It was shortly after the UK tours in 2011 that Wu-Tang announced that a new full length Wu-Tang Clan album is currently in the works looking to be released sometime next year, and so, to give the fans an appetiser, they release the sequel to the ‘spin off’ album Chamber Music entitled, Legendary Weapons, a project produced by The RZA and The Revelations that consist of Noah Rubin and M.O.P.s Fizzy Womack.
Legendary Weapons continues just where Chamber Music left off, and guest appearances from the previous album such as AZ, Sean Price and Tre Williams make welcome returns.
So let’s Start The Show with Raekwon and RZA. It appears the wounds between the two emcees have healed since the little fallout from 8 Diagrams. The two open the sequel to a capacity crowd chanting the name and their wings up in the air.
In Laced Cheeba, two of my favourite emcees along with Trife colloborate in this dark and gritty track sounding like a lost beat from ’93 found in the 36 Chambers studio. As much as the fans embrace the Wu-Block project coming soon, headz have already been signing petitons for Wu and Boot Camp Clik to make a joint project as they keep teasing the fans with tracks like this.
The Diesel Fluid keeps flowing nicely. Method Man’s wordplay remains as on point as ever: Now I don’t slip when I’m down in the dirt; cause by this time/I done seen life, and figured the amount that it’s worth/It’s the first, cops is lookin for work/Got my n!**@z all cuffed up, sweatin like a hooker in church/This old woman on her way to the church – she said/the neighborhood’s f**ked up, and we the ones that’s makin it worse… as if Meth’s third eye saw the UK riots coming, before it happened. Cappadonna returns to form since his Pillage and Winter Warz days.
Ghostface Killah once again dominates and shines on Black Diamonds. Former Flipmodian Roc Marciano reunites with his fellow Heistman and Killa Sin on one of the many highlights of the album. Killa Sin’s ferocious delivery finds the clan stepping back later in the album to make him shine…but Ghostface is not done, as he shares his Legendary Weapons with the Mash Out Posse and Allah Zig-Zag-Zig. All emcees go in as the only way they know how: sword swinging over a frantic beat.
The album slows down a little but only for a moment. Accompanied by ghetto soul singer Tre Williams, Inspectah Deck and U-God want to ensure that you Never Feel This Pain. Inspectah gives insight on his view of the President… I ain’t waitin for Obama, never doubted him, I’m proud of him/He real, he’ll spend a couple million in the housing then
seein is believin, my vision is blurred/Cause I ain’t seein nothin I heard, really nothin but words…
U-God, Cappadonna, Bronze Nazareth and The RZA bring an assault in the form of the Wu-Banger 225 Rounds. The production on this track is crazy, with the beat rewinding itself and bringing it back for the next MC to go in…however RZA could have went in with a more savage flow, a la Ironman or Wu-Tang Forever. Nonetheless, it’s an assault that Ason Unique would be proud of….
My slight gripe with RZA quickly gets rectified as he gets a bit more savage in Only The Rugged Survive…not an ounce or fraction of his alter ego Bobby Digital is showcased here, RZA explains how he was about to shut down a hater with his pointy ass ringz… Shut the f**k up, open the safe up, no time to waste up/Heard you been hating on Wu-Tang, we should burn your f**!ng place up/He was like ‘Yo, Bobby Steels, chill, for real, please spare me’/Billy put the gun to his face like ‘Bobby, go ‘head, try to dare me’/I was like ‘Nah, son, chill, ain’t necessary’… RZA claims that the world is not ready for ‘The Cure’ album, but fans have been ready for years now, and by the sounds of this track, so is RZA.
Legendary Weapons remains as consistent as it’s predecessor, and just like the previous album, it is missing Wu’s top lyricist GZA and the Machete Wielding Guinness Sippin Masta Killa. With another solid release under their belt of recent memory, and future numerous projects towards the end of the year leading up to the new Wu album next year, the Wu-Tang continue to prove that hip hop can never be dead when Wu-Tang is Forever.
RePPiN 4U 