This is their first released album, although the first effort is actually "Nothing New Under the Sun", a masterwork planned for 1996 and abandoned by RZA and his Wu-Tang Records, after RZA starts having problems with the group's leader Killah Priest. For this reason, the boys' best tracks, released on Wu-Tang Records between 1995 and 1997, aren't present on the album. The cover is minimal, black background, group name at the top, group logo in the middle, album title at the bottom in brackets, hard to read.
The guests are Wu-Tang Clan members Method Man, Masta Killa, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon and U-God, as well as Hell Razah's older brother Trebag aka Tray Bag, producer True Master at his debut as a rapper and the group Earth, Wind & Fire. Other guests are uncredited, like the former group member Shabazz the Disciple, Kinetic 9 aka Beretta 9 of Killarmy, Dreddy Kruger of Royal Fam, and affiliate Tekitha. The production is divided almost equally between True Master, 4th Disciple and RZA, the Wu-Elements, to which are added two rhythms by the historic internal producer of the group Supreme, and a beat created by Wyclef Jean of The Fugees.
The group, originally formed together with Shabazz the Disciple and Killah Priest several years earlier, sees in this project the presence of Hell Razah, Prodigal Sunn and 60 Second Assassin, while the other two rappers left the group following differences with RZA. Killah Priest is featured as a member of Sunz of Man and is credited as part of the group, although appearances by him are few.
Skit
2. "Cold" (Hell Razah & Prodigal Sunn)
Sample from Maxine Brown's "Coming Back to You" to introduce the first track of the Sunz of Man album, produced by the Wu-Element and Killarmy member 4th Disciple. The boy links Maxine Brown's sample with James Brown's "Sunny". Midtempo hard drum, thick and robust bass line in the background, the producer does an excellent job and he adds a sax that sounds similar to the one featured on The Charmels' "As Long as I've Got You", however, it's there to call you back to "C.R.E.A.M.", while those haunting piano keys veer off in an oriental kung fu b-movie direction, both are references to the Wu-Tang Clan. 4th Disciple did a crazy job.
Hell Razah is the first Sunz of Man member you hear, and he's the lead rapper on every LP from the group, practically. Intro and first verse by him, his entrance is not memorable and his rapping is driven forward by a powerful bass line, while the boy enters a stream of consciousness that makes little sense and manages to pay homage to the huge newborn crew affiliated with Wu-Tang United Kingdom ("UK" in his text), encompassing all major Wu-affiliated groups, including Sunz of Man. Prodigal Sunn has a different pen, his verse is another stream of consciousness that mixes violent and street bars, with a style closer to narration. Hell Razah returns for the final stanza, still in stream-of-consciousness. Lyrically it's not a memorable cut, but the production is fantastic and elevates it among the group's best tracks. The beat breathes and no one like 4th Disciple knows how much this masterful soundscape deserved to be appreciated. Maybe RZA, okay.
3. "Natural High" (Killah Priest, Hell Razah & Prodigal Sunn ft. Trebag)
First single of the album. Supreme is a genius. Sample from Al Green's "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)", booming bassline, heavy midtempo eclectic drum. Intro of Iron Shiek from Middle East aka Killah Priest, hook performed by brothers Smith, Hell Razah and Trebag, elder brother of the Sunz of Man rapper, singing hook. Killah Priest debut on the album, first verse, self-celebratory, he also reminds you that he was among the leading interpreters of GZA's "Liquid Swords", also impressing everyone on the posse track with the Wu-Tang Clan "4th Chamber" ("I judge wisely"...). Hell Razah continues with a stream of consciousness with criminal contours. Third verse to P Sunn with a short verse that sees him in the lyrical-miracle flow, then fourth verse to Trebag, who drops barre with a singsong style, Hell Razah closes again.
4. "Flaming Swords" (60 Second Assassin, Killah Priest, Hell Razah & Prodigal Sunn)
True Master is the third producer on the first four tracks of the record, and is the second Wu-Element to put his own beat on the Sunz of Man project. This track sees the first contribution of 60 Second Assassin over the course of the disc and is the first track to feature all members of the group together. Boom bap, heavy bassline, midtempo hard drum, chunky beat. Intro and first verse to 60 Second Assassin, at the first presence in the record, then Killah Priest comes up with a scary verse, worthy of Gravediggaz's first LP, he stuck to that mentality in this track. Resounding. He enters very rough, violent, totally horrorcore. A slap for the track, but very well suited to the dark and haunting rhythm created by True Master. Someone laughs eerily in the background while Priest spits and is adequate. I don't know what Hell Razah's doing, but he's not doing it right: it's somewhere between throwing out a violent verse and still writing abstract random words, it turns out to be a mess that is difficult to judge in concrete. P Sunn picks up the suggestions of the wise GZA and fields a verse half short and twice powerful, technically correct, lyrically precise, proving that he can be a good substitute for Shabazz the Disciple as a member of Gravediggaz. Hell Razah is on Gravediggaz's 1997 album, while Prodigal will be part of the horrorcore group's third LP released in 2002.
