Reviews (page 5 of 7)
A solid album brought down by the annoying 90s-era shtick of "skits" throughout the album.
Didn't leave much of an impression on me
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.
Good beats, fun and sometimes recognizable samples, solid rapping.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sure.
Solid, didn't love it
I can see how it has influenced other rap albums in the 2000s
Wie der Ghost Dog Soundtrack 3.4
Alright, this works. Aggressive but this would be great to work out to, if I did that.
Competent and pretty enjoyable on the whole. But also unremarkable. Too long and samey and full of ridiculous skits
Vocally and technically on point throughout - nothing bad on it and enjoyable but equally nothing stands out
Hip-hop en estado puro. Sin trampa ni cartón. Parecido a otros discos del mismo estilo. Poco innovador. Se deja escuchar, porque tampoco es excesivamente agresivo.
This was not for me, but it wasn't terrible.
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
good but I lost interested quickly. could’ve really benefited from some more female features.
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
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
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...
This was a good chance for me to branch out and listen to more hip hop.
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.
Pretty enjoyable hip-hop album. Enjoyed all of it. Will revisit which is a good sign. 3 🌟
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.
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
klassischer hiphop der 90 mit leichten snoop dog vibes
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.
I enjoyed it quite a bit. I haven't heard too much rap so this was a good start.
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.
Great beats and lyrics. Some great hip hop songs. I could do without the narrations in between songs.
Didnt listen the whole way through, but a decent list for what I listened to
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.
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.
Wel goeie hip hop maar ik luister niet naar veel hip hop
Good production v similar to Wu Tang. Bit too long
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.
Pretty good but not my thing
3.5! Solid.
whats this
Solid
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"
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.
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).
Too lengthy. Score based on 1 listen, so it's subject to change. Good raps and features.
Welp... Once again, I can appreciate aspects of the talent strewn about this work, but the collective is just ok. I won't be offended if a song or two comes up on shuffle or are a part of the background of my day, but I won't be seeking this one out to experience or dissect again.
It's alright but I just can't get on with the hiphop rap crap. Enough already
You know I thought after listen to other rap albums in this list I would enjoy this one, but it’s got no standouts and the only thing I remember is odd flows of rhymes with storyline intermissions.
Too much one-dimensional machismo for me – too long and repetitive, too many skits, too much homophobia. But I really liked the Black Ivory sample used in Criminology, and Wisdom Body was a welcome change of pace.
I really wanted to like this, but just didn't.
Gangsta rap definately isnt my yjing but i enjoyed this one in places. far too much use of the N word for me though
Uhh fine I guess, Heaven and Hell was my favorite I suppose
Not terrible
Yeah naaa not for me
2/5 Favorite Song: Ice Cream
My usual response to East Coast rap. It's fine, not to my taste. Even as a Wu Tang offshoot.
🤷🤷👍👎
idk what to think about this one, there were moments i really enjoyed, but it all became a bit samey
Best songs were with Method Man and Inspecta Deck
Its not even that bad but for some reason I just am so impatient listening to this album. Too long and sooo repetitive so it was very boring and I just wanted it to end. 2/5.
(2.75)
Pretty unpleasant. Production is good I guess. But not a very comfortable listen to listen with my wife. Imagine she thought it was worse.
Not for me
cool. hiphop. ja also.. idk. 2/5 fühlt sich zu wenig an aber maybe.. hat mi halt iwie nit gecatched.. also halt so gar nit iwie idk.
Nah.
Pretty decent effort - no stand out tracks /
Ok album
Fortfarande inte min grej, speciellt inte så långt.
Had it on in the background, so wasn't paying much attention to the lyrics - but the bits that stuck out to me were the misogynistic or homophobic parts. It was part of the culture at the time - which still doesn't make it OK - but it particularly jars now. Didn't know this previously and probably wouldn't return to it.
I just didn't like it. I don't think it's bad but, like a lot of rap and hip hop this app has sent my essay, it's not for me. It's not music for a generic white Scottish guy. Not bad, but not for me.
