Reviews (page 3 of 8)
This feels like quintessential 90's rap. The lyrics are very tight and his flow is great. Love the sampling and various sounds that appear throughout.
Peak 90s rap
Great Songs: Gold, B.I.B.L.E (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) Good Songs: Liquid Swords, Duel of the Iron Mic, Living in the World Today, Cold World, 4th Chamber, Shadowboxin', Hell's Wind Staff / Killah Hills 10304, Investigative Reports, Swordsman, I Gotcha Back Mid Songs: Labels, Bad Songs:
Enjoyed this album by good GZA and the whiz RZA.
Faves: Cold World Shadowboxin' BIBLE
I like Wu Tang and some of the spin-off stuff (esp RZA and ODB) but hadn’t spent much time with this one. Good lyrics and flow, but def not as standout to me as the full Staten Island Avengers assembly!
Wu Tang is for everyone. Not just the children.
Pretty much a Wu Tang Clan album. Listened to a lot over the years and still stands up as a classic hip hop album. Best tracks for me Gold, 4th Chamber and Shadowboxin’. 4.
Yep. Enjoyed this. Will listen to it again as plenty to take in that i haven't managed to imbibe on the first listen
Honestly, I think the samples from the shogun movie are lowkey the best part of the album. They give the album so much atmosphere and a certain vibe that the actual music doesn't quite live up to. Not that it's bad or anything; it's actually quite good, but I feel like it sounds a lot like other hip-hop albums of the time, when, especially based on how it opened, I thought it would lean into an old-timey kind of movie sound. Once I get over that specific disappointment, this is really good. I don't usually love 90s music, but that's also usually based on cliche production styles and sounds, and this feels much more timeless. Favorite Song HM to B.I.B.L.E. Wasn't expecting a song like that on this album, and he knew his stuff by making some really cool references. Lyrics on hip-hop albums are pretty hard for me to pick up, especially in just one listen through. What I did make out was really good, and there's a chance the rating would go up if I could really pick the lyricism out. Favorite Song(s): Cold World
Fucking legend! Love GZA and all the Wu-Tang clan! RIP ODB! This was a great album! GZA is such an underrated part of the Wu-Tang but he always shows how good he is!
I've only recently come to this, and now it's on my shelves. The Shogun interludes really add some atmosphere and strangely work despite the juxtaposition in music style and subject matter Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ Solid ★★★★☆ (7/10) Total reviewed : 292 Already owned : 67 Purchased : 15 To buy : 3 Nope : 207
Lyrically dense, good stories, excellent tracks
This is prime hip hop. Dark beats, hooks, guest lyrical tear ups, GZA dripping the cool.
3.5 - I'd like this morning without the skits (at this point, this can probably be assumed), but the songs are pretty good.
Wu-tang forever.
Love this album. Have heard it a few times I suppose but never in depthly. So many bangers that I forget are on here. Probably the 2nd best album from a Wu Tang member.
Brilliant stuff
I think it's fair to put Wu-Tang Clan, Wu-Tang members' solo albums, and Wu-Tang-adjacent artists' recordings under one roof. Now the house is pretty full and it's all good stuff. But they all can't occupy space on this list. At some point, redundancy has been reached and we should move on to something else.
Souuuuuuuu
I will never complain about more Wu-Tang I’m very glad we got 36 chambers before this one considering how a decent portion of the lyrics directly allude to that one. Musically it’s just about as good, I love the flow and how hypnotic it gets at times. I don’t care if it’s corny, I do like all the martial arts themes; it adds so much to the personality. GZA’s got a really powerful voice which makes the delivery really hit It’s still great but not quite as good as 36 chambers; I think a lot of the charm of the original was the chemistry between the whole group, and although all of the other members are featured pretty heavily in this one, it’s not the same. I also don’t think the lyrics are as good, though there’s still some great lines in there I realize it’s kinda unfair to compare this one to one of the best hip hop albums of all time; I really did like this one and it’s just more of what I loved about 36 chambers
Great, gonna have to listen to more wu-tang alumni
P hood
I can’t be 100% sure, but I think I just got taken to church. Or a kung fu movie. Or both?
Glad im getting wutang side projects on this I like wutang clan a lot and have been meaning to check out the mcs’ solo stuff and yea it doesnt disappoint its good stuff. 7.5/10
Classic. 8/10.
Best solo wu tang album
Q CAPA DAHORA FAVS (top 3): living in the world today, cold world, swordsman mençoes honrosas: liquid swords, labels, shadowboxin', i gotcha back, B.I.B.L.E. um bom hip hop bem classico como eu amo muitoooo nota final: 4/5
Dated, but bops, good lyricism, beats are definitely a product of 90s New York.
this is such a deeply nostalgic album. i adore it.
I had an appreciation for Wu-Tang during their time in the spotlight, but I couldn't tell you much about them aside from the hits. As for solo projects, I knew of some like Method Man, ODB, and Ghost face but again, it's because they had commercial success. I got assigned 36 Chambers on this site and really vibed with it. Now, listening to this RZA solo endeavor, I realized I really missed out on some good hip hop by not getting super into Wu-Tang and all their solo/side projects. This is just a solid album. Dope beats, great flow, and minimal bullshit (no skits, though I do wish the movie clips were skippable).
Funnily I listened to the wrong album, I listened to Legend of the Liquid Swords and I thought it was decent. A little Kooky but decent. Well when I read the review of my colleague, Domino, he/she reviewed a track that wasn't on my list. In my confusion I looked it up and discovered that there were seemingly two different albums. Maybe another day I wouldn't have bothered but today I went back and listened to the correct album, and this is that story. This album is great. Admittantly I'm not well versed in the Wu-tang clan despite always enjoying whenever they were on. This album had really great flows and lyricism. I mean it with no disrespect, it feels like this album could have been made in a few weeks. It's cohesive, it all flows together and it seems like GZA was in the zone the whole time. Great album, cool concept I like the vibe.
sounds like an mf doom album i liked all songs except instrumentals and the first
This is a masterful album. What Wu Tang Clan did will never be repeated. The beat selection on this album is incredible and all the beats compliment GZAs voice so well. GZA has an excellent delivery and is giving bars on this album. These features are good and they do what is needed. Excellent album
Great rapper, nice album. Several fantastic songs.
loved this
Favorite Track: Shadowboxin’
Alright, GZA is not my favorite of the group, probably not even top 5, but this album was solid.
This one takes me straight back to 1997 in PDX...Liquid Swords on repeat while we built lowrider bikes with banana seats, held post on the porch of the Hawthorne house, refilled 40s from a keg like it was a ritual, escaped to the river on hot day (few and far between in those times), and smoked far too much weed. Jesus — who was I? She’s lived many lives. While don’t partake in most of the above anymore, this album should be the exception.
