Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Incarcerated Scarfaces, Ice Cream, Can It All Be So Simple (Remix) Okay, so far on the List I've had: Wu-Tang's 36 Chambers. Method Man's Tical. And now I have Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (Terrible album name? Definitely terrible album cover). I must say, even though this album isn't anywhere near the quality of 36 Chambers, I feel like it's still pretty good. The way I see it, these solo albums almost feel like deep cuts from the Wu-Tang catalog. Nearly half the tracks feature at least one other Wu-Tang members. Some feature multiple members, and there are even some sweet feats like Nas. My primary complaint is that virtually every song has an intro/skit/whatever. You never just dive into any song. I like this. It was raw, it feels just like 36 Chambers. I'm always down for new east coast rap.
5/10 - it's ok, a bit too hardcore rap and long for me
1.7 Eesh. I lasted the entire thing btw. Total throwback to getting driven to school by my brother's mate every morning who would blast this era rap nonstop. Four tiny white kids going to a grammar school in northern England with the windows down playing this shite at 8 in the morning. Cringe thinking about it now. Anyway, this list as made me realise that a lot of that was shite. I still have a soft spot for Illmatic and The Infamous, but other than those two the rest of the albums from that era just seem pretty lacklustre, extremely simple beats - basic drum loop, some ominous bass, a down-tempo'd bit of orchestral or old movie soundtrack, and then lots of shite about killing other people, trying to shag someone, pushing, dealing etc. Just so samey, and so dull in hindsight. It was a no from me back then, and it's a no from me now.
Some of you need to chill out when you get a hip hop album, you'll survive, trust me. Anyways, this is probably the best post 36 Chambers album any if the members of Wu Tang made (it's been a while since I've listened to Liquid Swords though). RZA made some really great beats and there is great rapping throughout. My only complaint is that this album runs a little long. Low 5!
Have I listened to this album before? No How familiar am I with this album? Unfamiliar How do I feel about this artist? I don’t know this artist, but I’m familiar with Wu-Tang Favorite song(s)? Knuckheadz Overall Thoughts: This was a fun album, but it didn’t connect with me in any way. I grew up in suburban Utah and gangster rap is never going to resonate with me. Not bad music, but not something I will revisit.
3.25 - I've never really listen to any Wu-Tang or Wu-Tang adjacent music, but this was pretty good. Too many skits/filler, which is normal for the era.
Not great. Repetitve and not very musically appealing or skilled compared to other artists in the genre.
I enjoy the Wu Tang, and I know the reputation this album has, but it didn't really grab me. Possibly I just wasn't able to grasp the density of the lyrics? The production is rough, in both positive and negative senses. It very mich feels like a demo thrown together on an MPC - drums are off beat, samples are crudely filtered. It feels raw and unpolished...maybe I just prefer a little polish? Still an interesting listen, and I can never get enough of Method Man on anything, so a straight 3.
Has an alright sound and flow, but otherwise another unexciting addition onto the pile of 90's rap
Gangster rap is not for me and i don't have the cultural capital to evaluate it
Really good
Not for me, very samey
Not really my thing. I think if you didn't listen to 90s hip hop in the 90s, you're missing a connection to it. I'm like an iPad kid trying to sit down and put on an early Chaplin short.
Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
To quote Poison this was too much, too soon, or just a little too late. But I'm quoting Poison so maybe I'm not the audience for this.
Maybe the lyrics are iffy and it’s a bit repetitive, but this it’s just so pleasant to hear bars like this for an hour. No particular songs were standouts but I was feeling it the whole time. Great rapping.
I'm sure this is good for what it is but just doesn't appeal to me. Not my genre.
The classic boom bap sound. I can’t say I followed the story of there was one, but the Wu Tang Clan members (and Na’s) cann all rap their asses off. I don’t think Raekwon would want to be known as the “Black Trump” today.
Nice
A giant, ambitious, in-your-face gangsta rap album. A little too long and a little too repetitive, but I like the samples, beats, and performances.
More gansta. Hate it. Next...
This was not really my genre. I'll never understand why rappers insist on putting the stupid skit shit on their albums. There were moments that I was into the grooves and beats, but for the most part I was just waiting for the album to be over. Two stars.
The Good: This is an album about building things! The Bad: That I have to tear it down… The Ugly: The rubble left behind… 5 days in a row that I will be giving a 1* rating… On a positive note, I’ve seen the album which I am supposed to listen to today, and I doubt that that one will get such a low rating… I hope. The weird thing is that I rated the freshman album by the WTC with one of my higher ratings for a hip-hop album, and to a certain extent I was curious when this album was presented yesterday morning… the curiosity faded away pretty fast. You’ve heard one, you’ve heard them all… If you like the style, you are happy, if you don’t, well then you give a 1* rating. That’s it, no need to keep reading further...
meh
Convencido de que Dr. Dre es pop después de escuchar esto. Buen maleanteo, aunque muy largo para mi gusto.
Feels like a good example where a good 35 minute album got pushed to over an hour because record labels thought they needed to use the full length of a CD.
Just a solid rap album from the Clan.
I admire the talent but it’s not for me. Liked it to begin but then starts to feel repetitive after a few songs.
