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Post by Pickled Egg on Apr 5, 2012 12:33:43 GMT -5
The GZA. Hands f***ing down.
Best lyrics, best solo album.
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Post by Clash, Never a Meter Maid on Apr 5, 2012 13:48:05 GMT -5
Letting Redman in wouldn't make any sense. He's from New Jersey, was well established before the Wu took off and was already a member of Hit Squad (and later Def Squad). It would be like when Snoop joined NWA for a week and hip-hop agreed to never speak of it again. It was on an episode of USA's Farmclub.com, I remember. And as for the poll, Ghostface.
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agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,264
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Post by agent817 on Apr 5, 2012 15:22:24 GMT -5
Letting Redman in wouldn't make any sense. He's from New Jersey, was well established before the Wu took off and was already a member of Hit Squad (and later Def Squad). It would be like when Snoop joined NWA for a week and hip-hop agreed to never speak of it again. Redman may collaborate with Meth a lot, but I don't even consider him to be a Wu affiliate like Killah Priest, Sunz of Man, Shyheim, Remedy, etc. Since you mentioned Snoop, I will always associate him with his own crew and that is the DPGC (Dogg Pound Gangsta Clique) and that has people like Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Nate Dogg (RIP), Warren G, etc. I just look at his part in that song Chin Check as a special appearance. Anyway, as for the poll itself, my main favorite is Ghostface Killah, though I do like listening to Method Man, Raekwon, and Inspectah Deck. I do like listening to the other 5 members, but those are the ones who I like to listen to the most.
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Post by Cyno on Apr 5, 2012 15:26:25 GMT -5
The RZA. Not the best rapper of the bunch, but everything else he does is genius. Then Ghostface Killah, Meth, GZA, and Deck.
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,988
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Post by chazraps on Apr 5, 2012 15:39:37 GMT -5
Everyone in this thread seriously needs to hear this album: It was the last Wu album to feature all 9 members and entirely classic in-house Wu Tang production. It's basically a curtain call for classic Wu.
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Post by Zabel Zarock on Apr 5, 2012 16:02:37 GMT -5
The GZA. Hands f***ing down. Best lyrics, best solo album. I love GZA, but best solo album? Over Tical? Over Fishscale, Supreme Clientele, and Iron Man? Only Built for Cuban Links?
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agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,264
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Post by agent817 on Apr 5, 2012 16:14:30 GMT -5
Everyone in this thread seriously needs to hear this album: It was the last Wu album to feature all 9 members and entirely classic in-house Wu Tang production. It's basically a curtain call for classic Wu. I have also read that Masta Killa was the last member to release an album. I believe that this album was released prior to ODB's death. Speaking of ODB, has anybody ever listened to "The Trials and Tribulations of Russell Jones"? I read that was actually released while he was locked up and it was considered a bootleg and had no RZA production or anything. I read that it doesn't count as an ODB album, almost like when a singer records demos and the company puts out an album that the singer didn't want released. If that's the case, then I consider "Return to the 36 Chambers" and "N***a Please" his actual albums.
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Celgress
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
The Superior One
Posts: 19,009
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Post by Celgress on Apr 5, 2012 16:38:29 GMT -5
Ghostface Killa
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,988
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Post by chazraps on Apr 5, 2012 16:38:49 GMT -5
Everyone in this thread seriously needs to hear this album: It was the last Wu album to feature all 9 members and entirely classic in-house Wu Tang production. It's basically a curtain call for classic Wu. I have also read that Masta Killa was the last member to release an album. I believe that this album was released prior to ODB's death. Speaking of ODB, has anybody ever listened to "The Trials and Tribulations of Russell Jones"? I read that was actually released while he was locked up and it was considered a bootleg and had no RZA production or anything. I read that it doesn't count as an ODB album, almost like when a singer records demos and the company puts out an album that the singer didn't want released. If that's the case, then I consider "Return to the 36 Chambers" and "N***a Please" his actual albums. Yeah, ODB had absolutely nothing to do with that album whatsoever. When someone went to interview him in prison on its release date, he had no idea what it or any of the songs were. I don't count it.
