Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Raekwon
1995
Album Summary
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (commonly referred to as The Purple Tape) is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon, released on August 1, 1995, by Loud Records and RCA Records. The album was loosely composed to play like a film with Raekwon as the "star," fellow Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah as the "guest-star," and producer RZA as the "director." It features appearances from every member of the Wu-Tang Clan. The album also features debut appearances for affiliates Cappadonna and Blue Raspberry. It also features an acclaimed guest appearance from rapper Nas, which marked the first collaboration with a non-affiliated artist on a Wu-Tang related album. Upon its release, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, while selling 130,000 copies in its opening week. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 2, 1995, and later platinum on February 24, 2020. According to Nielsen Soundscan, it has sold 1.1 million copies in the United States alone as of 2009. Although it failed to acquire the same initial sales success as previous Wu-Tang solo albums, Cuban Linx achieved greater critical praise, with many complimenting its cinematic lyricism and production. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... has received acclaim from music critics and writers over the years, with many lauding it as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. With its emphasis on American Mafia insinuations and organized crime, the album is widely regarded as a pioneer of the mafioso rap subgenre. It is considered to have been highly influential on hip hop music over the next decade, being heavily referenced and influential on acclaimed albums such as Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt (1996) and The Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death (1997). Along with GZA's Liquid Swords, Cuban Linx is the most acclaimed solo Wu-Tang work. Rolling Stone magazine placed it at number 480 on their The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list in 2012, and at number 219 in the 2020 reboot of the list.
WikipediaNot my most favorite album. While I can dig a good bit of WuTang, This solo project by Raekwon, not so much. The beats are fun and the delivery is pretty good but rarely great. It would be an easy 4 star rating if it weren't for the pseudo-mafioso lyrical nonsense. It's... less than great. I get that these cats were living rough on the streets of mid-90s NYC and were struggling (like a lot of youth of color at the time) to find an identity that could be "theirs" but, dang. It's kinda dumb. That knocked it down a couple of stars for me. But, like a lot of 90s hiphop, if you listen to it long enough, it grows on you a bit. The samples lifted from old movies are a WuTang staple and a lot of fun and while the content is generally crap, the delivery really is good and the writing is periodically brilliant despite the content. Not often enough to save it from a middling grade but enough to keep it from failing.
This album is pretty bad, you know what I mean? Like, I read the wiki and it was clearly not meant for me. Judging by the number of dislikes on youtube, I guess others don't like it as well, do you know what I mean. Yeah this album doesn't have memorable songs - the best one is about ice cream or something you know what I mean? and how about that "song" that's just two dudes smoking and drinking and saying you know what I mean repeatedly, you know what I mean? You know what I mean! You know, What I mean is you know what I mean. You know?
18 tracks, are you kidding me?! That's too much. Too much aggressive fronting and misogyny for me this early in the morning. I cannot connect with or relate to any of this and the album artwork is an assault on my eyes. Do not like.
Lyrically dense, loosely cinematic, and a showcase for almost every single member of the Clan, Cuban Linx is possibly the definitive Wu-Tang album. Rae and Ghost (plus RZA's production) are undoubtedly the stars here, but the features are the record's crown jewel: Inspectah Deck comes through with one of his all-time verses (second only to Triumph), Nas delivers what feels like a refined sequel to his legendary intro from Live at the Barbeque, and even Blue Raspberry's vocals provide a welcome contrast to the rugged coke rhymes that permeate the album. Repeated listens over the years trained me to skip over the skits, but on this revisiting I came to appreciate how they set the stage for the tracks they precede—the intro is a primer for both the album as a whole as well as the heist Ghost describes so vividly in Knuckleheadz, and the scuffle at the start of Can It Be's remix feels like an appropriate companion to his following verse ("Opened flesh, burgundy blood colored my Guess"). You could easily drop the whinging about the Ready to Die album cover, though. Key Tracks: Guillotine (Swordz), Verbal Intercourse, Wu-Gambinos
Asking me to review a rap album is just looking for trouble given my almost complete lack of experience with the genre, but since it's requested I'll take it seriously. The first thing that stands out to me is the length of the album which is normally a red flag. Few artists can really fill over an hour of space without a lot of filler or underproduced tracks but in this case it feels like it really points to what I found to be the real strength of the album, the production. While I think it's a slightly weaker back half, it's not by much and closes strong. The album also flows really well for all that space. I think this particularly shows in verses where multiple rappers are layered on top of one another. With less care to the mix it would be easy for the lyrics to get jumbled or lost but everything is really deftly crafted in a way that really enhances each section. Lyrically I found parts of the album to be a bit corny but mostly in a charming way. It also felt like ideas were repeated a bit *too* often across tracks, but the style and flow of the lyrics are really well done so the content being a bit repetitive really didnt become a bother. I still cant say I know much about the genre or that it's something I would sit down and listen to beginning to end regularly, but there's a huge amount of talent here that is impossible to ignore and not appreciate.
