Reviews (page 2 of 8)
#253/1001 🇺🇸 I would love to hear the non explicit edit of this album. I'm a bit mixed on this, didn't love it but didn't hate it. I think that there is probably a bit too much going on to really appreciate it in one listen. Best Tracks: Back Like That, Clipse of Doom, Dogs of War, Momma.
He's a great story teller. Some of the background music is excellent. Just not for me.
The beats are solid, the delivery is excellent, I'm sure there is something I'd like here... But I'm just really, really not in the mood.
3.53 stars out of 5 for this one. One thing I've noticed between West Coast Hip Hop vs. East Coast Hip Hop, the sampling is solid, but the hook for every song continues on and on, there's no real change in the flow of the song, it's basically the same sample over and over with rapping over the top of it. While this works really well, it can get a bit old on longer songs. Thankfully, Ghostface Killah keeps most of these songs around the 2-3 minute mark with some gems in the 4 minute range. Standouts: Shakey Dog Kilo Be Easy Well worth a listen or 2 or more.
Not for me, but it’s good
There is no way that I can listen to 27 songs of this garbage! I started listening and made it to song 15 and had to leave. I came back and started the album again, and I still think it is mostly just noise. Not a fan! I was so happy when it was over!
War für mich n sehr durchschnittles Hip Hop Album, warum ist das hier auf der Liste?
hab ich mir schlimmer vorgestellt. Dieser 'pure' Rap ist mir meistens zu langweilig, das war aber recht unterhaltsam.
Nicht meine Art Rap
I'm shocked I have never listened to this before; Ghostface over more modern production goes so hard. There are some really good features here too.
Skits are awful and there's some pretty lame stuff here, but songs like Shakey Dog are great
I am not a huge fan of that kind of rap music, where it's just talking, but instead I like it when it's more melodic. That means that I am also not a huge fan of this album, but also the Intro/Skit was just a bit annoying and I don't know if it contributed to anything substantial.
Good but too long, got bored listening to it.
Very good album, I’ve been meaning to listen to Ghostface Killah for a while now
Perhaps I wasn’t in the right headspace when I listened, or maybe it’s because I can, in no way, relate to this genre or Ghostface, but this really didn’t land with me.
Ruined by countless interludes, and a pro child-abuse track
I like some east coast hip hop, but ghostface's yelling vocal style gets a little grating when the album is over an hour long. I like some of the beats, but unfortunately my favorite song on the album was Back Like That - Remix, which is just a song by k*nye...
Still not a rap fan
A dream of an album. The whole clan. MF DOOM and J Dilla production to boot. P.S. - I own this on vinyl.
Some world-class production throughout this album - no surprise, perhaps, considering Ghostface Killah was able to pull some of the finest MPC-masters of the era (J Dilla and MF Doom, both taken too soon) and lay over it with a pedigree of some of the cleverest bars from his and his and crew. It's actually really, really good for an album I've never heard hints of before, but I suppose the tenure of Wu Tang commands some of the best work in the business. Even the extra tracks are excellent - that Ice Cube feature on Be Easy is killah! Fav tracks: 9 Milli Bros, Be Easy, Back Like That
Quite good and really smooth to listen to. Glad Spotify doesn't have (most of) the cringy skits.
There were some good tracks on this but it is ruined by the skits. Why? Why do they put these in? Do they actually sit there and write them? What do they add to the album? Are the execs sitting there saying “We love the tracks you have here but it would really benefit from some random snippets of conversation that sound like they have come from a low quality soap opera and are equally poorly acted. That would take this to the next level.” Could we please have skit-free versions so we can just focus on the music?
Okay in places, and the delivery of most of the lines are confident and have a good flow but again, the problematic content, and bitty nature of it as an album is really shown up here. The album also lacks a really killer song or at least run of better quality tracks again, exacerbated by it being broken up so much, I’d much prefer if it found its groove and stayed there.
Not the worst rap album ever. Way too long but didnt hate it. High praise.
So hot and cold! There is some excellent material here. The first few tracks have some brilliant stuff. There are great lyrics (amongst problematic lyrics), great delivery, great flow, some nice beats in a few different styles. What an address book this guy has! In my opinion from my first couple of listens though, there are also some really quite uninteresting tracks. Ghostface filler I guess! I'm rating absolutely as high as I can for this level of inconsistency.
There is so much talent on show here. The subject is the usual ‘gangsta’ one of killing, threatening, misogyny & too much the N word (which if I say it, it’s racist). Spoils good tunes as they’re relegated to the background a lot of the time. Obviously too old
More gangsta rap songs about how great the metric system is plz. Maybe a bit less of the blatant misogyny, though. That was less cool.
I'll like just about anything Wu related, this has way too many skits though and it falls off a bit in the second half, still really good
Another of the roughly 6 billion reasons participating in this has been such a great experience: I'm completely unfamiliar with the Wu-Tang cinematic universe, but I seem to like about 2/3 of it. This falls in that category.
Ghostface Killah is my favorite Wu-Tang Clan member. I love his voice and flow. Could listen to him rap the dictionary. This is a bit of strange inclusion over Supreme Clientele or Ironman. Great production on here from the likes of MF DOOM, J Dilla, Pete Rock, Just Blaze and more. Love some rhymes about cocaine. Biggest thing holding this album back is the length. Favorites are Shakey Dog, Kilo, The Champ, Crack Spot, Whip You With A Strap, Back Like That, Jellyfish, and Big Girl.
7/10 Wu-Tang members released a huge number of solo albums of varying quality of the years. One oKillahmost well regarded of those was Method Man's Tical, which I really didn't get along with. Enter the Wu-Tang, on the other hand, I found to be pretty strong, so I'm interested to hear what Ghostface Killah has in store for us, particularly with the quality of producers he's drafted in for this record. On first wash, this comes out of the blocks pretty strongly. There's power and nuance to the beat creation, a cinematic bent to the production, and Killah's rhythmical flow is the right balance of precision and personality. There's decent range across the record too, with moments that dip into a softer, pop-soul sound, and those that are more stark and menacing. Despite that range, the flow of the record is largely pretty strong and the power and groove of the rhythms ensures an engaging listen. My frequent complaint on hip-hop records is that the only range within each track comes from a lyrical point of view, with the musical content left to repeat with little variety. Fortunately that's not something that this album suffers from all that often. It does have it's moments, but there's generally enough production work or musical development to keep things feeling fresh. Unfortunately, there is one hip-hop issue that Killah does stumble over slightly, and that's the willingness to keep the tracklisting tight. Towards the later part of the album, things do feel a touch bloated, with weaker tracks that drag down the overall quality a bit too much. There are also the skits that are never as funny as they're intended to be, and frequently age much more poorly than the musical content. Luckily, quite a few of these are fairly short and inconsequential, but there are times when they do slow the flow of the tracks down a bit too much. Other than that, this was a very good album with moments touching on excellence. It's certainly enough to make me want to check out a bit more of his work and I'll probably pay this one a few more visits in time too. The Return Of Clyde Smith (Skit) - A fairly bland, hard to understand opening skit. The jazzy electric piano is quite nice, but ultimately, I wouldn’t say this opens the album with a great deal of promise. Shakey Dog - But things immediately kick into gear far more strongly than the opening skit suggests. It’s a good mix of old school from the 70’s soul sample from Johnny Johnson & the Bandwagon, and the insistent, in places breathless delivery of Mr Killah. It’s a little bit on the repetitive side, but the vibe is pretty good and it has an interesting lo-fi production style that works very well with the material. It could do with a bit more development, but it’s a fairly promising start. Kilo - A lesson that even now, America seems resistant to. It’s a great sample repurposed into something far from its intended purpose with great wit. It’s a solid groove and it injects some quality melodic flavour to the track too. Ghostface’s flow is great and we get a bit of range with a guest appearance from Raekwon. As with a lot of hip-hop, it is a touch on the repetitive side, but this has a bit more range and variety to keep it fresh and the melodic elements set really well against the