5. "Illusions" (Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin & Prodigal Sunn ft. Masta Killa)
Nice work by 4th Disciple on this Sunz of Man track number five, featuring the three remaining members in the group following the departure of Shabazz the Disciple and Killah Priest. Adding to the trio is a guest from the Wu-Tang Clan. Sample from Donny Hathaway's "Giving Up", chipmunk in the background for a brief moment during the intro. Guitar arpeggios, powerful bass, minimal drum, excellent rhythm. Powerful delivery from Hell Razah pulling down an abstract battle rap verse. 60 Second Assassin on the second verse with his sing-song style, sounds well on this leisurely production by Selwyn Bougard. Masta Killa enters with elegance and brings one of his best lyrics to the album, worthy of a Wu-Tang Clan album. Fantastic. Final verse to Prodigal Sunn who destroys the cut with a crazy stream of consciousness. I don't know if Dennis listened to these guys when he returned from Benin, but this guy's contribution is related to the material that Coles will release a little later as his second album. P Sunn delivers, then 4th Disciple works its magic and switches the beat with spatial fluidity, taking a sample from Bob Marley's "The High Tide or Low Tide," the Brooklyn emcee flies.
Masta Killa is the only rapper from the Wu-Tang Clan to have been part of both the debut of Killarmy and the debut of Sunz of Man.
6. "Shining Star" (Prodigal Sunn, Hell Razah & 60 Second Assassin ft. Earth, Wind & Fire & Ol' Dirty Bastard)
Originally, this is a track made solely by Hell Razah and Killah Priest over a beat by RZA. Then the label executives arrive and demand that this song features the full Sunz and also someone from the Wu-Tang Clan. After meeting Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill, the guys decide to have Wyclef produce the song and get ODB as a Wu-Tang member to place on the record, because the guy was in the studio next door while he was recording "Ghetto Supastar" for the album of Pras of the Fugees. Cathy Jones, the album's executive producer, says can get Earth, Wind & Fire on the Sunz of Man track and even though the historic rnb group doesn't like rap, they accept and contribute to "Shining Star" by singing the hook.
Homage to Earth, Wind & Fire's homonymous song from the very first seconds, it's a sort of remake in rap. Second single from the album. BZA enters from the first moments as if this were his own track, mainstream rhythm by Wyclef Jean, frontline bass, minimal drum, pop sounds that cousins ODB and P Sunn immediately bring back to the street, these guys are fantastic. The chorus is made right by Earth, Wind & Fire themselves, who hate rap, but make a big exception for Sunz of Man on this track. Hell Razah and 60 Second Assassin, another hook, then second round with Prodigal Sunn, 60 Second Assassin paying homage to himself on Raekwon's record, hook, Ol' Dirty Bastard walks away, then Hell Razah on eighth and final verse completes the work.
The song is released and should be a hit, no one in hip-hop has ever collaborated with Earth, Wind & Fire, however, the song comes out on the same day as "Ghetto Supastar" which overwhelms them and achieves success all over the world.
7. "Israeli News" (Killah Priest & Hell Razah ft. Trebag)
First track that doesn't feature P Sunn from the start of the album. Hell Razah shares the piece with his brother and the Priest. Supreme brings home one of the best beats on the album, thanks to a sample from "Soft and Easy" by the Blackbyrds. Tender bass lines, fresh piano keys, light drum. Throughout the album there are multiple references to a religious movement known as the Black Hebrew Israelites, with which Killah Priest was affiliated at the time. Hell Razah also makes several references to movement throughout the record. In this track abound, this one is really dedicated. Just as the Wu-Tang references the Five Percenters and uses its slang to build some verses, the Sunz of Man guys do the same thing with this movement. Intro and hook sung by Killah Priest. It seems a joint intended for religious themes, instead the rapper is directed towards socio-political and conscious lyrics. Trebag, for the second and last time as a guest in this effort, and Hell Razah, follow the path blazed by Priest and deliver socio-conscious bars in a track that shines musically but not lyrically.
8. "Tribulations" (Prodigal Sunn, 60 Second Assassin, Killah Priest & Hell Razah)
This is the second choice with all members of Sunz of Man and it's a more complicated track than it sounds. RZA hard production, short female soul sample, vibrant bass line in background, dusty, hard, dirty, underground, tight drum, melodic samples, dark rhythm. Intro by 60 Second Assassin, then there's Prodigal Sunn. The boy takes his own lyrics from "Shining Star" and turns them into a hook, then trades short verses back and forth with 60 Second Assassin. Chorus, then also Killah Priest and Hell Razah exchange short verses in back and forth. Sunzini sets an energetic delivery and sets the tone for the track, his exchanges with 62nd Second sounding refreshing. Also, while Prodigal and Killah Priest both lean more towards religious lyrics, the other two performers attempt to keep the bars closer to the street, although Hell Razah is influenced by Killah Priest in this track.
9. "The Interview" (Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin & Prodigal Sunn)
Skit.
10. "The Plan" (Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin, Killah Priest & Prodigal Sunn)
Last song with Killah Priest, who stops his appearances on the disc at five, this is his third in a row. Third and last song with all the members of the group. Behind the keyboards, is 4th Disciple. A certainty. The guy comes with the best beat on the record. Sample from Ann Peebles' "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down", powerful bass line, dusty rusty dirty tight drum, resounding violin, excellent rhythm. Hell Razah clean entrance, here he's in one of his most inspired moments, confident, sharp, energetic, mixing socio-political and pseudo-religious lines in an abstract text, to be generous. Second verse to 60 Second Assassin, which performs in a sing-song, almost sing-along style, hook, then comes Killah Priest with a narration with a social background, very fluid, silky, clear, unstoppable flow. A few bars of Hellraizor launches a new stanza chanted by 60 Second Assassin, finally closes Prodigal Sunn. Excellent cut.
11. "Collaboration '98" (Hell Razah & