New York veteran Ghostface Killah of the almighty Wu-Tang Clan with his 17th solo LP. One of hip hop’s most prolific storytellers & easily the most consistent member of the Clan exemplified by Ironman, Supreme Clientele, FishScale, Apollo Kids, 12 Reasons to Die & Sour Soul just to name a few. Ghostface Killahs in the fall of 2019 stands as one of the only few duds in his discography along with More Fish & the Mass Appeal Records debut Set the Tone (Guns & Roses), continuing the Legend Has It series with Supreme Clientele 2 finally seeing the light of day.
After the Redman intro, the first song “Iron Man” opens with a boom bap instrumental talking about having Wall Street bugging over helium stocks whereas “Sample 420” featuring M.O.P. sees the trio coming together for a fly gangsta rap cut. “Curtis May” featuring Conway the Machine & Styles P talks about their bars being prescribed out here like it’s medicine while “4th Disciple” dustily tells the story of a homie of his losing his life in a shootout.
“Windows” embraces a more soulful direction stylistically talking about his crew mobbin’ & him dartin’ but after the “Pause” skit, “Georgy Porgy” exuberantly clarifies that he ain’t here to play no games. After the “Force MD” skit, “Break Beats” jazzily flexes that he can get right with God & go back to Hell just before the funky “Beat Box” talks about a shawty who happens to be in her own lane.
Scram Jones producing the lead single “Rap Kingpin” sampling “My Melody” by Eric B. & Rakim for a sequel to “Mighty Healthy” while “The Trial” featuring GZA, Method Man, Pillz, Raekwon & Reek da Villain after the “Sale of the Century” skit vividly portrays themselves in a courtroom with a judge. Nas joins Starks for the soulful “Love Me Anymore” talks about how foul people can be while the crooning “Soul Thang” featuring DriZ, Iceman, Pillz, NEMS, Reek da Villian, Supreme-Intelligence & Sun God finds everyone going back-&-forth with one another.
“Metaphysics” was a tight remix to “Typhoon Rap” by Meyhem Lauren featuring Action Bronson while the soulful “Candyland” unpacks tons of candy & drug wordplay. After the “Lenny Green” skit, “The Zoom” combines jazz rap & chipmunk soul for a passionate love ballad & the final song “You Ma Friend” featuring Method Man ahead of the “Knuckles” outro finishes with an ode to friendship.
The 3rd entry in the Legend Has It saga & the Yapp City Records founder’s 2nd offering under the Mass Appeal umbrella redeems Ghostface Killah from the mediocrity of Ghostface Killahs & Set the Tone (Guns & Roses) by presenting itself as an echo of a chamber that never dosed although I’d prefer both Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, Pt. II & Muddy Waters 2 when discussing sequel albums. One of hip hop’s greatest storytellers who’s seen it all & lived it twice feels more like his vintage self than his last couple albums except he’s sharper, looser, freer & finding new ways to flip the script.
Score: 8/10