Okay sick and this is Raekwon's solo debut too. 70 minutes is a long ass time and Wu-Tang can sometimes be sorta dense just by the nature of it. But, I've got high hopes. I'm sure I'll hear some crazy sample work. May have to break this one up as it is getting late and I must sleep. 1. Striving for Perfection - yeah there's that sample work. Wiki says the album is supposed to be cinematic and in the vein of a mafia film and I feel that very strongly here. Something about pioneering mafioso rap? Anyway, this is just a skit to intro things. It does well at that, I understand the premise. 2. Knuckleheadz - YUP there's that sample work. Honestly it's gonna be hard to type while trying to catch all their verses in one listen. Goddamn though Ghostface in like a truck. U-God has incredible flow, so funky. 3. Knowledge God - yup there's that sample work. Some of the coolest work in that decade comes from Wu Tang. Some stuff super aged poorly but I dunno, I'm meeting it where it is. It's a Wu Tang album from 1995, some things are unfortunately expected. Okay have to break for bed, really tired. I'm gonna try going through this with a lyric sheet, I feel like I'll get more out of it than just the beat which is almost guaranteed to be good. 4. Criminology - fuck RZAs sampling work is godlike. Ghostface kinda showing up Rae on his own album though. That first verse was insane, flow incredible 5. Incarcerated Scarfaces - DOOM and RZA have the same idea about using spoken samples to set a mood, both really work. RZA just gets his from movies mostly and DOOM goes TV and cartoons. That black Trump line aged like heavy cream. Two of em actually. I say aged poorly but I dunno, that's not uncommon for hip hop in the 90s and 00s even among the lighter acts. I heard something about musty Africans and A-rabs? I dunno, I'm not offended on behalf of anyone but I can recognize that it's jacked up. Beat was a little weak, too. 6. Rainy Dayz - I'm realizing I have a hard time with this album cuz the music is great. The beats are RZA and it's Wu so the flow is good. Crazy mixed meters and everything. I can't relate to anything I'm reading though and that kinda dampens it for me. But only when I'm reading the lyric sheet. I can imagine this album and other """""gangster""""" rap albums caused a big stir for parents and guardians of suburbanite and rich kids. I don't think that was warranted either though, art should tell a personal story and that's what everyone on this album is doing. It's gonna hit someone right in the chest because it'll be a shared experience or set of experiences, so there's no need to get pissy over it existing. Like, this is the sort of music that kids shows written by all white guys have an episode seeing the main character run a fowl of rappers for not being "cool" and the lesson is that real "coolness" is in being yourself so take that! And those episodes miss the mark every time by misunderstanding why they're even giving that lesson, they're always very lame. So, I can't personally relate to anything here but I'm still listening and enjoying what I hear. That said, beat is a little weak on this one too (Criminology is the best so far) and Blue Raspberry is mostly not singing in tune... 7. Guillotine - RZA back with it on this one. I misspoke earlier, DOOM and RZA do take similar cues in their sampled material but RZAs are very sparse. A lot of them use shorter and less fully arranged cues from movies, while DOOMs beats get a little wider because he's using full orchestra stings often. From old superhero cartoons and such. Ghostface once again showing the whole lot up. 8. Can It Be All So Simple Remix - BEAT IS CRAZY SO IN THE POCKET. I know the original from 36 Chambers and I gotta say RZA outdid himself here, the beat is way cleaner even though a lot of it uses the same sources. 9. Shark Niggas - skit leading into the next 10. Ice Water - sample is hilarious but also super cool. Beat very heavy. Grew on me really fast after the initial laugh at the deep "ahhh" and it may be my favorite on the album. Anyway the subject matter is the closest I've gotten to connection. One thing I can imagine is that this album did wonders for people who really wanna cosplay struggle and a lifestyle from the projects, but they never actually lived that life. Music makes that sort of lifestyle visible and therefore accessible, but I remember people in the 00s taking it too far. I'm enjoying the album cuz it's good art that tells me about the artist and their lived experience, but I don't wanna live any of this or pretend like I did or do. 11. Glaciers of Ice - I'm still keeping up with the lyrics sheets but I'm not sure I'm getting a lot out of it. Gonna keep going though cuz I wanna properly engage with every part while I'm doing this whole project. Sample is a little bit of a let down after the last track 12. Verbal Intercourse - here's Nas. I like the Dilla in this beat. Just uneven enough. Insane Tupac name drop in here. Obv everyone is firing on all cylinders here. Constant use of f slur on a song called Verbal Intercourse is a choice. 13. Wisdom Body - way more chill vibe on this one, needed. Still pretty crazy with the intro though but I expect it. Beat is sick. 14. Spot Rusherz - cool beat but even reading the lyric sheet I just don't know what's going on. I'm removed from it completely, I grew up sheltered I guess. 15. Ice Cream - okay again for an album with crazy homophobia on it, that first line is insane. It becomes clearly about women later but boy. Beat is okay, not my favorite on the album. I got about halfway and skipped this one. It's got a similar setup as Buddy, but if you're gonna talk about all the ways you love women physically, you gotta do it a little more lighthearted which obv is not gonna be from Wu Tang. Otherwise it's a little too uncomfortable for me. 16. Wu-Gambinos - METHOD MAN thank god. Killed his verse too. RZA jumped in too, unusual flow as usual but it works. Not as clean as the others but that rushing of longer words into a smaller space kinda works. It's interesting at least. Beat is okay. "I call my brother son cuz he shine like one" is sick. 17. Heaven & Hell - now that's what I'm talking about, that sample is sick as fuck. That's what I think of for Wu Tang. Perfect texture for Ghost. I would love to play this with a live band. Yeah this is sick, stank face all the way. And Blue Raspberry is in the key! Hooray. 18. North Star - after the speech upfront the beat is great. Unique cuz there isn't a heavy 2 and 4 but it works. I like the sound textures on a good portion of it and Wu Tang and guests are clearly capable of their trade. I wish I could get into the subject matters a lot more than I can, cuz this may have been a 4 or 5 for me. As is, I can't give it more than like a 3.5 and that's mostly on the strength of RZAs production and Ghostface being so prominent, he's a top 10 for me. Method Man showed up and sent that one track through the roof. I dunno. Maybe on subsequent listens it'll raise up and objectively (or as close to as I can get) this is a really good album. But a big part of music and art for me is that I feel something, and that's totally subjective. First listen, there's so little to connect with here for me other than the damn fine beatmaking that I don't really have a strong feeling to note. Glad I listened to it, will do again in the future but I don't think it'll be right away. One thing that gets me listening back to all of this on WhoSampled is the breadth of samples is nuuuuuts. What do you mean Knowledge God samples Stanley Black's Russia from 1965?? That is so obscure I can't even find much info on the album. I think like 2.5 or 3 of this 3.5 goes to RZA, that's insane creative ability. And dedication to the craft, I would never think to use something almost by definition unfunky to make a beat. but he did and it was great. Hmm. I'm gonna go back to this one sooner than I thought and reassess.
My pale ass can't offer any critique for hiphop or rap.
Not being a hiphop afficiando, I don’t know what makes a rap song good or not. I just know what I like. And having really enjoyed the Wu-Tang- and Ghostface Killah-albums, I expected to like this one too. Especially as Ghostface is omniprésent omnipresent on this album. But the album lasted. And lasted. And I didn’t enjoy a single track, sorry to say. It all passed without a fanfare.
It was not for me. But I can appreciate what it was
every beat sounded the same and i got tired of all the skits really fast. thought i was going to love this
As all this rap is shoved down my throat in this 1001 challenge, the less I like it and this album in no exception. Yuck.
Massively influential and densely packed with great beats and visual language. It's up there with Supreme Clientele and Liquid Swords as the best of the Wu-Tang solo projects. I get that it's not for everyone, but for those it is for, it's a stone-cold classic.
No stop this please. This whole 1001 albums thing started so promisingly. Hopefully this stream of dirge is just temporary.
Vibes
3,5
Raekwon is a master
My 90s hip hop bias definitely is heavy. I find this again outstanding. With rythmnic, funny, robust rhymes a unique delivery and an all star team of features. This is a fun album. Again Method Man my favorite clan member so I can't give a full five stars but there isn't anything really wrong with it. The concept is clean and full of unuque allegory about gansters history, street struggles and nods to Wu Tang history.
me gusta que sea una historia, esta semana no estuve muy en el mood para rap entonces em esta costando, pero se que en cualquier otro momento me encataria, life. me lo guardo para otro momento i guess
Solid listen :)
Wi
Idk I’m sure I’m missing some important nuance or message but this is one of those rap albums that just blends in with all the rest.
Its really good by my lord they loved shitty skits and intros in the 90's.
It was ok...pretty solid.
- we’re all living but its a constant struggle to keep on living. this album takes u deep into the urban jungle, the struggles, the projects. word is bond. raw and insanely cool, thank you raekwon and wu tang. u need to be critical when u talk about wu tang and their nine-member rap group in staten island, the influence they had in the least recognized borough. flow and influence still prominent.
I am absolutely not the target audience for this music.
