Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientele (Repress) (CD)

Most of the members of rap's Roman Empire, the Wu-Tang Clan, experienced sophomore slumps with their second solo releases, whether artistically or commercially (usually both). The second offerings from Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, GZA, and Raekwon featured some of the old Wu magic, but not enough to warrant a claim to their once total mastery of the rap game. Just as the Wu empire appeared to be crumbling, along came the second installment from the Clan's spitfire element, Ghostface Killah (aka Tony Starks, aka Ironman). Every bit as good as his first release, Supreme Clientele proves Ghost's worthiness of the Ironman moniker by deftly overcoming trendiness to produce an authentic sound in hip-hop's age of bland parity. Some of the Wu's slump could be contributed to Wu-Abbott's (aka RZA) relative sabbatical. This album has RZA's stamp all over it, but the guru himself only provides three tracks. On this effort, the Wu-Pupil producers at times seem to outdo their teacher. RZA's best composition is the piano-driven, double-entendre-laced childhood retrospective "Child's Play." But of the many standout cuts, it's the slew of disciple producers paying homage to the Wu legacy that truly makes this album fresh-sounding: "Apollo Kids" (Hassan), "Malcolm" (Choo the Specialist), "Saturday Nite" (Carlos "Six July" Broady), "One" (JuJu of the Beatnuts), "Cherchez la Ghost" (Carlos Bess), "Wu Banga 101" (Allah Mathematics). While the album is complete and characteristically Wu-sounding, each track is distinctive lyrically, thematically, and sonically. Ghostface's Supreme Clientele is a step toward the Wu-Tang Clan's ascent from the ashes of their fallen kingdom. The once slumbering Wu-Tang strikes again.
 
 FORMAT: Compact Disc
 CONDITION: Brand New
 GENRE:  Rap / Hip Hop
 UPC:  886978813824
 LABEL:  Epic
 NO. OF DISCS:  1
 
 TRACKLIST:
 01 Iron’s Theme (Intro)
 02 Nutmeg (feat. RZA)
 03 One
 04 Saturday Nite
 05 Ghost Deini (feat. Superb)
 06 Apollo Kids (feat. Raekwon)
 07 The Grain (feat. RZA)
 08 Buck 50 (feat. Cappadonna, Method Man, Masta Killah & Redman)
 09 Mighty Healthy
 10 Woodrow The Basehead
 11 Stay True (feat. 60 Second Assassin)
 12 We Made It (feat. Superb)
 13 Stroke Of Death (feat. RZA & Solomon Childs)
 14 Iron’s Theme (Intermission)
 15 Malcolm
 16 Who Would You Ghost
 17 Childs Play
 18 Cherchez Laghost (feat. U-God)
 19 Wu Banga 101 (feat. Cappadonna, GZA, Masta Killa & Raekwon)