Tue Jan 19 2021
5
Loved this album, great assorted group of producers and Killah's rhymes are something else. Also, I learned how to cut a brick of cocaine, so it was also instructional.
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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Fishscale
Ghostface Killah
2006
- Album Summary
Fishscale is the fifth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released March 28, 2006, on Def Jam in the United States. The album features guest appearances from every member of the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as Ghostface Killah's Theodore Unit. It also features production from several acclaimed producers, such as MF DOOM, Pete Rock, J Dilla, and Just Blaze, among others. The album follows an organized crime theme, and is named after a term for uncut cocaine. Fishscale sold nearly 110,000 units in its first week of release, and debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, making it the highest charting Ghostface Killah album since his 1996 debut, Ironman. The singles "Back Like That," and "Be Easy" entered the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, with the former peaking at the 14th position. Upon its release, Fishscale received universal acclaim, with critics praising the album's cohesiveness, lyricism, and production. As of November 2009, the album had sold 332,000 copies.
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Mon Sep 13 2021
4
As someone without a lot of experience with hiphop, but no particular disdain for it, I liked this album. It's an actual album. Each song is distinct, it's not a mushy bleed-together of left-overs to pad the length. But the production is consistent and each song obviously belongs on this album. Each track has interesting things that separate them from the rest, and the production is really top notch. Production is so good it probably makes it swing above its weight class. There's nothing irritating on the album, it's all consistently good. Solid album I probably wouldn't choose to listen to again, but if it came on I wouldn't be compelled to turn off either.
Wed Dec 29 2021
4
I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did considering other Wu Tang projects I've heard, but man, Ghosty just has a way with words that can drag me in to a story. The narrative-based rapping is definitely the strongest draw here, with a strong second going to the excellent production (I mean, come on, DOOM and Dilla? Spoiled!). There are too many skits IMO, and not every song is a banger, but this was definitely a good project.
Tue May 04 2021
5
We have an APB on an MC Killer Looks like the work of a Master Evidence indicates that his stature Merciless like a terrorist hard to capture The flow, changes like a chameleon Plays like a friend, and stabs you like a dagger This technique attacks the immune system Disguised like a lie paralyzing the victim You scream, as it enters your bloodstream Erupts your brain from the pain these thoughts contain Moving on a nigga with the speed of a centipede And injure any motherfucking contender!
Thu Jul 08 2021
3
5/10. He immediately tells us to fasten our seatbelts, which I appreciate because I am tired of listening to rap albums that don't care about the listener's personal safety. Also listening to this for the first time after the MCU made Tony Stark a household name, but knowing that this is older than that made the constant references to Tony Starks and Ironman a bit surprising. I liked that the skits transitioned very smoothly into the following songs in this album. I kinda liked Back Like That, I suppose because it just sounds like a pop song. I also like how when he boasts about women, these women are often intelligent in addition to having great asses etc, which is pretty fun.
Thu Jan 21 2021
5
Listening again today; great production and incredibly cinematic album. Def up there with my fav hip hop albums of all time. “RAGU” and “Back Like That (feat. Ne-Yo)” have got to be some of my fav tracks of all time.
Tue May 25 2021
3
Een soort rap dat op clipping lijkt. Ambitieus maar ik weet niet of het wat voor mij is.
Mon Mar 15 2021
5
This fucks and this Aussie gives it five pairs of Blundstones out of five.
Tue Jul 13 2021
5
Strangely, despite loving Bulletproof wallets when I was a teenager, I hadn't listened to this much before. That has changed now, I've listened to it 4 times today! Super album, I love Ghostface's voice and delivery, and there's some really great tracks on here.