Catchy, groovy, through and through. Thought I would like it after “Tical” and was happy to be right.
Quite an exhausting listen, and I'm still someone who struggles with all the interstitial skits that pepper hip hop albums, but the music itself? Quality. A fairly murky and morose album, but Raekwon's lyrical facility is superb; both he and Ghostface Killa are all over those dusty Wu-style beats.
Like a fat man struggling to buckle his seat belt, the first few tracks just couldn’t click for me. But by Criminology we were off on an amazing and thrilling ride, all the way through Ice Cream, at which point it ran out of gas fast. If this was just track 4-15 it might even be in the running for a 5, but the bloat surrounding it drags it down so hard.
One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time and the absolute pinnacle of cocaine rap. Still sounds as fresh as the first time I heard it. An almost flawless album, the one minor flaw being the amount of skits.
It’s hard not to think of this album as a Wu Tang Clan album with its cinematic interludes and mafioso centric themes. RZA’s production is phenomenal and Raekwon’s vocal performance with its dynamic flow and shifting rhythms make this album stand out and place it in the upper echelons of 90s east coast rap. I loved this album.
Thumping beats, coke slinging rap, classic soul samples, RZA creating that dark, dark mood and Ghostface and Raekwon spitting darts. This is grade A stuff. Like a movie for your ears.
The peak of Wu-Tang shone brighter than the sun in the mid-90s. The fact that multiple albums were lost when Rza's studio flooded likely means that there were more albums of this level of quality that the world never got to hear. Can't spend your time thinking about might-have-beens, though. Built for Cuban Linx is one of those albums that I had heard about for a long time before I listened to it. On it's face it seemed like a strange thing. Raekwon didn't go on to the level of success that other member of the clan did, so it was hard to believe that one of the best solo albums came from an artist who isn't in the top 5 most highly regarded members of the original Wu-Tang clan. When you put this album on, it seems baffling that Raekwon didn't manage to break through to the main stream. So much of what made 36 Chambers great is here, the samples that only seem to work through a form of alchemy, the lyrical storytelling, tracks filled with different voices that come together in a powerful way. Cuban Linx is incredible, right from the first song. I'm not in love with the skits between the songs, but that's how things were back then, and it does work well with the cinematic approach to the lyrics. 5/5 An absolute classic
I did not listen to this album today, but since it released in 1995 I have listened to it too many times to count! Known as the "Purple Tape," this album not only is an important album for the Wu legacy but is also an important album for the whole hip-hop legacy.
It's Raekwon's name in big lettering on the front cover but this very much an introduction to the flourishing bromance between Rae and his former street rival Ghost Face Killah (former rivals to such an extent that Rae was the perpetrator that shot up Ghost's mom's apartment as mentioned at the start of this album). Both step up their game massively here, finding their voices individually, as a pair and as part of the wider Clan. As with Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers) before it and Liquid Swords shortly after it, the album excels in creating its own unique world. In this case gritty neighbourhood street life is blown up into a widescreen mafioso world. The mafia trope has been revisited and mined to the point of cliché ever since by innumerous rappers, from Jay Z to Freddie Gibbs, but it was done first and done best here. The album's cinematic quality speaks to the rapid development of RZA's production skills from the grimy beats showcased in 36 Chambers which was released less than two years before. When there's conversations about the best producers in the game, it seems to get overlooked what a stupidly high level RZA was operating at in the early '90s. Not only was there constant quality, there was an absurd level of quantity. This is the second of three Wu Tang adjacent, RZA produced albums in 1995 alone and it is generally considered the best of the Clan members' solo efforts (although Liquid Swords just about edges it for me). With this album Wu Tang changed the game...AGAIN.
