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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