Wed Feb 01 2023
4
Happy I finally have a reason to listen to this album. The production on this album was quite 50/50 but the better fifty was some of the best production on any of Ghostfaces work. Suprised that this album is on this list instead of Ironman and Supreme Clientele which are two clearly superior albums, this is still good though and Ghostface is one of the best rappers of all time. 4.2/5
Mon Jan 18 2021
3
The Champ
Thu May 20 2021
3
Tu peux remercier Ne-Yo
Wed Aug 04 2021
3
I'm not really into rap, but I did enjoy this with some standout tracks
Fri Dec 31 2021
2
Another random hip hop record in the 1001 list. It is almost a joke, thinking about all masterpieces left out of the list to make some room for boring random releases like this one. An exWu Tang Klan member trying to vindicate himself. That's ok, even a few good tracks like 'Whip You With a Strap' and hilarious skits like 'Bad Mouth Kid'... but come on...
Tue May 04 2021
1
Awful?
Sat Jan 23 2021
5
Loved it, I didn't think I would, But every track was strong and it worked together so well.
Fri Apr 30 2021
5
Abso loot LUV.
Fri Jan 15 2021
5
I love this album. Surprised to see it on this list, but it's fantastic.
Wed Apr 28 2021
5
Sweet, hard-hitting rhymes with a lot of energy and genuine fun. And awesome beats!
Mon Jun 14 2021
5
This album doesn't miss; not even mad about the massive runtime.
Fri Nov 05 2021
5
Gimme a pen and pand
Thu Mar 03 2022
5
Massive energy. The backing is so full of hooks and great grooves, could listen to it spinning all day long. Lyrics are fast and furious with passion and feeling. Loved this album
Thu Aug 04 2022
5
LOVE me some Wu-Tang, and Ghostface might just be my favorite member. In a group with no lack of hip-hop titans, Ghostface still manages to grab the spotlight and throttle it like it stole something from him. The man's a poet, plain and simple. "Supreme Clientele" gets a lot of attention (and rightfully so--it doesn't get much better than "Apollo Kids" and "Cher Chez La Ghost"), but "Fishscale" is my favorite Ghostface album. The skits are utterly skippable (ranging from the mildly amusing "Bad Mouth Kid" to the cringey "Heart Street Directions"), but basically every track is worthy of a place in my regular playlist rotation. And it's no wonder. Not only is he a master storyteller, but his fellow Clan members back him up regularly on this album (most notably on "9 Milli Bros."), and the tracks are produced by hip-hop greats like Pete Rock, J Dilla, and MF DOOM. I could list my favorite tracks, but it'd basically just be two-thirds of the track list, minus the skits. That's how solid this album is. Casual hip-hop fans might find this album a little inaccessible, but for those who appreciate the Wu-Tang style "Fishcale" is solid gold.
Sun Aug 28 2022
5
Some of the best rap I've heard in a long time. Loved all of it. The flow, the samples (these guys love their comic books), the collaborations. All of it!
Wed Aug 31 2022
5
Perhaps the craziest thing about Wu-Tang was the number of incredible rappers and producers who were part of the crew from it's outset. Ghostface is a great example of that. He's one of the greatest rappers of all time, and yet when you list of the members of Wu-Tang who were most important to rap history, Ghostface barely sneaks into the top 5 (I'd put Rza, Method Man, ODB, and perhaps Gza in over him). Despite that, Ghostface clearly shows how well his style ages here. More than 10 years after 36 chambers, Ghostface comes in hot with Fishscale. It helps a lot that this album features some of the greatest producers of all time at the height of their careers. One of the coolest things about this album is getting to hear some of my favorite songs off of Donuts by J Dilla employed by a rapper whose style meshes well with Dilla's. I can't think of another rapper who can tell a story in verse the way that Ghostface can. His flow is incredible, but the way that he paints a picture while he does it is his true skill. I can't believe that I'm going to give another Wu-Tang rapper a 5/5 album, but here we are. This album is undeniable 5/5
Fri Feb 03 2023
5
Amazing.
