This article taken from the January 97 Rap Pages
GHOSTFACE KILLAH
/ IRON MAN
Who knew what we getting ourselves into when li'l ol' "Protect Ya
Neck" dropped back in late '93? With each successive Wu-Tang
chamber, Hip-Hop's 1st family of unconventionality proceeds to puzzle,
dazzle, and consistantly deliver only the most provocative music under
the heading "Rap" to bless our uncivilized and unsuspecting ears.
Ghostface Killah (a/k/a Tony Starks)'s solo venture, Ironman,
is yet another tangled web of expectations-bashing yarns; an exhilarating
listen as sure as the sky is blue and water is wet, with moments to inspire
both cardiopulmonary palpitations and contemplative nods.
In typically furified fashion, Ghost spews "Sho nuff, hit the bank
and thrust / Wu-Nautics, Jamie Summers got tranqued on the tour bus / We
upgrade, swallow raw eggs, read the label / Hidden white label left the
Winnebago Unstable" on "Iron Maiden", the albums lead
track. For the most part, last year's model-Wu-Gambino-style plots
are set aside (exceptions being the Al Green-meets-Scarface groove of "260")
in favor of illmatic scientifics and far-Eastern abstract poetics that
require repeated listenings. As with any Wu-Tang project, the familial
bond remains intact and yields a plethora of superior guest appearances:
Method Man exhibits his PLO-extortion style on "Box In Hand",
U-God adds a gracelly edge to the heavyweight chorale of "Black Jesus",
RZA all to convincingly plays the demented genius on "After the Smoke
Is Clear", and Rae--and, best of all, Cappadonna--display excellent
and endying support for their Starkologist cohort. Ironically, on
of Ironman's potential stumbling blocks is an overabundance of guests
at the expense of hearing enough of Ghost. Thought the Tony Starks
guest solo cut "Wisdom Body" from Cuban Linx... established
the practice of a featured artist not appearing on a song on his own album,
disappointingly neither the edgy "Faster Blade" (with Raekwon)
nor the apocalyptic "Assasination Day" (with Dek, Rza, Rae,
and Masta Killa) feature our headlining host.
As the poignant, autobiographical "All That I Got Is You" reveals,
it's not as thought Ghost doesn't have enought to say to warrant hoggin
the spotlight more often. With Mary J. Blige angelically crooning
over a loop from the Jackson 5's "Maybe Tomorrow", Ghost revisits
his tragic family and childhood ordeals with an openness and honesty that's
difficul to imagine coming from any of the other Clansmen. "Word
up, Mommy, I love you" he intones eerily at the conclusion of
the rhyme as Mary's maternal vocals respond reassuringly with the title
refrain. Here and elsewhere, Ghost's oblivious kinship with vintage
R&B establishes his individual niche within RZA's already unique production
style. And whether it's the Memphis-horns-meet-cop-show-sirens of
the title track, the falsetto sweet-soul affectations of "After the
Smoke Is Clear" (featuring Philly-soul legends the Delfonics), the
wrenching Sam-Cooke-of-Arabia epic "The Soul Controller" (featuring
Shaolin Hip-Hop legends the Force MD's) or the majestic MG's-Hi-Rhythem
step of "Fish", Ironman emotes the soul-searching of Ghostface
in unorthodox, choruless arrangements that occasionally wander well after
the rhymes have subsided.
Naturally, the density of entering Wu's element requires some initial patience.
Keep listening, fools. Flawed, but geniune; often incredible; always
passionate and--ahem--real, Ironman is the Wu-banger to challenge
your demands and ultimately win you ever like never before. He's
removed the stocking mask, gone for his and placed a human face where before
there existed only mystery. His time has come. Ghostface Killah
is now, more than ever, a Hip-Hop superhero.
-Chairman Mao
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