More music less talking! ;)
Wu-Tang offshoot. Good, but definitely not for me. Pitchfork: 10.0 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #219
Wu tang style... Purple tape es el debut de Raekwon, que cuenta sobre todo con la participación de un fenómeno como Nas. Pionero y una influencia esencial en el Gansta rap, uno de los géneros que menos me gusta del hip-hop, pero mérito tiene de sobra. Aclamado, pero no es mi estilo. RZA está, como siempre , soberbio.
bon bad la flemme et puis ça y est arretez les interludes bastons
Rap is the one genre of music I just can't connect with no matter how hard I try. I'm not even sure how to write a review..... I didn't like it. Yeah son! No what I'm sayin'?!
Listened in the car. Never was a big Wu Tang fan, and this album isn't doing much to change my mind. I completely didn't get the cinematic framing and to me it sounded like an hour of Raekwon and the rest of Wu Tang Clan rapping about how great they are. Give me NWO over these guys any day of the week.
This kind of rap is not for me
The beats on this weren't really doing anything for me, and I just didn't connect with the album at all unfortunately.
Pretty average rap music. I don’t know why I need to listen to this. My live would be more perfect without doing so.
sooooooo boring so boring
Nice background music for traveling between floors in a high-rise
Not that bad but I didnt any
The Wu Tang solo spin-offs have never really jived with me, and I have a hard time relating to this one.
The album was fine, I can definitely see how it influenced things that came after, but overall didn't enjoy it. This era of music is always tough for me. Nothing I would listen to again unfortunately even though it seems foundational.
I listened to it for a bit. I waited for it to grow on me. The lyrics certainly meet the Parental Advisory explicit warning. Some of them were clever but I did get a little tired of hearing of his enormous penis, and his sexual exploits.
Not for me
Eh.
Struggled with this one
I tire of gangsta style hip hop quickly.
okay for what it is but I'm not a rap fan...
90s hip hop. Debut by Wu Tang member. Mafioso rap. Interesting beats, a lot of samples.
Not very good! Production is the only saving grace, really.
goed voor het wegjagen van allerhande ongedierte in de tuin...
naja
not my kind of rap and the interludes are quite annoying.
Didn't really connect with it. Some nice samples and beats, but lyrically didn't catch my interest. 2.5
★★½
disappointing
Not terrible, but drags on too long. A couple of good tracks here, but it's dragged down by the shit ones.
we are popping guns etc i do not have the energy for this right now. beats are good tho
this felt like it was three hours long
I think I just have to come to terms with the fact that Wu-Tang just isn't my jam. I find the beats to be too lo-fi, the vocals to be too monotone with very few choruses.
Não é para mim.
This album was pretty damn terrible until like the final two tracks and then it was like “damn alrighttttt here’s the sauce”. I don’t think a two song run 70mins into an album can save it, ad the rest is pretty mediocre 90’s hip hop but whatever. I’ve heard better stuff from nearly everyone on this album.
There's really not much in here for me to enjoy. The flow is pretty bad (in my opinion), and the lyrical content isn't that great, either (misogyny). The album was a complete drag, too, which is never great. Some of the samples were alright, and Nas is cool, so idk.
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.
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.
Not great. Repetitve and not very musically appealing or skilled compared to other artists in the genre.
Has an alright sound and flow, but otherwise another unexciting addition onto the pile of 90's rap
Not for me, very samey
Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
I'm sure this is good for what it is but just doesn't appeal to me. Not my genre.
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.
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.
I admire the talent but it’s not for me. Liked it to begin but then starts to feel repetitive after a few songs.
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
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.
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…
Favorite songs: Knuckleheadz, Spot Rusherz, Heaven & Hell
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
Generally alright and fairly easy to listen to but boy did they a album drag on!
This was ok. I enjoy old school hip hop, but this didn't do much for me. It was just ok.
Would be a much better album without these skits.
It just didn’t click 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?
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)
90s Rap Music wird nicht mehr meins werden
Not a big fan
Modern angry rap again nothing out standing. But less offensive than most.
not my thing but good
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.
Not my sound, not my genre, not for me.
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...
Wasn't feeling it too much
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.
way too long
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
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.
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
This felt interminable. The mafia styling is cringy, and the album goes on for way too long without doing anything I find particularly interesting
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.
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.
Meh. Some bases are good, but mostly the rap is too ghetto.