Wed Feb 22 2023
5
This is the album that kept me from listening to the last 10+ days of 1001 assigned albums. This album absolutely floored me. I’ve listened to it countless times. The storytelling is so vivid, the wordplay so nuanced, and the production and sampling is just some of the best ever. I could go on…but it’s just all-time hip-hop album.
Fri Mar 17 2023
5
Loved this. It wasn't on my radar when it came out but this is absolutely what I loved in like 2003
Tue Apr 04 2023
5
sick
Sun May 07 2023
5
The Wu-Tang Clan is one of my favorite rap groups, and Ghostface is one of its most talented rappers; his flow is impeccable, and his lyrics are often great to match. While this isn’t as good as, say, Supreme Clientele, it all comes through on this album. Just take ‘The Champ’, which is such an enjoyable song just because of how he raps. Definitely viable for inclusion, though it’s reasonable that they cut it in other editions.
Thu May 25 2023
5
Man this was so good. Very well put together
Wed Jun 21 2023
5
top notch. cohesive record that tells a story. i loved the skits, especially heart st directions and bad mouth kid. not a bad track, features were fire, production was beautiful. rhymes and stuff all very great!!
Fri Jul 07 2023
5
Another solo wu tang album that is magnificently produced and has excellent flows. I still think I like liquid swords more but the first like 5 songs on this are all bangers especially shaken dog, the champ, and back like that. The sheer star power of both the features and the production are also insane and works as a great bridge between old school 90s rap and more melodic 00s stuff, back like that and it’s remix with Kanye come to mind the most. Idk if I’m getting softer with my 5s or getting a chance to listen to the album more and thus appreciate it more but after listening to this album multiple times throughout the day it’s pretty great all the way through and doesn’t really drag at all.
Fri Jul 28 2023
5
Kilo is a thousand grammes, easy to remember! I wasn't expecting to see a Ghostface Killah album come up, but it was definitely a pleasant surprise. I would be hard pressed to pick just one of his albums to put in this list, but I guess if I had to choose, then this would be the one. Even though there's so many guest artists and producers, this is always a Ghostface album, and all the better for it. It was always a bit of a disappointment for me that some of the members of the Wu-Tang Clan went on to pretty dull solo work, but there was still plenty of good stuff that came of the project, Raekwon and GZA spring to mind, but Ghostface was probably the most prolific and also the best for consistent quality. Easy 5 star album that was a delight to listen to again after not hearing it in a year or three. I still sing "whips me with a strap" on a weekly basis.
Fri Sep 22 2023
5
Awesome album from beginning to end.
Sun Feb 21 2021
4
Like most hip hop albums... it’s a tad long. But pretty pretty good 👌
Tue Dec 08 2020
4
2006. Key Songs: R.A.G.U, 9 Milli Bros, Shakey Dog
Fri Apr 23 2021
4
Really enjoyed this one
Wed Oct 07 2020
4
Cocaine rap isn't my favorite thing, but the lyricism is on point. Best track: The Champ.
Mon Jan 25 2021
4
good
Mon Jun 21 2021
4
Good shit
Wed Jan 20 2021
4
Surprisingly good, and all-star guest appearances
Tue Jan 19 2021
4
This is probably tied with Inspectah Deck's Resident Patient as my fav Wu Tang solo record out there.
Mon Mar 15 2021
4
This was super great and a pretty vicious album! I feel like this is an album that if I listened to it when I was younger it'd have an even bigger impact. As it stands though, a really great reason why Wu-Tang ain't nothing to fuck with.
Fri Jan 22 2021
4
Great solo album from the clan man
Mon Jan 18 2021
4
Great album
Wed Jul 07 2021
4
One of my favourite unheard hip hop albums so far. Doesn't sound like he takes himself too seriously but hits hard all the same. Lots of solid features but surprisingly the Ne Yo hook was my favourite - especially loved Kanye's verse on the remix. Can definitely hear where Action Bronson gets his style from. The Bad Mouth Kid skit was hilarious.