Сперва не понравилось, потом понравилось. Фоном прослушал легко. Если где-то услышу - не узнаю, но уши не закрою.
Too long, every song sounded the same, corny skits (even more than usual)…just not my type of rap album.
The beats on this album were pretty sick, but the lyrics left something to be desired. I routinely felt like the lyrics were more about finding words that rhymed with each other than telling a concise story with an expanded vocabulary. I could also have done without the chit-chat/skits between songs as I don’t think it brings any added value to the album. This is not a shining star of an album in my eyes.
“We gotta move, God. We gotta migrate. You know what I’m sayin’? Bounce man, start fuckin’ with bigger and better shit. {…} I got bigger and better plans, son. No doubt, we gonna move on man. For real, son, come on, you know me man. You know my style.’ - Raekwon, intro to this album. Now, on the surface, Raekwon is talking about moving rocks instead of bricks, but one can’t help but hear this as a prophecy of moving on from the musical style of 36 Chambers, trying to shape the Shaolin into something different, something new, something with more of Raekwon’s own vision and imprint. But then he proceeds to give us the exact same stuff - a VERY LONG 75 minutes with the only discernible changes being stripped down orchestrations with significantly less sampling and almost none of the exciting back and forth mic-swapping that we love from the Wu. Between this slow flow, and the pointless, interminable skits (which are obligatory on every rap album at the time for some reason), this is like a bottle rocket that never lifts off and flames out on the sidewalk. You’re excited as soon as it is lit, but then you quickly realize it was all for nothing. Maybe Raekwon wants to bring something new, but the Island is so long in his bones that he can’t shake it. This is definitely not the best solo project to come out of WTC. I’d venture it’s the worst, actually. It has a street legend, what with the purple tape story and the birth of the Rap Gambinos and such, but musically there’s not much to find here that wasn’t there before. No disrespect, because Wu-Tang IS for the children, but this one is better left alone. This is a straight 2.5, dead center. Not good enough to round up.
This young man seems very angry. I hope he has found peace in his life since this albums release. This was horrible.
I mean…it’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Guillotine the highlight
Not too bad but hip hop is just not my thing. This sounded better than some, too much of the random noise. I fell asleep…
I knew that I didn’t like rap before I started this list. I now know that I still don’t like rap.
3 Stars (8/15)
Favourite Songs: Incarcerated Scarfaces Guillotine (Swordz) Verbal Intercourse Ice Cream
Favorite songs: Knuckleheadz, Spot Rusherz, Heaven & Hell
Absolute shit
2.5. Too long
Nope!
I like the wutang production, flow, world building. All present here.
I know I won't be returning to this. I'm just not a hip hop girlie. I respect the craft but I'm not into it 2-3
The first listen felt raw and lengthy, but it contains enough charisma to invite you to another. Conversations that lead to the message of the song, effects that insinuate ideas without being a cliche. The gunshots sound like they were ripped out of old western films. It's an exquisitely produced, creative piece of work. RZA is the solid backbone of these Wu-Tang projects, bringing something different than the mainstream with equal impact to dress the lyrics with his sound. It's no wonder their logo is one of the most recognizable hip-hop symbols the world has to offer. It defines that classic 90s rap sound. My verdict for the day is I should listen to this again when I'm angry. I feel it'd soothe me, it might also be easier to lend an ear to the lengthy displays of theatrical penmanship. A bit tough to chew, definitely appreciating GZAs phonetic finesse. Raekwon has the flow, it's fun to listen to, but dissection feels like it takes time, and this project seems to have many layers. Let's see if I think back on this one the next time somebody actives my sociopathic thoughts. 3.6/5
Good rap album, I’d give it 3.5 but I feel with more listens I’d enjoy it even more.
I'm not a Wu afficionado but I like GZA more. I also would have liked a bit more gravelly Method Man seasoning too.
I like his autobiography. I like Wu. This album was....fine. I lean toward Method Man as my preferred Wu vocalist.
Thought I’d like this. Turns out I didn’t
Not going to lie, I found my toes tapping along to quite a few of the songs on this.
Generally alright and fairly easy to listen to but boy did this album drag on!
A bit too stripped back for me to be particularly interesting. I prefer a bit more musicality/sampling etc to temper just a constant flow of words. At the same time, a few songs landed, so yeah it was OK.
i understand why this is so beloved. great storytelling
Another really great Hip Hop album. Gangsta normally isn't my favorite subgenre, but this is a great one within. I really like Ghostface Killah and it's nice to see him and most of the Wu Tang here as well. Beats are amazingly executed and all the wacky samples from movies seem to blend in really well. It's a bit long, perhaps too much, but Reakwon does have a lot to say.
This was ok. I enjoy old school hip hop, but this didn't do much for me. It was just ok.
Musically, the minimalist, stripped-back beats underneath these rap tracks are really cool, you could almost say elegant. Apparently this album’s musical style was very influential on later hip hop artists, which is understandable since it’s such a good platform to rap over. The rap itself is sharp and visceral ‘street’ rap: drugs, violence, gangs are central themes. It all feels experience-based and authentic (which, from background reading, it was). But the rappers had a philosophy and that also comes through the grittiness. I don’t need to hear it again, but I’m glad I heard it once.
I had low expectations of this album and it met them. I don't get the glorification of guns, drugs and expletives.
Would be a much better album without these skits.
Nice album, perfect for making breakfast. Faves in album order: Incarcerated Scarfaces Rainy Dayz Can It Be All So Simple Spot Rusherz Heaven & Hell North Star
Okay. A lot of pretty expected intros/outros that kind of ruined the flow for me. Gullotine slaps as always though.
This is pretty solid.
This goes pretty hard! I like the beats, rapping, and there are some good features.
Too long but anything from the Wu-Tang guys is usually solid.
very wutang
To już za dużo jak ja moje uszy.
I didnt expect to like it this much.
It just didn’t click for me.
I am admittedly not a fan of rap music. I can appreciate it, but it's just not my thing. This is not an album I would ever seek out and listen to. Having said that, I can totally appreciate this album for what it is. It's truly more like listening to the audio of a movie than listening to an album. Truly genius in how it's put together. Definitely a classic and influential rap/hip hop album.
Is not for me
I don’t know. Pretty boring album actually that went on too long. So many skit intros that could have been cut to reduce the long runtime. The rapping didn’t seem too groundbreaking or unique to me either. It was fun however to realise where the “Avalanche rock” sample came from on the Since I Left You album by the Avalanches.
I couldn't find an access point to this, tbh.