I'm just not a fan of Wu Tang style rap.
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.
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.
Not for me
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
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.
Wutang is for the children
Long and unnecessary. Not unlistenable, but unfortunately ran stale half way through the album.
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
Dull and repetitive. This never captures my attention.
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
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.
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.
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
Good beats, didn't really resonate with the rap.
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
Eyeroll. Load of bollocks - Nah wot I'm sayin' man.
Not the most compelling of the Wutang world stuff I’ve heard by now, but still some fun. Rounding down because it’s too dang long. Everything from the early CD era is too dang long!
Un tanto fastidioso y monótono, pero lo sufrí menos de lo que esperaba. Eso sí, sus momentos de violencia y de gente balaceándose y gritando oh shit oh shit no me resultaron muy coherentes. Dudo que alguien ponga el disco y quiera repetir la canción de los balazos por puro gusto. No sé, en estos géneros luego meten mucha cosa rara muy poco disfrutable.
intro was unintentionally hilarious fun use of sOuNd eFfEcTs a full album is a bit too much of this at once but one or two tracks mixed into a playlist would be alright gets repetitive and a bit boring after a while still respect this so much more than today's mumble rap, at least these guys had actual things to say and undeniable flow/lyricism (still skipped a lot of it though) the singer on "rainy dayz" couldn't find the key with a locksmith obviously i would bump this in my low rider outside the 7eleven while me and my boiz holla at the fine young honeys walking by while we smokin a ounce
I'm not the type to go out and listen to rap/hip hop. I generally cannot keep up with the lyrics or understand the slang due to where I grew up. Overall, the album was okay. I tolerated it more than I would say Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
not stellar. They could have edited out a bunch of random noises and people talking but not saying shit
2.5
A little too old school for me
Lo mismo que me sucede con la mayoría de los álbumes de rap de la vieja escuela que escuché en esta lista: Me aburren. Me gusta el rap, el hip hop y el trap, pero encuentro en álbumes como este que la propuesta es demasiado monótona, poco inspirada. Simplemente se arman beats en base a samples, se loopean con alguna que otra variación y rapean encima durante 1 hora. La propuesta sonora me parece bien, sostienen una estética a lo largo de todo el álbum, pero es demasiado monótono y se extiende por demasiado tiempo. Y los sketches me resultaron muy molestos de escuchar. El contenido político es interesante, pero no es suficiente para sostener la obra.
Not for me
Sometimes I think I like rap music, and then I get proven wrong. Part of me wants to give it 1*, then I remember what else I’ve given 1* to and it’s not THAT bad. So 2* it is.
I started off enjoying this quite a bit - loved the beats and the flow of Raekwon - but over the course of a full album I started to lose interest. My mind started to wander, and by the 4th or 5th song about standard hiphop things (crime, women trying to take your money, how bloody fantastic the rapper thinks he is at rapping) I was wondering how to google hip-hop artist that talk about more interesting things over the same types of beats. As a result it's a bit hard to rate this, but I think, disappointingly, it's: 2/5
18 songs is too many songs. There’s a lot on here that should have been left on the cutting room floor. There’s were instances where I liked what I heard but they felt fleeting. Shame
Couldn’t get into it.
Way too long. Not very good. 2 is being kind.
2/5
Really does not appeal to me at all. So hard for me to even stay focused on it while I'm listening.
Can’t say a really enjoyed this one at all; just not my kind of music. That being said it wasn’t offensively bad to warrant a 1 of courses
Det værste ved CD æren var at kunstnerne absolut skulle have et album så tæt på 70 minutter som muligt. Her er det ekstra tydeligt med alt det bras som der bliver snakket mellem numrene. Jeg var ret overbevist om at jeg havde kæmpet mig langt ind i dette album ovre weekenden, det viste sig at jeg åbenbart kun har hørt 3 numre. 😣 - Jeg kom dog igennem..
I didn't like this. I like Wu-Tang, but something about this didn’t click. Glaciers of Ice sounded so familiar, I finally had to see who sampled it. The Avalalanches! Duh, they literally say the song title in the sample used. That's one of my favorite albums ever so I wouldn't zoot this one out of existence or anything. Butterfly effect and all that. But after one listen, I'm good.
