After numerous setbacks to this project – the new album from Wu Tang members Ghostface, Raekwon, and Method Man “Wu Massacre” is set to drop next week on 30th March 2010, and on the 5th April here in the UK. There have been a number of rumours surrounding the release of the album; most notably the future of the Wu Tang Clan as internet sources claimed Meth, Ghost and Rae were looking for fans to come up with a new name for the trio. These claims have since been refuted in recent weeks by Ghostface Killah in Rap Radar “We not a group. We already in Wu-Tang. So it’s not like we trying to start a group. We don’t need that” and further by Method Man in this month’s Source.
It is without question that Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon are the Wu Tang’s most successful members. Since the 2007 commercial failure of “8 Diagrams” there was no doubt, worries by many within the hip hop community that thought this album would never officially see the light of day. However with the numerous leaks on the net of exclusive artwork, track listings and videos it is safe to say the Def Jam machine has been in force to make sure this album is received well
The artwork by Marvel artist Chris Bachalo is great and there are 4 exclusive designs, the fist features all three artists and there are 3 covers with each of the individual artists on their own, I’m sure there will be a few Wu fans out there who will by this album 4 times just to own these exclusive copies. I’m sure “Ghostface Killah Doll” owners will be wanting a version of him in his Wu Massacre gear…
The lead single from the album is “Our Dreams” which samples Michael Jackson’s “We’re Almost There”. Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon tear into this track with their usual ferocity, if I have to pick a hole in this one I thought the transitions from the hooks to the verses were a little rough, but this is classic RZA production, and the only track he has contributed to the project. The video to the track is great and has clearly had a serious budget to give this lead single a touch of class.
My favourite tracks on the album have to be “Gun Showers”; this really is an Old Skool Wu Tang banger as the album’s trio are joined on the mic by Sun God and Inspektah Deck. All the emcee’s hold it down on this with Method Man leading the way with his usual swagger and the beats are your soul filled fodder that the Wu Tang Clan are well known for. My other personal favourite has to be “Miranda” with RZA’s protégé Allah Mathematics dropping a chilled out beat as Rae, Meth and Ghost get their story telling vibe on as they lay it down.
At times the album does seem a little patched together as there are tracks I’m sure were ear-marked for solo projects that have found their way onto here, but overall this is a solid album and a creatively superior album to “8 Diagrams”, definitely one for an avid hip hop head to own.
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I’m Ghostfaced up, military style down!!