The other Wu-Tang solo albums I’ve heard have forgotten a very important element of their sound. You can’t only have drugs and murder; you ALSO need wacky references to kung fu movies, sci-fi, and philosophy. GZA, genius that he is, understands this well.
So deep, it gets picked up on radio in tunnels. Top-3 of the peak-era Wu-Tang spinoff projects, I reckon, which puts it in rarified company. That perfect blend of rugged material and gritty delivery, with genuinely smart and ambitious wordplay, full of pathos. And of course loads of mad old king fu movie samples.
> the Beatles
My second favorite Wu Tang solo album after "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx". To me this feels like the true successor to "36 Chambers". Favorite track: B.I.B.L.E.
No. 97 So good I listened to it twice in a row. Easily my favorite Wu-Tang related project.
Absolutely nothing wrong with this bulletproof time capsule of 36th Chambers era GZA. But we all know, Wu-Tang solo acts fell into obscurity. I can't give it 5 stars because Method Man is my favorite Clan member. But GZA really demonstrates that he's a force. Musically, production wise, bar by bar and flow by flow he systematically demonstrates 1000 hours to the craft and a skillful blending of story telling and gangsta rap that only comes with decades of practice (but he was 29 when this came out?).
I didn’t really get into Wu Tang until way too late, but I could imagine a world where I listened to this record so much that it became an irreplaceable classic in my life on par with Nas’s Illmatic. Is it the best hiphop record I’ve ever heard? No. But it’s got a great laidback vibe that resonates with me more than the gangsta rap of this time period.
It's definitely good, but I just don't care.
I love the instrumental, the sample, the flow and the storytelling. Album filled with so much influences of culture that the rapper loves amaze me and I love them.
life is a quest in the universe
Love Wu and RZA mixes specifically. Raw feel. Unique flow. Lyrics often feel foreign. Couldn't help but picture myself as Michael Bolton driving into the office. 4th Chamber sounds familiar but can't put my finger on where I heard that sample...
Absolute classic. The opening track is incredible and the Genius and RZA bring the lyrics and beats like this is the last album they'd ever make. I love 90s Wu Tang solo albums, before the law of diminishing returns started to be applied, and this album is no different. Not my favorite but I fucks with it.
Good rap album. Love the Ghostface Killah guest songs.
Pretty solid rap album.
One of the best solo albums from a wu tang member. Flow like a rocky river rapids. Spitting insane lyrics and the production recordninf and the beats are amazing influenced a lot of reggaeton producers in the 2000
This album got nuthin' to fuck with.
I've always associated Wu-Tang with exquisite cadence, but this effort was never on my radar. To me this is just a Wu-Tang effort completely fronted by GZA as the main lyricist, and his pen is on fire. It's beautiful when you stop to understand the message and realize how the words don't only mix and match seamlessly, but they also paint a picture that's been pieced together in an abstract way. This is also a fun one for the samurai metaphor just because the street/urban aspect is so raw and rugged that thinking back on the way of the samurai adds the context of that lifestyle. It's hard to associate violence with honor, and it's exemplified heavily on this album. Esthetically, the effort is still solid some 30+ years later. Conceptually it still holds, but it's leaning extra hard on the drug-dealing money-making reality of many underprivileged Americans, which I suppose is a little more frowned upon today. I'd feel it drag if it weren't so well documented and executed. It is what it is and it's done right. 4.1/5
FORTÍSSIMO!!!!!! melhor que o último dos wu-tang que veio aqui lá pelo 100 e alguma coisa, inclusive. mas esse aqui eh bem mais cru, mais lo-fi, só PEDRADA de beat e rima. bão demais!!! e essa capa eh mto foda!!
Good one
How did i sleep on this marvel 'til now?
Cool old style rap album from a great artist. Not music I listen to every day anymore but it's hard to not appreciate how well made and produced this is.
80
Grimy... take off 4th Chamber to Investigative Reports. Shadowboxing is the highlight.
Incredibly good listen. Aged really well.
Album I grew up with and love, really wanted to go 5. The concept on most of these songs is really dumb. GZA is a ninja, but instead of swords he’s using rhymes to kill whack MC’s. The world they have created and all the aesthetics are awesome, but when you zoom in on the absurdity of the foundation of this universe, it’s embarrassing. It does bring back fond memories, especially of the feeling that you and your friends were cooler and better in every way than the other crew. We referred to these rival factions as “brosefs” Probably my favorite Wu Tang production. Highlight here was the intro to Gold, kinda love everything but Cold World.
This is a classic. Its so hard to rate albums of the Wu-Tang extended universe, because so much of their music sounds similar, but I do enjoy it. RZA's production holds down the menacing, cold Staten Island vibe perfectly for GZA to go off. Highlights to me are "Liquid Swords", "Cold World", "Gold"
Old-school hip hop isn’t really my thing but this has a ton of personality and some very solid beats.
So good. Definitely staying in rotation
Fantastic album, but some songs felt repetitive and the beats just didn't stick. Only thing keeping it from being a 5, imo.
I love the sound of 4th Chamber, not all of this album is up my alley, but I enjoy the story and epic scope it serves. Such storytellers!
Shadow boxin, cold world and 4th chamber are amazing. Great atmosphere created throughout.
I enjoyed that. Nowhere near what I would usually choose to listen to but compared to the other hip hop albums I've listened to, this is in a different league. Would happily hear more GZA.
The little Wikipedia snippet has it described as a "lyrical journey" and I can't really give full marks and appreciation for that alone, my focus is the music, but the atmosphere of the album is good, it grew on me over the listen
Probably one of the best solo wu tang albums. I liked the interludes and a lot of the songs although some of the middle songs got a bit too similar at times. Fav song: Shadowboxing, (H.M. BIBLE)
Need more music mainstream like this!!! Crazy how everything is still relevant today……………
This is how I like my hip hop. Old skool vibes and great flow. Even the movie samples didn't bother me on this one - at least they weren't childish skits
I love the kung fu theme throughout. There are really great features, and it's so impressive lyrically.
Love this album. The Wu-Tang artistic vision of hong kong action movies samples over gang violence lyrics is a winning formula. This is one of the best expressions of it. If BIBLE wasn't in here it's a 5
One of the best Wu solo efforts
Way better than expected
Wu-Tangin jäsenen soololevy, mukana myös paljon muita Wu-Tangin jäseniä, joten tyyli myös hyvin Wu-Tang. Hyviäkin kappaleita, sit osissa biitit oli vähän meh. Parhaat: Shadowboxin', Cold World, B.I.B.L.E,
Great beats, classic old school rap stylings with great collabs
I always enjoy some Wu tang in the morning
sounds a lot like wutang and that’s not bad
I saw GZA perform this once, the whole record.