rapping for an enjoyable ride. The Champ - This ramps things up again, and introduces a stadium flavour that works perfectly with the fighting theme of the track. The beats are excellent, the sample selection, particularly the horns and guitar parts are top notch, and the flow of the rapping tops it off perfectly. There’s a load of range and tonal variety across this and there’s something very bombastic and cinematic about it that I really like too. The scratching work is cool too. Top work, and the album is really starting to flow now. Major Operation (Skit) - I can forgive an Iron Man themed, seven second skit. 9 Milli Bros - Now we get a full Wu-Tang effort, produced by MF Doom no less. The sample selection is cool, but it feels like the range is reigned in a little too far, so things feel a bit too on the repetitive side while the tuning of the harmonic elements is just a touch off, which makes things a slightly more challenging listen. Doom is a great producer, but this feels a bit cluttered and lacks coherence, so isn’t a great example of his work, and it’s actually made even less coherent due to each of the clan getting their own verse. Beauty Jackson - This is half way between a skit and a song really. It’s quite well put together though, and the varying pace and slightly off kilter flow is pretty good. Nice to get a slightly more stripped back track in which the vocal is so clear and crisp. It’s a bit of a shame this one is so short, because the vibe and production are great. Heart Street Directions (Skit) - Another one of those skits that are trying to be funny, but just… aren’t. Meh. Columbus Exchange (Skit) - And another track, just for this? Only ten seconds though. Crack Spot - This is great though. The 70’s cinematic soul sound of the track works well thematically with the pusherman-esque subject matter. It’s obviously much more in your face than 70s blaxploitation, but it feels like a more modern interpretation. The groove is really good, with enough hip-hop punch balanced against the soul groove that’s imparted by the sample choices. And I’m really warming to Ghostface’s vocal delivery and flow, which has enough subtlety to not grate, but also gives things punch when required. Solid stuff. R.A.G.U. - Again, this has got a really good vibe to it. It’s another that has a cinematic edge to it, but without that overtaking the hip-hop punch of the central groove. The way the samples that chime in with the kick drum subtly shift is really nice and gives this far more range than it would otherwise have. It’s deft and clever production. And I’m still digging the grooves on this record, they’re very strong. Bad Mouth Kid (Skit) - To be fair, this one is a bit funnier. I rarely love hip-hop skits, so I’m not massively into this either, but it wasn’t terrible. Whip You With A Strap - A nice bit of Dilla production now. The sample is really cool and the way it’s been manipulated adds a cool bit of texture. It’s another that opens up the vocal to a bit more focus, which is good. The gentle funk of the rhythm is tasty, although things could do with a bit more variation. Back Like That - This almost leans into being a neo-soul-pop edged number. It’s very, very well produced. The melodic elements are very strong, but aren’t allowed to dominate, because we still get plenty of rapping from Ghostface to balance them. The groove is excellent, with really nice bounce to the beats, and a lovely roaming bass line. Ne-Yo’s vocal is superb too. It’s absolutely chock full of great elements and hooks, and delivers on pretty much every front. Excellent. Be Easy - And now, as a pretty perfect volte-face, we lean straight into something that is almost completely stripped of harmonic elements except for the odd moment. But the beat and rhythm of the rapping is incredibly strong and infectious. There’s enough range in the vocals to give this depth, and the little breaks out into the more melodic sample are lo-fi and subtle enough to not detract from the power of the central track, but are enough to give suitable breaks and range to the overall track. Another strong effort. Clipse Of DOOM - Doom’s back in the production chair again, and this is much more like it. It’s harmonically fairly one dimensional, but it does so much to build atmosphere and tension behind the vocal, making things feel like they’re constantly on the boil. The little breaks stop it from becoming to overpowering, but there’s something really interesting about that almost unrelenting musical tension that makes the rapping feel so menacing and dangerous above it. It does get a bit much after a while though. Jellyfish - This one takes that repetition and removes the atmosphere and threat that it imbues and leaves us with repetitive organ tones that overwhelm everything, and don’t leave enough space for the vocals, while also lacking in any range or development. To be honest, I’m pretty unimpressed with Doom’s contributions to this record. This was just quite draining and one-dimensional. On an hour long album, this one deserved the chop. Dogs Of War - A nice bit of Sly in the sample there. But again, we’re getting stuck in a musical rut here. The loop isn’t bad, it’s just short and essentially remains unchanged for four minutes. There’s a little bit of dropping in and out of elements here and there, but other than that, this is very draining and relentless and makes it very hard to concentrate on anything else, because the guitar is so prominent in the mix. Meh. Barbershop - It’s a skit that’s not labelled as a skit. We get a bit of music played in, but it’s essentially just a sample from the Manhattans until over a minute in. It’s pretty good from that point in, with a solid beat, and some well delivered vocals. It’s a shame, because I’d easily take a longer version of this over the last couple of tracks. Ms. Sweetwater (Skit) - Another brief skit. Big Girl - The samples here are quite nice, but I’m not entirely sure that there’s enough other production work to justify it, and the clashing of the rapping against the singing just doesn’t quite work for me. If I want to enjoy the harmonic work here, I’d probably just listen to the original tracks. Underwater - The production here is much better, and it’s got an interesting, almost psychedelic edge to it. There’s something about the rapping that doesn’t feel as free-flowing and relaxed as it is elsewhere on the record. But it’s a step back in the right direction, with good sound design and range. The Ironman Takeover (Skit) - Another five second skit. Momma - Finally, a return to form. The slow r&b groove of this is great and the vocal from Megan Rochell is really nice. It’s got a decent amount of punch from the kick, but still maintains a smooth, legato flow from the rest of the instrumentation. The layered vocal work is excellent and when the rapping and singing converge later in the song, it works really well. I don’t think it’s as strong as Back Like That, but it’s still a solid effort. Three Bricks - A bonus track now, as if an album with 24 tracks needed a bonus. This samples Biggie and features Raekwon, and it’s got a strong cinematic aesthetic to it. It’s a bit too “gangsta” in a couple of places with the screeching tyres and gunshots, but other than that, it’s very good. The shimmering strings and delicate piano work maintain a great tension, which is enhanced by the insistent, driving beats. The last couple of tracks have really pulled this record back together and it’s a shame that Killah wasn’t a bit more willing to kill his darlings, because the album ends very strongly here, after a mid to late stage lull.
Meh meh meh. Beats meh, bars meh, lyrical content weird and bad. Not my fave
I think im just not meant for WuTang's sound. I was in a horrible mood for this listen and there were moments but very very few.
I remember checking out an earlier Ghostface album at one point (can't remember which one) and being disappointed, which sucked, cause I thought he was one of the more talented Wu-Tang rappers. Turns out, this is the album I needed to hear. This album has so many great tracks...hell, the first three (not counting the intro skit) are amazing. It drops a little towards the end, but not much. Just a great album.
Dizzying rhymes.
Not my favorite hiphop album. I found it quite forgetful and boring...
I like it.
Liked this a lot more than I thought I would. 3.5
No.
Can't do it today
It’s another hip hop record. On the positive side, there is some music and singing on the album. (We learned that Ghostface can’t sing). The samples that were used show a lot of knowledge of older music. On the negative side, the album is a bit too long. And as usual, there is too much talking about violence, shooting, and drugs for me.
I don't like 90s hip hop, but maybe 2006 hip hop will be more my speed. Turns out: nope. Major themes: violence, drugs, women (negative). The beats are more interesting than 90s stuff, though the delivery is less melodic. Had to search out some of the missing tracks, mostly all the "Iron Man" related ones, which was annoying. Lyrical content definitely not my speed. I wasn't mean to join the [[[Wu-Tang Clan] Fan] Clan]. (Bilingual) slur count = 110. Highlights: Some good vowels. The track with Kanye (alas) and Ne-Yo, 'Back Like That'. Hm, does Bruno Mars reference this line in 'Uptown Funk'?: "Sometimes I look in the mirror and want to kiss myself, I'm so pretty"
Eipä jaksanut innostaa. Meni taustamuzakkina.