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,988
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Post by chazraps on Apr 5, 2012 16:41:13 GMT -5
The GZA. Hands f***ing down. Best lyrics, best solo album. I love GZA, but best solo album? Over Tical? Over Fishscale, Supreme Clientele, and Iron Man? Only Built for Cuban Links? Liquid Swords is EASILY better than Tical, and Fish Scale. Much more consistent, successful conceptually and innovative. It, Surpreme Clientele and the first Only Built are really the only three you can have in any 'Best Wu Solo Album' conversation. 'Ironman's' probably my favorite Wu solo album, but I can acknowledge what 'Only Built' and 'Liquid Swords' do more successfully.
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Squirrel Master
Hank Scorpio
"Then the Squirrel Master came out of left field and told me I'm his bitch!"
Posts: 6,648
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Post by Squirrel Master on Apr 5, 2012 17:25:54 GMT -5
FRANK STONEY
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dabossftw
Unicron
wants Yappapi in the proper position.
Posts: 2,581
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Post by dabossftw on Apr 5, 2012 21:19:15 GMT -5
Ghostface, then Meth.
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Post by Pickled Egg on Apr 6, 2012 2:26:07 GMT -5
The GZA. Hands f***ing down. Best lyrics, best solo album. I love GZA, but best solo album? Over Tical? Over Fishscale, Supreme Clientele, and Iron Man? Only Built for Cuban Links? Yes.
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agent817
Fry's dog Seymour
Doesn't Know Whose Ring It Is
Posts: 21,264
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Post by agent817 on Apr 6, 2012 6:43:08 GMT -5
I know some people don't really consider U-God the best rapper of the group, but I do think "Golden Arms Redemption" is his best album overall.
By the way, talking about GZA, what is your opinion on "Words From The Genius"?
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Post by Ronny Rayguns Is All Elite on Apr 6, 2012 10:44:51 GMT -5
Return to the 36 Chambers is my all time favorite Rap album, Ol Dirty gets the nod.
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Yami Daimao
Patti Mayonnaise
Really, really wants to zigazig ah!
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Post by Yami Daimao on Apr 6, 2012 19:49:31 GMT -5
GZA is tops. "Liquid Swords" and "Killah Hill" are absolutely brilliant. He's also the strongest narrative teller of the bunch, next to my second choice. Second is Ghostface Killah. I don't always understand him or agree with his POV, but so many of his lines are just brilliantly phrased. My new favorite is from "Iron Maiden": "My telephone watch leaves bartenders topless." Just WTF in a very good way. I can't wait for his collaboration with DOOM to wrap up. Third is the very underrated Inspectah Deck. He was my first favorite member when I only knew "CREAM" and "Protect Ya Neck" in the early '00s. Again, just brilliant with his phrasing and imagery. "Steamrollin' n***as like a 18-wheeler with a drunk driver drivin'/There's no survivin." is probably my favorite. Also, his opening verse on "Triumph" is gold. Fourth is Raekwon. He seems to come off as one of the more angry, introverted members of the WTC, but he, too, is brilliant. I love his voice. The way he says "SHAOW-LIN'S FAHNEST" on "Ice Cream" is one of my favorite Wu moments to rap along, too. Plus, his Rae nickname resembles my real name, so I have a soft spot for him. Fifth is Method Man because he's a very entertaining presence who is unlike everyone else in the group. Not essential in the way the above three are, but he still brings great. Love "M.E.T.H.O.D. Man." Sixth is RZA. Obviously, from a production/creation standpoint, he's the most essential, but as a rapper, he tends to slur his words and come off as unintentionally goofy pretty often. He always sounds like he's about to spit flecks of saliva onto the microphone, which sometimes endears me to him, sometimes turns me off. He's always trying hard to be such a bad ass, which can be contrived. But he has a bunch of upsides. His verse on "Tearz" shows an amount of subtlety I wouldn't expect from the Wu-Tang Clan, plus he puts so much emotion into his words. Seventh is ODB. Great delivery, just not always coherent or intelligent enough to captivate my attention. Eighth is Masta Killa. He's very good, but he's also only on a handful of my favorite Wu-Tang tracks, so he hasn't gotten enough time to shine and captivate me at the right moment. I wouldn't call him a poor man's GZA, but he definitely seems like GZA's brainier brother who just doesn't have his charm and swagger. Ninth is U-God. He really isn't as