Oh wow. I remember being taken to a party while tripping balls and then being left alone in a room while the opening track to this played. Scared the shit out of me. Impeccable until literally that last track B.I.B.L.E song where he condemns women for wanting to legalise abortion and praises the lord. Yikes. Big yikes. They should release an unextended cut where they just take off that last track. Final season of Game of Thrones ahh song.
Smooth, fun and highly listenable.
A very good album. Shadowboxin’ is an amazing song. Very high 4*
I had always heard that the Wu Tang solo projects are good. This one is great. I love the old school hardcore NYC rap, Gza’s rolling flow and dense lyricism, Rza’s beats and production, and top-tier guests. High 4
I liked doing work to this one.
Thoughts before listening: I have only really ever scratched the surface of the Wu Tang Clan world. I once owned Enter the 36 Chambers on cd as well as one of Ghostface Killah's albums, and I'm pretty sure I've listened to some of the other solo projects. However, my knowledge is pretty shallow. I know that Liquid Swords is considered one of the great hip hop albums, but this will be my first time listening I'm pretty sure. Review: This is basically what I expected, and pretty good. This album is defined by slow, jazzy beats and GZA's low key delivery (plus WuTang's typical usage of movie clips). This is the type of hip hop that resonates with me, so its a shame that I have waited 30 years to actually listen to this album. I'd say that this deserves the accolades its gotten over the years....4-stars from me.
GZA THE GENIUS We form like Voltron and he happens to be the head.
Back in the ’90s, I wasn’t super familiar with GZA or RZA, but everything I heard from them, I always enjoyed. One thing I really love about this album is RZA’s production. It has this dark, dystopian vibe that really pulls you in, especially with all the kung fu and horror flick samples throughout the album. I also love the tempo on a lot of these mid 90s hip hop albums. It’s not too fast, not too slow, just the perfect pace to vibe to while cruising around town. Looking back, I wish this kind of East Coast style hip hop had been more popular in Denver at the time, but back then, the Denver scene was all about West Coast hip hop.
Decent 4
Thought this was great, would relisten
Really enjoyed this one.
Great old school rap album, but it's not really my cup of tea
Liked this album quite a bit. Deserved respect.
Absolute fire
I normally don’t like East Coast, but this is really good solid production
They just don’t write bars like this anymore. Loved the complex lyricism and flow, and the beats are all so timeless. I could do without the religious track at the end for a number of reasons though.
day 9: another hip hop classic. personally i find a few other wu albums a bit more interesting (cuban linx and 36 chambers) but the production value here is unmatched in creativity and class. similar to 36 chambers and a number of others, the martial art samples and instrumental influences exude a juvenile charisma, perfect for the conceptual smoothness in this one. the ideas that the groups MCs are samurai in a staten-island warzone full with conspiracies and plots to take down emperors and the shogun (don’t question my aetiological accuracy) is simply fun. can’t understate and i will say it again, RZA had his best production here. good reason why 4th chamber was my most played song in 2020. B.I.B.L.E. sounds like a spiritual successor to C.R.E.A.M., with a gorgeous soulful touch. classic.
I’m not a big hip hop guy. I enjoy it, but couldn’t tell you what makes a good hip hop album. But I can tell you that I just knew that this one was good. Great grooves, amazing lyrics.
Super smooth and a more chilled, less pearl-clutchy (to those inclined) offshoot from the WTC (which I also enjoyed!). Found myself riding along in a daze with appreciation for the masterful control of flow layered over offbeat and otherworldly backing, but could have done without the movie samples which lifted me right out of it, jarring.
7/10. Good ol' gangsta hip hop. Te tiene que ir el rap, pero si te va, esto es de lo más puro que te vas a encontrar.
Enjoyably dark and aggressive hip-hop, especially in the first half. Definite shades of Enter the Wu-Tang, even if I don’t find the songs quite as standout. This has a vibe and energy I really enjoy spending time with.
Great album. In some ways, it’s more focused than a Wu-Tang album…assuming because it’s mostly GZA and material that wasn’t a part of the entire Wu-Tang works.
High 3, maybe 4? Good vibes and skits
Arguably the best Wu Tang related record ever, which says a lot, because they have so great albums between all of their discographies. Personally, I prefer some of those others to this.
The kung fu interludes were really interesting
I'm not a big Wutang guy, but I see the appeal of this. The skill is top notch, and I couldn't help but laugh thinking that Drake has argued that he is the greatest rapper of all time with a straight face. Probably a 3.5 but I will round up because the flow is excellent.
I agree with Vaasavi that the rapper to weeb pipeline needs be studied given the overarching story the skits tell. This is an easy 4.5 star album for the technical skill. But I'm going to round down to 4 stars because one or two of the skits are off and don't contribute to the overarching theme of the album - keeping this from being a perfect 5 star in my book.
good shit
That intro to "Liquid Swords" is creepy AF. Album is definitely an angry one. But I like the anger. Good beats
Wu brother number 1 Protect ya neck.
I liked it. The samurai subplot was fun. The songs were entertaining. The beat was nice.
When I was a white boy going to kindergarten in Wyoming in 1996 when this album came out, I was much more into the west coast rap scene. Long live Tupac. You couldn’t have convinced me otherwise. But GZA convinced me that Brooklyn has a lot to offer. I liked this album quite a bit. Another rap album with a “concept” feel. Really enjoyed the samurai movie interjections. It’s the kind of album that makes me want to explore GZA and WuTang more. Great representation of the spirit of this challenge.
Good for a light night drive.
I loved this--had it on repeat for a few hours and still want to listen again. Great coming-of-age vibe.
Good stuff.
An incredibly soild and consistent album with great beats, flow and lyrics (except for that line about abortion being evil in B.I.B.L.E.). My favourite track was 'Gold'. Loved the mellow beat and the lyrics in this one, specially the line 'And how I changed a ***** name to John Doe' I found to be very clever and cool. 'Cold World' would be also one of my favourites if it wasn't for its weird chorus, and I did also like a lot 'B.I.B.L.E' having the best chorus of the whole album and very speacy beats, but I had to subtract some points for that particular line that I mentioned before. And that's all. This review may be a bit poor, but while I did very much enjoy this record, I don't really have anything special to say that I hadn't already.
yeah it was good
Good like wu tang clan
This was fun. 4th chamber and Swordsman had great flow.