I just don't like hip-hop. I'm not gonna trash on this like others did just cuz this isn't my thing. This is so classic hip-hop that I just can't dig it, but I wouldn't blame someone for liking it. I'm actually glad I stumble upon something different from time to time. I'm so bored with the same old rock and punk or post punk or whatever. For a list that included every shit ever made in the US and UK, there sure are very few black people. Few women too. Little diversity in ethnicities and nationalities too . Also why is everyone saying this is aggressive? Like I expected some aggressive beats, some crazy shit. I actually like that stuff. Is this the first time these people listen to hip hop? The lyrics were how they always are. At least this thing was influential. This is how this list should've been. I could accept not liking something on this list if at least it has earned its spot. But nooo the same trash keeps on piling up. At least this album has bigger accomplishments on wiki than being on this godforsaken list. WHY THE FUCK DO YOU ADD AN ALBUM WITH ONE PATHETIC PARAGRAPH ON ITS WIKI HUH?
herregud så gøy med noe fra 90 tallet OG som ikke er rock!!!!! et album jeg har utsatt. // gøy!!!!!!!! dette fortjener mer listens før jeg egt gir en rating høydepunkt: Heaven & Hell
Album Review 052 Only Built 4 Cuban Linx by Raekwon (1995) Rating 2/5 Only Built… is cited as one of the best album created by any member of the Wu-Tang Clan solo or by group as a whole. The beats, production and delivery are all consistently sharp and the mood and character of the album gives the feel of a Brooklyn version of a classic gangster movie. At more than 70mins, this is a long album but the duration does suit the storytelling and themes. One thing I’m not a fan of though is the whole glorification of violence and misogyny that sits at the heart of gangsta rap. The theme that runs through this album is one of making good for your family by selling drugs and killing rivals. Musically, this is probably in the top 10 rap albums I’ve ever heard, but listening objectively I can’t get away with the drugs/murdery stuff and it’s unlikely that I’ll ever listen to Only Built… in full again. (Incarcerated Scarfaces is an absolute banger though and it’ll be going on my monthly “best of” playlist for Jan 2026)
Knackiges Rap Album mit ein paar coolen Tracks und ner interessanten Story die sich durchs Album zieht.
überraschend nicht schlecht, mag diesen old-school rap eigentlich gar nicht. aber gute beats und nicht so schlecht anzuhören. dennoch kein Lied dabei, dass mich vom Hocker gerissen hat.
90s Rap Music wird nicht mehr meins werden
Not a big fan
Modern angry rap again nothing out standing. But less offensive than most.
There was absolutely nothing here for me.
Rap = Boring samey old rubbish.
Pretty good album. Great verses and beats, ice cream is goated.
I’d like this more if there wasn’t 30-50 seconds of rambling before half the songs. Also got hella listening fatigue.
This was feeing like a 5 but then I felt it lost some steam in a few of the later tracks
Haven’t heard much Wu-Tang music but this album had some decent tracks
not my thing but good
Un poil long, mais quand même excellent
They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. On the other hand, musicians often choose their own album covers. And when I look at this cover and consider the genre, which I dislike, I feel a strong aversion to even listening to this album. I'll spare myself that. Hip-hop isn't music. 1/5
Not a big fan of rap in general but it was a nostalgic listen into the early days of the genre.
Wu-Tang for never!
Enter the Wu-Tang and Liquid Swords were both great albums to hear on this list. This doesn't get close. I wouldn't guess this was Wu-Tang associated on sound alone. Not incompetent but doesn't stick or develop much.
I tried this back in the day and it didn't do much for me. The intro skit doesn't start things off in a great way. This doesn't need to be on the list. This is not as good as Enter the Wu Tang or Liquid Swords, and they do a great job representing the Wu-tang Clan sound of the time.
Didn’t get this at sll
Not my sound, not my genre, not for me.
Can’t get through this album fast enough.
Too much trop long même si y’a des sons super sympa il est pas aux même niveaux que els autres
Bon album un peu long 7/10 Chanson pref : Rainy dayz
This was pivotal in the 90s rap scene and the production is great, but it’s not something I’d personal return to.
Least impressive solo wutang so far imo.
I’m not the target audience for this one. I do like some hip hop but usually the more rhythmic stuff. This is tougher. So I don’t really vibe with it, but it didn’t bother me either. I’ll score it down the middle.
The album seems a bit long and not that musically interesting.
1.0 Boring, obnoxious, generic, and it takes 1:15 to do it.
This is the sort of music that plays nonstop without anything memorable hitting you except for the old tv samples, kung fu movie bites and loud ass homophobia. The beats are great but the lyrics are kind of whack. Weed stank not included.
un po’ noioso
low rate for 18 pieces...
Good, hardcore 90s rap.
Wasn't feeling it too much
The fact that this album has an average rating under 3 is absolutely wild, and says a lot about what crowd is rating these albums. The amount of micro aggressions and pearl clutching in the reviews is crazy. This is one of the best, if not the best, Wu-Tang solo album there is. It’s also easily one of the top hip hop albums of all time.
Maybe my least favorite of the Wu-Tang solo efforts so far. 2.5
A lot of music here. A lot of skits. A lot of talking overall. Some nice samples/loops/beats but it got really draggy by like 1/3 of the way in for me and nothing shook me out of it.
I guess this was fine. I mainly found it interesting as some sort of bizarre rap social history. The style with so much talking in between/on tracks is quite something given it’s in almost every track and it gives it a bit of an intimate feel. The music itself I found pretty nondescript.
Listening to a Raekwon is exactly like stumbling upon a high-stakes breakdancing circle in a dingy night club. First, there’s the peacocking. They enter with the pose of a man wearing three fur coats in August (or a benie in a car if you are a breakdancer). They skat about for a bit and end up spinning on their head. Its fine you respect the skill but the bull shit around it and the repetative nature just robs me of my soul. Too long as well.
A really good sounding hip-hop record that feels like a link between the early hip-hop and the genre's peak in the late nineties/early noughties. Its got technically impressive, gritty production value with great flows and effortless bars. My issue, as with many hip-hop albums, is that this is just far too long to keep attention for one listening session. The relentless beats and violent themes become repetitive and fatiguing after over seventy minutes. Also, I'm so bored of the trope of long spoken interludes which are just strings of expletives and the word "Nigga" being used instead of punctuation. These really kill the flow of the album for me and the content certainly doesn't stand up to modern sensibilities. If you took a twenty minute snippet of almost any part of this album I would probably be left wanting more. As it is, I was left waiting for it to finish.
All ready have this album. Love it.
Excellent classic rap album
Although it's not my favorite genre, this is a good album. My rating of 3 is mainly because it doesn't quite fit my preferences. After a few listens, I get really tired of the swearing and slang, which I don't always understand :-)
Just a really great rap album.
Like many hip hop projects from the 90s this probably should have been trimmed down. But killer album regardless
way too long
3.7 2x in airplane on way to SLC (all hands in Sacramento 4/1/26)
Interesting and better than the other U-Tane member album I heard, SZA
3,0 - Das war jetzt das erste Album aus dem Wu Tang-Kosmos, das mir wirklich gefallen hat. Es ist immer noch nicht mein Genre, aber kann man sich gut anhören. Highlights: Criminology, Rainy Days
Good story telling, fun album. 6.6/10
ANOTHA WU BANGA The Purple Tape is a certified Stone Cold Classic and arguably the best of the first gen Wu-Tang solo efforts.
This album was so good. Album a day finally put me on. It’s a wu tang solo album and it’s super unique. A little long being a double album but it flows really well.
Decent stuff here. I like the features too.