Tue May 18 2021
4
Cinematic and dense. I need to listen to this again, I feel like I missed so much. The beats just felt so groovy and vital as well.
Mon Jan 18 2021
4
Wu Tang Forever
Sun Jan 17 2021
4
Ok
Wed Mar 24 2021
4
i don't really think i understand how to appreciate hiphop but this has an energy....a lifeblood running through it.
Thu Jan 21 2021
4
good album, can’t go wrong with wu tang
Tue May 04 2021
4
I like the style and flow. Enjoyable hip-hop/r&b variant of rap, with creativity, color and an attitude.
Wed May 19 2021
4
Miles better than the Raekwon album, IMO. I don’t know what makes “9 Milli Bros.” anything other than just a Wu Tang song, but I ain’t complaining. I would absolutely listen to this again.
Tue Jan 19 2021
4
This is a great album from start to finish. Ghostface is always great, and this is hands-down his best album.
Sat Apr 03 2021
4
Impressive!
Tue Jan 19 2021
4
Great production, overall a great listen and def up there with one of my fav hip hop albums of all time. RAGU slaps.
Thu Jul 15 2021
4
Mucho flow, más de lo que puedo procesar... por ahí caché letras bastante buenas, creo que el disco suena bien en conjunto y las colaboraciones son muy chidas. Especialmente me gustaron "The Champ", "Three Bricks" y el remix (con la familiar voz de Kanye) de "Back Like That". 8/10
Tue Jan 19 2021
4
Wasn't familiar with this (so much wu tang catalogue), but loved it.
Thu Jul 08 2021
4
Pretty good, I like the beats but it was long and had a bunch of boring skits. 8
Tue Jan 26 2021
4
This is real good. Three Bricks is an awesome closing track
Wed May 19 2021
4
Every rap album on here seems to be by a member of the Wu Tang Clan and takes about a day to listen to. This one, though, is the best. Great use of smoky soul samples, skits that actually add to the proceedings, and a genuinely brilliant couple of tracks in The Champ and Back Like That. Gonna use The Champ to get myself psyched into a killer mentality before playing badminton with my work colleagues
Tue Jan 19 2021
4
This album is completely out of my normal wheelhouse of rock/punk/emo, but I loved it. I wish there were less skits, but they come with the territory I guess.
Thu Jul 15 2021
4
Es que siento que no tengo las suficientes herramientas para la apreciación de este género. Diría que pasó sin pena ni gloria. Está okay para un ratito, pero sí me pesó una hora. Me gustaron Kilo, The Champ, y Underwater que tiene un instrumentación chidilla. Heart Street Directions es muy cagada. Mood: "it's kinda wet down there" lol
Tue Apr 20 2021
4
Love this album. Could still do with trimming down a bit
Mon Mar 08 2021
4
Not normally my thing but enjoyed that added couple of songs to my favourites.
Thu Jul 08 2021
4
8/10 a lot of good tracks on here, great beats and samples. i think it's a little overly long.
Thu May 13 2021
4
Liked it.
Mon Jan 25 2021
4
Shite at the beginning Good decent Got slower Got bored
Thu Jul 15 2021
4
Disco desigual, las canciones más populares creo que son las más culeras. Es mejor The Supreme Clientele. ¿Cuál es el criterio para elegir los discos? En fin. Aún así, como es tan largo, tiene chingos de rolas chidas.
Tue May 18 2021
4
great production, good flow but iffy lyrics in places... would rather mr killah spat rhymes about the benefits of recycling so knocking it down a star until he makes that change
Wed Mar 17 2021
4
This was actually great. Very funky / soulful. Not very Wu-Tang. Didn't catch many lyrics on first listen, but lots of effing and jeffing. Terrible skits though.
Fri Mar 26 2021
4
Yeah
Sun Jul 18 2021
4
Really enjoyed it, Ghostface a legend
Thu Mar 25 2021
4
buena primera escuchada jajaja me aburri un poco escuchando pero es wea mia pq si el disco es muy largo me da lata fdajkadjkf
Tue May 25 2021
4
A very solid and lyrically rich rap album. 8.0/10
Wed May 19 2021
4
Man, I listened the hell out of this back in 2006. Kilo has a great, great hook and I didn't remember anything else about the rest of the album. But I think pretty much every song on this is a gem.
Sun May 09 2021
4
Jesus this album was dope. I haven't really listened to any rap album before, and initially I wasn't that into it, but I gave myself some time and went for a promenade in the rain with this album and and felt it very much. Every now and then I wasn't that into a song, but overall it was tremendous. It definitely feels like a complete work and the songs work together. Amazing.
Mon Jul 12 2021
4
Great lyricism. Solid RZA production.
Wed Jul 07 2021
4
Ghostface Killah is peerless on this album of grimy storytelling and verbal dexterity. His taste is impeccable,with beats from underground heroes J Dilla (RIP) and MF Doom (RIP), old school innovator Pete Rock and chart topper Just Blaze. The samples are sublime - the old soul tracks gives the album a cohesion often lacking in other rappers’ efforts. If Ghostface isn’t the GOAT then he damn near gets close to claiming the crown with this record.
Mon May 24 2021
4
A high quality rap album with great rhymes and beats. The album flows through from beginning to end and it's hard not to bop your head to the beat. I thought I wouldn't like it from the first song/skit, but it drew me in and I enjoyed it until the end.
Tue May 11 2021
4
This was really really good and lyrical with amazing percussion and flow. But man the jokes are really cringe.
Sun May 09 2021
4
My type of music. Definitely some favourite yracks
Thu Jul 22 2021
4
It's alright. I mean, I do like it. It has a lot of charm, with its pretty fast and short skits along with the array of producers (Pete Rock, MF DOOM, J Dilla, etc.) I do think straying away from RZA Production does kind of hinder it but I still think its a unique album. Its pretty long, tackling an hour with 23 tracks. A few of them are skits, but still. It's a lot of tracks! Raekwon, Trife, & Cappadonna are some of the recurring features but its not limited to them. I do like the J Dilla cuts on here. Using "Hi." And "One For Ghost" on Donuts, I really think GFK uses these beats very well. The production on songs like Jellyfish, Underwater, The Champ, all great. I think this album loses me a bit with it's length but overall, its a fun one. 7/10 As of July 21th, 2021 Best Tracks: Kilo, The Champ, 9 Milli Bros., Beauty Jackson, R.A.G.U., Whip You With A Strap, Be Easy, Jellyfish, Underwater Worst Track: Barbershop
Tue Aug 10 2021
4
This is what I imagined Wu-tang would be like; actually creative and a blast to listen to! Closing in on a 5 for sure
Fri Aug 20 2021
4
OH NO ITS A SPOOKY GHOST
Mon Aug 30 2021
4
Czego jak czego, ale pana Ghostface Killaha na takiej liscie sie nie spodziewalem i to dodatkowo z takim materialem, bo dalbym sobie obciac lape, ze ironman, gdzie persona tonyego starka snuje opowiesci z getta bedzie miala o wiele wieksze szanse na pojawienie sie tutaj, tak samo sprawa ma sie z supreme clientele jako album inspirowany czarnym ladem, a tu jednak fishscale, czyli album ktorego motywem przewodnim jest dealowanie koko, na co juz nawet tytul jasno wskazuje, rybie luski to okreslenie na wyjatkowo czysta kokaine, okolo 90% wtedy nie mamy do czynienia z bialym proszkiem sprzedawanym