Legendary New York rap collective dropped this album for a more limited vinyl release for Record Store Day, and now it's receiving a wider release. This is the first full-length release since the 2017 compilation "The Saga Continues," which was released as simply Wu-Tang due to the absence of U-God. It's also the first album since 2015's "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" to feature all 9 living members of the group. This album is a collaboration with producer Mathematics, who effectively captures the feel of the group's classic work.
These songs highlight the lyrical superiority these 9 MCs bring to the vocal booth. The first proper song "Mandingo" features Raekwon, Cappadonna, Inspectah Deck and Method Man, so the four horsemen of the groups post-Ol' Dirty era. U God and the Rza control the mic for "Lion's Roar," which delves into the gangster circles of New York's boroughs. There is more realism in the lyrics here that gives the song weight, new hip-hop artists can't even imitate. The most notable aspect of their lyrics is the lack of elevating bling or wealth, and it is about the gritty aspects of where they have come from.
"Claudine" finds Ghostface Killah paying tribute to his deceased mother. The vocal hook contributed by Nicole Bus adds a great deal of soul to things. Blaxploitation and Kung Fu movies are the primary backdrop for these songs. Inspectah Deck's aggressive bobbing and weaving of his vocal phrasing gives "Shaolin vs Lama" more groove. The fact that they have framed their classic sound in this modern production can be heard in how their vocals ride the bass line that owes more to classic funk than the hip-hop heard on the radio today, which is basically pop tracks being rapped over rather than sung.
The Gza gets serious calling out the feminization of P. Diddy aligned rappers who are wearing dresses for the "devil," which is not Lucifer in this context, but the Hollywood aligned industry. "Cleopatra Jones" has a more retro groove and deliberate lyrical flow. Benny the Butcher joins Method Man for the gangsta drama of "Warriors Two Cooley High" . RZA leads the charge on "Let's Do It Again," which finds its lyrics standing shoulder to shoulder with even "36 Chambers" era songs.
Overall, they have succeeded in making the best rap album I have heard so far this year, and based on the quality of what is out there, it would take Dr. Dre at the top of his game or an Outkast reunion to dethrone what they have done here. Other artists might not make music like they used to, but the Wu proves they are still very capable. This album deserves a 10.
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