You know when you have something really good? I mean like perfect and decadent as hell? Then it’s so available that you just keep consuming it. Eventually it loses meaning. You know it’s good but it doesn’t compute. That’s how I got by the end of this album. Lyrically, musically, thematically? Awesome! But the full album almost becomes too much of a good thing.
The beats were probably my favourite part of this, but some quality lyricism here too
Old school hip hop is hit or miss for me, but I like this just because it’s so distinct. A hip hop concept album is fun and a bit out of the norm. It’s weird but a good listen
GZA makes it sound so easy to have a flow this good. For me, this album IS hip-hop, almost as a definition of the genre. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Solid stuff
So far I like it! The beginning track was good but felt a bit repetitive. I love dual of the iron mic, I love that sort of shimmering sound in it. I also love Living in the world today. Gold has to have my favorite songwriting Favorite: Dual of the iron mic, Living in the world today, Gold
Brought back some serious memories of Afro samurai. Fun to listen to.
9/10
Crushing album. Catchy, heavy beats and rhymes as you’d expect from the Wu-pedigree involved. I don’t know much about its creation or the intricacies of the record itself other that GZA and other contributors past endeavours (namely Wu-Tang and Gravediggaz), but the result is a superb album. Savage and entertaining throughout. It *might* just overstay its welcome by about ten minutes or so for me. Otherwise it would have got 5.
Dope
Great raps, Classic feeling production with unique Japanese movie samples. At times is missing some punch for my taste but overall extremely solid record
I'm really liking this one. 4 Stars so far
Already listened ❤️
This album was very good. I enjoyed the story that was intertwined within the songs. Creatuve album. Great listen and will be adding to my music rotations.
Haven't listened to this before and enjoyed it more than expected, would probably listen to it again
The members of the Wu tang clan really lean into the Kung fu, even on their solo albums. Not complaining mind, I like the little movie snippets. Album was really good, the old school beats are great, the flow sounds really natural, this was pretty much what I want from a rap album of this era. It's a bit gangster but it doesn't go over the top. It's a bit too samey and doesn't have anything that completely stands out to be a 5 I think but a strong 4.
Lovely bit of rap. Nice flow, varied beats, cool lyrics. Pretty much what I'm after. Investigative Reports and 4th Chamber were my favourite tracks.
This was far less kinda bombastic and full on than the other wu tang member albums we've had so far. He can really rap though, perhaps better flow and vocabulary than the others we've had too. There was nothing that blew me away, but it's just really solid. The skits aren't offensive either. A solid 4. I'll be back
Pretty good!
A classic.
My first listen which surprised me. Very solid.
How can you not be a fan of the Wu?
First impression pre listen: At the time of writing this it's 2am and I'm really tired. Luckily I've heard this album before. Didn't leave that much of an impression on me the last time I heard it, but I'm aware of its acclaim. I've heard people call it the best post Wu-Tang album by any former member, so there's gotta be something to it. Expecting a good time. Individual track notes: Liquid Swords The Wu-Tang aesthetic definitely shines through with the B-movie sample. Has that staple RZA production which is instantly recognizable. There's a lot of blood imagery in the lyrics. Lyrically dense. Okay hook. Decent. 3.5/5 Duel Of The Iron Mic The sample is really fun. Evokes a very specific era of hip-hop. Chill and vibey beat. The piano sample adds a hint of class. Feels like a classic Wu-Tang track. Doesn't have the deepest lyrics but makes up for it in dynamism. The features are very distinct and bring different energies to the track. Decent. 3.5/5 Living In The World Today Very interesting rhymes schemes. GZA has a very good grasp on the English language here with some solid word choices. Cloudy and dark beat. Good. 4/5 Gold Dark and claustrophobic atmosphere. Interesting and strangely well aged references. The tempo and flow enhances the uneasy feel. Kinda catchy. Love the production on this one. Good. 4/5 Cold World Almost flawless transition. Another piece with great production. Solid storytelling. Decent hook. I like the contrast with the background instrumentation. Sounds distant and like it's coming from an entirely different angle. Good. 4/5 Labels I like how the intro sets up the double meaning of the track's title. Has some great wordplay and brings up some relevant points about the record industry at the time. Decent. 3.5/5 4th Chamber Throwback Wu-Tang sampling. Love the wonky synth. Great distortion. Ghostface's aggressive delivery works really well on this beat. The second to last verse has some very interesting structure to it. Has some great technicality to it. Good. 4/5 Shadowboxin' Love the sampling on this track. Method Man sounds mildly annoyed on the first verse. I like the rhythmic vibe on the final verse. Sounds great on the beat. The record scratches have their charms. Good 4/5 Hell's Wind Staff/Killah Hills 10304 There's some genuinely good singing in the background of the intro. Melodic beat. Vivid and imaginative writing for such a tired theme. Manages to keep it inreresting with good lyrical writing. The beat wears itself a bit thin by the end. Shouldn't have let it play itself out like that. Loses a lot of its initial impact. Fine. 3/5 Investigative Reports A solid track if not a bit unremarkable. An alright Wu-Tang collaborative effort with good performances and classic RZA production. I don't have much to say about this one. Fine. 3/5 Swordsman Dark and ominous. There's some genuine wisdom here about religion, race and identity. Thoughtful and easy to follow. Good. 4/5 I Gotcha Back The beat is a bit intense, kinda overshadows the vocals. The performance is competent if not a bit forgetable. Don't love the hook on this one to be honest. It's a bit generic. Average. 2.5/5 B.I.B.L.E (Basic Instructions Before I Leave Earth) As a bonus track it won't count towards to the final rating. It's pretty catchy, but contrasts against the rest of the album in both theme and sound. I like the more positive and reflective side of the lyrics. Has some contemplative wisdom. I like the educated referances. Unrated/5 Final Review: Production, lyrical writing and cinematic atmosphere. That's how I'd describe the main takeaways form this album as simple as possible. RZA brings the intriguing and innovative beats, while GZA brings thoughtful, clever, cerebral lyrics. There's wordplay, allegory, double meanings and strong pieces of storytelling. This combines with the atmospheric, sample-heavy production to create an experience that shows more than it tells. It brings that iconic Wu-Tang energy while still taking its time to reinvent the formula by accepting that there can still be depth to be captured from tired tropes, if the writing brings in new styles or perspectives. It's a tightly run show, and while other Wu-Tang members have cameos to break up the energy, it is clear that GZA runs the show. It's tight and consistent, and while the individual tracks don't blow anyone's minds it's this consistency paired with its thematic cohesiveness that makes it remarkable. Takes multiple listens to fully appreciate, but once it clicks you'll find a beautiful harmony of intent between production, lyricism and performances. 4/5
Mochte ich sehr gern! Ich höre nicht so viel Rap/Hip-hop, aber das hat mir wirklich gut gefallen. Ich mochte das Storytelling, das sich durch das Album gezogen hat, auch wenn ich nicht so ganz verstanden hab, was da abgeht, aber dafür muss man sich vielleicht intensiver mit dem Album beschäftigen Lieblingslieder: Liquid Swords Cold World
Solid hip hop album, good example of West Coast sound with lots of rhythms and melodies. Only complaint is that it's a little bit of repetitive.
