Disco de Wu-Tang Clan: “W [Clean]”

Alright, I went out last night and bought this in freezing cold NY at midnight. It was worth it. My friend and I were on the subway laughing, knowing we were about to hear new Wu for the first time in three years. Now, for those of you expecting something like 36 Chambers you will be surprised. Unlike most hip hop acts, the Wu are driven by their producer. RZA has developed his style and has begun to transcend the traditional "limits" of the hip hop song. It was obvious by his work on Supreme Clientele, that he was not on the same "Wu-style" that had become so easy to recognize. However, I had no idea how far he was willing to go in his growth as a musician. The MCing on this album is also amazing. Rae, RZA, Meth, Nas, Red, and a little sprinkling of ODB's special blend of herbs and spices make for solid, solid mic work. The real standout (and , in my opinion, the sharpest in the whole Clan) is Ghost. GHOST HAS CHANGED THE RULES. Like RZA (on the production side), Ghostface has developed even further - he is miles ahead of ALL other MCs. His delivery is unorthodox by rap standards and far more expressive than the thuggy, monotone style employed by garden variety Mic Checkers. The version of The Jump Off is different than the single - it's better. Let My Niggas Live finds Nas Illmatic again (finally) and is probably his best song in years. Careful (Click, Click)is brutal - like mood music from some super grimy movie. I would do this track by track, but it would turn into me saying "bang" over and over. After only holding this for 16 hours, my favorites are Jah World, I Can't Go To Sleep and Hollow Bones. Conditioner may be the most interesting of all tracks, the listener finds a CLEAN AND SOBER DIRTY (it sounds like he actually wrote this down before recording) at the top of his game. In fact, one of my only gripes about The W is that Dirty is only on this one song(obviously this isn't by choice). The W is nothing like any other Wu product. It sounds like RZA did a solo album with guests all over it - there is no feeling of a group effort. This is a special album nonetheless - even the perpetually weak U-God sounds good! I know a lot of kids won't like this because it's so different, but MUSIC fans of every stripe will. If I wasn't still stuck on the new Sade and PJ Harvey albums, The W would be taking up residence in my CD player for an extended period with NO COMPETITION.

The Wu-Tang Clan returns on their third official album, The W. Unlike their previous album, Wu-Tang Forever, which was a sprawling two-disk set, The W is a single disk, thirteen song affair that still allows enough space for all the Wu's MC's to flow as well as include numerous guests. Method Man cohort Redman appears on the psychotic "Redbull" and reggae star Junior Reid provides his gruff styling on the Wu unity anthem "One Blood Under W" and the album's closer the hopeful "Jah World". Nas appears on "Let My Niggas Live" and Snoop Dogg trades verses with ODB on "Conditioner". Unfortunately due to his iron vacation, ODB could only provide his manic flows to the one track. "I Can't Go To Sleep" features Isaac Hayes and samples his powerful version of "Walk On By". The song is a great effort with a sultry rap from Mr. Hayes and impassioned verses from Ghostface Killah. RZA lays down some of his best beats especially on the tight "Hollow Bones" and "Do You Really (Thang, Thang)" which may be the best track on the album. All the Wu MC's, U-God, Method Man, Raekwon, Cappadonna, GZA, Inspecta Deck & Ghostface Killah, show why they are best crew in hip hop. The W is a great album and welcome release in a dry spell for hip hop.

The above title stems from The RZA'a proclamation on 1997's Wu-Tang Forever (Disc 2-"Bells Of War"), when he states "the next Wu-Tang album isn't gonna come out till 2000...It's gonna strike like a commet). After one listen to The W, you can tell that these cats were out to prove something: that they never fell off. Many fans say that The W is their most commercial album as a unit, but that doesn't really have to be a bad thing. For the first time, Wu-Tang experimented by adding special guest appearances outside of the Wu family (Redman, Junior Reid, Snoop Dogg, Nas, Isaac Hayes, and Busta Rhymes). The results were pretty good. The thing is that the fans wanted another 36 Chambers, and that can never happen because a classic can never be duplicated, but an artist(s) can always make another classic (but not the same type of classic twice). The W is not a classic but it is not a bad album neither. The sinlgles are hot: "Protect Ya Neck" (The Jumpoff), "Gravel Pit" featuring Majestic on the vocals (the same chick who appeared on Ghostface's "Cherchez LaGhost"), "Careful", and "I Can't Go To Sleep" featuring Isaac Hayes. The bad thing about the album is that ODB only appeared on one song ("Conditioner" featuring Snoop Dogg) due to the fact that he was incarserated at the time. The W met Wu-Tang's goals of accomlishment, as it went 2X platinum quickly, and got the mainstream and hip-hop fans alike talking about Wu-Tang again (which began earlier in 2000 after Ghostface released the classic Supreme Clientele). The Wu didn't return to their former spot as hip-hop's favorite sons, but returned to the top nonetheless. However, would they stay at the top for long? Stay tuned....

Wu-Tang Clan's third effort is an hour-long album worth every penny. RZA is once again doing the beats for the album. The beats are trademark great, short loops with samples, strange effects and also piano and violin sounds here and there in perfect combination as only RZA can. The W features also few guests who contibute nicely to the album. 'Conditioner' is the only track in the album featuring ODB as he teams up with Snoop. The chorus of the song sticks like a glue with ODB rhymin 'MC conditioner, U could never say this boy's a amateur'. One of the quests featured is good old Isaac Hayes who appers in my mind on one of the best tracks of the album 'I Can't Go To Sleep' mixing in perfecly with the Clan. There's also one extra track in the end of the album. Because the album is only an hour long, it's a tight package of Wu-Tang Clan at it's prime again. Definitely one of the albums of the year, if not THE album.

Ever since the last Wu classic, Ghost Face's "Supreme Clientele", where fans were introduced to a "new and improved Wu Tang style", the anticipation has risen for the clans return, entitled, "THE W." The opus begins with the banger; "Chamber Music" where Rza production blends in with Rae and Meth's blazin flux. On, "Careful (click,click)" Rza's beat bangs harder than Shaq in the post, and everyone comes correct, even Cappadonna. "Hollow Bones" is a great track, with Rae and Ghost doin it Cuban Link style. On, "Protect ya Neck II (the jump off)" and "Do You Really" the WU takes a more commercial approach, which is good and the rhymes are still hard and raw. There is one somber moment though, the cluttered "Conditioner", ODB's only appearance is a let down and Snoop does nothing for the track. The best gems of this raw diamond are; "Gravel Pit", "Let My Niggaz Live" (Rae and Nas tear this track up, and god this bumps), "The Monument", and the Redman/Meth/Deck "Redbull." Also, there is some major creativity where new songs begin after songs end, and the reggae enspired "One Blood Under W" is a certified gem. "I cant go to Sleep" is a very innovative and poignant track, in which GhostFace pours all his soul over the track and Issac Hayes (yes, you damn right) is dubious on the chorus. In a word this is better than "Wu Tang Forever" by a hair, and is the best hip-hop album since "Chronic 2001." WU WU WU WU WU.......