4got to mention last entry: 9/10s are now bein registered as 5s on here. 7s r 4s. 5s r 3s. etc etc its never bad but gets very repetitive. have trouble focusing on lyrics so if thats supposed to be this albums draw there aint much here for me. some of the beats are nice but most of them arent anything that impressive to me and they all kinda blend together. ice water is my fav track here and not suprisingly its also the one (sonically) least focused on being some dark gritty mafia bs. its just kind of a banger. anyway this is pretty good but drags a lil. not bad enough to be below an 8 so im giving it exactly that score. would rather be listenin to Insane Clown Posse - Riddle Box (1995) rn !!!!!!!!
Not my favorite member of the Wu-tang clan, but the lyricism is undeniable. It is laced with a significant amount of homophobia and misogyny, but I accept that a bit of that came with the time. Good beats, but a little too long to maintain my interest.
8/10. This is really good, great lyrics and production throughout. Loses points because i think trimming it down by 10-15 minutes would have made it stronger, and the conversational interludes didn't really add much.
Great rap album with good producing, lyrics, flows, everything you can expect from Raekwon. Great features over the whole album that keep it interesting. I always liked this album one of my favs in the genre 8.7/10
Legendaran album. Top 5, ako ne i top 3 najboljih Wu Tang solo albuma. Raekwon the Chef je pokido, odlični featuringi, jedino eventualno da je skratio priču doslovce, ali valjda to ide najbolje uz taj mafioso stil.
First mainstream "mafioso" album still feels as enthralling today as it did when it was thrust to the forefront of hip hop with this. It's a bit punishing as a rap album clocking in at almost 70 minutes but Raekwon's persona looming large and being engaging enough alongside Ghostface Killa makes it work. It's an important and incredibly influential album with plenty left to still engage with.
Chacho es que hay mucho menda tocho en este álbum, Nas, medio Wu Tang clan ahí metido. Vale, la movida es que es hip hop cubano... Yo poco más tengo que decir... Me la agarras con la mano si acaso. Me han molado muchas canciones del álbum, osea no es una joya, pero esta guapo y bueno al final hay que respetar los rangos, esta gente son padres de muchas cosas. Mi favorita diría que es Heaven & hell, es bastante big stoner energy y luego la peor diría que es Criminology quizás porque la base me raya demasiado. Pues yo que se peña, ganó Raek. Fuck raperos Pirris con swing. Bobby out
Surprisingly good, I'm far away from the target audience but an enjoyable if overlong album.
Pretty awesome tracks with a couple lukewarm ones. RZA really shows off his production skills entirely in this album, whereas albums like 36 Chambers or Liquid Swords are built a lot on the rapping and beats. Raekwon really imposes a lot of help from Ghost, and most of the good songs use him. The features on here are crazy too. GZA, Deck, & Nas all kill their parts. Overall a tiny big bloated but great nontheless 8/10 As of July 13th 2021 Best Tracks: Striving For Perfection, Knuckleheadz, Knowledge God, Criminology, Rainy Dayz, Guillotine (Swordz), Verbal Intercourse, Heaven & Hell
I usually don’t care for English rap lyrics or pay close attention to them. For this album I read along and can appreciate them on a technical level. Everything else is excellent.
A tight album. Some really great bars are on here, and I love the use of samples.
Caught between 4 and 5 for this. Love the production, love the rapping and overall vibe. But.. I didn't feel like it was one that I will return to very regularly unlike the other 5s. Sorry Chef.
An album i know very very well. I grew up with this one. Criminology, Rainy dayz, Guillotine, Verbal intercourse, Glaciers of ice, Ice cream, Heaven and Hell, are all 100% absolute classics, some of the best hip hop ever made. The rest is made up of prime Wu Tang era production, with the two best rappers from the crew. Putting this alongside Ironman, Liquid Swords and Tical, all released within the same few years, is peak Wu Tang.
A lot better than expected! Again, I do have...opinions when it comes to rap and hip-hop, but I like to think my tastes are malleable and not super stagnant. Anyway, I could not get over how much I loved the hooks and the beats. I wasn't paying that much attention to the lyrics, I'll admit that.
The big standout here is RZA, whose production maintains such a rock solid ambience for Ghostface and Raekwon to play around in. Raekwon and Ghostface are definitely delivering bars, but unfortunately something about Ghostface's vocal delivery is just not my favorite. I respect the differentiation, but it still sticks out enough to drop down a star for me.