I like to drive to this
Very good
Ægte hiphop, skarpe flows, rigtig 90’er beats
Had heard this album before, but enjoyed it way more this time around. Dark and somber beats with excellent restrain in the flows and top tier performances by all the features. Best: Living in the World Today Worst: I Gotcha Back
Más Wu-tan? No, este es un trabajo esencial, para muchos una obra incluso por encima del debut del clan “Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” (1993). Así que sí.
Enjoyed it, could even become a 5 with more listens.
Nice
Do you still get chills from the opening track before settling into that smooth, head-nodding groove? I do. But despite the strong start and on point production, the album lets me down over the course of its 13 tracks. Maybe the moment has moved on from records like this — or maybe it's not the moment, it's me. Perhaps I've just reached a point in my hip-hop listening where I gravitate more toward alternative, consciousness-raising records than hardcore ones. And if that's the case, no lyrical flourish, production hook or groove — no matter how Genius — is going to drive Liquid Swords all the way into my heart.
Liked it more than I expected. Pretty cool vibe on some songs, although I did find some songs just too repetitive
7.4
Love me some good 90s hip hop. Great beats
Liked this more than I thought I would.
Love GZA and the rest of Wu-Tang. They all get better and better with each listen.
8.5/10 Excellent stuff. Wonderful flow and lyricism, great wordplay. Production on point with some brilliant samples. Not quite a full score as there isn’t a huge amount of stylistic or delivery variation. Best: 4th Chamber
Liquid Swords will be my third Wu Tang solo project to review. I gave three stars to Tical and four stars to Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, so at worst, I'm expecting this effort from GZA to at least as good as Tical. However, based on what I've heard about Liquid Swords, I'm hoping that I'll fall in love with it! I thought Liquid Swords was very good, and I can understand why it has a reputation as one of the best hip hop albums of all time. I really enjoyed the beats and rhymes on this album, and I liked hearing some guest verses from various members of Wu Tang. "Liquid Swords," "Duel of the Iron Mic," "4th Chamber," "Shadowboxin," and "I Gotcha Back" were my favorite tracks on the album. The title track really grabbed hold of me, and I was immediately sucked into the world that GZA created on this album. I liked how GZA used Shogun Assassin to create a dark atmosphere on this album, and I thought the theme of being an outcast fit well with the world of hip hop artists. In my opinion, the only drawback of this album is that the best tracks completely dwarfed the rest of the album in terms of sound. As great as the beats were on my favorite tracks, they made the other beats sound vastly inferior. Still, this was an enjoyable album to listen to, and it was great to crank up during my workout tonight for a second listen.
Grimy and menacing, and then such a beautiful final track
Like a classic Wu Tang album, this takes you on a journey through intricate, clear lyrics and extremely solid beats.
Didn’t want to put any Labels on this one, but I’ll say it’s Gold.
1. Liquid Swords: love the Kill Bill beginning. Fucking love this beeeeat, it's like a skipping kinda feeling and the metaphors are great. Sick start to the album 2. Duel of the Iron Mic: Buildup in the beginning is amazing and flows into the beat perfectly. This sample is fire. GZA pops offfff. I love the ending too 3. Living in the World Today: ABSOLUTE banger, one of the best IMO. Just too good of a song/beat/energy 4. Gold: I love the "Ain't No Mountain Higher" sample and the little horns rock. Insane lyrics/storytelling per usual 5. Cold World: the lyrics hit deep about the inner-city life and hoods, all the gritty realities. It brings in examples along with the consequences, some of the worst ones. All the communities being ignored is a cold cold world. The wind behind the dark track and the droning beat are hypnotizing. 6. Labels: LOVE Calling out these labels. Also a great message for rap in general, aspiring rappers need to be mindful of the dirty labels. The metaphors go hard. 7. 4th Chamber: WOAH Guitar is amazing in the beginning. Rock vibe for sure but I like the beeps and beat on top of it. Ghost's delivery sets the whole song. Killah Priest's bars are amazing and RZA's flow is NUTS. Lyrical genius GZA. 8. Shadowboxin': METHODMAN!!!! Obvi GZA too, this needs to be known 9. Hell's Wind Staff / Killah Hills 10304: Love how long this song is and the story in the beginning sets it all up. There's no hook, but it's still really great. Reminds me of a mob movie. 10. Investigative Reports: the powers are strong on this song, talking about life on Staten Island and all the reports being made without actually helping the communities -- where they find their investigative reports. Ghostface Killah's verse goes hard on this beat. 11. Swordsman: the theme of learning to think for yourself and not believing everything you're told. The second verse is my favorite. Also, calling out the overly scholarly/academic 12. I Gotcha Back: breaking down the cyclical nature of inner city violence among the youth. The lyrics hit deep, and that chorus of having your back while you watch your front. The horns kinda sound like cop sirens in a way. This song was supposed to be the end of the album since B.I.B.L.E. is an extra track. The ending of this is fucking crazy, matching the assassin/sword energy of this whole album. 13. B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth): breaking down religion in many facets and the institutions involved. "for years religion did nothing but divide." I know it's from a while ago but the abortion comment was crazy. Love the sample on this one
It’s a really cool album with an interesting mix of lo fi and smooth production vibes.
engaging and smart apart from that abortion line
I believe this is my favourite album from the Wu Tang universe, at least of the ones I’ve heard. It conceptually goes over my head, but I like the way it’s laid out, and I like the way it sounds, and I like GZA’s delivery. A good record, is what I’m saying.
More like liquid gold
This is a strong contender for the best Wu-Tang solo record. Of course, solo record is a bit of a stretch given that all eight other members of Wu-Tang Clan are present throughout the album. RZA's production is slick and the beats are deliberate and hypnotic. GZA's lyrics are complex, philosophical and cinematic, further punctuated by the interspersed samples from the film 'Shogun Assassin.' 3.5⭐️
Not familiar with this album and quite liked the moody beat. Not so much keen with the film clips but overall quite impressed.
Partially listened before Fav tracks: Liquid Swords, I Gotcha Back, Cold World
90s rap with dreamy beats. Sick.