Not for me
I put this one off for a while. Just not for me.
It is hip-hop. And it is quite o.k. But way too long regarding the fact that nothing remarkable happens on.
I think I'm just not a Wu Tang person
I am not really a fan of this genre but I always give whatever comes up a good go and a fair chance. However, with album I struggled to connect with this at all and just didn’t enjoy it.
Incarcerated Scarfaces is a standout. I didn’t like this as much as a lot of rap from this era.
I'm not a Wu fan, maybe you need to be to appreciate this. Sounds like old school hip hop with an edge, comparable to PE, NWA, etc. Doesn't sound cutting edge, the beats are below average, the bravado is on full display but it's not catchy or banging. Weak shit from an old white guy who was groovin' to Miami hip hop since Day One. The most popular songs "Guillotine" (boring and "lame ass" as he mentions in the lyrics) and "Ice Cream" (put you to sleep beats) were unmemorable. "North Star" & "Heaven & Hell" are so bad. Crap, not worthy, please explain why this is a must listen?! 2 stars since I didn't hate it.
It's an album I would probably enjoy a lot more stoned. But I've rated all the other albums sober, so that would be unfair It's all too slow for my liking. Criminology gave it a bit of needed energy but that's one track out of 18 - about 5 minutes out of 73. Everything else just dragged on and on because the beats held no interest in me and the basslines were equally as unenthralling. I also felt the rapping itself wasn't great. This was reinforced when during the Nas feature, which was one of the few bits of the album that actually held some interest, and was far better than anything else. The length of it didn't help either. TLDR - mid album mad worse by being too long
Rainy Dayz has some very beautiful female vocal. Others are kinda meh to me.
not really my vibe, skipping thru the album why they sniffin in my ears in Knowledge God :( the flow(?) in Criminology is aight cba listening to the rest of the album, i skip to Ice Cream, the most listened to song and call it a day it was ok...
Listened to the first three tracks of incoherent noise. The rap was ok, but I couldn’t bring myself to listen to the rest.
Definitely not my favorite rap album we've got so far. The beats are pretty straight forward, so these songs are carried mostly by their lyricism. To be fair, they are good, but that doesn't really help someone like me who struggles paying attention to lyrics. I can see why someone would like this album, but it got old for me pretty fast. Not great especially when it's over an hour long.
Seems good but not my thing
Juvenile rap.
I enjoy the Wu-Tang Clan's music every now and again. This solo album? Not as much. I can't really say I truly enjoyed any of the tracks. There were good ones, yes, but nothing incredible. After reading what the concept of the album was supposed to be, I don't think I ever would've guessed what it was by listening alone. I think it's safe to say that this album just wasn't for me.
The rap is good and so is RZA’s production - though not as interesting as it usually is. It might be 90’s hip-hop fatigue on my end, but very little caught my attention in the end. Also I get the feeling that there’s as much talking as there’s rapping on this. There isn’t, but you can’t convince me otherwise.
I really didn't need to listen to that
I know it’s a product of its time but sheesh… the homophobia made this an uncomfortable listen. Skits are boring, beats are dull. Couldn’t really see past any of that.
Not as good as the last hip hop album i got.
Pretty underwhelming rap album. Definitely some solid tracks, but weighed down heavily by a lot of bloat and pretty shoddy production. Maybe would be better with a remaster, but a lot of the album is skippable. Easy example of less is more. Top tracks: Incarcerated Scarfaces, Ice Cream, Heaven & Hell
KNICKS IN FIVE
I like Wu Tangs’s hits, but I’ve never gone deep on their material, let alone their solo work. After this, I don’t think I’m changing my ways.
Only really enjoyed the first 3 tracks, rest fell off for me.
I feel like I write the same review about a lot of 90s hip hop albums. There are some good songs in here, his flow is good and I like the aggressive delivery, but I find myself focusing more on the dumb skits and casual misogyny than those songs which makes it impossible to enjoy.
Just middle of the road but gets dragged down a star that it had to be 70 minutes long. 2 stars
I found it boring and it's too long.
Prob good just not for me
Solid but won’t come back to it
Not a fan.
