30 years ago today, one of the greatest conceptual albums in Hip Hop history dropped. Raekwon the Chef released his solo debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, co-starring his Wu-Tang brother-in-arms, Ghostface Killah aka Tony Starks.
Released on Loud/RCA Records and produced entirely by The Abbott himself, RZA, the album came in a purple cassette shell that gave rise to its legendary nickname, The Purple Tape. Its influence on other classic LPs of the era, such as Reasonable Doubt by Jay-Z and It Was Written by Nas, can’t be overstated. With cinematic mafia themes, high-end champagne references like Cristal, and the profound usage of the 5% Nation’s teachings, Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet, Raekwon and Ghost built a lyrical world that felt larger than life.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx also marked the debut of the Wu-Tang Clan’s aliases: RZA as Bobby Steels, Ghost as Tony Starks, Inspectah Deck as Rollie Fingers, Method Man as Johnny Blaze, Masta Killa as Noodles, GZA as Maximilian, and Rae as Lou Diamonds. Collectively, they were the “Wu-Gambinos,” named after the classic posse cut on the album’s 16th track.
With a cinematic feel drawn heavily from samples of John Woo’s The Killer, the Four-and-a-Half Mic classic (per The Source, written by Nicholas Poluhoff) played like a movie on wax. It spawned timeless singles like the street anthem “Criminology,” the smooth and sultry “Ice Cream,” and “Glaciers of Ice”—an inspirational track that still gives chills. The album also included the controversial “Shark N****s (Biters),” where Ghost took a subliminal shot at The Notorious B.I.G. over his use of a child photo for Ready to Die, claiming he bit Nas’ Illmatic concept.
It all wraps with a heartfelt build from the late Popa Wu aka Freedum Allah on “North Star (Jewels),” reflecting on Rae’s journey from a life of crime to divine elevation.
This platinum-selling gem is required listening for all true Hip Hop fans, aficionados, and historians. Salute to Rae, Ghost, RZA, and the entire Wu-Tang Clan for gifting the world Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. We will always be in your debt for The Purple Tape.