Razor-sharp flow and a unified, gritty atmosphere. The beats can feel a little repetitive, but GZA’s precision and the vibe carry it hard. Cold, focused, and real solid.
Cool dark beats
The Genius! GZA is undoubtedly one of the most lyrically talented emcees in the culture, let alone in the Wu. This record harnesses all of what Wu represents, but under the purview of GZA. The martial arts movie samples mixed with RZA’s unique, hard-hitting production allows a complement for GZA’s deep lyrical and conscious impressions. This is a classic in hip hop and one of the best solo Wu records.
Love this album!
I really do like this album, but something that kind of dug at me was the way it feels like the verses are often too long for beats, specifically in the first half of the album. Even when the lyrics are so solid like they are in this work, it's a bit too much. It does get better as the album goes on though. I think the back half of the album is extremely solid, and has much more interesting beats. + 4th Chamber, Investigative Report, I Gotcha Back, B.I.B.L.E.
Wu-tang forever
Good beats and flow here. Nothing that really wowed me but I did like this one.
83% Best: Living In The World Today; Cold World; 4th Chamber; Shadowboxin’ Must-Hear? Sure
25/1001 As a songwriter/musician myself, I know my way around enough instruments, and have a grasp of production to just about get by to compose and record stuff I am reasonably proud of on a kind of hobbyist level. If you could grant me more ability in any of those areas I might take it, but I could get by without it. If, however, you could magically grant me the ability to hear other people's music and pick out individual components and fit them together with pieces of other tracks to create something entirely new, I would bite your hand off. Hip-hop is a true artform, and being able to hear existing musical phrases in a new melodic context, in my opinion, is a lot more difficult than one might imagine. At least in terms of getting it right and making it sound... cool. So while, as with NWA, I may not really get some of the cultural references, nore always agree with the themes, I can at least dig the Shogun Assassin steals. Liquid Swords is lyrically dense, and subtly detailed in it's musical reference points. It is laid back, but full of a swagger that is hard to resist. That said, I'd be lying if I said a full album (and not a particularly short one) of straight rap doesn't get hard going for me and this is very one-note in it's delivery and not as varied tempo-wise as other Wu-related projects. But these are minor points which are more to do with my personal preferences - I'm still more than happy to give this four stars - I can completely appreciate why this is up there as a true classic within its genre.
A classic! Lyrical genius at work throughout the whole album!
Okay, that might be my favourite album from the Wu Tang family of records. Very cool beats, nice flow by GZA and every guest, just a really pleasant album. Good stuff.
Cooler Wutang Rap und genau mein Geschmack, für fünf Sterne fehlte aber der WoW Effekt
Good.
You'll know you'll get a great eap album when it's by a Wu-Tang member. GZA is the 2nd or 3rd member of Wu-Tang whose albums I've reviewed. This album has plenty of hits I enjoy. "Liquid Swords" gets better towards the end. RZA's production helps this album a lot. 4 stars for "Liquid Swords".
stor banger
One of the good Wu solo albums!
This album as lots of good points: amazing flow from GZA, a cinematic progression -- you can feel that the album was carefully built --, and a lofi but really catchy production.
Yeah. This is top-notch
Rennur aðeins út í eitt undir það síðasta, en ansi skemmtilegt fram að því. Ég get meira af þessu.
Okay holy cow this was fire. Absolutely would listen again. I was a little bummed listening to B.I.B.L.E. because it was really resonating and hitting a lot of notes but the line about sinning women fighting for their reproductive rights really took me out. Otherwise a great song on a really solid album.
Incredible !
first listen great production
There is a ton of good in here. Also a bit of boring, but mostly good Best Song: 4th Chamber Rating: 7.0 /10 4 Stars
4.5
Great
I love the Wu-Tang Clan, When this albm came up I was excited to give some of the members solo work a go. This album has very clever lyrics that flow well. Its a step ahead of other hip hop albums as GZA talks about important subjects in a meaningful way. Very good!! Favourite song: 4th Chamber and I gotcha back Least favourite: Everything had a place and was worth a listen Album artwork: Not one to be hung up at home
Ik was nooit zo onder de indruk van GZA. Het is een prima rapper, maar hij heeft een doorsnee rap-stijl. In het collectief met meer opvallende collega's is dat ook wel weer een meerwaarde. Maar nu dus een solo-album. Het blijkt ergens tussen de rauwere en de meer flowende rap te liggen. De muziek stuurt het meer naar de relaxte kant. Van de muziek is hetzelfde te zeggen als van de rapper. Het werkt, maar het is weinig hoogdravend. In de basis vindt GZA ergens een catchy melodielijntje en laat dat wat varieren in toonhoogte. Als het album afgelopen is, laat Spotify nog wat GZA horen. Ik kan het nog prima hebben. Het luistert allemaal gewoon makkelijk weg. 3,5 ster.
Lah mam za background music pa tut cist vidm zakaj je dobr pa fajn experience, ampak tko poslusu pa lih nebi pomoje, sam u special moodu
Top notch hip hop, especially for its time. If it came out even five years later, I might bump it down to three stars, but this early it really deserves four.
Masterpiece. Feels like a manifesto some times, in the best way. RZA is just killing it with the production and the sounds. Great performances. A little dated, but still slaps.
feels like an extension to 36 chambers, as most of them are on this. beats are soulful and evil in some places (Living in the world today). GZA is insane. Negative is that some songs/hooks drag on a lot, also some beats are definitely better than others. Overall around 8/10
Really enjoyed it. Almost a 5 but didn’t have that one track to push it over the wdge
Not my jam really but unique
Favorite Track: Shadowboxin'
Hip-hop that goes for a cinematic style and utilises old film samples that I find really satisfying GZA's smooth style juxtaposes with the aggressive and angry lyrics but I quite like that, the whole album is more lowkey in presentation than I imagined. Tracks like Cold World are maybe a little bit overly complicated but they're still captivating, the simple, repetitive beat on that track could have backfired and gotten tedious but actually gives a more hypnotic effect Highlights: Cold World, Duel of the Iron Mic
i love old school hip hop, what happened? 7/10
fun!