I missed this album yesterday. "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx" is a good album. Like yesterday's album, it started great, but got boring during the 2nd half. RZA's production always impresses me, no matter what. Tomorrow will be Christmas Day. 3 stars for "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx".
own
Fucking fantastic! 5/5
This genre has nothing to offer me. It’s tiresome. And the ego on these guys to put over an hour out there including the crap skits Seems to be standard. Rainy Dayz was pretty good, and some of the samples and the female vocals. These dudes need to grow up
not for me
Fuck this shit
Top notch hip hop. So much going on here. 30 years later and it still sounds very fresh. Truly magical ✨
Dnf
Cool!!!*
What I love about Wu-Tang is that all their individual/solo work features the exact same people on the regular Wu-Tang records so it may as well be a WTC record. I believe Raekwon was one of the first to do this. This is more a gripe with the rise of CD's/the 1990's in general, but fuck me I cannot stand the runtime of rap albums being 75 minutes long. Some albums take the piss, like that Outkast Shitboxxx album, but others are just painfully long. Plenty of bangers on this thing, Guillotine is such a highlight on this thing it overshadows everything else. But honestly this thing is just wayyyyy to fucking long. Good as background music and plucking off good hits, but an insane amount of filler on this thing. Less is more, lad.
Braving a second listen of this delayed me catching up on this project. I have a feeling this is supposed to be played from speakers rather than headphones. Not just for the vibe, but because the drum and bass track on some of these songs genuinely became irritating. I can see this playing in a workshop, a shitty bedroom or in the background of a party of a bunch of people who look nothing like the people who recorded this. The album is too long, and I found it boring. There are good parts here and if I was more fond of hip hop I am sure I would have fallen in love with this. Probably.
Probably a 3.5 for me--lyrics like 'I'm the Black Trump' sure didn't age well, haha! Bumping because the beats and samples are really well played throughout. It's cool revisiting this era that completely passed me by and hearing this great shit!
A fantastic album. Always good to hear from the Wu
*Solid hip hop album
If Raekwon tried to steal my Cuban Linx necklace at gunpoint, I would sit him down and ask him if perhaps life would be happier/better if he dialed down the toxic agro in his overall vibe. I’d posit that maybe it was his poor food choices, as referenced often in his lyrics, that may be driving his anger. Early heart disease is no joke, yo. Then, I’d tell him that despite critical acclaim, his album, in my opinion, is the weakest of the Wuniverse. Then he would probably kill me.
Yet another ultra classic hip-hop record that means and says absolutely nothing to me. The beats are good, the hooks (when they're there) are pretty ok, the rapping is obviously also great. But I just can't with the lyrics. It's always the same shit on every damn album. Key tracks: Knowledge God
Surprised myself by enjoying this. Could do without the guns and drugs but the big beat background was great and the trap swagger was infectious.
Actually enjoyed listening to this. Have never listened through an entire rap album before now.
I always feel like a tourist listening to gangsta rap, and I'm just generally not a fan, so it's difficult to rate this objectively. This is pretty good though! Good beats and atmospheres, and I like Raekwon's voice. 3 stars, but it's no doubt worth more to those who like this sorta thing.
A good solid 90s rap album.
Eighteen tracks is an endurance test I didn't sign up for, but the aggressive fronting just exhausted me before my coffee even kicked in. The misogyny is heavy and makes it impossible to connect with anything here. It’s loud, angry, and drags on forever. Even the aesthetic feels like an assault on my eyes. I have zero reason to ever hit play on this again. Just miserable. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Ice Cream
This is #day488 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… so you're saying aside from 36 Chambers I also must hear Wu Tang members' solo albums? Well, I don't mind some '90s hip-hop now and then. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day489.
This felt interminable. The mafia styling is cringy, and the album goes on for way too long without doing anything I find particularly interesting
I'm sure people are going to hate this take, but, to me, most of the songs sound exactly the same. It's pretty good, though! I've been doing a lot of reflecting on how I listen to new music because of doing this, and one thing I've realized is that I really miss out on the meaning of songs/lyrics on the first couple of listens on an album. And that does unfortunately hurt rap albums the most. The rapping is really quality, though. The skits might be more interesting if they weren't full of a bunch of filler words. The longer I listen the less interested I get, which is bad news for an album that's almost 75 minutes long. Yeah, and then it starts getting excessively sexual. Not a fan. It started interesting, and then it got further and further from something that I really want to spend my time listening to. Favorite Song(s): Wu-Gambinos
One of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. The beats are incredible, the lyricism off the charts. Raekwon and Ghostface star in a story that's a film in your mind with other Wu members and Nas joining in as different characters. Just incredible! 5/5
I mean I liked it, but it kind of sounded like Wu-Tang, but missing some of the voices
Raekwon mid, couple of good songs nothing crazy
This one sounded so forced and fake gangsta. The interludes between songs on these rap albums are so corny. The production on this record sucked. It sounded like shit. I’m giving two stars.
This album put the crap into rap how did this Album make it onto the list
My only exposure to anything involving Wu Tang Clan was the excellent Liquid Swords by GZA, which I gave a 4 but in hindsight should’ve been a 5, so I had pretty high expectations going into this. My God was I disappointed, I did not enjoy this in the slightest, it felt like it went on for an ETERNITY. For all I know this may be regarded as an all time rap classic but it wasn’t for me.
Tooooo maaany tracks. I try so hard with this stuff, but I just can't get into it.
Very unfortunate (or perhaps fortunate?) timing that this was the next album after To Pimp a Butterfly, because it certainly shows that this record is... dated, to say the least. I loved some of the beats here but the skits are more jarring than funny, and it being a debut album is obvious, to say the least.
The generator gave us to pimp a butterfly by Kendrick Lamar before this one. No way was this going to hold up to that. The sound is minimal, the themes shallow and of the sort that set hip hop back for years into a stereotype of fantasy violence and senseless posturing.
I mean yeah it’s a boom-bap masterpiece. One of best Wu-Tang solo albums (Probably my third favorite). I wonder what the longest sample chain is on the list. There are two three-album chains connected on this record. Guillotine contains a sample from Tical which contains a sample from The Shaft soundtrack, and Glaciers of Ice contains a sample from Triangle by the Beau Brummels and was sampled in The Avalanches’ Since I Left You. The beats here are incredible, the flows are hard hitting, the bars are great.
Oh my god, this went on forever. I like old school hip hop, for a couple tracks. Then it starts to get so repetitive. I'm sure people love this, but I was already checking how many tracks I had to go about halfway through. I want to give this a 2, but I'm sure there's more merit to it than I'm giving credit. But I have a long backlog of albums to get through and I don't have the fortitude to dig into this with repeated listens. So I'll just call it a 3. 3/5 Highlights: Criminology Guillotine (Swordz)
great, classical HIPHOP
Wu Tang Forever, but this one is very similar to all other Wu Tang stuff, especially Enter the Wu Tang. Has a bunch of clan guest appearances and I can see why these solo albums aren't all that special. I still enjoyed it though.
Enjoyed this one quite a bit, though probably because it’s just Wu-tang adjacent.
