEG (FEATURING RZA)
Black Moes-Art, producer of the timeless Soul In The Hole OST title track (Seriously. If you haven't heard it, go do so now), blesses Dennis with an Eddie Holman-sampling banger. GFK busts out the gate as if he's never proven anything to anyone in this rap game, spitting two verses so chock full of references they perfectly exhibit just how peerless the stream-of-consciousness style can be when done right. You'd also notice that he's continuing the eviscerating flow change he introduced in 97 on Wu Forever. Bobby was so excited by said verses he simply had to jump in for the third verse. Already, this album's off to a fantastic start.

ONE
It's about damn time the Beatnuts were shown love here at BBR! Juju loops a Sweet Inspirations sample and transforms it into a goddamn True Master-style scorcher of beat. GFK launches into a storytelling rap describing a day in hood life. What's different here is that Ghostface meshes so many styles of MCing into this one song that the lone track become a full-blown saga of episodes, twisting and turning with every listen. Props to his dazzling display of assonance in the second verse. A magnificent continuance of the strengths GFK displayed in the 5-year plan. This shit will take your breath away.

SATURDAY NITE
A short but sweet tale describing GFK being harassed by cops, set to a sped up Lamont Dozier loop by 6 July. By now, anyone who read about Ghostface Killa on this blog should know how devastating his imagery showcases can be. It won't matter in the slightest that the whole song is a little over a minute and a half long.

GHOST DEINI (FEATURING SUPERB)
Let me mention that depending on which version you hear, the experience of this track will differ greatly. Because there are two versions of this track out there, both apparently sampling the same Michael Masser material. Difference is, one houses a timeless loop. The other's simply aight. Anyways, allow me to address a certain controversy insinuated in the past and one that hasn't really been addressed properly as far as I'm concerned: Former Wu-Affiliate and American Cream Team member Superb, currently serving a bid for raping a young girl for the second time, has infamously claimed to have written the entirety of this album. One look at this song's lyrics and you will immediately recognize that to be a fallacy. GFK rips his guest's contribution to shreds with patented lethal combinations of imagery and punchlines, while Perby settles with spitting his most well-known verse. I don't care if the verse was fairly good, son gets no props. Still, a timeless GFK display.

APOLLO KIDS (FEATURING RAEKWON)
The second single & Haas G's lone contribution to Supreme Clientele. This very well may be his best production ever, as he masterfully reworks a Solomon Burke excerpt into the thumping drum break. Then again, maybe that was RZA's doing. As I said: he did rework every beat on the damn thing. To every rapper in the mainstream today, fuck you for not learning more from this song in the effective ways of 'styling on punks'. Matter of fact, anybody thinking about making a braggadocious song for his catalog should thoroughly research the lyrics present here from both MCs. Prediction: You'll love this song.

THE GRAIN (FEATURING RZA)
RZA finally enters the fray of producers for the album, armed with two Rufus Thomas samples. Lyrically, he joins Dennis in another acclaimed tag team showcasing how hybrid the Wu really were back then. The way their visions interweave, with GFK’s stream-of-consciousness dream sequence clashing with RZA's vivid tale of GFK’s ugly run-in with the cops, prove once again the steep history of these two's friendship, dating back to their old stomping ground Stapleton. Storytime: I played the ever-living shit outta Def Jam: Vendetta and its sequel Fight For NY. As of this moment, I just realized that this song has been blasted into my brain a killion times already, but I was too dumbstruck to realize that until I researched GFK's video game appearances for this review. That factoid makes me appreciate this song a whole lot more. This be my shit.

BUCK 50 (FEATURING METHOD MAN, CAPPADONNA & REDMAN)
RZA is really out to redeem himself for his failure of a solo debut, being the gojazillionth producer to make a classic outta hip hop goldmine Hard Times by Baby Huey. And what better use of the smash of a beat than as background to a trademark Wu punchline posse cut that allows me to write the following: I finally get to review a Reggie Noble verse! Especially with him and Mef repaying GFK for his cameo on their exhilaratingly successful collaboration album, Blackout! And also, Cappadonna (aka Cappachino The Great aka Papi Wardrobe aka Oh Donna aka that dude who almost ruined Wu-Tang Forever aka he who was kicked out of the Wu camp for a long time and had to resort to driving a goddamn cab until he got back into the Clan's good graces) returns to BBR. Have no fear, though, everyone (even Oh Donna. Because this time, RZA contains his horseshit, see.) comes correct with said punchlines. Mef sounds inspired as all hell, which I always love since it tends to bring out some amazing lyrics outta the fucker. Also, I loved the way that Reggie interrupts Cap. It's almost like he's forcefully showing him how to body the beat. Furthermore, Dennis spits two amazing verses on here. This is one of the best posse cuts the Wu have ever made.

MIGHTY HEALTHY
So, if you know the Wu at all, you've heard this song or of it. Why? Because it's probably DJ Mathematics' best production ever. I'm not exaggerating. He apparently handled the dope-ass animation in the music video, as well. Not surprising since he is the one who designed the Wu-Tang logo. Flipping a Sylvers sample to the hip hop staple Synthetic Substitution drum break coupled with some trademark Kung fu sampling, Math gives GFK the perfect layup for the lyrical dunk of the decade that is Supreme Clientele's lead single. And best believe, Dennis appropriately came correct something lovely: He launches into two of his patented style-meshing verses, once again providing sagas within them that twist and shift upon each listen. By far, the Wu-est song on the album. Never come back to this blog again if you don't like this shit.

WOODROW THE BASE HEAD (SKIT)

Fuck this skit, fuck Perby and fuck GFK for including this horseshit on the album.

STAY TRUE (FEATURING 62ND ASSASSIN)

I find it absolutely hilarious that GFK called this throughout the album's crafting process 'Deck's Beat'. An acute window inside the mind of our host, who was so enamored with the beat to Deck's Elevation that he decided to jack it wholesale and call it said name, laying said fact out bare. Anyway, Dennis spits one flossy-ass one-verse wonder that still retains his incredible talent for off-the-wall references. Yet again, another song by a Wu General ends with 62nd Assassin singing something that neither adds nor detracts from said song. Remember Glaciers Of Ice?

WE MADE IT (FEATURING SUPERB, HELL RAZAH & CHIP BANKS)

After another excerpt from the 60s cartoon, an admittedly-dope 6 July beat, which is yet another hip hop example of how to sample a Syl Johnson classic, unveils itself. I'll also admit that I loathed this beat the first time I heard it, but it gradually grew on me so tread carefully. Maybe it's because friggin' Perby is the first voice you hear on the shit. Seriously, what was so special about this Perby cat that made RZA feature him so heavily everywhere back then?! Lyrically he's on par with friggin' Hell Razah from Sunz Of Man, which damn well ain't nothing to be proud of. Very few tag teams in the Wu camp are worse than the aforementioned two to share this song with. Oh well: At least Hell Razah isn't a convicted rapist. On the plus side, GFK and the late Chip Banks, one half of the Harlem Hoodz and leader of Raekwon's American Cream Team, bring the ruckus on here. All in all, a good song if one can somehow cut Perby the fuck out of it.

STROKE OF DEATH (FEATURING SOLOMON CHILDS & RZA)

Apparently, Chris Rock and some respectable bloggers are fans of this song. Well, allow me to tell Christopher Rock and said bloggers that they are fucked in the brain. The Harlem Underground Band sample is scratched for the sole purpose of giving you a brain tumor. What pisses me off even more is that the performances by GFK and RZA are absolutely sublime. Solomon Childs, however, sounds nowhere near as good as he did on the Pillage, so there's that. Sorry, RZA, but fuck this song.

IRON'S THEME - INTERMISSION

RZA commissions a Gap Mangione loop, where GFK sings along to its tune. Yes, he sings. I think that's all you need to know about this shit.

MALCOLM

Something called a Choo The Specializt produced this song, bookending it with a dope Malcolm X sample, with the actually dope instrumental a beautiful mesh of a John Coltrane & Duke Ellington loop with an Isaac Hayes sample. Come to think of it, maybe the Malcolm X excerpt is RZA's doing. Whatever. Dennis the Menace here decides it's time for him to dream himself into Malcolm's shoes when the latter was guarding his family, then add a few events from his own into said dream. Bet you won't find songs like this on a Jay-Z album.

WHO WOULD YOU FUCK (SKIT)

This you would find, however. Skip this barf.

CHILD'S PLAY

RZA brings a George Jackson-backed instrumental for his final beat on the album and backs away as GFK brings you a truly breathtaking session of storytelling about one of his crushes in his younger years. You really need to listen to this multiple times, actually. The sheer skill in storytelling he displays on here is simply mind-bending.

CHERCHEZ LA GHOST (FEATURING GOLDEN ARMS)

Unlike this dead-on-arrival horseshit. Carlos Bess, then already a young drumming legend, tries to bring Ghostie and Goldie here a club hit. To top it all off, you'd think that Goldie's the reason this song's absolute garbage but it's actually our host himself: GFK bit the first two bars from Mef's verse on the old I Gets Down For My Crown way back when, and proceeded to spit the most uninspired 6 bars I've ever heard from him. Uey follows up with a much more competent 8 bars utilizing his patented negative capability skills. None of this matters though, as the majority of the song is the vocals of some random R&B chick RZA probably picked up outta the blue and thought she was the next Aretha Franklin. And she calls herself Madame Majestic. Yeah, that'll convince everyone. Bottom line, her Cherchez LaFemme interpolation, along with the oh-so-original subject matter, ruins the entire song. Fuck this fake ass clowning.

