Fishscale

I'm a fan of the clan, but the multitude of solo projects spawned from them are hit and miss, to say the least. Picking this one amongst them is... a choice. Stating that I should hear it before I die is delusional. This does nothing to move the genre forward and there's nothing groundbreaking in the slightest. It's fine as rap albums go, but doesn't rise above average in any category that I can imagine, so it eeks out a 2.5/5 that I'll round up out of respect for the Wu and the Tang, but I found nothing here worth revisiting.

2/5 (2.45/5) Some really good samples keep this album afloat, and tracks like Kilo, The Champ, Beauty Jackson and Jellyfish are genuinely enjoyable. The beats can be heavy, smooth and catchy, and Ghostface has some great bars and a surprisingly fluid delivery. But damn, this album is long. Over 20 tracks, it eventually becomes monotonous. The themes and skits don't really capture my interest, and somewhere along the way the whole thing just stagnates. A couple of good songs toward the end can't quite save it. I'll gladly take Kilo, The Champ and a handful of others, but as a whole, it wasn't a particularly pleasant listen.

(3/5) All of the Wu have careers outside of just the Clan, and Ghostface was no exception. It's just a little odd that this one was picked.. it's fine. The music really saves the day. The samples are choice, the beats are expert, and Ghostface is a good enough rapper, but the skits were just too much. In addition, the subject matter (i.e. street life) is getting REALLY tired at this point. These guys are making a *comfortable* living off of this and it's starting to come off as disingenuous. Some of the other Clan members' work outside the Wu is probably more worthy.. Inspectah Deck's collab/super group "Czarface" is a personal favorite and FAR more worthy of an entry here (even though they're not). I'm positive Ghostface is on a handful of those tracks. This one is just kinda dated and bloated. I can see why people wouldn't like it.

