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Rating Scale
Score Meanings :
10 Flawless. A must purchase.
9.0 Excellent
8.0 Very good
7.0 A nice piece of music
6.0 Above average
5.0 Average
4.0 Flawed
3.0 Pretty shit.
2.0 A hint of quality.
1.0 Pitiful
0.0 Plain wack.

7/10 Wu-Tang Clan – The W

We’ve come to expect a lot from Wu-Tang since they have dropped classic albums like Enter The Wu-Tang, Only Built for Cuban Linx, Liquid Swordz, Tical, etc. We were all accustom to their underground kung-fu style of rap until the release of Wu-Tang forever back in ’97. Since the release of Wu-Forever we haven’t seen or heard the old and good style, which made wu-tang unique. A lot of people have been hatin on wu since they have released so many solo albums since wu-tang forever and none with the same flavor of back in the day of 93-96. Up until the release of Supreme Clientele many people were starting to give up on wu, but with the release of supreme clientele everyone saw that there was hope for wu to return to their old style. The W was kind of Do or Die album for wu-fans. Meaning that the release of The W was a last straw for fans, if wu did not turn back to the style, which we love, then you could say that the wu-saga could be over. Here is a track by track review….

Intro (Shoalin Finger Jab) – This Intro sets a good pace for the album and has everyone believing that the wu has gone back to the 36 Chambers Style. 9/10

Chamber Music – In flash the new wu-cd has begun and Method Man yells “We’re Back!”, Raekwon drops the first verse for the album followed by GZA, Method Man and Masta Killah with Method doin’ the Chorus. The beat is hella tight, but not the type of beat you would likely find out enter the wu, but the beat and the track is made for the streets and has you thinking that Wu are back to take over hip hop once again. To me this track is easily within the top 3 tracks off the album. The only problem is that it should have featured more members. 9/10

Careful (Click, Click) – When you first see the title of this track you think that it has to be one of the weirdest titles for song. The beat is nice, but it seems over produced and way to many noises and shit going on in the background. I don’t mind the track, but it just doesn’t seem like something wu would do. Inspectah Deck drops the tightest verse on the track. 6/10 because of the wack hook (something in the back went clack clack ???) and all the shit that is going on in the background.

Hollow Bones – What the Fuck is up with that guy in the background? This track is so goddamn annoying to listen too. The Rhymes are all on point by Raekwon, Deck, and Ghost and the chorus by that girl is pretty tight as well. This is the type of track you will listen to once or twice and never listen to it again. The beat isn’t great and that fucking guy in the background will piss the hell out of you by the end of the track. 3/10

Redbull (ft. Redman) – With all the guest appearances on the album redman would make the most sense being on the album since he made an album with method man. This is the type of track you will keep playing over and over cause the rhymes are all dope and on point and the beat is tight. This track features Redman, Method Man, Inspectah Deck and Raekwon. Redbull is another track that is easily placed in the top 3 tracks of the album. 10/10

One Blood Under W (ft. Junior Reid) – On this album its Masta Killah who gets the solo joint. The beat intro is ill to the track and its good all the way through. The beat is like some James Bond shit or something. For the most part I like the reggae singing, except when he sings One Blood, it gets annoying after a while. Masta Killah flows well with the beat but still could improve and his lyrics come on point. 7/10

Conditioner (ft. Snoop Dogg) – I really dislike Snoop Dogg and I was pissed off when I found out he was on the LP. This is also the only track with Ol’ Dirty Bastard and there is no other wu-members! What the Fuck! I don’t mind the track but I couldn’t believe that there was only ODB and Snoop on the track and it’s the only ODB appearance on the album. It’s all good though because of the GZA freestyle at the end of the song. God damn GZA got tight lyrics, I guess you now know why he is called the Genius if you have heard this freestyle. Without the GZA freestyle at the end this track would get 5.5/10 but since the GZA does freestyle it gets a 7/10.

Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off) – The first single off the album and also carries the name (Protect Ya Neck) off wu-tang’s first ever single. If you have heard Protect Ya Neck the first version from Enter the Wu you will realize that they rhyme in the same order except Cappadonna replaces Ol’ Dirty. On the Canadian version the beat changes up after ghostface is done his verse. I actually like the beat better because it sounds a lot less commerical. This is a good track but should have had Ol’Dirty in it even if it was the same verse from the first Protect Ya Neck. 8/10

Let My Niggas Live (ft. Nas) – This track sounds like it could have come straight off the Only Built for Cuban Linx Album. Although it is not as good as Verbal Intercourse, its still a tight track and it is a stand out track on the album. The track features Raekwon, Nas and Inspectah Deck. Deck is tight in the track, but Ghostface should have been in it instead of Deck. Dispite tight verses by Rae and Deck, Nas steals the show for this track. 8.5/10

I Can’t Go To Sleep (ft. Isaac Hayes) – This is another stand out track on the album. It could have easily been called Tearz 2000 (referring to Tearz from Enter The WU) since the track only features Ghostface and RZA who rap about violence and death and Isaac Hayes is on the track to add some vocals. This track could have also fit perfectly on the Supreme Clientele LP. 9/10

Do You Really (Thang, Thang) (ft. Streetlife) – The only track that isn’t produced by RZA is produced by DJ Allah Mathematics. The beat is some what commerical type but overall it’s a good track. Method handels the chorus and drops a verse while Streetlife and Deck also drop a verse which are both dope. The RZA does a bit of a freestyle at the end of the track which is alright. 7.5/10

The Monument (ft. Busta Rhymes) – I’m not a big fan of Busta Bust but I did like the Heist by busta ft. ghost and Rae. This is not a bad track and whats best about it is the beat switches for everyone that rhymes on the track and the beat still seems to go together well. You would have thought that this track would have had Ghostface and Raekwon on it for sure, but its Busta Rhymes, Raekwon and GZA. I would have rather have seen Busta Rhymes return the favor to Rae and Ghost by appear on their Cuban Linx 2001 album. 7/10

Gravel Pit – This is also a weird ass name for a song. However, it is a pretty good track, and the fast style of rhyming isnt that bad but the track sounds really commerical. The beat is good as well as the rhymes and the video is dope as well! The track features RZA, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and U-God. 7/10

Jah World (ft. Junior Reid) – When I first heard this track I could have sworn my CD player changed back to the track I Can’t Go To Sleep until I heard the Reggae singing by Junior Reid. The beat is similar to I Can’t Go To Sleep and also only features Ghostface and RZA. I prefer I can’t go to Sleep. At the end of this song there is a bonus track called Clap. Clap is an ok track, not bad but not great but it does have a nice beat and starts off good with Raekwon but it starts to suck with the Chorus of ‘Clap’. The track features Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, RZA. Jah World – 7/10 and Clap 7.5/10

All in all this is not a bad hip-hop album coparied to all that bullshit we hear now a days, but we’ve also come to except better from the Wu. I feel that the album was a bit rushed at some points and they should have taken their time and made another hip hop classic. Problems with the album are its way to short 13 tracks that run for a total of 45 minutes! I don’t know how that happens since they are a group of 10 mc’s and there was a lot of guest appearances as well. That’s another problem, to many guest appearances, I can understand why Redman would be on the album and Nas hasn’t done any work with wu-members since ’95, Busta Rhymes shouldn’t have been on the Wu-Tang album but on the Cuban Linx 2001 album and why snoop dogg is on the album is beyond me. There is also only two verses by Cappadonna and only one by ODB, there also seems to be little rhymes done by RZA and even U-God. I was happen to see that Cappadonna is atleast in the pictures with the rest of the wu and the track listings don’t say featuring Cappadonna. Its hard to tell if the album will convince wu-fans that wu can rule hip-hop again or if they are over the hill. I think that they could have made a lot better album, and its way too short and leaves the listener wanting more.

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Page Updated Mon Dec 4, 2000 2:56pm EST