WU BANGA 101 (FEATURING GZA, RAEKWON, CAPPADONNA & MASTA KILLA)

Now, this is more like it. DJ Mathematics is hell-bent on including kung fu samples on his beats here. Also, he samples a smooth Gladys Knight hit and turns it into a barren coliseum for the five Wu Generals to lyrically duke it out. And please believe, they duke it out something rough and rugged. Anytime Gary Grice sets off a Wu posse cut, the people following better bring their absolute A-game to the table, because he comes through with yet another of his timeless MCing lessons. This is also another Wu posse cut where GFK spits two sublime verses. Here Oh-Donna is even more contained than on Buck 50, which means his verse is even doper here. My lone gripe with this song is that Masta Killa's contribution was cut incredibly short because he was his usual immaculate self. Best song on the album, easy.

CLYDE SMITH (SKIT)

OK, so you already know this is Raekwon responding on behalf of the Wu to Gorilla Curt's How To Rob. Which is why it's absolutely hilarious to me that neither the Wu nor Gorilla Curt never carried out their threats against each other throughout the years. Alas, GZA definitively finished the job in 08 with his Paper Plate track. Also of absolute hilarity to me is the fact that outta nowhere, Gorilla Curt decided to post a recent pic on his IG where he's chumming it up with them. Yes, Cheffy's in the picture.

IRON'S THEME - CONCLUSION

A myriad of the opening skit, another excerpt from the cartoon and the abovementioned intermission.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I'm saying it right now: RZA didn't even show this much care to his own solo debut. Something about Ghostface Killah's hunger for the spotlight led RZA to hop on board this project and ensure that it was a timeless record. Because you bet your doughy and warty ass this is what a proper follow-up to a five-year plan classic Wu solo should sound like. All the factors are there: consistency, brilliant material, skill. Best of all, GFK was notably learning how to be his own entity and still function as part of the bigger Wu umbrella. Don't get me wrong, Mef, GZA & Deck already accomplished this with their shit. But GFK is the only one to remain in fruitful collaboration with RZA while doing so. For that, Supreme Clientele gets the nudge ahead of the others' still-dope material. However, I guess this means that it still can't be recognized as a true GFK solo project, though. Nevertheless, everyone who heard this album and praised it to the heavens were not bullshitting you this time. If you haven't yet heard a Wu solo aside from the 5-year plan releases and you're pretty confused as to which one you should start with, this is definitely the one I'd recommend. UPDATE: Jamel Bibbs aka Lord Superb passed away in October 2018 after falling into a coma and never regaining consciousness. I will never speak ill of the dead on this blog, as what I wrote was when he was alive. Any future mentions of Lord Superb shall be just that: mentions.

WORTH IT? Read the sentence I wrote before UPDATE and go burn this album into your brain. Beat a dog senseless if you have to.

TRACKS TO TRACK DOWN:
COBRA CLUTCH
I'm pretty sure GFK is the only rapper in history to make a shampoo brand fit perfectly in a hardcore rap song. And what a lead single this could've been: DJ Mathematics samples Lyn Collins in the perfect compliment to GFK’s confrontational lyrics. This is where people started to notice that he was continuing his devastating upgrade to his style, one which he introduced on Wu Forever. Furthermore, the video perfectly showcased his goofy side, where he and RZA brilliantly and hilariously acted like a couple of damn fools. Is it me or are the scenes playing in the background of the video excerpts from RZA's long unreleased Bobby Digital movie?! That's right, he actually made one.

STAND UP (CHARLI BALTIMORE SONG)

The album housing this single went through a very weird form of development hell. Even the album itself is damn weird if you ask me. For one, there are a lot of hardcore Boom Bap producers on the shit. Two, RZA produced two songs for her. One of which is this single, complete with a video and everything. Charli and GFK begin the song with some sexual banter, until Charli ruins it for everyone by producing a very painful image as a sexual act. Oh, you'll know what I'm talking about when you hear it. GFK and Charli then proceed to demolish the track together with braggadocio that'll crack your head open. Well, maybe that applies to GFK a bit more than it does to Charli. OK, a lot more. Still, she really holds her own.

WISE

I mean come on: There really was no way in Hades this was gonna make the proper album. Now that that's outta the way: This song is the tits. The very first time where GFK commands his producer, RZA this time, to just let a certain R&B track play while he rhymes right on the shit. This would become a Ghostface Killah staple for a good goddamn reason, as these songs usually feature GFK at his most inspired. It all started here as Dennis eulogizes his fallen friend Wise, who may or may not be the late leader of Killarmy. You've already heard how potent GFK was on Impossible, so yeah that's what you're getting here. One of the best songs I've ever heard in my life. And we're done.

If this whipped up a ravenous appetite for more GFK, gahead.