Ghost is at his best here, but more than that this is a production masterpiece. Probably a 5.5 but loses 1 for having too many skits. Still rounded up to 5.
A few catchy ones in there for me to enjoy. For me won’t go down as an all time rap classic, but lucky for me this is the genre of music I enjoy
Not a voice that grabs my attention. I did dig the music, but not the vocals. I'm still a Method Man fan among the Wu options.
this album is pretty hard considering it's not exactly from the early days anymore
I really should listen to more rap.
Ghostface Killah = instant charisma on the mic. He is so entertaining to listen to. I just love his energy and presence. Even tho this album isn't really in his prime era, he hasn't lost an ounce of skill, still raps like his rent is due. His production choices can be hit or miss but this is really one of his strongest albums in terms of beats. The lineup is so impressive, DOOM, Dilla, Just Blaze, Pete Rock... For example The Champ has such a majestic beat, pure triumphant energy, sounds nasty and Ghostface is spitting hard over it. 9 Milli Bros is a classic Wu-Tang posse cut and that's really awesome. The album overall seems like a bit of a throwback with some amazing old-school type boom bap and hard verses and I'm all here for it. I can imagine in 2006 hip hop fans needed a record like this one to remind them why they love the genre. The album dishes out so many bangers. Whip You With a Strap is just classic Dilla, the vocal chops in the beat are gorgeous. R.A.G.U is also such a majestic instrumental. I don't even mind the much poppier Back Like That, sounds great. One of my favorites off the album is Clipse of Doom, that beat is just hauntingly nasty. The album is a really awesome collection of bangers and despite being long doesn't lose steam or consistency.
It’s an interesting concept piece, but not something I think I’ll revisit very much.
Ah another rap album. I wonder what this one will rap about…definitely not bad rap, but glorifying gang culture and misogyny just doesn’t age well.
All very good although the misogyny feels very dated now 😕
He's a great storyteller and many of these songs were like sonic short stories. It's more diverse than a lot of rap albums and kept me engaged throughout. There's still the standard swagger and misogyny but, overall, I enjoyed this a lot.
This really stood the test of time compared to so many rap albums of the 2000s bling era. Ghostface Killah is easily one of the more talented Wu Tangers, with a distinct flow and the art of storytelling. But really its the production here that stands out - it sounds great, very little dated sampling, terrific beats, and great hooks like Ne-Yo's turn on Back Like That. I get a little tired of the tough guy persona over the course of an hour, but still, well worth a listen
I wouldn’t ordinarily choose an hour of cocaine trafficking stories, but damn if this isn’t entertaining.
Very very nice. Liked back like that. But I guess more credits should be given to Ne-yo. And this album is on the edge of being toooo long.
Ghostface Killah out here absolutely cooking its apparent that when hes in his element, hes in his freakin element. the beats are awesome, and the lyrics he brings are awesome. i only wish i could have listened wit hthe lyrics up on the screen to really dive into his work. currently a 4 star, but could easily see this bumping up to a 5 for me
Basically a Wu-Tang album without ever actually being a Wu-Tang album. All kinds of features, great beats, great lyricism, and a really good album. Little long, but it was a nice break in the style of music the list had been generating.
I could not get into this album. I started and stopped it 5 or 6 times. I can appreciate it for what it is, but rap is typically not my style and I just wasn't in the mood for it. Wrong person at the wrong time for this review.
I liked the album, despite its length. I guess dude was sitting on a 10 year old Biggie verse that had never been released for that track at the end of the album, which was an interesting and cool addition. Good theme of organized crime throughout, storytelling rap, and most of the features are really good. Unfortunately it has the same problem the other rap albums I’ve had on here have: skits. I do not understand the fascination with them. Apparently, it’s due to rap being such a singles heavy genre, that, because the albums are really just collections of singles without a cohesive thread, the skits were originally created in the 90s to stick albums together and give them some segue/flow into the next song. I disagree and think it really breaks up the flow, but what do I know? ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
na ja ?
Enjoyment: 4/10 Replayability: 3/10 Cohesion: 5/10 Flow/Pacing: 4/10 Artistic Merit: 5/10 Weighted Average: 4.05/10 Review: I knew going into this that hip-hop and rap will be my lowest rated genres because they're not the music I typically listen to. That being said, this wasn't a bad album - it's just not for me. Liked Song(s): Shakey Dog, The Champ, R.A.G.U., Back Like That, Be Easy Disliked Song(s): Whip You With A Strap Recommend? Maybe Heard Before? No
Yeah what else
Rating: 4.7/5 Short Review: This thing barely sits still. Ghostface can be telling a detailed street story one second, saying something completely ridiculous the next, then suddenly getting personal. Half the time I’m just trying to keep up with him. The production is great too. Soul samples everywhere, but it never feels overly polished. A few stretches lost me, and it’s definitely dense, but there’s so much personality here that even the messy moments are entertaining. Favorite Track: “Shakey Dog.” Holy shit. It feels like someone telling you an increasingly insane story without stopping to breathe. I had to play it again just to catch what I missed.
Cool. Kilo
enjoyed this way more than i expected. what a wordsmith. fave tracks — 9 milli bros, be easy, jellyfish. I am not sure why this is on this list and not Supreme Clientele though?
Removed Album #39 (List: https://pastebin.com/cSThNiK9) From the Vault #34 (February 27, 2026) Another removed album. Cool, cool. I just took a massive leap in the hip-hop list. I went from being in 2004 yesterday to being in 2006 today. We're getting there - I only have ten-or-so hip-hop albums to bulldoze through. Anyways, I'm pretty sure Ghostface Killah is a Wu-Tang Clan member. I'm surprised to see that a Wu-Tang album got pulled from the list, though, to be fair, there are six-or-so of them in here. I've nothing more to say, so let's get into it. Twenty-six fucking songs. You're shitting me. Even if you cut out the skits there's still twenty-or-so songs left for me to engage with. That's fucked up. Anyways, many of these instrumentals rub me the wrong way. The more hardcore tracks on here have these aggressive, blown out, all-consuming electronic tones which just sound like shit to me. The of-the-time production techniques are better - notably the soul samples and the grandiose, party-safe sounds. What seriously lets them down is the vocals. The collaborators didn't bother me much due to their diminished presence, but Ghostface Killah puts me off. He has that quintessential hip-hop vocalist sound (particularly for this era of music), but he sounds ever-so-slightly asleep at the wheel, which bugs me more than if the vocals were outright bad. I'm not sure whether that boils down to the songwriting being lackluster of if he just doesn't have the oomph required for the role. I wasn't too interested in observing the lyrics of this album. Overall, I didn't bother this album, and this album didn't bother me aside from a few annoyances. Book time. Added to the 2008 edition of the book, removed from either the 2018 or 2021 revision of the book (I don't have a scan of either). A solid run. The book entry says that this album had "...more street appeal than the cerebral GZA and a far more experimental edge than the weed raps of Method Man...", for what that's worth. Influenced by 60s soul. Many collaborators. "The sum total is a record that blends the classic breaks of yesterday and experimental hip-hop of today into something you'll still want to listen to 10 years from now..." Oof. That last comment didn't hold up too good, though I suppose they didn't specify whether we'd be listening to it more than 10 years later. Wikipedia reveals that this album charted well at first, was a smash with critics and has a fuckton of personnel. There's gotta be like 60 names on that list, including Diddenstein. I'm at a loss as to why this album was removed, which is the first time that's happened. I can usually boil the reason for why an album was removed down to a lack of prominence, zealotry on behalf of the list makers or the album simply not being very good, but this album doesn't show such weaknesses. I think it comes down to how strange this album is stylistically. Most of the tracks are your usual gangsta rap affair, whereas the remaining offerings feature either the of-the-time hip-hop party production or a soul-influenced sound. 50 Cent's album was also removed from the list, so I think the curators want to relegate gangsta rap to the 90s. That isn't enough of a reason for it to be removed, so I'm saving this album from the woodchipper. I cosign this inclusion.