Time for some honesty. WuTang didn't really release a lot of good materiel. The group collectively release one phenomenal album (36 chambers)and another great one (Forever). Hot take, but Ghostface had the most ilustious solo career, releasing two classics (Ironman, supreme clientele) and a great album in FishScale. Each other member was relegated to one quality solo effort, if that, and the GZA is no exception. Four solo records were released in between outing albums and served as defacto records, feeding fans more of that wu tang style. Liquid Swords probably best represents what a WuTang album would've been before Forever, and does so mightily. The beats are lo-fi, the rhyms are tight and clever. But the highlights remain the group efforts on this and every wu record. This album in particular takes a while to get going. I have to rank all of these projects wholly as they are impossible to separate. This is probably #3 or 4 behind 36CHAMBERS, tical, Cuban links, and maybe Ironman. All 4 and 5 star records
4.5
Solid hip hop album and one of the better Wu solo pieces. Sounds like an extension of 36 Chambers. 4/5
I like a bit of Wu-Tang, proper hip-hop. One of the best solo project to come out of the group, refreshing to step away from the more gangster rap, some of the same topics but eloquently rapped. Great song-writing, great flow. B.I.B.L.E is such a good song.
I've always enjoyed this one, but today hit even harder than before. It's just a chill listen, and everyone brings their A-game. My only complaint, and it's the typical complaint for this era of Wu-Tang, is the skits. but the rest of it is fantastic, old-school hip-hop.
It’s obviously a masterpiece. I love it. Or, I suppose, I want to love it. But there are all these little moments that made me go “Hang on, what do you mean by that?” And not all of those moments were from Killah Priest’s bonus track.
GZA delivers some of the best verses in the Wu Tang cannon, so no surprise his solo album is rock solid. The main theme is violence in the drug trade, starting with street dealing but moving cinematically to demonstrate that there are levels to the violence - mafias, international smuggling, political corruption, and the degrading economy of CREAM that makes the world cold. The album connects the brutality of the streets to the sophisticated schemes of states and corporations. The tracks are intersperced with Samurai samples that put violence, especially duels, at the center of their interpretation of social life and the struggle for survival, positing rapping as the extension of this tradition of deadly combat. The whole Wu-Tang clan features at some point, one or two guests per track, but GZA's is the main voice throughout. RZA produces his signature beats, spacious, ricketty and off kilter. It makes for a very cohesive album with a cinematic ambition - life as movie - that is just a bit repetitive and homogenous compared to the more varied collective Wu Tang projects.
Read a little about GZA during the listen. The man is a very inspirational guy. Beyond that, a talented MC. About the album, it's a dark hip-hop in the style of the Wu-Tang. Much expected, much appreciated.
A part of the incredible string of solo albums from the Wu Tang Clan following their debut. The RZA was locked in with amazing production, and it exists within the shared universe of Wu Tang.
Awesome hip hop album. The flow is great from start to finish, GZA was definitely the best lyricist out of Wu Tang. RZA worked as the producer, so yet again there are strange samples throughout the album that somehow blend perfectly. Just a really strong effort too to bottom.
mjögmjög gott. 4,5.
Ahh samples, I love me some samples. Is that what they are called?sound bytes? Is that better? Whatever it is I dig it. Clips from movies and such. That’s the best type of hip hop to me. You don’t have to know a lot of Wu Tang to be able to hear it in every solo project from its members. On that note, if you like the Wu Tang sound, you’ll like this. At the same time, much like a Wu Tang album, there aren’t any blow away tracks. It’s good but not great. Choice cut: Shadowboxin’
IDK what it is, but this genre of music is one of my favorites. I get so excited every time I stumble across something like this. 4/5
If I rated fish scale a 4 then this gets a 4 fs.
Enjoyed this way more than I thought I would!!
One of the foundational hip-hop albums and one of the best Wu-Tang-associated albums. It could be maybe one or two songs shorter, but it's hard-hitting all the way through.
Such a cool album with a great feel. It really starts cooking for me in the latter half. The repetitive beats entrance me.
Menacing Aesop Spinning records, rhymes, and tales Over chilled back beats
Vintage rap goodness! Man, I like this my only question is how do you pronounce the name of the artist? Is it Jee-Zee-Aye? Is it GeeZah? Is it Jizzah?
Interested in listening to this. I know of GZA but never really listened to his solo stuff. Some solid hip-hop. I dig this.
Raw and I loved it!
Good hip hop...pretty even keel.
Nice beets
Absolute banger of a hip-hop album
The A side of this record one was consistently one of the best WU-Tang solo projects, but it simply cannot sustain its brilliance into the B side.
Joe Biden's favorite Wu-Tang album is fantastic. (IYKYK)
- Durch die Düsternis und dem charaktervolleren Stil gefiel mir dieses Album wesentlich besser als andere HipHop Werke. - Derbe authentisch und angenehmer Flow. textlich habe ich es leider nicht so ganz mitgeschnitten. - Auch die Beats sind ziemlich zeitlos und nicht ganz so quirky-drüber die Genre Kollegen 4/5
A tad long, but the songs are really good.
RZA is on his sampling game Really pulls off the dark moody atmosphere Love the dialogue snippets from Shogun Assassin Favourites: Gold 4th Chamber ripssss Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth beat is insane Hypnotic listen some tracks blend together but I’m sure there’s subtleties and depth I missed on first listen. Really wanna dive deep into Wu Tang Clan discography and lore
Como no soy fan del género, no esperaba mucho y vaya sorpresa. Tremendo discazo.
Sick
4.5 Stars
Straight out of a 90' boombox 📻
Great album. Loved Shadowboxin and BIBLE
Great
I haven't listened to very much from WTC. I really liked this album, between the lyrics and the beats.
I liked this more than I thought I would. Out of the Wu tang solo releases (even though all of the members are featured it seems) I thought this was the most put together. It had a concept album feel which I liked and the atmosphere was dark and interesting feeling. The verses all flowed smoothly, but the instrumentals were out of time and out of tune. I think that helps with adding to the spooky feel though.
Timeless, chill, fantastic.
If you’re into Wu Tang, you’ll like this.
Strangely - the perfect album to listen to while chopping vegetables on a late summer afternoon. No idea why. Some things just are. This album just is.
Listen to it a bunch before. Classic wu tang; very grimy and gritty. I prefer Ghostface/Raekwon solo stuff
Enjoyed that. Top quality hip hop from the best period for that genre
The most listenable solo release from the Wu-Tang Clan for me. I liked it a lot! I am sure I could appreciate it even more if I parsed all the lyrics.
One of the more accessible offerings from one of the Wu-Tangs. I think...
It's a great record. I love all of the sampling and the mood that rza gives the music. GZA is on point throughout. The lack of 1 or 2 stone cold classics keeps it from a 5th star.