Some of that classic grimy east coast hip hop. Raekwon floats over RZAs production and the Wu Tang features just add to the feel. So much influence from this album on late 90s/early 00s hip hop with the mafioso wave.
I love the dark, grimey sound across this record. It might not be my favorite Wu album, but it's definitely up there.
Four stars An all-time classic, and an album which still holds its own many years after it was released. The only grudge I have against this album is that it's too long compared to other early Wu-Tang solo outputs such as Genius/GZA's *Liquid Swords* or Method Man's *Tical*, which are straight to the point and offer a more rewarding experience on the whole. As is usually the case with those classic albums, I won't write a full-blown review here given that others have already written wonderful stuff about them and there's not much I can add that I feel could be relevant and interesting. *Only Built For Cuban Linx* is just a timeless gem for anyone who has even a remote interest in rap and hip hop. Go and listen to it a.s.a.p. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 952 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 22 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 12 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important to me): 15
"I am your Ghost and your Rae, this is my Purple Tape." Pusha T's shoutout to this album, a staple of the classic Wu-Tang era. It's often called the Purple Tape because, well, it was released on a purple cassette tape. Just like Liquid Swords, this is one of the solo outings from Wu-Tang that I prefer to their group work (even though this feels like a group project at times). Ghostface is a frequent presence, and there are excellent features from the likes of Inspectah Deck, Method Man, and GZA. I think Cappa Donna's feature sounded like Phife to me, and Raekwon almost sounds like MF DOOM a few times on here. I love this vintage hip hop that feels dark and gritty, that energy ages well. I don't know what to say other than I really, really dig this and a lot of the tracks on it. Any hip hop on this list is a breath of fresh air, but this one is especially nice. Favorite tracks: Guillotine, Glaciers of Ice, Ice Cream, Knowledge God, Knuckleheadz, Spot Rusherz, Rainy Dayz. Album art: Seemingly just a picture of Raekwon and Ghostface, nothing too special. The color scheme and the matching text has given this a permanent feel, and I think it has become instantly recognizable. Still, I do think it's a pretty weak cover. Almost hot to the touch, but nothing crazy. 4.5/5
Kolejne wutangowe zaskoczenie na liscie, tym razem padlo na debiutancki material Raekwona, czyli only build 4 cuban linx niggaz z roku 95, znany takze jako purpurowa tasma, bo pan Raekwon jak przystalo na jednego z bardziej gangsterskich czlonkow skladu chcial czyms wyroznic swoj towar, wiec kasetka byla kolorowa, podobnie jak na innych materialach ekipy piecze nad produkcja sprawuje pan RZA, a wsrod ficzurow mozna znalezc wiekszosc skladu, z mocnym naciskiem na pana Ghostface, ktory jest druga gwiazda krazka pojawiajaca sie na prawie kazdym utworze, album opowiada historie gettowego zycia wsrod przestepczosci zorganizowanej i dazenia do lepszego zycia dwoch chlopow, a to wszystko opowiedziane ciezkim flow nafaszerowanym slowami zagadkami odnoszacymi sie do piecoprocentowcow, album ten mial byc punktem w ktorym do zycia wrocil mafijny rap na wschodnim wybrzezu, jak chocby debiut pana Jaya czy zycie po smierci Biggiego grubo czerpia z cubanowych linxow, a jest z czego zbierac notatki, bo plyta ma prawie 70 minut na 18 trakach lub 16 odejmujac dwa skity, jest to chyba najbardziej chambersowo brzmiacy album wsrod solowej dyskografii czlonkow grupy, beaty brzmia rownie brudno jak na pierwszych komnatach, chociaz mniej jest samplowania wschodnich filmow, to jednak calosc brzmi rownie szorstko, na plejke raczej nic nie dodaje, bo i tak juz szesc trakow mam, ale hajlajtowymi momentami jak dla mnie to ficzur inspektora decka, wiec guillotine, verbal intercourse, ktory jest jednym z niewielu utworow z kims z poza klanu, bo na beacie pojawia sie pan Nas, ciezko wybrac ostatniego, bo choc materialu jest sporo to jest on rowny i nie czuc filerow, a RZA na produkcji sie nigdy nie nudzi, bo potrafi on wyczarowac harde boom bapowe beaty, ale tez cos prawie funkowego z klawiszami, organami, ktore tworza linie basowa, a do tego wokale rodem z r&b, ktore zamykaja kompozycje, jak ma to miejsce na traku heaven and hell, ktory jest przed ostatnim lub ostatnim utworem plyty i jest dobrym zakonczeniem tego jakze filmowego winylaka, zaraz sie okaze, ze to wu tangi beda liderami w ilosci pozycji na liscie, jesli zliczyc materialy solowe grupy razem, byloby to mile zaskoczenie
Raekwon definitely goes for the throat of the entire New York scene here. Ghostface features on this and his touches are well paced and perfectly placed.