Un gran álbum. Tiene una muy buena selección de Beats y unas rimas increíbles. Tiene algunos skits, pero todos aportan algo al album en el sentido cómico.
Wow! All of wu tang so talented
el album es innecesariamente y esta repleto de skits que no aportan absolutamente nada, varias de las canciones se hacen muy repetitivas a excepción de algunos temazos que se salvan por el flow que tiene este hombre, pero creo que en cuanto a hip hop de la costa este se queda muy detrás 5,5/10
I generally like rap and hip hop, this was not it for me, though. Rappers are generally braggadocios, but here the album was stating his toughness credentials again and again, it's just a bit wearing. I think a big part of that was the tedious and repetitive backing tracks.
Fine, I guess. More often than not, the solo Wu albums just don't hold up for me. That whole cocaine/turf wars bit has always bored me. Great producers and some decent beats/lyrics scattered about the album. Nothing that I'm overly excited to come back and revisit.
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Shakey Dog, Bad Mouth Kid (Skit), Whip You With A Strap, Three Bricks If you're going to go all in on songs about drug dealing, violence and objectification of women, you might as well commit and make it good. Ghostface Killah did exactly that. The beats are slick, most of the skits hold up today, its got a butt-load of awesome producers attached and plenty, plenty of featured guests, including a posthumous appearance from The Notorious BIG. I also absolutely get a kick out of the super-hero/super-villain sub-genre of rap. All these callouts, samples and references to Tony Stark and Stark Enterprises are really amusing. I also took the opportunity to go back and listen to Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... again, just because I was really in a hip-hop mood today.
I just have no frame of reference for this stuff. If you told me this was one of the best hip hop albums of 2006 or if you told me it was a record from someone who was washed up or had never been, I wouldn't know the difference.
Too. Fucking. Long. 30 minutes less and it would have been 4 star
This album is ridiculously stacked. A relentless storm of bangers, thinking one song is easily the best of the album only to get outdone with each passing song. On "Back Like That" Ne-Yo really sells that hurt so well in his vocals, good lord what a great chorus. I adore the apprecitiation for the female form throughout the album. Big ass, big brain Ghostface Killah went OFF!!! God I love this album. Also "The Champ" gave me plently of good memories of playing Smackdown vs. Raw 2007.
still just not a big rap fan. this one is fine. enjoyed the rnb bit with ne-yo the most
I hate to play favourites with the Wu-Tang Clan, but Ghostface Killah, I think I might love you most of all. When everyone else was losing their sense of quality control, he was still making classics like this.
I've got a soft spot for the former Wu-Tang crew. They're such nerds, but they also make fun music. Generally some of the more enjoyable hip-hop/rap on this list.
3.5
Album meeldis mulle üllatavalt palju. Ma küll sõnadest ei saanud paljut aru, aga biit ja see kuidas meloodiad ja räpp segunesid oli mu kõrvadele väga meeldiv. Kuigi üksi laul ei hakkanud mulle individuaalina kõrva oli mitmeid mida mängiksin nt kui mul on üritusel aux. Parim räppmuusika album mida ma siiani (31.07.2026) kuulanud olen. Mul on suur kiusatus anda talle 5 tähte, kuigi ma ei salvestanud individuaalseid laule. Kuulasin rongis Gdyniast Łódźi.
so silly. not fully my vibe. had some fun though
Big dick ass music, feels like action bronson if he went back in time got a tan and became a good rapper. SUCK MY DICK ITS NEW YORK PUSSY
I was kind of distracted during my listen but I think this album is one of the better hip hop albums I’ve listened to. I added “Whip You with a Strap” to my playlist.
So glad it's on this list. RYM: N Saved a song: Y
Even as someone who doesn't listen to much hip-hop, I do really like 36 Chambers, so I had high hopes here! Unfortunately, it didn't really have any moments that felt standout to me. But at least it didn't feel like it dragged too badly for being over an hour long, so he's got that going for him.
It just didn't appeal to me, though occasionally I would hear a nice R&B groove.
Hell yeah, this album SLAPS!
Another solid Wu-Tang affiliate album.
Super good, the production is incredible and the only complaint I have is the number of skits.
The soul songs are all right. Too bad there's only a couple of them.
The rap is witty and flows well. Too long, not a fan of the skits
Honestly not bad. The remix at the end with Kanye went dummy. Rap needs to bring back skits!
Добре, але дуже затянуто. Хоча альбом йде трішки більше години, але відчувається на всі півтори. Можливо, це через постійні скіти, можливо через однорідні біти. Не знаю. Але, не дивлячись на це, альбом мені сподобався. Оцінка: низька-середня 6
Smart lyrics, good production, just over-long
Woof, what an album man. Wu-Tang is obviously one of the greatest and Ghostface is part of that reason. Combine that with some J-Dilla and DOOM production and you get something incredible
Ok
This was pretty great. It especially cranked up toward the end (Momma, Three Bricks...). I might be favoring hip hop unfairly cuz it's so different from the malaise induced by 1972 rock albums. But I'm a adult and i can dew what I want. 4 or 5.
kilos baby very clear directions to heart street :grimacing: ne-yo ice cube some big names dude jellyfish gives ice jj fish vibes sometimes saved The Ironman Takeover (skit)
3,1/5
JL : 4, Whip You With A Strap A : 3, Back like that (can round up to 4)
Maybe my favorite of the Wu-Tang Extended Universe albums of this list? Boys were back in town, the variety was good, the skits were short and infrequent. 3.5
not for me, thanks
There's some parts of this album I like, some that I don't. I could do without the skits.
Not my usual thing, but I really liked this.
Ghostface is fantastic. But this is my fourth hip hop album in 5 days. I'm tired, boss. What's funny about this album is that on top of including skits every few tracks, the beginning of every real song is at least 30 seconds to a minute of "fluff:" "Captain Kirk? What, it's the fucking Stark Enterprise, the Enterprise shit outside, or some shit?" etc. etc. It's...... kind of silly? It's also hilarious that Ghostface chose Ironman/Tony Stark as his on-record alter-ego, given that a couple of years after this record's release, Iron Man would become incredibly popular out of nowhere. Anyways. It's fun to hear Wu-Tang back together for a track here, but Inspectah Deck and U-God really seem to be phoning it in. Raekwon and Method are always locked in though...... And then they necro'd poor ODB, poor chap. Also - Ghost keeps asking people to turn the water down. Is that a euphemism I don't know about? lol "Back Like That" has a great hook. I like that Ghostface is pretty vulnerable on some of these tracks. He's getting cheating on, beaten with a belt for wetting the bed as a kid, fucking up a robbery..... it's a welcome change. I'll say this for every single hip hop album, and I'll always be right. It's too damn long. Good God. Why are they leaving money on the table? Release an album with 10-11 tracks in the Spring, and another 10-12 tracks in the Fall. Double the money! Right? Anyways. I enjoyed this, but it's too long, and there's too much fat on it. THREE STARS
Never listened to the WuTang clan, so did not have an excitement about listening to this either. Another hip-hop album with crude intervals, which instantly puts me off. There were a few ok songs, but they were lost in all the rest because it was way too long. Took me two days to listen to this. I would have no interest in listening to this again. Standout song was be Easy. second half was better, but still too long overall. 2.5 stars
Not quite Supreme Clientele.
This is awesome
Shakey Dog
There were definitely some standout tracks on here, like Barbershop and the really great closer Momma, but I think the more East Coast hip hop I hear on this list, the less East Coast hip hop I need to hear overall. Come on, give us some more West Coast already!!
Eh. I’ve enjoyed other rap albums on here significantly more than this. I also think it’s kinda unnecessary to hear these solo side projects from Wu-Tang members whose names didn’t have nearly as much staying power outside of the group. But I also admit I’m probably uncultured in this realm.
