Rating: NNNN
Dr. Dre has a line on Syllables, an Eminem song that recently leaked, about how veteran rappers are the best part of hip-hop these days.
While it’s a standard “I started this gangsta shit” Dre-ism, it’s an accurate observation when you consider Em and Jay-Z’s dominance, the sustained excitement for Detox, and Raekwon’s comeback.
Ghostface Killah’s latest adds to rap’s hungry-veteran canon, reflecting the Wu-Tang Clan’s recommitment to 36 Chambers-style production: a cavalcade of soulful chants, powerful funk breaks, red-lining horns, mean guitar lines. After a softer turn on his “R&B album,” Ghostdini, Killah brings a lyrical ruckus as twisted and energetic as ever, and guests like Redman, Busta Rhymes and The Game follow suit.
If you still have a stomach for violent, vulgar content, this is recommended.
Top track: In The Park feat. Black Thought