Til tross for å holde Enter the Wu-Tang som et av historiens desidert beste hip hop-album, har jeg vært dårlig på å utforske Wu-Tang extended universe. Fordi jeg har en venn som heter Eivind, har jeg selvfølgelig blitt exponert for Liquid Swords, men prosjektene til Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Ol' Dirty Bastard, og Method Man har enn så lenge levd utenfor min kunnskapshorizont. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx har ikke verdens beste albumtittel eller -omslag, men det har -- som man kan forvente fra disse 90-tallsskivene med RZA bak spakene -- verdens beste produksjon. Om du spør meg, er det ikke noe tvil om at østkysten vant hip hop på 90-tallet, mye takket være den enkle, men effektive, Boom Bap-oppskriften NY-artister perfeksjonerte på denne tiden. RZA og resten av klanens sensibilitet for å velge litt nerdete samples, skaper en vibe som perfekt balanserer New Yorks kalde og røffe betongjungel med noe litt mer soul-aktig. På denne skiva er det Heaven & Hell som vipper mest over i dette territoriet, og det er lett å høre hvordan en produsent som Madlib plukket opp stafettpinnen fra RZA (hør feks. Pinata med Freddie Gibbs). Som de fleste hip-hop album fra denne tiden, er denne skiva også for lang, men jeg synes på et vis likevel at det funker. Det viktigste på et album som dette, er at den er pakket med bangers, og her leverer de en solid håndfull med låter som når opp til samme nivå som Enter the Wu-Tang. Jeg er laget for Cuban Linx -- hva enn det vil si.
Jeg liker Wu Tang godt, og derfor skulle jeg ønske jeg likte dette bedre. Klarer ikke helt å sette fingern på det, men låtene gir meg lite. Skitsene er for mange (og det mener jeg om mine favoritter De La Soul også). Rappingen drukner litt i bunntunge låter. Kan hende det sitter bedre etter flere gjennomlyttinger, men i denne omgangen er det midt på treet for meg.
Oi oi oi, hvordan skal jeg gjøre dette? Dette er et ekstremt bra album, med noen store svakheter. Jeg har aldi hørt noen "WU" album før, så dette var helt nytt for meg, og jeg kommer nok til å dykke dypere i de folka her. Beatsa og produksjonen er som fra en annen verden. Samplingen er så ukonvensjonell, rå og fryktløs, og til tider utfordrer dem hva hiphop er og kan være. I motsetnign til andre i gruppa så har jeg ikke noe imot skits i albumer, så det var heller ikke et problem for meg. Problemet er mer at som med altfor mange rapalbum, så er det altfor langt. Og den åpne homofobien og mysogien gjør det til tider vanskelig å høre på. Blir man kvitt problemene, er dette en lett femmer, kanskje en av de beste rap albumene jeg har hørt.
Meh. Some bases are good, but mostly the rap is too ghetto.
How is everyone from wu tang so talented? This is an iconic rap album. What really stands out are the sample selections for each track, each gives a unique flavor and sound. The lyrics are face paced and dense so its hard to listen to in the background though. Favorite track was Wu-gambinos
Mid skool rap , heavily influenced by the Wutan . Beats are mid tempo and the rapping is clear and crisp with out being interesting Is good not great . Formulaic in its skit / talking intro before each track . Basically a wanna be wutan . Looks like the sum is great than the parts when the rest of the clan add creativity. Sadly more Lidle Wutan than lil Wutan 3/5
There is nothing about this that should necessarily appeal to me, a middle aged Englishman And yet… I found myself getting into this to my enormous surprise It’s an all enveloping world that is enormously outside the kind of stuff I normally listen to - which is exactly the reason for doing this kind of project
Le rap US, je ne peux pas.
This is the second best solo Wu album after Liquid Swords.
I'm just not a fan of Wu Tang style rap.
neat vibes. i've never listened to wu-tang before so this is my first exposure. when i think of skits in rap albums, i've only known comedy ones before. So it's refreshing to hear a serious concept album like this.
Brilliant writing that has strong interplay with the music. Very funny and strong storytelling. I was hooked from the first song. Not necessarily political but its meaning is unmistakable. Knuckleheadz, Can it All Be So Simple, Verbal Intercourse, and Ice Cream are highlights.
It sounds like a Wu-Tang album, it’s got those eerie beats and grim raps. A bit long.
Loooved the samples, loved the overall vibe. Would need more time with it to absorb the lyrics. Probably a 3.5 - no half-stars strikes again!
Not what I'm going to put on any average day but the dude is talented.
I liked this kind of a smooth rap record. some nice tunes
I kind of assumed I would like this more since I bought Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 when it came out in 2009 and liked it quite a bit. This one just didn’t have enough interesting instrumentation/sampling. It’s pretty one note, even though I like Raekwon and Ghostface Killah’s rapping styles.
This was very long. Not built 4 my tastes. Too many repellent words, and I couldn't follow any of the stories, which left only the music, and that tended to be a single phrase repeated for an entire song.
2/5 - I'll never listen to this again, but the cinematic sounds were kinda fun for a bit, and I enjoyed a few tracks. The sound is relentless, and like many hip-hop albums of the time, it's just entirely too long. Wu-Tang will never be my thing, and I'm OK with that.
This is a good
WU TANG
While I love the Wu tang, this solo effort just didn’t do it for me. Missing something that made it sizzle and I can’t put my finger on it
Reakwon album that's equal-part Ghostface, who's brilliant as ever. Essential Ghostface. Essential everyone on this absolutely quintessential Wu-Tang album. This album has all the shit one may ever want from Wu-Tang. It's a longer-playing album, but stays afloat the whole time with no dips. Cuban Linx is in the top echelon of the Wu - everyone knows this.
Sometimes great, mostly overly long and the concept is a bit too far flung
I can't hear it's brilliance. Decent rap.
Not my thing, but decent.
A decent rap album, not really a standout but nice to hear from the Wu. 3/5
only took about 30 seconds to hear the phrase "mutha f**ker" - turned it off.
Im not the target demographic for this
Why was this over an hour
It works as a film soundtrack type of album, or an audiobook telling a story. But I find rap hard to listen to for its sheer repetition.
I’m a wu tang fan, but this isn’t my favorite. Some editing would have helped
I like the production, samples, and flow of this one but didn’t care much for the lyrical content. It’s also too long.
this is pretty sick. I love this era of hip hop where everything feels very punk and very new. The beats are cool and flowing. The lyrics keep you grounded and tell great stories. I wouldn't say my mind was blown, but I enjoyed this!
Not for me
Puhelaulu ei oo mun musaa yhtään. Tällä levyllä kiroillaan ja uhotaan liikaa jopa mulle. Ei valitettavasti ollut mun kuppi teetä, ei vaan maistu.
Basically a wutang album primarily featuring the chef, great production and sampling from RZA and great features from the other wutang members. I don’t mind an album being long but if it is I have less patience for filler and I did find some songs were either too long with the intros or outros.
Not for me
East Coast HipHop celebrating aggressive fronting, misogyny and racism in a street like atmospheric texture with gritty drum loops.
Guess it seems crazy that I like a lot of rap from different decades, but for some reason I just can't get Wu-Tang. It all sounds the same to me. Know what I mean? Even though it says Raekwon, this is just another Wu-Tang project and it leaves me flat. Know what I mean? Musically, it doesn't bring anything new. Know what I mean? And the voices are gruff, sometimes mumbly and never very interesting. Know what I mean? Some folks like it and that's cool. But I just can't see what's there to get. Know what I mean? It's a 1 for me. Know what I mean?