251. Fishscale - Ghostface Killah (2006) 10.31.26 Variety: 3 Adequacy: 4 Listenability: 3 Uniqueness: 2 Emotionality: 2 = 2.8 rounded up to a 3 "A kilo is one thousand grams—it's easy to remember/ All around the world today, the kilo is a measure" When it comes to Wu-Tang, I'm much less familiar with the members' solo albums and more so with them as personalities. I've heard tracks from random albums and have heard a handful of full projects from different guys. This is one that I have never crossed paths with and only know by reputation. I have to say that I'm a bit surprised that Supreme Clientele was not the one picked for the list it feels like that's the one I see talked about most glowingly. I have heard that one once, a long time ago and remember very little other than it was a good time. I'm hoping this one delivers the goods. GZA, Method Man and Ghostface ( to a lesser extent Raekwon) I think are the guys in the running for the best rappers in the group. I think it's a photo finish between GZA and Ghostface, but Ghostface felt like the guy who delivered the best goods on 36 Chambers, so I'd probably place my money on him in any sort of contest. All Four of those guys have solo albums album the list though, which is cool. Liquid Swords is maybe the one I've heard most of, but I'll be curious how they all stack up at the end. I'm sure this will be decent, but hip-hop is a genre I have trouble articulating my thoughts on and remains a pretty large blind spot for me despite some stuff that I absolutely love. Let's see if this album will become one of those. Note: As with most skit heavy albums, I'll be ignoring those for the most part, but the Wu-Tang guys do have some of the most tolerable ones I've heard, so I'll still be listening. And if warranted, I might take a look at those separately. And for those who want to follow along: Lyrics: https://genius.com/albums/Ghostface-killah/Fishscale Samples: https://www.whosampled.com/album/Ghostface-Killah/Fishscale/ THE TRACKS "Shakey Dog" - We start with a tale of a robbery gone wrong, and a funky, dramatic beat underneath. Ghostface is the storyteller of the Clan, and right away he's diving in full force, with a nonstop, almost exhausting pace. with a ton of funny little details ( quite a few about food) and you get a very clear picture of what's going on, where everyone is, and what is going down. Poor Frank, he was doomed from the beginning, but at least his demise made for a good little short story. Ghostface's flow, while solid, is not the selling point here - it's the drama and the humor and lived in details. It's all about the quality of the narrative. "Kilo" (featuring Raekwon) - More funky beats and this time things are a bit simpler with what is more or less a lesson, laid out for the listener about exactly what comes with the big time drug deals. And all hilariously built around a really slick sample from a kids educational song about the metric system. Oh, and more food references. This was catchy as hell, and on top of it we got a feature from Raekwon, which kept things from getting too stale. He's much more reserved with his flow, and probably pound for pound the more acrobatic rapper, but his low key energy was a nice contrast to Ghostface's boundless energy. "The Champ" - The obligatory self hype track, with Ghostface putting across the metaphor of the boxing champion, rivals ever at his heels, but falling away like wheat before his mighty scythe. Or something like that. The interludes with Just Blaze playing the part of a put upon rival didn't quite work for me but they did provide some breathers until Ghostface was ready to swing back in and start dropping another novel worth of words on us. I'm sure someone somewhere must have done some comparative analysis of the various Wu-Tang Clan members, and I'm curious if Ghostface wins by a landslide in the number of words per track. I'd be willing to bet on it. "9 Milli Bros." (performed by the Wu-Tang Clan) - The ringers all pile in through the door and we get Ol' Dirty Bastard, Cappadonna, RZA, Raekwon, Method Man, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, AND U-God... Whew. The entire clan gets a credit for this one and the 4:14 run time is packed TIGHT. It's decent, and it's fun that everyone gets a verse, but Method Man and GZA's are the highlights, and kind of wish it had just been those two guesting. Method Man's got the smoothest flow on the song, and edges out GZA for MVP of the track. "Beauty Jackson" - This was a funny little throwaway track in which Ghostface meets a woman at the bus stop and is instantly infatuated. The whole thing is one long description of this lady and it ends on a punchline when he accidentally drops his gun. Not exactly hilarious, but the details are good, and it's pretty danged short besides. "Crack Spot" - Another entertaining story, this time about a crackhouse that appears to be doing some brisk business. This one is full of great details like the below. It doesn't hurt that the sample here is pretty awesome. ----- "Ol' Dirty dropped his straw, he put his fronts back/ ------ And snatched up his coke napkin, with thick snots hangin from his nose" "R.A.G.U." - Raekwon is back again, and we get even more amazing samples. The studied details and drama are still around and this time Ghostface puts his skills towards unveiling a tale about some neighborhood violence, with Raekwon stepping in to try and mediate and getting busted up for his efforts, all in service of trying to help out some young dude that Ghostface has already written off. It's very good slice of life storytelling. "Whip You With a Strap" - A song about Ghostface getting his ass beat as a kid, this one is played with a really nostalgic tone, and played