I started listening to this album thinking oh here we go again, gangsters and hos from one of the ol Wu Tang lot. But by the end I was hooked, what Raekwon did was take those dissonant and melancholy sounds married to some beats and spoke elegantly to it all. It was like a hip hopera the highs and lows. Dirty deals and need to succeed and get out. And while the lyrics were no Gill Scott Heron they were right and concise. Yes this was very good well done Raekwon from 2 decades ago.
A classic 90s rap album. Raekwon created a great solo album to show his skills outside of Wu Tang. While still heavy with Wu Tang members. This albums shows Kwons strong lyricism and good selection with beats. The album is a real street style rap that gives a look to Raekwons insight. One of the better solo albums from Wu. This is a great rap album that’s easy to listen to. 7.7/10
For the most part the production is great. The album is a bit too long for my liking, however it's pretty damn solid. I liked more songs than I disliked, so that's a win in my book. I'd give this 3.5 stars if I could, but I'll happily round up to 4.
Classic! Raekwon is one of my favorite emcees. Time for another listen.
This is a great record, arguably the best Wu Tang "spin-off". It really only has one flaw: it's too damn long. I don't know precisely what I'd chop off of this album but as enjoyable as the songs are, fatigue sets in for real. It's a great record that I will certainly continue enjoying, but I prefer to do it as a sundae rather than an entire half gallon tub. Damn album's got ice cream on my brain.
I fucking loved the Purple tape when I was 13. Loved it so much, my Dad took away my CD and told me to play something else. And it still hits hard, lyrics are dense and complex. Rae and Ghost are in their prime here, hitting every track with haymakers. Love Nas's guest appearance. This brought back a lot of memories.
Was familiar with a few tracks. Holds together well as an album and has a distinctive sound that is Wu Tang-adjacent but breaks new ground.
i wanted more from this. its solid, well produced and well performed but there isn't enough of a reason for most of the tracks, i'm not saying there needs to be a massive chorus or hookline but a lot of them just were there. maybe the purpose is in the lyrics, but i'm not really one for prioritising lyrics over the music, and besides trying to listen to hip hop intently listening to lyrics would be some serious mental exercise due to the sheer quantity of words used and unreferenced slang.
ever heard this album before. Great stuff. Hard to top the beats and musical production on the stuff I've heard from Wu Tang members. Definitely on the "return to" list.
Too lengthy. Score based on 1 listen, so it's subject to change. Good raps and features.
If you liked 36 Chambers (you did), you’ll like this. Raekwon & Ghostface pretty much co-headline w/ RZA handling the production makes it a kinda Wu Tang album by proxy. A little overlong, though, but no idea what I’d cut (well, besides the copious “faggot”s - I’d probably start there).
A classic East Coast album, simple as that. The production is a bit minimal at the front-end, but it's packed with many satisfying tracks (thanks to the consistent production, length, tempo, and theme) and a few choice skits. There is a tendency for this and similar LPs to blend together a bit when listened to, but it's quite possible due to the simple wordiness. TIDAL's animated cover for this is neat, too.
Love the mood and the energy. Feel it's a bit long, and it took a few tracks before I found anything I really enjoyed. Goes hard though. Favorite tracks: "Can It All Be So Simple", "Spot Rusherz"
Another one I can’t really relate to, but understand it. Musically it’s got some good production and some interesting samples. Also some corny skits.
I hadn't heard of the artist or album, but so glad I've been introduced to it. Great beats and super-catchy rhythms, and I plan to listen to it a few times again to really dive more deeply into the lyrics.
Enjoyed listening to the album while it was on, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to listen to it again.