na dworcach, ale raczej z bialo lsniacymi krysztalami lub czyms oscypkowo wygladajacym przed pieczeniem, wiec plyta trzyma sie tego motywu opowiadajac na temat dzialalnosci przestepczosci zorganizowanej po murzynsku, jak przystalo na gettowe historie mamy opowiesci o biegaczach, porucznikach, kucharzach, niewinnych przechodniach wciagnietych w ten swiat kilogramow za sprawa kawalka olowiu, thugowej milosci, lojalnosci do rodziny i do ulicznej rodziny, szybkich pieniadzach, szybkim zyciu i jeszcze szybszym umieraniu, plyta to godzina dwanascie solidnego materialu, z 27 trakow 7 to skity, ktore sa dla mnie jak najwiekszym problemem albumu, bo w wiekszosci sa to bardzo typowe ghostowe monologi, ktore maja wprowadzic do traka, o ile ghost nigdy nie byl w moim top 3 czlonkow wutangowych, tak jak slucham tej plyty to jest zadziwiajaco rowna, jesli chodzi o liryczny deliwery, nie ma tutaj przesadzonej liczby featurow, jak na poprzednich materialach, taki ironman, to praktycznie album trio killaha raekwona i cappadonny, dodatkowo z beatami od pana RZA, wiec wutang pelna geba, tutaj natomiast czuc o wiele bardziej solowosc tego projektu, takze od strony beatowo producenckiej, bo RZA nie wystepuje tutaj jako producent, tylko ma jednego wersa na 9 milli bros, ktory featuruje wszystkich zyjacych, oraz tych troche mniej zyjacych, czlonkow wu tanga, a wiec kto wyprodukowal plyte, odpowiedz na to pytanie jest skomplikowana, bo dlugo by wymieniac 11 apostolow producerki ktory zebrali sie zeby ugotowac taki krazek, obok takich nazwisk jak pete rock czy j dilla pojawiaja sie takze calkiem niespodziewane picki, ktore slychac juz podczas pierwszego odsluchu, mianowicie mf doom na producerce, zastanawialem sie skad on mial tyle materialu zeby wypuscic trzy albumy czysto instrumentalne, ktorych w wiekszosci nie uzywal na swoich materialach, to wlasnie po czesci otrzymalem odpowiedz na clipse of doom czy jellyfish, albo na wspominanym juz wutangowym traku, na nastepne instrumentalne sluchanie musze obadac orginy reszty special herbsow, z pikow plejlistowych na liste wpada kilo, brosy i back like that, z najbardziej 2k06 featurem jaki mozna sobie wysnic, czyli pan ne-yo i jego aksamitne wokale na chorusie, lista kolejny raz pozytywnie zaskakuje iloscia murzynskich albumow, a zaskoczenie tym wieksze, bo to jednak thugowo hardkorowy material, a nie radio friendly kontent
Fri Sep 03 2021
4
Above average cocaine rap. Great NY attitude.
Fri Sep 10 2021
4
I quite enjoyed this. Pretty chill.
Sat Sep 11 2021
4
Unexpectedly incredible
Wed Sep 15 2021
4
Nce flow
Thu Sep 30 2021
4
This was great but suffered from the skits and stuff.
Fri Oct 01 2021
4
I still don't understand skits on rap albums, but the tunes were bangers
Thu Oct 14 2021
4
Production > lyrics but crack spot and kilo are elite. I probably missed a lot so gotta run it back
Fri Oct 15 2021
4
pretty great album, some of the skits were a little corny but that music slapped I’ll give it an 8/10
Thu Nov 18 2021
4
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Kilo, Whip you with a strap, Back like that, Big girl
Thu Nov 25 2021
4
This is pretty great. Now I know where a few samples on Donuts come from.
Fri Dec 03 2021
4
Klassisk hiphop, soul-samples, nice flows, wu-tang, hård lyrik
Fri Dec 03 2021
4
I really enjoyed some of the songs on this, particularly The Champ and Three Bricks. Overall great album.
Thu Jan 06 2022
4
I was not really looking forward to this album but it really surprised me! Great beats, the rapping was really clear so you I could understand what he was saying. And that's the most grandpa thing I've ever said.