maybe a little bit for laughs. Fun times. "Back Like That" - So far the only song off this album that I recognize, as I think it was maybe the biggest hit off the album. R&B singer Ne-Yo features on this one and adds smooth soulful vibes to a tale infidelity, breakups, and revenge. It's kind of a banger despite the questionable messaging, and VERY off brand for Ghostface as far as the radio friendly sound goes ( if not the lyrics) "Be Easy" - Trife features on this basic as hell hype track, and we cone to our first stinker of the album. At this point we've gotten PLENTY of Ghostface is great verses and this is feeling very repetitious. There's no reall storytelling going one which is his strongsuit, Trife does not add much, and the sample's not that great. "Clipse of Doom" - Speaking of repetitious, Trife features again. Twice in a row and the lack of any good hooks feels like things are winding down. Nothing special here, and musically there were pretty much no dynamics. "Jellyfish" - It seems we've reached a section of teh album where Trife is just going to be an extended house guest. T least we get Cappadonna and Swhan Wigs who add some variety, and the organ sample slaps hard. Ghostface is back to form, and more food references! This was a relief after I realized we were back on track and the last 4th of this wasn't going to be a complete waste. "Dogs of War" (featuring Raekwon, Cappadonna, Sun God and Trife) - Cappadonna and Trife stick around, but Sun God and Raekwon drop by for some verses as well, and we get a decent but unspectacular track that's full of energy but feels a bit overstuffed. Which is a feat when the earlier track with the entire Clan didn't even feel like that. "Barbershop" - We open with what is essentially a skit that's been welded on, and it's more than halfway through the run time before we get a single verse from Ghostface about the awful haircut he just got. It's got maybe the funniest line of the album, but feels like it was barely worth the time: -----"AHH! Didn't I tell you don't touch the sides? I'm goin bald on top!/ -----You lucky you cool, I'mma let it ride" "Big Girl" - This was pretty great. Ghostface spends a night in the club with some wealthy ladies who can afford the good nose candy. All over top of a great Stylistics song that is NOT one I'd have expected to hear on a Ghostface album. This was a funny and charming, and very low stakes, which was very nice. "Underwater" - Another great one this deep into the album is a good sign. This one was also very light and full of good vibes, with all the water imagery, the dreamy instrumentation ( we get some flute!), and the splashy sound effects. "Momma" - Ghostface ends thing with a tribute to single moms everywhere, and with an assist from Megan Rochell who adds some solid vocals. Nice sentiment, but this wasn't his best moment on the album. Not his worst either though. "Three Bricks" - Notorious B.I.G. and Raekwon guest on this one, which apaprently was a bonus track on the original CD release. This track seems to maybe be a prequel to the opening track as Frank is still alive for this one. It's all pretty decent, and teh verses from Biggie and Raekwon are good, but the sample is VERY repetitive and leans hard on the serious vibes and wasn't much fun. HIGHLIGHTS - "Shakey Dog" - "Kilo" - "Crack Spot" - "R.A.G.U." - "Back Like That" - "Jellyfish" - "Big Girl" MIDLIGHTS - "The Champ" - "9 Milli Bros." - "Beauty Jackson" - "Whip You With a Strap" - "Dogs of War" - "Barbershop" - "Momma" - "Three Bricks" LOWLIGHTS - "Be Easy" - "Clipse of Doom" FINAL THOUGHTS This was a bit of a disappointment in that it didn't really reach the high highs I'd hoped for. There were plenty of great moments though, even if the album seemed very frontloaded. I think the run time didn't help things either. I think there's a very solid album hidden in this thing if you lose the two real garbage tracks and do some judicious trimming on that midsection. Ghostface is very solid throughout and other than some of the repetition he was mostly on point. The features on this were very hit and miss, with Trife representing the worst of them, and Raekwon maybe being the album MVP with the quality he lent. I'm curious if I went back and listened to Supreme Clientele if it would blow this one out of the water. I'm a bit confused about the album's reputation, as it felt way more middle of the road than that other one. Not amazing as far as Wu-Tang solo stuff goes, but I'm suspecting Ghostface might possible end up at the bottom of the pack, which was surprising. My money might be on Liquid Swords, but we'll see. Overall, I'm happy to give this a 3. It's solid, with a few very fun tracks, but nothing amazing. Possible turn-Offs might include: - too many skits - too much Trife - too little Method Man and GZA - lots of repetition You Might enjoy this if you: - like a bit of reliability and a steady hand - enjoy detailed narratives in your rap music - are a Wu-Tang completist PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Just the highlights please FURTHER LISTENING Precursors: - Mecca and the Soul Brother by Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Supreme Clientele by Ghostface Killah - Special Herbs vol. 1 by MF DOOM - Ready to Die by The Notorious B.I.G. - The Blueprint by Jay-Z Contemporaries: - 4:21... The Day After by Method Man - Made in Brooklyn by Masta Killa - The Resident Patient by Inspectah Deck and The Beatnuts - Donuts by J Dilla - Hip Hop Is Dead by Nas - The Big Bang by Busta Rhymes - Hell Hath No Furyby Clipse Descendants: - Dr. Lecter by Action Bronson - Marcberg by Roc Marciano - Tana Talk 3 by Benny the Butcher - From King to a God by Conway the Machine - Pray for Paris by Westside Gunn

