The GZA is the latest rapper to feature on a single from a Converse EP. It sees the Genius team up with Sweet Valley, and it sounds nice. Listen on the link below.
Listen here.
Category: Wu-Tang Clan
Czarface – ‘Sgt Slaughter’
If you still need convincing that the new Every Hero Needs a Villain album from Czarface (7L & Esoteric, Inspectah Deck) is dope, then this video for Sgt Slaughter will definitely sway you over towards the dark side. Picking up from where the video for The Great (Czar Guitar) ended, its another crazy-as-fuck flick, and you can watch it below.
Ghostface Killah – ’12 Reasons to Die II’ (stream)
The New York Times has bagged early streaming of the new Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge album 12 Reasons to Die II, and you can hear it on the link below. It’s thick with RZA and Raekwon features, making this a proper Wu-Tang Clan family affair, and it sounds pretty good. Hit the link below to hear for yourself.
Listen here.
Slept-on albums in retrospect: Raekwon’s – ‘Immobilarity’
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx was always going to be difficult to top, even for one of the best artists amongst the nine men that made up the Wu-Tang Clan. By 1999, the world had already been blessed not just with Raekwon’s classic debut some four years previously, but also superior albums from Ghostface Killah, GZA, Old Dirty Bastard, Method Man and Cappadonna. The pressure on Rae to turn-in something as good as his debut must have been thick, even if no one dared to mention it.
When Immobilarity did drop, it was given something of a lukewarm reception from fans and critics alike. Listen again in 2015 however, and its actually a pretty good album, and arguably better than the genuinely disappointing proper sequel to the classic debut, 2009’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II.
What seemed to bug people most at the time was how little this seemed like the other Wu-Tang solo albums so far. There are no guest spots from Ghostface, and in fact Method Man and Masta Killa are the only two official clansmen to appear. And perhaps most noticeably of all, there are no beats by RZA.
Looking back, this was actually a good thing. A lack of guests gave Rae the space needed to focus, and write with enough confidence and weight to carry entire tracks on his own, the way that Ghost has always been able to.
Moving from RZA production also added some variety, away from the occasionally stale beats that he was sometimes guilty of making, even if the little-known producers on the album were usually just trying to ape his style. Its no coincidence that the nicest beat is the Pete Rock produced Sneakers, hinting for the first time just how good Rae sounded over beats from skilled beatmakers outside of RZA. By Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II, the line-up of producers had become diverse enough to include everyone from Dr Dre to J Dilla, via Erick Sermon, Alchemist, Marley Marl and more.
Other standout tracks include Friday, My Favorite Dred and Live From NY, each of them filled with the same vivid imagery that helped maintain Rae’s reputation as one of the best storytellers in the game.
If you slept on this album in 2009, dust it off and have another listen. You’ll be surprised at how good it sounds.
Czarface – ‘The Great (Czar Guitar)’
We finally got our grimy little hands on the brilliant Czarface Every Hero Needs A Villain CD boxset this week, and it looks as good as it sounds. The album is officially now out, and the supreme team of 7L & Esoteric and Inspectah Deck are keeping the momentum going with a video for The Great (Czar Guitar), which you can watch below.Ghostface Killah – ‘Let The Record Spin’ feat. Raekwon
Ghost Deini is back with another single from Twelve Reasons to Die II, his upcoming sequel album with Adrian Younge. Its all the better for featuring Raekwon, but actually a little dull overall. See what you think by checking it out on the link below.
http://www.audiomack.com/embed4-large/2dbz/let-the-record-spin
Killah Priest – ‘Planet of The Gods’
Wu-Tang Clan affiliate and Sunz of Man rapper Killah Priest has always been pretty out there, but he’s gone way, way out there on new album Planet of The Gods. It gets a little boring, but is still worth a listen. Stream the whole thing below.
Czarface – ‘Nightcrawler’ feat. Method Man
Czarface (7L & Esoteric and Inspectah Deck) have invited fellow Wu-Tang legend Method Man along for the ride on new track Nightcrawler. It’s from the much-anticipated Every Hero Needs A Villain album, which is set to drop on June 16, and you can listen on the link below.
http://www.audiomack.com/embed4-large/2dbz/nightcrawler
Killah Priest – ‘Alien Stars’
After yesterday’s new video from 9th Prince, there’s more Wu-Tang Clan family action thanks to new single Alien Stars from Killah Priest. Its from his Planet of the Gods album, and you cak hear it on the link below.
Listen here.
9th Prince – ‘The Pugalist’
Wu-Tang Clan/Killarmy representer 9th Prince (aka the younger brother of the RZA) is gearing up for the release of new album Shaolin Prince with a video for single The Pugilist. Its somewhat stuck in a Wu time warp, but still worth a look. Watch below, and look out for that album.