Nothing too mindblowing, but it's a solid rap album! The production is consistently great, and Ghostface Killah's flow is especially smooth on top of the more soulful beats. Also, the skits on this are fun! Bring back actual rap skits!!! Weirdly enough, the one track that I thought aged the worst (sonically, at least) is the final one with B.I.G.. The rhymes are clean, but the instrumental sounds like some free "grimy type beat" you'd find on YouTube. Standouts: The Champ • R.A.G.U. • Back Like That • Be Easy • Big Girl • Momma
The inherent flaw with all these best albums of all time lists is their insistence of including every Wu Tang member's indistinguishable solo albums. I'm tired, boss
As I age my interest in hip hop wanes and my love of Dad rock grows. Notwithstanding this I did enjoy the album - lyrically I generally struggle with rap with drugs/ gangs/ violence and cussing. This has the usual Wu Tang cultural references with the Tony Stark references being interesting as I think pre date the modern Marvel Behemoth. I like the Wu Tang and I like east coast beats so happily bopped along. His delivery is not bad but never a good sign when you prefer the cameo artists to the main event. Shame Kanye appears at the end to stain the album but no points deducted for this.
Fishscale I’m not sure where he sits among the Wu-Tang rappers. Method Man is probably my favourite but Ghostface Killah is up there, he’s got a distinctive cadence and tone to his voice, it’s very 90s NY sounding but it has a kind of controlled forcefulness I really like. The list of producers on here is quite mad, both in terms of numbers and names, and I particularly like the sound of J Dilla and MF Doom’s track. Although overall it has a great sound, a move away from RZA’s sound into a more well rounded and slightly more polished feel, if it doesn’t quite have the creepiness to it. He is a great storyteller, there’s some great narratives and lines, and it does share in the cinematic, filmic vibe as much of Wu-Tang, and he hits his straps early on, Shaky Dog, Kilo and The Champ are a great opening trio, with great samples and groove. As is usual with so many rap albums the skits upset the rhythm, but it picks up again with the MF Doom produced 9 Milli Bros with the rest of WTC. Ragu has a bit of a RZA vibe, and the Bacharach sample, particularly the high pitched strings are great. I love J Dilla’s typical percussion part on Whip You With a Strap, although the lyrics are a bit old man bemoaning children not having the shit kicked out of them anymore. Back Like That and Be Easy are probably the catchiest and most immediate tracks, and the version of Be Easy without Ice Cube is better I think. Clipse of Doom and Jellyfish are again great MF Doom productions, Jellyfish in particular is excellent. The Family Affair sample is great on Dogs of War, and Underwater is yet another excellent MF Doom track. I’m not as keen on Momma, the David Axelrod sample is good, but it doesn’t quite land for me. I like this and I like Ghostface Killah, but it probably isn’t at the same level as Liquid Swords, Tical or Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, so it hovers around 3 and 4. It is long, and the skits as always disrupt things, but I’ll tip to 4 as there are some great highlights and I enjoyed letting go round on repeat 👻👻👻👻 Playlist submission: Jellyfish
This feels like Ghostface (real name Dennis) has been on a highly rewarding crate-digging exercise and come up with some luscious finds, mainly late 60s-era soul (Stylistics, Delfonics, Freda Payne etc). It adds a velvety backdrop to what is a rather hackneyed ride through organised crime in the hood. The album is long, and there are a host of tracks that could've been culled, including myriad skits. It's trawls through the tropes of dealing crack, street crime, a struggling Mum that we all know appreciate even we didn't at the time, and smashing ladies with big buttocks.
Happy birthday to me. Too many skits but every rap album from approximately 1994 to 2007 has that problem. This shit fucking bumps. He is an incredible lyricist, imposing, quick witted, detailed, hilarious. Speaking of skits, Heart Street Directions had me audibly laughing even though it's 7th grade humor. Be Easy is an immediate add to the rotation. Production is almost uniformly awesome too. J Dilla and DOOM RIP. "I muffle motherfuckers up like Meineke". "DIDN'T I TELL YOU DON'T TOUCH THE SIDES? I'M GOING BALD ON TOP". "SpongeBob in the Bentley Coupe, bangin' the Isley's".
4.5 Was surprised that this was on the list over Ironman which was the album of his I'd heard before (and is great) but honestly this is fantastic too so fair enough
Den er egentlig alt for lang og spænder alt for bredt, men han er bare så god at det næsten er ligemeget
Elskede den her som teenager og jeg havde fat i den lange ende! Næsten ingen filler, vildt fede beats
Pretty long, but most of it was very good. Trying to bump my average rating a bit here...
Never felt too long despite being a long album. Didn’t really notice the skits.
Sigh. 1001 Rap albums to disappoint you before you finish. I've had three in the past three days. I'm done with this shit.
Im surprised by how much I am enjoying this - every song is so much fun to listen to if that's even the right word. I like this!
Some of the singing was off key. Some of the songs were pretty depressing. Skits weren't great but I've heard worse. Pretty typical 2000s rap.
This felt like a chat with The Champ at the local Barbershop.
This hip hop album is tremendous. (It even does skits well—short and sweet.) The beats go hard and are so re-listenable. Top tracks: "9 Milli Bros.," “Be Easy,” “The Champ,” “Jellyfish,” “Shakey Dog,” "Clipse of Doom"
weird.
--Shakey Dog...production is cool. vocals less so --Kilo...head bopper. sweet groove --The Champ...production is nice again but this is yelling not rapping --9 Milli Bros. (performed by the Wu-Tang Clan)...a little too chaotic --Beauty Jackson...almost a full idea --R.A.G.U....just not really digging the flow. or the lack thereof --Whip You With a Strap...can't argue with a Luther Ingram sample --Back Like That...Ne-Yo is here to add some much needed R&B --Be Easy...head bopper --Clipse of Doom...nice beat. that sustained guitar note in the background shouldn't work but it does --Jellyfish...I like the organ sample, but I've found the rapping on this LP subpar --Dogs of War...another cool sample --Barbershop...half track half skit --Big Girl...once again the sample is doing the heavy lifting --Underwater...the kung fu film wood flute sample is great --Momma...solid pop --Three Bricks...I'm getting conflicting info on whether or not this is a bonus track, so not sure if I should count it. If I were to count it, it would rank as one of the better tracks because it includes Biggie; whose flow is much better than Killah's
I like how lyrically dense a lot of the songs are. There’s a good variation, some fun samples and I love the trumpets and sax that show up. I think it goes too long and I’m not a huge fan of some of the skits. What’s with hip hop albums having an “I love my mum” song part way through, this is the second one in a week, doesn’t pair well with the way the rest of the album talks about women. Fav song: Kilo Least fav: 9 Milli Bros
There are some real fun songs and some great samples and sound effects, but I think lyrically and musically we’ve had better rap albums. I’m really just not a fan of his voice. Also all the iron man references and then skits like Heart Street Directions make parts of the album come off very childish to me. Favourite song: Dogs of War Least: Jellyfish
4/10 Coincidentally, I just got Wu-Tang Clan's debut album two days ago, so this album is quite timely. Unfortunately, as with Enter the Wu-Tang, there is very little of interest here for me. I appreciate the production and the beats, but that's about it. The lyrics are waaay too obvious (and downright awful at points), the rhymes are lackluster, and the album is roughly 10 songs too long. Just not for me (again).
Classic Ghostface. 9 Milli Bros is an epic Wu posse cut. Same for Dogs Of War. Choice Dilla tracks. Clipse of Doom is wild. Gotta shout out Cappadonna, love whenever he pops up. Classic album.
Yawn
Me parece que tiene canciones bastante pegajosas y los samplers lo hacen más entretenido y digerible
Jo - ist halt Rap. Ich kann damit nichts anfangen. Ein paar Lieder gehört, reicht für heute. 1-2/5
Thank you Marvel Comics for inspiring autistic black men to have amazing rap careers
This album felt stylistically all over the place. I enjoyed some tracks but felt out of the loop on others. Some really good raps from others featured on some songs as well.
Ghostface Killah’s rapping sounds effortless, smooth as butter. The beats go hard. The album would benefit from a trim.
Rhymes about hotties and selling coke that'll make your head spin—all over smooth old-school beats. Exhausting like a good autobiography. A thing I will probably never say: "Man, I really feel like listening to Fishscale today."
i liked this ehehe.