Staggeringly misogynistic and violent, and if I'm honest, I'll never understand albums with skits in them. I've never once laughed. Great samples and rhythmic chops rescue some tunes from the utter mindless drudgery of the violence (The Champ, Kilo). Slangin crack and killing foes/hoes really isn't that interesting, which is a shame, cos the lyrical skill and musicality could have this be so much more.

Would have been 4 stars without the skits.

Soooo does he think he's Ghostface or Iron Man

I didn't know this artist, but it was good! :)

Solid gold

favorite tracks: Kilo, The Champ, 9 Million Bros, R.A.G.U., Back Like That, Be Easy

The Champ is the only song that I really come back to from this, but out of all of the Wu-Tang adjacent albums that I’ve heard it’s among the better ones. Certainly more consistent, which seems to be a theme within Ghostface’s discography. Even if he runs out of ideas toward the end he’s undeniably talented.

too long

Kind of a weird pick to be the only Ghostface album on the list. Supreme Clientele and Iron Man are better and more important than Fishscales. Nevertheless this is still a great album. Too long though.

This is a consistent album. It's got great beats and collaborations throughout. Liked Songs Added: Shakey Dog Kilo Dogs Of War

Rätt nice hiphop! Back Like That e nice

Not for me

not for me

The skit tracks were pretty meh but the music was very good.

26 tracks, fucking hell mate. Well, there are a couple of cool samples here, I guess, but it just your average noughties American hip-hop album. Meaning, there's really no situation whatsoever where I'd actually want to listen to this album.

I like it when he uses a lot of specific nouns. It feels like a David Mamet play or something. And it's fun that he's Tony Starks. Like he's Iron Men. Way too many songs and not all great.

First, Ghostface Killah does the Wu-Tang justice here. This is a good album for the most part. It has a few track that I really digged. "The Champ," " "Be Easy," and "9 Milli Bros." (produced by MF Doom!) were all solid entries. There were a couple of issues. By 2006 I had mostly checked out of rap. I'd catch an occasional hit single if one got popular enough, but I wasn't checking out many albums. Probably why I'm trying to catch up now, twenty years later. Also, for this 2006 release date we've resurrected both Ol' Dirty Bastard (passed in 2004) and on the bonus track, Notorious B.I.G. (passed in 1997). I know at the time these types of collaborations with the deceased seemed novel and when done with care carried enough respect to be a kinda tribute. I mean I owned the soundtrack to "Tupac: Resurrection" in which Eminem produced a track featuring Tupac, Notorious B.I.G. and himself so I'd be a hypocrite to be fully against them. Here in 2026, however, where the threat of A.I. being utilized to never let popular artists die (so whatever label holds their rights can keep squeezing out $$$) I find I have much less tolerance for such posthumous tracks. So in the end 3/5

Favourite Songs: Kilo The Champ Back Like That Be Easy

This East Coast Hip-Hop album feels like sitting through a long, familiar crime film whose characters keep talking about the same street deals, rivalries and tough-guy posturing. Ghostface Killah has an animated flow, throwing out dense bars with rapid changes in cadence and plenty of vocal character. The soul samples and hard-hitting beats give the music a solid groove, but the overall sound and subject matter feel rather conventional to me. The skits and numerous guest appearances add to the sense of an overlong collection rather than a focused experience. I can recognise the skill in the performance, but I feel like I've heard this kind of story and sound too many times already. Nothing really surprises me or makes me want to stay for the next chapter.

Real.

Overlong and pompous, I can't stand stand that stuff.

Hip-hop.

Supreme Clientele woulda been a better choice

Mid hip hop

definitely top five wu tang solo projects 83/100

I rolled my eyes when I saw this one pop up, so much rap on this list! That aside, until the last few tracks I was considering this a 2, but by the end closer to 3. I didn't like it, but the guys got talent.

it took two listens, but i got there. started to get it towards the end. still not really for me. 2.86/5