I think the 90s is my hip hop era. I like the dark sounding melodies and sketches. This album was a bit long but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it and even loved some of the songs!
Eh, not really my thing. I get that it's a side project of RZA from Wu-Tang Clan but this didn't grab me at all. Best: Criminology Worst: Wu-Gambinos
Det her orkede jeg ikke mere end fem numre af. Kedelig rap.
It was ok. Also, I'm not sure it could be considered a solo album when his fellow Wu-Tang member is featured on nearly every track.
Solid but didn't knock me out of my chair. Given the name I was expecting Cuban music influences, but I didn't hear much of that. Just down the middle US hip hop as far as my uninformed ear could tell. I liked some of the piano samples mixed in. Beats were a bit of a monotonous background purely there to mark time for the rapping and samples. Fine but nothing too special.
4/10
Not a bad album, but why did it need to be so long?? Also why did every song sound so similar… not objectively bad, but also not objectively good either.
Some straightforward, decently energetic hip hop with basic, repetitive beats. Not my thing. They're good rappers, through. If that's what you care about, then I guess this album is pretty good. The production is very lo-fi and boomy, which I also don't really like. Can't say I have any strong feeling regarding this album. Didn't love, didn't hate it—it was fine.
Wutang is for the children
would be a 3.5 but 3 seems too low
Robert Dimery really liked Wu Tang, that's what I'm getting from this list. This is a good album I always enjoy the kind of off kilter samples all of the Wu Tang members used. The interlude conversation skits went on too long and some of the lyrics are a little juvenile but it is what it is.
One of the best WU Albums, period.
wu tang clan lead rapper, reminds me of hip hop class.
People don't talk enough about how the introduction of CD technology led to artists putting twice as much content as really necessary on their albums.
The boldness of Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon to release his debut solo record hot on the heels of Wu-Tang's own debut cannot be understated, but such was the revolutionary impact of Wu-Tang's debut, 1993's 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' that solo releases from the group's members were quickly sought after. When Raekwon's debut, 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx' dropped in 1995, East Coast Hip-Hop had begun to make a comeback to the mainstream after it had lost favour to the hardened edge of the West Coast Hip-Hop scene led by N.W.A. Wu-Tang Clan was the East Coast's reply to N.W.A. and, along with The Notorious B.I.G. and Nas, ensured that East Coast Hip-Hop still had plenty of life after Run D.M.C. and Public Enemy. What's quite interesting about this album is Raekwon's ability to combine street talk with rather atmospheric soundscapes. It's very much a 90s record in style and scope, and fellow Wu-Tang member RZA helps Raekwon sound quite immediate and cinematic, as if its trying to put several Grand Theft Auto missions to songs. There's plenty more Wu-Tang member cameos throughout the album too, so you could almost say this is a Wu-Tang album without the Wu-Tang name, but Raekwon is certainly the star of the show here, and while this album's a little too drawn out for my liking, the raps and spoken word passages are, for the most part, quite interesting indeed. Best songs: Guillotine (Swordz), Verbal Intercourse, Wu Gambinos
Wu tang is for the children
This one was really cool, but it could’ve been shorter, and I feel like the beats could’ve been more varied.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx was a shockingly good album. This is another Wu-Tang Clan adjacent album because this is one of their members (probably the second to last one since the only one i think i have left is Method Man's solo album) and i think this one might be my favorite. The production here is absolutely off the charts using all the samples you would expect from a Wu-Tang Clan member's solo album (and an album with all of them together for that matter) even going as far as for Glaciers of Ice to be sampled by The Avalanches in Avalanche Rock and that still blows my mind. The lyrics are a bit stupid on some tracks but despite that, this one surpasses Liquid Swords as my favorite Wu-Tang Clan Adjacent album and is a really good album. Best Song: Heaven & Hell Worst Song: Shark N***** (Biters)
Je suis pas méga habituée au rap américain / hip hop des années 1990 mais je sais que j'aime bien quand c'est un style assez dansant avec des instrus sympa assez travaillées derrière. J'écouterais pas tous les jours mais j'ai passé un bon moment - contente de visualiser plus clairement un artiste de ce répertoire et de mettre un nom sur ce premier album qui apparemment a été bien plébiscité à sa sortie. Un peu moins fan des interludes de mise en situation gangsta qui prennent pas mal de place, c'était l'esprit de l'époque faut croire.
j’aurais aimé apprécier l’album plus que ça, mais je pense qu’il me manque des références pour vraiment réussir a le situer dans le paysage musical (apparemment c’est un album qui se démarque par des métaphores et des punchlines ultra-percutantes au moment de sa sortie) —un sentiment de ne pas l’avoir apprécié à sa juste valeur malgré le fait que le rap US est un de mes genres de prédilection
This tired formula AGAIN? *Yawn* Debut rap album? Check. Runtime over an hour? Check. Weird intro track? Check. Stupid skits throughout? Check. Macho posturing? Check. More padding to write a book of 1,001 albums? Check.
Long and unnecessary. Not unlistenable, but unfortunately ran stale half way through the album.
More aggressive than most of the rap/hip-hop I've heard on this list, which is a good thing in my opinion. Dense lyrics with good rhymes and great rhythm.
not my type, but the ritm is very nice
Pleasant surprise. Solid three-and-a-half stars for me.
Oh hell yes
Nope
Ghost & Rae... I can understand why it's not for some, but a big album for the Wu
A Wu-Tang solo project! All the Wu-Tang members feature on most of the songs, so it’s basically a Wu-Tang album anyway. The beats are so so good on this, RZA knows what he’s doing when producing a rap album. I didn’t like the skits in between songs, which for some reason was a staple in 90s hip hop, because they interrupt the flow of an otherwise great collection of rap songs. If you listen, just hit the skip on all the skits and vibe to the beats. 4/5
I enjoyed this a lot but wish it was a little shorter
Hip hop. Pretty good although a little long.
top 3: - criminology - incarcerated scarfaces - north stars (jewels)
I was never into this back in the day, but I don't mind this style of hippin and a hoppin. I'm sure I've offended lots of fans. High 2s.
Aight. Liked 2 songs
1. perfection - 0 2. knuckle - 1.5 3. god - 1.5 4. Criminology - 1 5. Scarface -1.5 6. Rainy - 1 7. Guillotine -2 8. Simple - 1 9. zhark - 0 10. ice - 2 11. Glaciers -1 12. Verbal - 1 13. Wisdom - 1 14.spot -1 15. Cream - 2 16. Wu - 1.5 17. Heaven - 1.5 18. Star -1
*no music, just RAP and filthy language
I went through a Wu-Tang phase in February 2025, which co-incided with a trip to Morocco. Of all the Wu-Tang albums I listened to during this time, this stuck with me the most (with GZA's Liquid Swords being very close). Walking along the seafront in Rabat, I was taken aback by the quality of this album. RZA's production here is among the best I have ever heard in hip-hop. The beats are wild, unique, comic-book like. Raekwon and Ghost Face's flows go perfectly with it. I cannot claim to have any understanding of the tough & rough life Raekwon and co. lived, but the music sounds so good and like a fine book or movie, I am given a glimpse of what life was like for the creators. Highly influential album, looking forward to watching the 30th anniversary doc.