This manages to stay interesting all the way through and it’s a nice switch since this list seems to not have many rap records so far. 7/10
Pretty sure this dude wouldn’t be heard if he wasn’t in Wu-Tang. Fishscale falls flat.
Some great stuff on here. Good mix of rap hip hop and storytelling.
Meh
I usually avoid all rap since around, say, 1990. But this was alright, and although a bit long, listened to it all this way through and found my self rather enjoying it. Fair play.
As far as coke rap goes, this is as dense and tense as it got. An hour-long panic attack (but with beats!). I like Ghost just fine but in small doses as part of a crew. Here it’s just overwhelming.
The last of that 90s production
Ghostface is always a great rap storyteller, but the standout on this album is the incredible production. Dilla obviously kills on his tracks, but across the board the beats that are present for Ghost to work his magic on are excellent. Slightly too many features and skits and being slightly overly long brings it to a 4.
Seems cool on first listen. Never listened to any solo Wu Tang stuff before. Of course there are too many tracks and on future listens I'll skip the skits, but it's good.
Not really for me
It's fine. A few songs on this album are really good. Most are ok.
Classic
This felt like a "bulldozer with a wrecking ball attached" in 2006, and it's aged beautifully. He's a consummate storyteller, able to weave tall tales with such specificity that they must be true. And every track here* is filled with explosive writing and performances. Some people will qualify its excellence by pointing out his age and insist that part of what makes it great is that it's one of the best albums by a late-period rapper who is well outside their prime. But no qualifiers necessary. Is he wistful? Sure, but that was present on his other albums; this isn't someone looking back on their career and trying to make one last triumph. This is a rapper at the top of their game, age be damned. Now, does getting this album in the week when I'm still basking in the glow of a Knicks championship mean I'm possibly inflating it to a star? Whatever. Ghostface is my favorite Wu Tang rapper, and this is my personal favorite Ghostface solo album (and there are plenty of contenders). Five stars. *I appreciate living in an era where I can make a playlist of all of these 90s and 00s rap albums and omit the skits. So many skits.
Old school rap / hip hop with cool backbeats and dollops of intelligence amid the drugs-and-violence lyrics. It takes a bit of an effort to plough through a whole albums of this nowadays, but it’s pretty good.
1. The Return Of Clyde Smith (☆☆☆☆☆) 2. Shakey Dog (★★☆☆☆) -La instrumental se llevó las dos estrellas, el resto es pura mierda de negros... -Yiia yi-yi yiiia, yia nigga, yiayiayiayiayiayiayia niiiggaaaa... yi-yi-yia 3. Kilo (★★☆☆☆) -yia yia, yi-yi-yi-yi-yi yiiiaaa nigga 4. The Champ (★★☆☆☆) -yiia yia nigga, yiyiyiyiiyiyiiyiyiyiiyiyaaiyaiyaiyaiayaiyaia 5. Major Operation (★★☆☆☆) -La base se lleva las dos estrellas, el resto es mierda de relleno... 6. 9 Milli Bros (☆☆☆☆☆) 7. Beauty Jackson (★★☆☆☆) 8. Heart Street Directions (⯨☆☆☆☆) 9. Columbus Exchange (☆☆☆☆☆) 10. R.A.G.U. (★☆☆☆☆) 11. Bad Mouth Kid (⯨☆☆☆☆) 12. Whip You With A Strap (★⯨☆☆☆) 13. Black Like That (⯨☆☆☆☆) 14. Be Easy (★⯨☆☆☆) 15. Clipse of Doom (★☆☆☆☆) 16. Jellyfish (★⯨☆☆☆) 17. Dogs Of War (⯨☆☆☆☆) 18. Barbershop (☆☆☆☆☆) 19. Ms. Sweetwater (☆☆☆☆☆) 20. Big Girl (☆☆☆☆☆) 21. Underwater (★⯨☆☆☆) 22. The Ironman Takeover (☆☆☆☆☆) 23. Momma (☆☆☆☆☆) 24. Three Bricks (☆☆☆☆☆) -TOTAL = ⯨☆☆☆☆ (0,8) -Yia yia nigga, yiyiyiyiaaa ni-ni-ni ga-ga-ga, yi yi yi yi yi yi...
One of the better hip hop albums I’ve encountered. Few of the aversive turntable smeary sounds and a couple of really catchy tracks. May actually listen again voluntarily.
I just can't latch on to this style...
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. It's a rap album, not something I'd ever seek out. Compared with other rap albums that have come up previously in this exercise, this one is not awful. I really don't care for the lyrical content, but sonically it's not bad. I still didn't get through the whole thing, and I wouldn't come back to it.
great album!
I hate skits. Why was this ever considered a good thing? Other than that I actually liked this album maybe a bit longer than it needed to be.
A star studded line up from great producers such as Pete Rock, J Dilla, and MF to solid feautures from Wu-Tang Clan members, Trife da god, and even Biggie. Ghostface is able to execute a messy yet interesting collage of stories relating to drugs, women, and his alter ego as Tony Stark (Iron Man). He attempts to grab the attention of both the general public and hardcore hiphop fans, and I believe he was able to succeed in that through both his rapping and layout of the album itself. Although I am usually not a huge fan of interludes in general, there were definitely a couple fun ones in this album and they did help in the story telling of the album as well.
Overraskende godt og groovy!
kind of an overwhelming thing to get one's head around in 24 hours but luckily you've got Shakey Dog right out the gate, announcing to you that you're listening to something hugely special. bursting with detail, electric, Ghost's raps somehow even bigger than the massive beat, sticking out at wild, electrocuted angles. a brief survey of other things i love: the posse cuts, the tenacity to just rap over a straight-up unedited r'n'b song on Big Girl, the way Beauty Jackson just dissipates into the wintry air, Whip You With A Strap's nostalgia-poison, Momma's jazzy, mournful rawness, and the attempted invention of a new subgenre (underwater rap) in Underwater
The back-to-back of Carole King & Ghostface Killah gave me a laugh. Good album packed with solid songs & lyrics. I liked most all of it and can tell he was an awesome member of Wu-Tang. I used to play as Ghostface on the Def Jam Wrestling video game.
Bra men ganska utdragen. Be easy tycker jag var klart bäst. Många kul gästartister, bland annat från Kanye West innan han blev ond. Rap från en svunnen tid som jag kan bli nostalgisk efter. Den här typen av hiphop finns ju inte längre, vilket är synd. En grej som drar ner betyget som vanligt är sexism, så jävla tröttsamt. Till Ghostfaces försvar är det i allafall inte så mycket av den varan. Helt ok album trots några djupdyk.
Excited for this album because I know it will be my style. Not excited because I can think of 10 better rap albums from the 2006 era that I’m pretty sure aren’t on this list but this one is. Into skit is fine. I don’t get the reference if it is one. Production on shakey dog is really really good. Love the horns. And ghostface can rap there was never a question of that. Really good story telling. Don’t like the beat as much on kilo. Very 90s. The champ is classic just blaze production. This song is really fun. Not sure about 9 milli bros. I don’t like the beat at all. Just a little repetitive. I’m such a sucker for skits and interludes. Not enough of those these day. Crack spot is much better. Cool production and again great story telling. Ragu is good not great. Another ok beat. I like when the sample comes in, those strings are really cool. Whip you with a strap is a banger. Sick beat and great lyrics. Love the piano on back like that. Good chorus too. This is a fun song again. Clips of doom is good wrapping but don’t like the production. A good bit of that on this album. Love jellyfish. Production is simple but works really well, sick bass line. Great bars again. Very interesting beat on dogs of war. I think Ikke it a lot. Cool sample too. Another good song. Barbershop is fine. Just a long interlude. Big girl🔥🔥. Another sick sample. And ghost face just keeps spitting. U like how it’s slow enough to understand. Underwater is good not great. Cool sounds but a little generic. Momma is an awesome closer. Sick beat, obviously I love the piano. Needed more r&b hooks like this. Overall I was blown away. I knew I’d enjoy it because I just like this type of music but didn’t think I would this much. Like I said at the beginning, there’s so many outstanding rap albums from this era and I thought since I’d never heard of this one it must be a tier below, it it wasn’t. It’s just another mid 2000s banger rap album. Not perfect, but a ton of really good songs. 4.1/5 stars.