Didnt listen the whole way through, but a decent list for what I listened to
Great beats and lyrics. Some great hip hop songs. I could do without the narrations in between songs.
This'll be interesting. This is pretty boring. Trying to understand how it is on 1,001 albums to listen to before you die. The interludes are annoying. Some songs are better than others but overall nothing really to write home about.
Very aggressive, old school type of sound. I would expect nothing less from a WTC member. I love hip hop, and I really like Wu Tang, but I just did not vibe with this album. I found the samples grating, I thought the songs seemed repetitive and similar.... it just wasn't my thing. Giving it 3 stars because the lyricism was still excellent.
I enjoyed it quite a bit. I haven't heard too much rap so this was a good start.
A decent hip-hop record. Something I would put up as background music because the lyrics, instrumentals, and flow are pretty great, but its not substantive enough for me to actively listen to it. 3/5.
No me emociona el hiphop pero este está bastante de chill, not bad, pero por algo es disco de platino y con el panorama de la época la verdad es que tuvo que llamar la atención
It was a good album, but I think the sound is kind of dated. It had some nice beats, but many songs started to sound the same with the same cadence and rapping style.
Pretty enjoyable hip-hop album. Enjoyed all of it. Will revisit which is a good sign. 3 🌟
Ice cream makes it an automatic classic. 2nd favourite solo wu-tang album. Some of RZA's best production moments imo, but overall lacks a bit of the individuality and oomph I wanted.
This was a good chance for me to branch out and listen to more hip hop.
I kinda like the overblown mafioso approach taken here, and as always like the Wu Tang sprinkling of kung fu movie samples. Found the homophobia pretty grating, though - are the regular Wu Tang records this bad for it, and I just never noticed!? Fave track - "Heaven & Hell", I guess. There wasn't really any particular track that stood out...
The album draws picture of the violent street life, with colloquial dialogues between Raekwon and Ghostface Killah that introduce the various themes as if they were interviewed for a documentary. (6/10) Favourite Tracks: Ice Cream
No lo conocia. Es rap/R&B bien noventoso,onda chill y super escuchable a pesar de que son 18 tracks de 5 min promedio jaja. El tema Guillotine esta bueno. Las bases estan muy bien
good but I lost interested quickly. could’ve really benefited from some more female features.
This was ok - it's not something I usually listen to so not sure if it's good or bad in that genre but I enjoyed it
Vocally and technically on point throughout - nothing bad on it and enjoyable but equally nothing stands out
Competent and pretty enjoyable on the whole. But also unremarkable. Too long and samey and full of ridiculous skits
Alright, this works. Aggressive but this would be great to work out to, if I did that.
This album is “Only Built for Cuban Linx” - so as an interloper here do not feel like I can comment in much of a meaningful way on this. It has a cinematic approach to rap with dialogue and quotes sprinkled throughout and a guest-starring credit on the cover. The original last song “Heaven and Hell” sounds like the credits should be rolling over the end of it. I was thankful for the variety as this had a pretty long runtime. The production level seemed high to me. As is often the case in this genre, the lyrics often make me cringe and I’m never sure how offended I should be. I’m on the outside looking in at something I don’t, maybe can’t and probably shouldn’t understand.
First listen for this album. Definitely one that benefits from repeated listens for me, and focused listens at that. Today, I could only make time for two run-throughs...it is a little long (not just in literal minutes). I like the beats and the production level is top notch. The repetition of the lyrical themes left me wanting something a bit more, though. I could see coming back to this in the future, but I am not sure when that might be...would probably spend the time with Wu-Tang directly.
The cover plus the fact that it is 18 explicit songs in a row let me know what I'm in for. I don't know any Wu Tang, not that I've been avoiding them, I'm just a white girl from suburbia. But this project has exposed me to several hip hop albums I've enjoyed so I've got my mind open. ...and we're off to a rough start. Ooof I am not the intended audience. They clearly aren't serious, by which I mean the lyrics aren't autobiographical or aspirational, more like a rock opera. Which I can certainly respect. The songs are all of a piece and flow remarkably well. I respect the accomplishment. But I'm unlikely to listen again.
Chop this in half an it’s a easy 4 stars, but it couldn’t hold my interest for over an hour. I like RZA’s production but it gets repetitive after a while and even ghostface’s Gousto can’t elevate any tracks to really stand out . I really like Wu Tang but this feels a bit boring and bloated.
