WU And Friends

Remember when you used to rock Wu-Wear and Rap City was littered with Raekwon, Method Man, and Ghost’s music videos? Yeah, maybe not, twas a while back. Nevertheless the Wu-Tang Clan has cemented its spot as the most substantial rap super group of all time, effectively trailblazing branding schemes that defined hip hop’s growth over the last decade.

DJ Mathematic, of the larger Wu family, has compiled some tracks, remixed a few, and added some new content for an upcoming compilation CD titled Mathematics presents: Return of The Wu and Friends. Scope the press release and new track available for exclusive download.

Wu Tang - Return of the Wu & Friends

Since their debut album, 1993′s Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Wu-Tang has become synonymous with gritty, direct lyrics and beats that draw from classic soul, horn-blasted funk, cinematic curios, and dirty guitar licks (among many others.) With each successive album, the group solidifies their hold on hip-hop, watching over the years as rappers, trends and ephemeral styles come and go and become musical footnotes in the game. As devoted fans clamor and salivate for anything Wu-related, Gold Dust  & Nature Sounds are proud to announce the release of Return of the Wu & Friends, produced and compiled by Wu-Tang Clan producer/DJ Mathematics and including some exclusive tracks, lost gems and old time favorites featuring all nine emcees.

The 16 tracks featured on Return of the Wu & Friends were compiled from songs recorded during the group’s critically acclaimed 2000 album The W through 2008, including exclusive tracks like “Steppin 2 Me” featuring GZA, Inspectah Deck and Masta Killa. The producer also offers a slew of new remixes, including “Respect Mine” and “Clap”. On the former, featuring Raekwon, Method Man and Cappadonna, the sprightly piano loop found on the original (from Mathematics’ 2003 solo album Love, Hell or Right) gets flipped into a slower, more ominous track anchored by a funky slap bass line. On Return of the Wu & Friends, every member gets their chance to shine, backed by Mathematics’ acute ability to perfectly match each member’s cadence and tone to the respective beat. Slower, more soulful tracks like “Da Way We Were” and “Strawberries & Cream” are balanced with classic Wu funk like “Iron God Chamber” and “It’s What It Is” (the latter the new superhero anthem for the 21st century.) For anyone fiending for more Wu classics, Return of the Wu & Friends offers up an album’s worth of tracks sure to fill the need for Wu bangers.

Having known the Clan since the mid-80s and produced for them since 1996, Mathematics is no stranger to the group. Starting off as GZA’s DJ during the emcee’s Cold Chillin’ days, the producer has since gone on to create a diverse and memorable production catalog with the group, contributing tracks to The W and 8 Diagrams, as well as Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele, GZA’s Beneath The Surface, Method Man’s Tical 2000: Judgement Day and Method Man & Redman’s Blackout!.

Wu-Tang- The Return of The Wu-Friends will be released on 2-16-10 on Gold Dust Records

Download: Raekwon ft. Ghostface, Method Man & U-God – Clap 2010

Pretty Shoes Toney

When music people collaborate with fashion people, the product is often ghastly. The necessity to include the creative input of the musician on the aesthetics often leads to a confused, unpalatable appeal, one that is most likely too subjectively significant to the artist for most to truly appreciate. Thankfully, Ghostface Killah has always been an artist that keeps it real, fluidly connecting with his audience of real, live, genuine people. He has teamed up with Adidas Originals in putting out this shoe. The classic shell toe pops like a golden goose egg, like the man himself, Pretty Toney is decked out in three gold stripes on an all black exterior, and looking bad ass doing so. You can cop a myriad of Ghost X Adidas gear here.

Video with Ghost talking kicks after the jump.

Good Rappers/Garbage Filmmakers

When the IRS scopes this trailer from the forthcoming Method Man/Raekwon /Ghostface project, they’re going to be very upset. First of all, they’re going to be irked because the budget on this little preview looks to be on the steeper side and–as you may know–Method Man was recently indicted for owing a hefty chunk of back-taxes.

The second reason they’re going to be annoyed–and this reason also annoys me and should annoy you–is that this is three-plus wasted minutes all for a pointless and empty bite-off of Seven.