I’d give a 2.5 if I could. I really enjoyed the WuTang Clan albums I’ve heard but this wasn’t for me. Far too long and bloated, maybe I’d give a 3 if it was 25 minutes shorter. It doesn’t have as much to say as 36 Chambers and wasn’t dynamic enough to keep me engaged for the entire (long) run time
I don’t know, I forgot I was listening to this multiple times throughout its runtime. So homophobic. Guillotine was good I guess. I sure didn’t enjoy this one. Good flows but boring.
When you say F@%K and MOTHER@&%*ER words enough times in every song, you can record a rap album?
3/10
Much like films with heavy Scottish or Irish accents, I need to listen to this type of gangsta rap with the subtitles on to fully appreciate the lyrics. While I can respect the creativity and artistry of rap music, these types of albums with side/ background chatter and colorful / explicit lyrics just wear on me. I like some hits from this era of rap, but I didn’t find any here.
Crap
Gangsta rap is not really my thing. I like the groove in the last couple of tracks: "Heaven & Hell" and "North Star (Jewels)". But I don't feel much desire to return to this album.
Respect, but this is not for me.
Well, he was definitely right - this wasn't built for me. People love Wu Tang. People look at Wu Tang as being some of the best to ever do it. I know next to nothing about them going into this. I've learned a lot about hip hop and rap through this project, which I love. But I don't think I was ready for this. I honestly don't have much to say. Part of me wants to be really dismissive of this, but I don't think that's fair. Just because I don't relate to this on a cultural level doesn't mean it's bad. There is so much here I don't understand. Hell, I don't even understand the tone of this most of the time. It all sounds so serious and aggressive, but maybe there's humor in here for all I know. I also found it kind of interesting that this was a solo album by a Wu Tang member, but features a ton of Wu Tang members anyway. Is it really a solo album then? I don't know. I couldn't get into this. Doesn't mean it was bad, it's just my experience. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Incarcerated Scarfaces, Guillotine (Swordz)
I've made peace with the fact that I will never be able to appreciate hip-hop for as long as I live, though I do have somewhat of a respect for the 90s stuff. My passing impression of contemporary hip-hop and it's adjacent genres has been that both styles of music are very feminised and neutered, with there being very little of a semblance to the older stuff beyond the vague notions of hedonism and staunch manliness. Say what I will about this album, but I can respect that it at least has the balls to be outwardly anti-white and homophobic rather than hiding it behind 50-minute psychological, slowburn racially-conscious critiques or whatever. The "skits" that were present on hip-hop albums throughout the 90s and 2000s are interesting to me. I may have mentioned it in one of my other reviews, but I wonder if it's a ploy to establish more of an identity for the artists behind these albums. Hip-hop artists seem to have a very ephemeral appeal, with most noteworthy artists having one big, critically-acclaimed album to their name and nothing else. If I'm to give one bit of praise to this album, it would be that the instrumentals are competent on the whole. Very threadbare and unambitious, but I could appreciate most of them.
ruim. só ruim.
Otro grupo de Rap de los 90 que no conozco de nada. En España hubo un poco de margen con Radio3 y la MTV, cuando dejé de tener acceso a eso me desconecté del género. Recuperar esa época es de lo mejor de estar escuchando esta lista. Al final se me ha hecho largo, alguna canción está bien pero se va a quedar en 2 estrellas.
Diluted.
We’ve had a fair bit of hip hop now and this has been the weakest. I enjoy wu tang but the lyrics were aggressive, it was repetitive and long. Rainy days and ice cream were highlights
Couldn't finish this. It may be a classic rap album, but I hated it.
not my style of rap
Wu-Tang Clan is one of my favorite musical collectives of all time. When the gang are together, they make magic. I can even get down with their solo works. Method Man, ODB, Ghostface and the RZA have all recorded classics in their own right, but something about Raekwon just doesn’t connect with me. Even the RZA isn’t at his best here, but even him at his most mid is better than most other 90s rap producers. Of all the other Wu members, Raekwon seems to take himself the most serious. Method and OBD were more experimental, while Raekwon focuses on being hardcore. Honestly, it’s a disappointment. 2.5/5
No soy tan fan del rap tan crudo
Meh.