Ich höre eigentlich relativ wenig Ghostface Killah, seine Stimme wirkt auf mich immer etwas anstrengend, aber irgendetwas fasziniert mich an ihm. Wahrscheinlich ist es seine ganze Aufmachung als klassischer Gangster-Rapper, der aber eigentlich ein heftiger Nerd ist, es jedoch nicht zu sehr raushängen lassen möchte. Auf dieser Platte sind so viele weirde Einfälle: der super-agressive Storyteller "Shakey Dog" direkt zu Beginn, ein Song darüber, früher von seiner Mutter geschlagen zu werden ("Whip You With a Strap"), ein Song darüber, dass sein Frisör seinen Haarschnitt versaut hat ("Barbershop") und mit "Underwater" schließlich ein Stream-of-Consciousness-Track über eine Unterwasserwelt inkl. Spongebob, der im Bentley die Isley Brothers pumpt, der in einer Unterwasser-Moschee mit "Allahu Akbar"-Rufen endet. Wie kommt man auf sowas? Auf der anderen Seite ist mit "Back Like That" (hat mir Remix mit Kanye besser gefallen) sogar ein zeittypischer Rap-Track mit R&B-Hook vorhanden, der in Richtung Charts schielt. Ghostface war damals wirklich auf einem komplett eigenen Film und hat den Clan komplett hinter sich gelassen. Highlight sind hier auf jeden Fall die zwei posthumen J Dilla-Produktionen (die originalen Instrumentals sind beide auf "Donuts" vorhanden) und wo alleine die Vocal-Samples von Dilla das jeweilige Thema vorgeben. Auch die Produktionen von MF DOOM, den ich ansonsten nie mit Ghostface in Verbindung gebracht hätte, bringen einiges an instrumentaler Tiefe rein. Die Skits sind großteils überflüssiger Quatsch, wobei ich den "Heart Street Directions" ziemlich lustig fand. Natürlich ist die Platte deutlich zu lange und Ghostfaces Rap-Stil über die gesamte Laufzeit schon ziemlich anstrengend. Trotzdem könnte ich mir vorstellen, hier in Zukunft auch die Höchstwertung zu zücken.

Tendenziell fand ich den Vibe schon echt cool, aber Hip-Hop Platten mit 60+ Minuten Laufzeit verlieren mich irgendwie dann doch ab einen bestimmten Punkt.

Das war nix. Es wirkte wie zweierlei Dinge auf mich. Einmal das instrumentale, das auf mich noch ganz okayisch wirkte, aber der Sprechgesang war stellenweise so sehr gesprochen, dass ich den Eindruck hatte, dass es einfach beliebig drübergemischt ist. Schade aber leider.

So klassischerer Ami Rap hittet bei mir nur ganz selten und das liegt vorallem an den Beats. Flow und alles kann gut sein, aber wenn mich die Beats nicht bekommen dann fällt das durch, vorallem wenn es auf über eine Stunde gestreckt ist. Ist leider einfach nicht meine Welt.

Solid rap album through and through, which is impressive considering the extended version contains 27 tracks. Great collaborations, including “Three Bricks” with The Notorious B.I.G., “R.A.G.U.”, and “Kilo” featuring Raekwon, stood out as my favourites. While I wanted to give this a 5, I didn’t enjoy the second half of the album quite as much as the first. This, coupled with what I felt was an overuse of skits, brought it down to a 4.

His second best album.

Never really vibed with Ghostface. This album is mostly dull and too long. There are some interesting songs, usually featuring someone else.

Had some good songs, also some bad songs. And too many skits

3/5

3,5

🤢🤮💩

Another prolific production here, including the likes of Pete Rock, J Dilla, and the late MF Doom (whose presence is missed on this list as well). Maybe a bit bloated with all of the guest spots and skits, but I can't complain too much about a Wu-Tang solo joint. Their hit rate tends to be high. Quite the range in lyrical content too.

Cohesion: - Songs are focused on a clear story - Instruments and production feels like they belong together - Perfomance suits the beat and mood - Story telling rap that bridges the sections toegether - Style seems intentional rather than confused Production: - Does sound like the rapper is fighting with the sound as theyre on the same level of volume so vocals arent that clear - Vocal recording has that 2000 feel which seems intentional - Good quality of samples and recordings - Tracks sound finished. Songwriting: - Storytelling and cinematic incorporates live recordings in the interludes which immerses you in the album and also makes the album flow naturally as each interlude links to the song and vice versa - Has some memorable beats but after the first few songs they all belong in the same family so not much of a variety - Songs develop without repeating without purpose - Reaches a satisfying ending Enjoyment: - Not that mentally stimulating as its struggled to keep me engaged - Made me reflect - I can recall bits of the moment after it ends mostly the storytelling - What I can remember after it ends is its - Balanced production, has that 2000s feel - Some of the interludes remind me of Cowboy Carter Radio Kntry which Beyonce may have taken inspiration from - kinda makes you join the world of the album - Low to medium replay value to me Songs liked: 4/27

I've never heard this one - would've assumed Supreme Clientele would make the list but I was interested to hear another of his solo LPs. It was good - I liked that he worked with different producers, although RZA is great, the influence of some other types of sound is cool - I like The Champ and MF Doom's ones too. Also interesting that he explored some lyrical themes beyond the normal gangster topics

Fantastic album, lots of fun. great tunes. Would recommend

Nope

An album for teenagers who think, that listening to this terrible collection of songs makes them cooler.