Nonetheless, I am looking forward to this project from the Wu-Tang “in-crowd.” Hey, that’s a good name for your trio. You guys should call yourselves that to mock RZA’s excessive-esoteric-ness, GZA’s age and U-God, Inspectah Deck & Masta Killa’s unpopularity. Just a thought.

Ghostface Spits Darts at G-Spots

Courtesy of Treblezine

When the Wu-Tang’s grimy New York tales first barged into rap music, it’s not exactly clear how interested–or how efficient–they were at getting girls; sure, they utilized a few soul samples, here and there, but even those were subverted to better deliver the Clan’s autonomous kung-fu metaphors. As time went on, Method Man remained very straight-forward about his love of comic books, wrestling and smoking pot while Raekwon concocted high-art but immensely violent, mafioso rap and RZA merely wanted to out-esoteric everyone else in hip-hop. However, Ghostface Killah laced every release he did with a plethora of cryptic references to pasta and soul music. Even when bragging about his efficiency in selling drugs, he somehow made it romantic. Ghostface liked the girls.

Prom Dress Beats

I remember this episode of Beverly Hills 90210 where Brenda and Kelly had bought the same dress for the senior prom. It was a big tumultuous deal and ruined the evening for the whole gang. Recently, two prominent rappers–Ghostface KIllah and Rick Ross–have used the same beat. Not just the same sample, it’s the same beat. Ghostface’s “Guest House” uses the same beat that Rick Ross used for “Yacht Club.” I personally think both versions are pretty ill and it’s neat to see how each MC tackles the beat. It’s also neat to see how the J.U.S.T.I.C.E League production compliments the content in each respective rapper’s song; Rick Ross’ is about showing some pretty ladies the seven seas aboard a posh watercraft while Ghost’s is about the cable guy fucking his wife*.

*still not entirely positive if the culprit being a cable guy is literal or a dirty metaphor.

Peep for yourself:
Ghostface Killah feat. Fabolous–Guest House

Rick Ross-Yacht Club

Shaolin Soul

It’d be easy to look at Ghostface’s claim that his newest album will be all R&B and say that he’s buying a ticket on the bandwagon. After all, Lil Wayne and T.I. both sang prolific ballad-esque tunes for their albums and Kanye even made an entire album where rapping took a backseat to soulful crooning.

However, if one is to peak at the history of Ghost, they’ll see that the guy has been a connoisseur of dusty soul since his first album Ironman. His single “Holla” was also rapped entirely over not a Delfonics sample, but the actual Delfonics’ “La La(Means I Love You)” song. Tony Starks has always had, what seems like, a heartfelt enthusiasm for Soul music.

In a recent interview with Unkut, Ghostface stated that as he feels that as rappers approach forty, it looks ridiculous for them to continue to act as if they’re still mover/shakers in the drug-game.

Friday Free Joints

MPFRIZZLES:

Busta Rhymes Feat Young Jeezy, Jadakiss, & Pitbull – Conglomerate (Remix)

Busta Rhymes Feat Young Jeezy, Jadakiss, & Pitbull – Conglomerate (Remix)

Raekwon – The General

T.I. ft. Mary J Blige – Don’t Forget

The Dream Feat Ashely Williams – Rockin That Thang (Remix)

Ghostface Feat Ron Browz – Shes A Killer

Doom Infiltrates Wu Even Deeper

Apparently Doom has been crashing on a couch in the front room of Shaolin temple(perhaps it’s the same one often utilized by sometimes Wu-member Cappadonna, when he isn’t whipping a cab). He began by working alongside the enigmatic Ghost and before you know it, he’s laying down a track alongside Wu Tang Clan’s chef, Raekwon. Scope out “Yessir.”

Doom & Ghost: Action Figures, Masks and Monikers

“Run these streets like a renegade, get that guap ’til the rent is paid”

That’s perhaps my favorite rhyme, so far, for still-adolescent 2009. Think about this: both of these cats have a knack for hiding their faces, both have action figures, both have dropped parts pf their monikers (Ghostface has dropped “Killah” and Doom has recently dropped “MF”) and both of these rappers stir their rhymes with extra what-the-fuck-are-you-talking-about sauce; it was only a matter of time before they became BFFs. This collab’ has been hyped for a while. Here’s a little taste:

And here’s the money shot (MPFREEE)

Ghostface and Doom-Chinatown Wars