It was okay
18 songs, all with an E for explicit, so takes it out of the home cooking slot
not generally my jam for rap, but overall decent enough sound. Maybe 2.5
Just not my cup of tea...
Just... whatever I guess. Not really something I was impacted by. It's long? And okay???
not for me
This is one of those that isn’t my sort of music, but I can see the quality in it.
I feel like this is another one where, although it clearly shows skill and is very well done, its just not for me. Sorry Raekwon.
ripetitivo fino alla nausea, uno di quelli di cui proprio non capisco l’importanza
Gangsta rap as a genre is a relentless assault on the senses, more for the lyrical content than the music. This album from Wu Tang Clan alumnus Raekwon has some good points - the track Rainy Day featuring vocals by Candi Lindsay (aka Blue Raspberry) is gorgeous and the John Wu samples are always fun. However, the between track recordings of (apparently unscripted) conversations are hard to listen to. It’s a grim lifestyle with only one way out.
With Lenneth’s stance on swearing I’m over the moon he didn’t listen to this. I never would have heard the end of it! 2.4
Not for me.
Mir ist das zu aggressiv. Heute habe ich nicht den Nerv dafür.
This passed me by without anything grabbing my ear
Hip-Hop.
I don't know man, it's either this album isn't for me or it just sounds pretty bad, there's one song I at least like but forgot the name of it.
I'm probably not doing this album justice, but this genre of music does very little for me. I've heard a lot worse than this and it's put together well enough for this style of music, just really not my thing.
Hip-Hop / Gangsta Rap - not too bad, sounds like a film soundtrack, but at the end of the day, it's still Hip-Hop / Rap.
Ik ben geen rap fan. Dit album heeft wel leuke beats en leuke melodie, maar het is ook niet iets wat ik graag zou luisteren. **
Not without merit but not my jam.
I can imagine this growing on me with concerted listening, jury’s out.
I wanted to like it but I found it pretty impenetrable, like so much of RZA produced stuff from these earlier years. Ice cream and Wu-gambinos (particularly the RZA verse) stood out, and the skit about how to dye your clarks wallabees was pretty funny.
I respect Wu Tang Clan, but this was just dull and boring.
Good 90s rap. Just not something I think I'll turn back to much.
Bastante monótono.
Reviews set me up with low expectations. I'd say it hit this. The music and flow were not bad. But lyrics and tone are just another gang and drug glorifying derivative of the genre Dre and Snoop made famous in the 90s. Nothing stands out as worth hearing a second time.
A bummer - was excited to hear this and it was just meh. 2/5
I did not connect with the music. I did not enjoy the interludes. This album just wasn't for me.
Not one of my favorite Wu members solo records (hard to say solo when Ghostface is in basically every track). I know this is considered to be one of the best but I find it boring, overlong, and the production is muddy. Just not for me.
Not for me; crass language, and the music was boring.
Yo, son. I did not like this album. Know what I'm sayin'?
ikke min smag
I focussed on the beats, not so much on the lyrics. A head nod of album. I looked bloody ridiculous in doing so, wearing my wfh clothes.
Ça fesait un boutte qu’on m’avait généré du Hip-Hop, je commençais à être un peu tanné des albums rock psychédéliques. Hélas! Quand j’ai vu qu’il avait été créé par des membres du Wu Tang Clan, j’ai tout de suite regretté ce que je venais de dire
Of the various Wu-Tang adjacent albums on this list, this seems to be the most uninteresting. The misogyny and homophobia are additional turn-offs.
Nope, stopped in the middle, not for me... Did not hate it, but it's just boring and I will never listen to it again.
Rap
Damn hip hop is one of the worst genres when it comes to bloat. Is your ego so big you think all of this shit deserves to be on an album? A handful of decent beats surrounded by shit along with shit lyrics raining down Rating: 1.6
Mostly unmemorable, sometimes annoying
Not my jam.
Inner city woes with old school beats.
Gets pretty monotonous. Like repeating piano themes but with zero variation.
Not my kind of music. Liked the beat of it though.
While some of the samples are nice, this is... Like, come on, I am a well-functioning adult. I don't have time for this.
Für Rap gut, aber nicht meine Musikrichtung 2/5