One of the more tolerable gangster albums, don’t mind his rapping style at all. Gets a bit repetitive though
Dull and repetitive. This never captures my attention.
Man. This one was so explicit it was hard to find a good time to listen to it. I think I'd give it 0 if I could.
tem um estilo de rap bem agressivo, ate certo ponto faz meu estilo, apesar do instrumental desse album especificamente nao me pegar muito, algumas tracks eu gostei, outras nao muito, no geral imagino que tenha sido um album muito importante pro hip hop para a epoca, nao li as letras mas tambem percebi que tem bastante diálogos
I am not hip. And my knees are way too messed up to do much hopping. But I'm finding this genre to be pretty consistently great. How many people are in Wu Tang Clan anyway? This was my least favorite of the WuTang offshoots so far, but still solid. 4
Album 918 of 1089 Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (1995) Rating : 1 / 5 This one gave me just about everything I dislike in a lot of hip hop - the constant posturing, the machismo, and the overblown attitude that always seems to come with it. I tried to find something redeeming, but it just wasn’t there for me. I understand that it’s a landmark album for many fans of the genre, but for my taste, it was a tough listen from start to finish. Just not my thing at all.
Cool
Just awful. I dont like this type of music so am biased. But it's just unimaginative dross.
Decent album but a little too long
I love finding old school hip hop gems on the list. If you love the Wu and the 90s East Coast style, then this album is just straight bangers from front to back. I can’t believe it’s trending below 3⭐️, so giving 4⭐️ to make up for for that.
I love Wu-Tang, but this felt fairly middling. It wasn’t bad at all, and I think it should have gotten its sales and praise at the time, but it just can’t stand alone in this list next to actual Wu-Tang and groundbreaking hip-hop albums.
Rap niet helemala mijn straatje
I listened to the original release, which is 17 tracks. If all the offensive words were removed from this album, then the album would only be 30 minutes. Seems like there haven’t been any hip hop albums on the list recently, so this one is a dramatic shift from the recent music we’ve heard. I just couldn’t be bothered to listen closely enough to follow the lyrics. Sorry Mr. Raekwon. The best part was the female singer, and even that was too repetitive, knowImsayin?
Some of my best friends are Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. I've never heard of (gestures vaguely) any of this, but turns out Raekwon is from the Wu-Tang Clan and this is produced by RZA. OK, now we're grounded. Well, I genuinely went into it with an open mind, but the barrage of slurs put me off (slur count: over 100). Like, 'Knuckleheadz' is good in terms of musicality and flow, but the lyrics are horrible!! If I had a censored version maybe I'd like it. As a listening experience it's better (=less jokey?) than most of the other 90s hiphops we had here, but as a human experience I can't recommend it.
Easy 5 stars, for the same reason Nas' Illmatic will get 5 stars assuming it shows up on this list: addictive boom-bap beats, and impeccable flow. Those two elements are so good they easily forgive any downsides (too long; the skits). Some of the best of '90s NY rap. Must-listen #222.
Gets extrememly close to being amazing, but the production is just lacking. I am sure this is considered a great album, but doesn’t do it for me. 1/10
These skits are killing me lol Really interrupting the music and making the album longer than it needs to be. The rapping is great though. There is something about Wu-Tang that is so much better than most of the rap I've listened to
Meeeeeeh. Just alright. I don't think a single song stood out to me. Should have stayed with Wu-Tang
I'm just not into the mafioso sound that Rae was into on this one. It's fine but not really my thing.
hmmmm, wanted to like it but it became like too much text on the page and it just grays out . . .
DNF!
Raekwon the mf Chef!!! Timeless hip hop music, incarcerated Scarfaces is an all time classic record and the rest of the record met it at the top. Rae and Ghost are like PB&J, Kyrie & Bron, A stripper & glitter, they just work together! Now my only criticism is that they could’ve cut this album shorter by a few songs but at least the raps were elite. Wu-Tang forever!!!
Rap with attitude and a bite, but despite the cinematic beats & high moments, it has too many fillers and samey moments for me. A good listen but it washed over my a bit without leaving a huge impression.
I have listened Enter the Wu-Tang before but never solo work of any of the Wu-Tang members. Sadly, this is exactly the type of 90s rap I don't like. Very monotonous beats that sound almost identical on every single song 2/5
I respect it more than I like it. I know this is the cool Wu-Tang project to say is your favorite but honestly it’s just never fully connected with me. Also this algorithm for the project is so weird. I go half a year with no 90s hip hop and then get three 90s hip hop albums within a week.
Didn't finish this listen. If I could play Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Project 8 and be high.
Solid album. The author of this list really does love Wu Tang and everything that came out of that group. 3 / 5
Good beats, didn't really resonate with the rap.
This had some higher highs, but also some lower lows compared to the GFK solo album I got a little while ago. Though that one, and this one especially, are hard to be considered solo albums. More like posse rap projects, or an expansion of the WuTang universe. "Knowledge God" felt like the first true banger imo, with a great rap chorus. Very vintage east coast too, a minor/atonal, minimal instrumental with thumping, cold percussion. Much of the same can be said for "Incarcerated Scarfaces" - though that one was even more hypnotic. "Glaciers of Ice" had a very cool moment at 2:40 what they female singer performed what was pretty much an EDM riser with her voice - it really heightened the ominous energy of it all. Lastly, "Heaven & Hell" SURELY is Raekwons eaast coast attempt of Ice Cube's west coast "Today Was A Good Day". Like, it's so clear with the more laidback sample sticking out like a sore thumb in the tracklisting, Rae even shouting out his west coast homies in the lyrics. It wasnt bad, it just didnt live up to the impossible standard Ice Cube set for a song like that. A bit long and not exactly anything new, the instrumentals are indistinguishable from any other WTC project, or Mobb Deep for that matter. But enjoyable enough, soft 3/5
Don’t think I knew of Raekwon. Nothing special. Average gangster rap.
Nothing outstanding to be honest - I found the intro particularly annoying while being perfectly unremarkable. I do know what you're saying, please stop.
It wasn't bad, but I just didn't vibe with it. You know what I mean, like, when Method starts rapping my head goes like ⬆️⬆️⬇️⬇️⬅️➡️⬅️➡️🅱️🅰️ and when this dude raps it's like 🔽🔽🔽 like micronodding appreciating the beat
Not really a fan of WTC
I got halfway through my second listen and decided I had heard enough. Meandering, unfocused, long, and unexciting. Hate to give it 1 star but I just did not like this album at all.
How many people died in the background of this? Solid album, good backgrounds. Best song is the bonus track.
This album is iconic for it's genre. For sampling, I can't imagine there is a better master class. There are a handful of really all-time solid tracks. The rest teeter between good and great. I would say this is one album that I've heard thus far that really strikes me as ahead of its time.
Eyeroll. Load of bollocks - Nah wot I'm sayin' man.
73 minutes of rap-profanity is not something I wish to experience again 0/5
The work soundtrack of my dads favorite strippers