I am not a a fan of hip hop in general, so my review isn't really necessary. Anyway. I found this annoying to listen to. It was relentless, overly long, and put me in a foul mood. Why all the Tony Stark references? Why all the inane skits? Exhausting.
Ghostface Killah не самый мой любимый Wu-Tang. Есть у него неплохие песни, но на этом альбоме ни одной
enjoyable!
I enjoy albums like this but probably in the same way that someone that knows nothing about jazz enjoys jazz
I've never been a fan of Wu-Tang Clan so I wasn't expecting to like this one but actually it rules, would've liked it more without the guest tracks and skits though lol
I like fish but not this.
Beats are good, but a lot of the raps sound the same. No need to be this long
Du rap
Pas mal
Sympa!
Favorite Track: Back Like That
I'm glad I read the positive reviews and didn't skip this. A rare rap album that I didn't feel entirely alienated from. Saying that, there's always so much swearing and death, isn't there? But: some great funky melodic backing stuff going on, giving it a totally 70s vibe. I'm going to say this VERY quietly, but I thought it wasn't a million miles away from Hamilton in places; it's his voice and phrasing. He's a great natural storyteller, as is his reputation.
Finally a wu-tang project actually worth listening to.
Loved this whole album from the sampling to the production!
way too long
This was let down by the length, I think... I really enjoyed the tracks individually, but this is a rating for the overall album, and it was too much to listen to start to finish without getting slightly bored or it feeling tedious at times. A good album should flow from top to bottom, and sometimes tell a story in a way. This doesn't feel like it does that due to its length. Again, the tracks individually are really good to listen to, with some outshining some of the others by quite a margin. I enjoyed the beats, lyrics, vocals, and instrumentation. Favourites: Whip You With A Strap Back Like That Kilo
twas aight, big on da gangsta life n shit but lowk mid ngl.
Got through 75 % of this and bailed. It takes skill and talent, no doubt, just not for me. 3 stars
намного дольше надо слушать чтобы прикипеть; за такой промежуток только поняла что все реперы хорни
I don't get this Skits stuff; it's just superfluous. I'm no Rap fan, but I respect Wu Tang, and this was pretty decent, not like the Raekwon album.
Wow! Amazing beats and amazing rapping. I feel like half of the hip hop albums on this list are from Wu Tang members and that is perfectly fine with me, because I've really enjoyed them all. Everytime a new solo album from them comes up, it becomes my new favorite. High 5!!!
not my thing
Dropping the needle on Ghostface Killah’s Fishscale brings an immediate wave of intense ennui. It is yet another mid-2000s rap album built on the exact same predictable foundations. You get the standard cinematic soul samples, gritty tales of cocaine cooking, and dense street slang. While the production is crisp, it feels completely indistinguishable from dozens of other highly acclaimed records from that specific era. Tony Starks delivers his signature frantic energy, but the formula feels exhausted. It is a well-crafted but Ultimately generic time capsule.
me ganhou nas beats pqp produção incrivel, meu casa assassinoh cara fantasma mandou demais nesse aqui
ou, esse eh bão hein. bem variado, beats fantásticos, bom uso dos samples, flow dum JOVEM vindo dum mano de 30 e poucos anos. bacana demais!!
Great album! Didnt know big girl was from Ghost. Loved it!
Pretty good! Not as good as Wu-Tang, but I enjoyed it.
Not as good as Methodical Man but it's WuTang. The Tony Stark storyline was interesting so I need another listen for that.
Never quite gets going, some of the tracks towards the end with collaborations are ok (Ne-Yo, Ice Cube)
Not for me.
oooh that's how you start the album. but got bored later, didn't listen the whole album
It was ok. 3/5
Meh
very dramatic kinda fun to listen to
Pretty solid.
Again, cringey skits bringing an otherwise pretty good rap album down.
The skits transition seamlessly, and the lyrics are definitely comical at times. Then, for whatever reason, the back half of the album blends in with just instrumental noises, and murmurs. I still don't know what to think of Ghostface Killa, but this is a great 2000s album, which unfortunately isn't common in this generator. Favorite Track: "Whip You With A Strap".
Actually vibed so hard lol
⭐⭐⭐ Hel ok, jag kan lyssna igenom hela albumet utan att hänga upp mig på spår som jag inte gillar. Men det är också lite för få spår som sticker ut som riktigt bra och albumet är för långt. Det blev dock några ads till gillar listan. Det får bli en 3a. Bäst är Kilo, The Champ, Back like That, Be easy, Dogs of war.
Like it 3/5
Rap/hip hop is the involution of music.
Capaz le de una segunda oportunidad, pero por el momento no destacó como un gran álbum para mí. Sí quiero indagar en esas colaboraciones de artistas porque había varios features muy buenos.
Too much fish, not enough scale
This grated on me more than most of this genre.
I enjoyed this more than expected. Clever use of rhymes and at times just plain funny (e.g., singing parts of The Champ as if Mr. T/Clubber Lang from Rocky III). Each song has its own distinct sound which made it feel more like a true album, unlike many others in this genre which sound like one long drawn out song that requires a lot of listening energy to get through. Not the case here. On top of that I learned a lot about cocaine. So, there’s that…
Open track/skit had me a bit worried. Though I would not like this but really liked it as it got going. Great collabs and I really liked ghostface. Only way I can think of describing his style is relentless. Shakey Dog is a great example. He just goes hard in the paint and I liked it. A little long and heart street directions was stupid. Oh and Kilo was great. Sounded like some gangsta school house rock. “All around the world today, the kilo is the measure. A kilo is one thousand grams. Easy to remember.” Love it. 3.5 but I’m just not there to round up. Very close.
I was enjoying this quite a bit and then Biggie showed up in a later track and that sealed if for me. 3.75/5
A few catchy songs that I liked the sound of, a fair few filler songs and I didn’t enjoy the skits that much
I tried and couldn't do it.
By far one of my favourite rappers. One of the best solo WuTang albums I've heard so far. The beats and samples are perfect, every guest verse is great and Ghostface's storytelling is off the charts. Won't call it perfect, but it's an incredible album, nontheless. 4.5/5
Not the best, but still enjoyed it
it was decent
This was really not my thing. When I think of hip hop that I do not like this is the kind of thing I imagine. There were some standout tracks I quite liked: Kilo, Jellyfish and Big Girl, but overall did not care much for it. Favorite Track - Kilo Least Favorite Track - Clipse of Doom ⭐️⭐️
Not for me
Never after listen this artist & album! its fine
Decent, catchy at times, but on first listen nothing that upped it to a 4 for me.
Didn’t realize how much of this album I knew. This came out right when I started doing a hip hop deep dive and I loved it, haven’t listened in a loooong time.
Really great. The beats were nice and he’s a great rapper.
Didn't mind that
my man balls be around there love coke rap so much. so good
Algunas están buenas otras hablaban demasiado de frota no es mi tipo de música
This was really good! Why haven't I listened to this more?
Loved it. 'Whip You With A Strap', 'Big Girl' stood out but I understand why this album is highly regarded
But why were the bonus tracks the best ones on the album?
Average album, nothing substantial or groundbreaking.
probably wouldn't listen to it again but i liked a few of the songs and liked the album as a whole
Solid Wu spin off, great production, samples and beats as always with RZA.
Ok
Solid
I'm not a huge rap fan but this was absolutely solid if not a touch too long.
A lot of intense subject matter. Ghostface is smart in both his social critique & his rhymes. The musicality is high level, although he loses me when he tries to sing. The album suffers a bit in its composition, GF is a bit unsure which character he wants to present— street sage, young punk, womanizer, or defender of women. I should listen again, but for now this is a 3+.