Not bad. Low 4
This was really good
Nice
Not quite 36 Chambers (what is?) but still a really solid bunch of tunes here. I loved the Shaolin interludes but worst part on the album is probably the Tony Stark skit which is just so embarrassing. GZA's flow is pretty understated but has a kind of quiet dread to it that I really liked. The beats are really fun and imaginative too. Especially loved the bouncy synth on 4th Chamber. Best Track: Investigative Reports Worst: Duel of the Iron Mic
iconic
Liked the different take on things, a good listen
Essential Wu tang at its finest
Proper quality, love the samples of sword of vengeance and the beats. Best spin off from Wu tang clan.
Liquid swords was excellent. The vibe carries this the most for me but the relatively catchy choruses and immaculate rhyming schemes definitely enrich it.
Yeah, everyone knows this is good.
Pretty solid
So much purpose in every song. Tunes and atmosphere strong. I can take or leave hip-hop, but this has depth and class. Will listen again.
Those who enjoyed Wu-Tang Clan's "36 Chambers" would probably enjoy this solo endeavor from GZA. Keeping with the martial arts theme, complete with excerpts from old martial arts movies and aggressive, attacking lyricism, etc. While the production sounds cleaner than that of "36 Chambers", "Liquid Swords" doesn't quite reach those peaks. That's fine though, as a few tracks come close on their own, notably the singles and the few collabs.
A well crafted rap album. Not something I thought I'd ever say. Solid beats, good lyrics, and appropriate use of Kung Fu cinema. Not my usual cup of tea, but a good diversion once in a while.
Wu Tang lite! Still pretty cool.
Innehåller världens bästa hiphop-låt.
yes
solid throughout. B.I.B.L.E is the highlight
Solid from start to finish Standout songs: Duel of the iron mic Cold World Shadowboxin' Investigative Reports
I really liked this although some of the songs were a bit boring, it had a lot of variation and cool effects.
You know, I've kind of been missing out on some classic solo hip-hop work as of lately. I feel like I've gotten quite a bit more group albums as of lately, with my last solo hip-hop album being over a month ago. Anyways, I was very excited to get this album for the project. Of all the Wu-Tang Clan solo albums, GZA's Liquid Swords is among the most acclaimed. This is for a good reason, as the album is really good. I liked Fishscale, but it doesn't really hold a candle to Liquid Swords. Though this is GZA's album for a reason, the album does feature the entire Clan (at the time) in some capacity. Most of them get features at some point, and RZA was even the main producer. Needless to say, they all do a great job with their work. The beats on this thing are quite fun. They're well made. The flows from everyone stand out as being very well though out and are also very enjoyable. The skits, if you can call them that, don't bring the album down in any way. They all tie into the album's general vibe quite well. The writing on this thing is great. The way everything just flows effortlessly is very respectable. Overall, this is (as of right now) my current favorite Wu-Tang solo album, and one of my favorite hip-hop albums of the project so far. High 4/5.
Liked it a lot. Cool ominous beats. Some sus lines here and there, but it was the 90s ig 🤷
Love the whole Shogun Assassin movie dialogue snippets sprinkled throughout the record as well as RZA’s atmospheric beats and production. ‘Duel Of The Iron Mic’, ‘Living In The World Today’, ‘Cold World’, ‘Shadowboxin’’, Swordsmen’ and ‘I Gotcha Back’ are the standout cuts for me, but really, ‘Liquid Swords’ is great album from start to finish and GZA’s raps are lyrically complex, but ace.
Nice.
The best song was definitely BIBLE
Great album. Standouts are Duel Of The Iron Mic, Living In The World Today, Shadowboxin', and B.I.B.L.E.
i listened to this a while ago but stopped after cold world; never picking it up since. i didnt feel like this albums for me because i cant dig that far deep into their lyrics. just a me problem though. a great hip hop album nonetheless. i liked gzas flow and the guest rappers from wu tang as well. rzas beats are always nice, but im not too fond of the intros to some of the songs. i know its a wu tang thing to include dialogues from kung fu movies, but i feel like it only works in the context of the album and hurts the listenability in a playlist. other than that, everything else hit pretty well. 4 personal favs: shadowboxin, bible (not a gza song but whatever)
Me encanta el rap de los 90. Simple, rítmico, perfecto. Me guardo 4th chamber y Shadowboxin', pero en general un álbum interesante.
Can easily go head to head with anything in the Wu catalogue. 4 king's gambits out of 5 ♟️♟️♟️♟️
Good rhythm.
I got this straight after a Beastie Boys album and the contrast is really striking. This album was really good though, the beats are just incredible and the lyrics are pretty good.
It is a strange fact that this album was performed at Northeastern University afterHOURS by GZA. Duel of the Iron Mic has very similar lyrics, flow and beat to Da Mysteries of Chessboxin' on 36 chambers. The line that made me realize it is "I injure every fucking contender". After that I noticed it continuously throughout the song. GZA has to be the most literary member of the Wu. His bars are thoughtful and his word selection is broad. That really shines through in this album. The similarities to Wu prove how strong his influence was on their sound - most of the songs on this album sound like stripped back 36 chambers tracks. RZA produced this one as well so it's not too surprising. 8/10.
Absolutely essential album, the story telling and lyricism especially shine.
Definitely didn’t see the commercial or chart success that ODB did in the 90s (just from my memory!!) But I like this listening to it now. Sounds more like Wu-Tang than the ODB solo stuff and maybe even Method Man (which was also great.) Maybe just a tad long.
Started off a little weird with the Shogun narrative but the rest of the album is fire
The absolute best of Wu-Tang in my opinion!
I am not a rap expert by any means...and this is not my jam. But I can appreciate it is amazing. Everything flows completely naturally, it is deep and haunting, but methodical and perfection. Songs move naturally into one another, but also build and amplify one another. There are basic beats that enhance the lyrics, and not overshadow them. It is not something I will probably listen to again, but its talent and impressive on so many levels.
Fuck yeah wutang babyyy
Took me a minute to get it but shit was hot fire
Your favourite rapper’s favourite Wutang member. Probably the best of the debut Wu solo efforts (and probably the closest to 36 chambers in tone). A few bangers that are as good as anything from the Wu (duel of the iron mic, 4th chamber, shadow boxin), but on some of the tracks Gia’s subdued (albeit technically brilliant) rapping doesn’t pop like it does when contrasted with the other members of the clan.
Echte classic, die old school hiphop/Wu Tang sound. Heel vet om te horen, kende dit album niet van GZA. Maar je hoort echt de classic Wu-Tang sound, natuurlijk ook door een paar features. Oldschool hiphop op zn best naar mijn mening. Het kakt iets in halverwege, maar verder is dit een must listen als je van hiphop houdt, en wie doet dat nou niet toch? FAVO: Liquid Swords, Duel of the iron mic,, Gold, Cold world, 4th chamber, Shadowboxin, BIBLE
Banger
some of the bset 90s rap