Solid album with good production and great flow. A bit long though. Rating: 5/10 Favorite Song: R.A.G.U

J Dilla an MF Doom’s contributions lift a solid rap album to a higher level.

★★★★☆ **Ghostface Killah – Fishscale (2006)** **7.5/10** I've always enjoyed Wu-Tang Clan, especially Method Man and Raekwon, but somehow I'd never gotten around to listening to a Ghostface Killah solo album. After hearing *Fishscale*, I'm wondering what the hell took me so long. This album grabbed me immediately with “Shakey Dog.” Ghostface's delivery is incredible. He packs so many words into his verses, and the way he tells stories reminds me a little of Eminem. The production is excellent too, with those soulful, funky East Coast beats that I love. “The Champ” and “9 Milli Bros.” were early standouts, and hearing the Wu-Tang members together on the latter was a highlight. At 17 rated songs on the expanded edition, this is exactly the kind of album that would normally start losing me around the halfway point. Surprisingly, that never happened. A big reason is that most of the songs are relatively short. Even when a track wasn't among my favorites, it never overstayed its welcome. The second half didn't have quite as many standout moments, but it remained consistently enjoyable. “Whip You with a Strap” and “Jellyfish” were probably my least favorites, and even those weren't bad songs. I also enjoyed the variety of guest appearances. The version of “Be Easy” featuring Ice Cube was a highlight, and “Three Bricks,” featuring Raekwon and The Notorious B.I.G., was a fantastic way to finish. It's always satisfying when a long album saves something great for the end. My individual song ratings averaged 7.06, but the overall listening experience deserves a little extra credit for its consistency, production, and ability to hold my attention throughout. I gave four songs an 8/10, and I could easily see a few of those climbing to a 9 with repeated listens. I'm settling on **7.5/10 for now**, but this feels like an album that could easily become an 8. More importantly, it made me want to explore the rest of Ghostface's solo catalog. That's a pretty successful first impression. **7.5/10 — 4 stars.**

So so close to a 5 star album probably just went a little long with to much filler.

Yeah, just not my thing

Not bad, kept moving forward nicely

This has all the problems of hip-hop albums on this list (too long, misogynistic, violent, repetitive), but to a lesser extent than other albums, so I’ll let it sneak 3*.

Vintage Kanye was so good he could elevate anything.

Just don't care

Ack. Maybe a 2.5 -- some songs were sorta catchy but it's not my wheelhouse and quite a lot of dumb interludes.

A motherfuckin' hip-hop masterpiece from GFK. With beats from Dilla, DOOM and Pete Rock and some of Ghost's tightest bars, the entire project is hot fucking fire. RIP to the posthumous appearance of ODB on this record also. Not rating the bonus tracks, but obviously they're also fire. Key tracks: "Shakey Dog," "Dogs of War," "Underwater"

Meh

great stuff tbh i love all the features

Si bien me sorprendió porque pensé que me iba a gustar menos, se me hizo muy largo el disco. Pero eso, me gustó más de lo que esperaba.

A few serious bangers, big fan of a lot of the production. Solid NY rap. Was surprised by the boomer-esque "we need to hit kids again" song but only mildly. Overall a bit drawn out but like i said there are some really fun ones. Favorites include The Champ, 9 milli bros, Momma.

Easy listening, bumping delivery Highlights: "9 Milli Bros", "Whip You with a Strap", "Jellyfish"

It’s alright, some good songs, liked some more than others but overall a good time :)

Too much rap on this list.

There's a lot of people who are just out on this genre in the same way I am out on most rock from the 70s and 80s. Meanwhile, yes please.

09/29 Lame generic rap. Nothing special

Pretty dang good. I gotta get on that wu shit. He’s super high energy, an intelligent lyricist, and a good story teller. There are some gems in here, and the feature list is stacked, aside from all the other affiliates. I’m in on it. Not a full four, because it’s a long album and it’s not a full lineup as far as content, but I’d say 3.8 or so.