I really enjoyed the Wu Tang Clan album I had previously, and there were elements of it here but not as consistent for me.
Auf der Waage stinkt der Fisch und ich hör den scheiß dann nicht
It has its moments. Overall kinda meh for me, with a few standout tracks.
Een prima album maar het grijpt me niet echt. Ik heb het op verschillende dagen een kans gegeven dus daar ligt het niet aan. Er staan weinig tot geen nummers op die me heel erg aanspreken, maar ik heb dan ook weinig op met cocaïnehandel. Toch werken er potverdikkie grote namen aan mee. Uiteraard iedereen van Wu-Tang, maar ook J Dilla, MF Doom en Pete Rock. Dit tik ik uiteraard gewoon over van de Wiki, alleen bij '9 Milli Bros' had ik zonder toegang tot de Wiki met wat geluk goed gegokt dat het van de hand van MF Doom kwam. Ik heb het idee dat ik het onderwaardeer. Drie sterren. Het is niet anders.
There were some decent beats, but this album didn't do much for me at all.
Pretty good for what it is. 3.6
I thought this was really solid, probably my favorite solo album from a member of Wu-Tang Clan that I've gotten so far. Ghostface Killah's delivery is great, and his storytelling is sharp. The beats were well constructed and added a lot to it too. Perhaps a bit too long, but that's all right.
🐝
Ghost is for the children
Haven't seen this guy since 30 Rock! Great beats
An education
We used to make hip hop in this country.
Not bad. Some decent tracks here, good production. A bit long, but a lot of albums from this genre are.
Hasn't listened to anything last the second generation of Wu Solo releases. This was good, very cohesive
I had a rough time with this initially, but then it gradually got better by the second half, which is surprising because I usually just dislike an album I’m already not enjoying as I continue listening on. I liked the Iron Man stuff.
I was hoping I would enjoy this, but it’s just that one paced, slick, noughties hip hop that this middle aged white man gets absolutely nothing from.
This was ok, but ultimately not very memorable with nothing that leapt out. Blended in to the background. I’m dithering between 2 or 3 but will probably end on 3 as I don’t think it was bad. Just pretty non-descript.
This makes me feel old. Hip-hop after about 1991 - with some big exceptions - kind of loses me. That's 35 years! I feel like Abe Simpson - "I used to be with it but then they changed what it was..." It might have got three but I really hate skits between tracks.
Another album I worry that some of the themes are not ones I should be enjoying - but on a first listen I liked it quite a lot.
Meh. 2/5
I can't say I loved this one but it was pretty good for what it was
ja, definitiv. 4
Tönt immer ein bisschen gleich
Track numbers are according the extendad version on streaming platforms) Track 4 is such a banger, man... Also 9 and 10. 13 has very interesting production. 14 is really sweet. It actually starts a ran With the hard hitting 15, the incredibly produced 16 17. MF Doom production. 21 is a strong track 22 is another doom production. Nice one. 24 Is lush and lovely. One of my favorites here. I'll tell you what, It's a good album. With some bangers, and hard ones aswell. I really appreciate Ghostfece's rapping, and most of the production (especially MF DOOM, I mean...) as well. But I think it's to long. And some songs fell back to the sound that I less appreciate, of the 2000's hip hop scene. Still, got to respect it with a 3.
This is indeed the birth of cool
Meh
I wish I was more of a Wu-Tang Clan fan (or even afficionado), but there's something about each album from the Clan in this collection that just doesn't click for me. In some ways, though, "Fishscale" might be one of the more accessible and entertaining of the Clan-related albums so far, and I enjoyed his plentiful 60s throwback samples throughout. It's far too long (at least twice as long) for what it delivers, which seems to be de rigor for most of the hip-hop albums in this collection, and the skits are just annoying and useless, unfortunately. The highlights for me among the 20+ tracks are probably "Kilo", "Whip you with a strap" and "Be easy" (both versions).
Some great moments but hasn't aged well.
No private session used. Music was ok, but I don't like skits in my music and too much use of the N word. Won't ever listen to it again, almost didn't make it through one time. dafuq with all the ironman references???
Smooth production, great lyricist... all you can ask for in hip hop. A good album but nothing really stood out as amazing. It's a solid 3.5/5.
I liked it. Nice beats and flow. Favorite songs: Kilo, The Champ, Be Easy, Underwater
Was pleasantly surprised!
this was fun. classic 90s rap. i like classic 90s rap. thank you website for showing me that i like classic 90s rap. think i saved 3 songs
Was intimidated by the runtime at first, but the record turned out to be really great. Will return to.
This slaps for the most part
No idea who this guy is and didn’t really listen to the lyrics but the flow and style I enjoyed a lot. Plus, that’s a great name, fits the music perfect.
alright
The first half was a lot more captivating than the second. Seemed like he was fishing for a hit later in the album. Loved the first half though.
Cocaine tales, Wu-tang Clipse of doom
The first half of this album - sounds off. The mix is super thin. It's missing mids and lows so it sounds tinny. Listened on a couple different sources (Spotify, YouTube). Really like The Champ - just wish the mix had the instruments, beats and bass more filled out. 9 Milli Bros is great. Be Easy is the first track that sounds more full - bass hits better. Love the keys on Jellyfish. Then the next track sounds thin again. Man. This would be fire. The mix is just thin. If it was full, this could be a 5. Still a great discovery for me.
3.5
Everything Wu-Tang touches is great. I've yet to find a counter example.
I don't know if this is good or not, and I have no business telling anyone I do.
Didn’t hate it but don’t need to hear it again. Not a fan of this format where the music is broken up by “skits.”
I don't know enough about modern hip hop. I never in my life would have decided to put on music by someone called “Ghostface Killah”, and not to judge an album by its cover, but I wouldn't ever have been enticed to pick this up in a record shop. Well, I would have missed out if it wasn't for this project. It's really brilliant stuff. Ghostface’s rapping is great, but those samples are something else. Absolutely fantastic old funk and soul samples are the building blocks for some really catchy tunes. It feels like a loose concept album too, more like a group of themes with a strong sense of place and time. It gives off retro vibes, like hip hop from the 80s blended with more modern styles. “Shakey Dog” is definitely my favourite track here, but there’s stiff competition from the likes of “The Champ”, “Be Easy”, “Jellyfish”, and “Dogs of War” to name but a few. You’ll notice that these songs all have something in common: amazing use of samples from old 70s funk and soul records. The musical patchwork that makes up the production is so good, at times it reminds me of Kanye. Before today, I didn’t even know who Ghostface Killah was (I didn’t realise he was a member of Wu-Tang until I read up on this album). This project has served well so far as a much needed education on jazz and hip hop. And without it, I’d likely never have discovered the excellent music of “Fishscale”.
Pretty sick
More rap...
Good
Horrible. Wikipedia says "The album follows an organized crime theme, and is named after a term for uncut cocaine", and it's just pretty rubbish.
Not the biggest rap fan
Great, if a little samey. Production is crazy
Didn't totally annoy me.
Stereotypical hip hop
This album has so many little things in it that threw me back and it's classic early 2000s hip hop, complete with a "lost" Biggie verse. What sets it apart for me is the raw lyricism. He touches on quite a few topics (such as child abuse) that you don't hear much about in music. For being raw and honest I think it deserves a higher star than what I originally thought.
Flow starts off relaxed and slow, then picks up momentum. Each song has a different yet similar vibe (i.e. samples, genres, features), which I really love. I think "Fishscale's" forte is its ability to form a cohesive message within each unique sound. It continues the trend of 90s-aughts gangsta rap but with more storytelling than just straight up boasting. (4-4.5)
Nice for it's age, pretty listenable, but nothing particular that surprised or impressed me.
Rap
Len Houmous once ate 2kg of fish scales to impress a fisherman’s daughter. It worked. He married her. 4.2 27/27 Back Like That - Remix
Very good album
This is a really solid rap record, good variety of beats and styles which I think helps because Ghostface Killah has a very specific delivery. Love the Dilla beats :)
Lowkey vivid.