Definitely one of the best solo Wu-Tang albums. I'm not huge on gangsta rap but this album is one of the ones I like more than most. Some amazing beats and raps that flow perfectly with them.
While I love that 90's hip hop, there was way too much talking on this album and worse, a lot of it was on songs that also were singing so there would be a minute or two of a skit that would also have a song which I didn't like.
A solid album brought down by the annoying 90s-era shtick of "skits" throughout the album.
First listen to this, Good among other albums of the time, but not really for me. Favourites: "Knuckleheadz", "Ice Cream", "Heaven & Hell"
Добротный прямолинейный альбом, образец олдскульного звучания, нотки которого в русском рэпе можно было слышать и в середине десятых годов.
Yeah the beats and flow are pretty good, almost like another Wu album as so many end up on here. Solid rap album.
When Raekwon and Ghost Face Killah conclude on this LP’s closer, ‘What do you believe in? heaven or hell? You don’t believe in heaven cause we’re living in hell,’ I believe it. 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx' features heavenly talent traveling through hellish scenarios, the stuff of which this genre of rap is known for: violence (both on the street but also the lauding of gangsters and the martial arts), materialism, drug (soft and hard) and alcohol use. Words tumble out of the lyrically prolific Raekwon like a pair of dice tossed in desperate hope against an alley wall. Each song is a little vignette into the world in which he and his crew (an array of hip hop artists including several members of the Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Blue Rasberry) live and move. I was surprised, pleasantly, at the minimalist background instruments and samples, often only a simple drum beat, one or few notes played repeatedly on the piano, and a simple synthesized string part. Some rap can get a little too busy, over produced. 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx’s' space was much more Spartan in its delivery, or perhaps, more appropriately, Zen Buddhist (in the aesthetic sense rather than as a lifestyle.) From the git-go Raekwon is self-admittedly ‘Striving for Perfection,’ and claims he’s going to give this one last shot, and is encouraged by his crew to ‘Keep our heads up.’ ‘Let’s do it,’ Raekwon announces, with nothing left but conviction, confession, and talent, qualities the denizens of heaven share themselves. In addition to the circumstantial hell Raekwon finds himself in, might it be helpful for him (and us) to further consider just how much of that hell is self-imposed?
A lovely accompaniment to the Wu Tang docudrama on Disney+ It's all guns, bitches and homophobia, which is not my jam. One liners in foreign slang with great rhythms and samples does tick my boxes though.
It's not a hiphop subgenre I listen to that much, but it's alright. It's too much to listen to an hour of though
Great album, the length was definitely an issue, the songs are all classic. 3.5/5
The offbeat samples (some syrupy – almost woozy – classical strings, old movie soundtracks, eerily repeating bells over simple drum tracks, classic soul) make the record, but maybe don’t make it quite the cinematic or novelistic experience its creators intended. Does this record reflect the height of gangsta’s baroque period? Still, it’s an interesting listen.
Rap. I always have a problem because rap is not a genre I listen to. The skits are annoying. The samples are fresh and sparse. The F-Ratr is v high. Lots of lyrics about tough life in the street. The album is also way too long . Some of th be tracks are kinda pleasing. 3
I thought it was decent but nothing gamechanging. I liked all the Wu cameos. Especially Ghostface was all over the album. Is this the original version of the rapper/mobster/villain/mastermind persona?
Pretty good and emblematic of the era. I spent about half the album thinking it came out in *1985* and was VERY IMPRESSED. 1995 is more sensical. I like it and would listen again, but also was not totally swayed by it.
For some reason this album gets loads of plaudits from the same type of hip hop fan who bang on about Illmatic. It's actually one of the weaker early Wu-tang efforts whilst still having the identity and enough strong tunes and production to drive it.
It's not bad, I hadn't heard of these guys before, but very similar to the rap I grew up with.
Is Raekwon the most boring member of the Wu-Tang Clan? All signs (including this album) point to yes. Best track: Criminology
There was some good stuff here but over all the album was bloated and would have been better with less. The spoken portions sound like false bravado and forced, but that's probably just my ignorant take. Ice Cream sounded delicious.