Yeah nah not even one song finished

En del bra melodier. Tänk om man slapp den snabba rappen och fick lite sång istället. Back Like That bäst.

Fuck! What have I done to piss off the 1001 universe? This has got to be the 8th in a row of unlistenable stuff. I'm going back to bed.

I seem to have missed out on a genre. Love the music, haven’t checked if the lyrics are problematic!

better than I expected! He's really got groove.

Mix is weird - drums and bass aren't as in your face as you'd expect. Unique sound - Kilo has distinctive soul female vocals and some brass hooks. Boom-bap with the soul samples? Full fusion of east and west coast? 9 Milli Bros has a jazzy piano Can hear that it is pushing boundaries for hip-hop, but it's hard to articulate why exactly And i like the rhyming style, stacking rhymes upon rhymes, almost breathlessly Repeated references to Tony Stark and Iron Man? Best track - The Champ, Be Easy 3 stars - It's definitely interesting and unique for hip-hop, but I just don't really like it particularly

Täähän oli ihan menevää riimittelyä

Tässä oli ihan hyvää tekemisen meininkiä, yllätti.

Saa tästä kii ja ihan jees rähinää rekordsilla. En usko, että kuitenkaan asioikseen jaksas kauheesti kuunnella. Voi se olla, että joku nykynuorisolainen tästä löytäs ihan BÄNGEREITÄkin.

Taustamusana töissä, niin ei saanut kyllä oikein mistään kiinni.

I didn't find myself really enjoying this album much until "The Champ" started playing. After that, I was hooked. I'm not much of a skits guy for albums, but I did find the ones on this album quite funny. I feel like this was a solid 4.5, but I'm okay with a 5 for this one.

Great, he seems inspired and really into it. Part of Wu-Tang. Good beats and musicality

As with anything Wu Tang related, always ridiculous but at least it has a heart.

Mais um disco de intermináveis interjeições onomatopaicas: Yo, yo, yo!

Damn this album goes hard. Loved a lot of tracks on here.

Not my usual cup of tea, but the flow was killer. Way too much expected misogyny and general inappropriate-now-but-even-in-its-time, so ehhhh.

I was tangentially aware of Ghostface Killah, just from featuring on various songs. Never listened to a full album by him, and I'm glad I did. This album is so well produced. The rhymes and flow are great. The beats are all so varied and it makes the album a real delight to listen to. Sometimes hip hop gets a little repetitive, but this throws some different styles throughout. I thought I'd be more annoyed by his voice with a full album of just him, but really it just works. It's borderline a five, the skits kind of worked against it a bit.

Pretty solid rap record of the time. I enjoyed the different features and the production was also varied and good. I don't care for the skits that are present in these older rap records, but oh well it is a product of its time.

Good flows, and does use some really cool and original producing, making some great songs.

3.5

Vibes like a mix between the Fugees & late 80s gansta rap.

This is a great album. I have found myself listening to some WTC member solo efforts and feeling like they are missing, well the rest of the WTC, a lack of Variety and breadth I guess. This album gives that variety and breadth. There’s humour, story telling, just wordplay for the sake of it, there’s a whole lot going on here.

trumpets go choo choo or thats train idfk man i am soooo tireddddd aaarrgh

Not half bad, a little bit on the long side. Some good features here. Overall a pretty solid album.

The quality was good, but I don't like this style of rap as much as other styles in the genre. It felt a little too serious.

This record felt much shorter than an hour, and honestly, it was nice, but nothing special. I think Ghostface takes himself too seriously sometimes.

Som mange andre plater fra 90- og 00-tallet, kunne de fint ha fjernet 5 låter og plata hadde blitt bedre.

Kom meg gjennom hele skiva. Ikke det verste jeg har hørt av rap. Egentlig ganske variert og tidvis glad musikk, til tross for det fryktinngytende navnet hans. I sjangeren rap er dette en femmer.

Et par gode låter som underholder. Kunne blitt en firer, men her er det for mye fyllstoff.

I like this immediately maybe it brings me back to that era of hip-hop. It’s pretty long and doesn’t deviate much but I really love the core fundamental of this. Also surprise Kanye feature.

Pretty fun sound most of the time