bad as everyone says (Check out "Knuckleheadz" from Cuban Linx, he's great on that), but he's also got incredibly tough competition. Tenth is Cappadonna (if we're including him), just because he tends to come off as super obnoxious and self-involved in a way that doesn't seem nearly as cool or charming as when the other Wu members talk about themselves. He's got some good lines, but I'd probably like him more if he came off as less of an asshole. Good rundown. I'll give my own: Inspectah Deck - The opener, the bar raiser. Whenever you hear him open up a Wu track, you know it's going to be a hell of a song. He brings this energy to his clever lyrics which paints this vivid imagery that sometimes makes it hard for the rest of the group to top. One of my all-time favorite Wu songs is "Guillotine (Swordz)"; Deck starts off in absolute grand fashion, and just one you think he's stolen the song again, Ghostface, Raekwon, and GZA follow suite. Deck always works best in groups, but unfortunately seems to be a case of "too much of a good thing is a bad thing", regarding his solo work. "Triumph" is perhaps, ironically, his greatest triumph. GZA - Method Man put it best - Wu assemble like Voltron, GZA is the head (even though that analogy doesn't make as much sense as it should, I'll digress). I love storytelling in rap, and GZA's is among the best I've ever come across. His laid back narrative style forms this certain swag that keeps you glued to his words. Liquid Swords remains my favorite Wu-Tang solo album, and one of my favorite hip-hop/rap albums ever, as GZA is the only member from the Wu that I can listen to rap by himself and never get sick of it. The Genius isn't another moniker for nothing, he truly is the brains of the group from a lyrical standpoint. Method Man - The cool personality of Wu-Tang. While a great lyricist in his own right, Meth is known more for his silly wordplay, charming voice, and most importantly, his flow. He has, hands down, the sickest flow of the entire group. The proof is within "Wu-Gambinos". If there was ever such a thing as marriage within a rap song, Meth's verse and RZA's instrumentals in that song were absolutely made for each other. Good lord. Masta Killa - Unfortunately less appreciated than the rest of his group members due to his lack of presence from Wu's monumental debut album, which also functioned as a launching pad for each individual member, Masta Killa is truly one of the underrated members of the group. GZA mentored him in his early days, and it shows in his similar wordplay and the way he presents himself, but he's no copycat. He made his sole presence known in "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'", and luckily he was featured more often in the first round of the Wu solo albums. "Duel of the Iron Mic", "Glaciers of Ice", and "Wu-Gambinos" are just some of my favorites, and No Said Date is a true showcase of his talents. Ghostface Killah - He's loud, sounds angry, and gets his point across. I love his phrasing, and while his verses normally don't WOW me, there are some cases where he BRINGS IT. His opening verse in "Criminology" is absolutely incredible, and will always be my favorite from him. Shades of Deck. RZA - Brilliant producer, great rapper SOMETIMES. His off-beat verses can stick out like a sore thumb, but sometimes, he can make even those work ("Triumph"). I like his almost surreal lyrics, and his delivery is unique. But even though he's not the strongest rapper of the group, his beats are legendary. Whether you like his rapping or not, there would be no Wu-Tang Clan without RZA. Fact. Raekwon - I'm gonna be honest, as great as a rapper as he is, for me, he's just sort of there. He'll dish out some fantastic stuff every now and then, normally alongside the more colorful Ghostface, and he's got this cool swag within his rhymes, but aside from a few songs, nothing about him floors me. He is by no means a weak rapper, again he's great, but I guess with so many other members, it's kind of hard to truly be distinctive. Ol' Dirty Bastard - Like Method Man, ODB is more of a personality than a rapper. He's a good rapper in his own right, but his wild, almost incoherent delivery completely overshadows that. Aside from a few tracks, especially "Protect Ya Neck", I like him more as a hype man than a rapper. U-God - Look, he's not a bad rapper, but like Raekwon, he's hard to appreciate within a group of distinctive rappers without his own flavor. He was great in "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'", "Winter Warz", and "Rumble". Cappadonna - Speaking of "Winter Warz", that's the only song I liked him in. Other than that, that's all I have to say about Cappadonna.
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