Non è male, ma non riesco a seguire i testi. Bella 'Rainy Dayz', probabilmente per il feat con la voce femminile di Blue Raspberry
I was only able to access a few songs, not the whole album. It was ok. It is good rap, but it is also rough on the ear drums
Pretty disappointed in this one. I found most of the songs to be quite bland and grating to listen to. Lack of any hooks or catchy melodies kind of just pulled me to sleep. 5/10
Ripped my old woman a new arsehole whilst this played on the stereo. An exquisite Thursday afternoon. A noticeable smell of pussy was in the air and wide brimmed smiles were glued on the faces of all involved.
It was a fine listen, run of the mill wu-tang affiliated project. Lots of Ghostface. Raekwon’s flow is gritty and harsh. The sparse sampling and simple beats was a nice touch. It was dope hearing some Method Man. It still fell flat with dumb skits and a few bloated tracks. I don't know if it’s better or worse than 26 Chambers, but it’s still worth a listen if you like slimy,NYC street rap.
My lack of appreciation for 90s hip hop continues to shine here. This sounds like wu tang man which is good but I’m having a hard time really connecting with the older sounding rap
Listened to about half, skipped through the rest. Okay, but percussion tracks really boring, and kick sounds like it's being amplified through a shitty sub in a lada riva and recorded from underneath the car using yoghurt pots and string instead of a mic.
Definitely not my favorite genre, but I listened with an open mind. Didn't love it, but I can appreciate some of it. 2 stars.
Yeah, son. I don’t know, son! Probably not really something I’ll listen to more than once, but what do I know, son?? Did he call himself “the Black Trump?” I wonder what the temperature is on that particular nickname at the moment. Son.
I listened to this going to sleep. A wreak on my ears. Plenty of cussing
Kennelijk soloding van Wu Tang lid. Iets teveel 'yo yo', 'bro' en 'ho' en niet echt in de stemming hiervoor. Heb het dan ook maar kort geluisterd.
hmmm Hiphop, niet echt iets waar ik veel mee kan, maar het was ook zeker niet heel slecht.
This album has everything going for it with its ties to Wu Tang, but ai just couldn't get into it. Maybe I'll come back to it one day
Apparently this is really popular amongst wu tang clan fans, though I got lost really quickly in the album. I guess narating hip-hop/rap is something I should listen more to.
Lo deje a medias. Quizá entendiendo las letras hubiese ganado, tampoco es que estuviese mal
Just never got into Rap but I have a few groups I listen to. Not into the Mafioso or bravado stuff, more interested in interesting lyrics and creative use of the artform but this wouldn't be my thing. Definitely not a fan of the points where they're just talking, as it seems to go on too long.
I found this quite hard to get through. It wasn't bad as such just felt long and I really hate those little skits of vocals they have between tracks on rap albums.
Perhaps I wasn't paying enough attention, but not sure much of this stood out to me! Perhaps it wasn't bad and I don't know rap well enough to differentiate what I do and don't like.
I couldn't get through this album. There is a surprising amount of repetition of a few "choice" words. Some of the beats were okay, but the samples and repeated sounds weren't enough to draw me in. The background music of an old Nintento game can be catchy and intersting at some level, but why would I choose to listen to that for 70 minutes? That's how I feel about this album. This music wasn't for me. The music did not draw me in, and the lyrics pushed me away. I give you permission to skip this one too.
About halfway through. Not my cup of tea. Beats are ok, but I'm not getting the subject matter. Worthy of 2 stars.
Some 'songs' just sounded like recorded jam sessions. A couple good songs, but overall dislike it.
I liked Wu-Tang Clan's work, in a group, and also the solo productions that I know. However, this one is a very bad job. I didn't like it at all.
Minimalistic production paired with easy-going bars. Nothing too memorable lyrics or backing-track wise, which is especially a disappointment for an album of this length.
Went in with an open mind. Didn't love it, but I can appreciate some of it. The production is pretty terrible. 2/5 - Nah son.
Most of this album is too hard for me to vibe with, Guillotine was my favourite.
This record stressed me out, I did not enjoy listening to it, and it was long.
There were some interesting and enjoyable musical and rhythmic moments. However, I found it mostly pretty unpleasant and distressing to listen to. I really had trouble finding a track that wasn't quite problematic to me.
Pretty hardcore and not quite my sound. It's well made, and his voice is super solid, but I don't like the vibe.