I've recently realized that the only music worth listening to is Wu-Tang, so I thought I'd go ahead and list the best tracks from the best Wu solo albums. Unless you're a j double O, you should just go ahead and buy each of these albums. In the event that you are of that persuasion, here are the tracks that you have to buy, as well as my other favorites.
The only album where GZA got the beats he deserves; it's a shame that the days of having an album produced by one person are long gone (the last song wasn't produced by RZA, but I'm excluding it since it's a Killah Priest solo track. Don't ask me why it's on this album). If you don't already have Liquid Swords, go buy it now. Some of RZA's most atmospheric and dark beats, and GZA back before he started talking instead of rapping (read: before he gave up weed)
Tracks you should already have, but probably don't:
4th Chamber - GZA's finest.
Duel of the Iron Mic - GZA and Deck rip shit with Dirt McGirt on the chorus
Shadowboxin' - Meth outdoes GZA on this one, but both go hard as fuck.
Cold World
Liquid Swords - "he was the greatest samurai in the Empire... and he was the shogun's decapitator. He cut off the head's of a hundred and thirty one lords..."
My other favies:
Living In The World Today - My personal favorite GZA track. "Punk n****z shatter like a glass jar: break 'em"
Swordsman
Gold
I Gotcha' Back - "My lifestyle was so far from well / Coulda wrote a book with a title 'Age 12 and goin through hell'" Also, the Shogun Assassin clip at the end is hilarious.
Labels - The first - and best - of GZA's themed songs. He spins verses using the names of different record labels on this one, hence the name "labels"...
annnd every other track. basically, buy this shit.
While Cuban Linx and Liquid Swords are widely considered the two best Wu solo outings, I personally think Clientele is just as good. It's also easily the best Wu album that isn't exclusively produced by RZA (Prince Rakeem only contributed 4 beats).
Highlights:
Buck 50 - Meth and Ghost spit fire, Cappa is okay, and then Redman finishes this one off strong: "Yo weed got more seeds than O.D.B."
Mighty Healthy - Mathematics on the beat... one of Ghost's best songs
One - Probably my personal favorite Ghost song. At least top 5.
Nutmeg - "Ayo, new Ghostface!"
Wu Banga 101 - The remix off Mathematics' "Wu-Tang & Friends: Unreleased" is dope as well
My other favorites:
Ghost Deini
We Made It
Stroke of Death - the beat will piss most people off, and it pissed me off at first, but I can't get enough of this shit now.
Apollo Kids
Child's Play
Malcolm
Aside from the interludes and skits, there's only 4 other songs on the album aside from the ones I listed, and none of them are bad, they're just not on the same level as the rest. So basically, buy this shit.
Rae does his thing (with significant help from Ghost) over RZA production... what more can you ask for. This is another album you have to own if you enjoy anything Wu. And you probably already knew this (if not, kill yourself), but if not, the sequel's comin' out 9/8/09.
Highlights:
Guillotine (Swordz) - Rae, Ghost, Deck and GZA over the same beat used in the Tical intro. Illness.
Incarcerated Scarfaces - One of the few Rae-only songs on the album, and boy is it good.
Rainy Dayz - Incredible beat, incredible rhymes.
Ice Cream - I don't really like this song. Most people do though.
Wu-Gambinos - Meth rips it, as do Ghost, Masta Killa and RZA
Criminology - Easily the best use of a Scarface sample in any rap song (sorry Geto Boys)
My other favies:
Ice Water - Love this beat.
Knuckleheadz - I love playing this song when I'm in somebody else's car, because they always think they're getting pulled over once the sirens start.
Heaven & Hell - Very chill way to end the album (North Star is technically a bonus track)
Wisdom Body - Rae doesn't even appear on this track, but it's okay because Ghost takes care of business.
Once again, do yourself a favor and go buy these.
Peace
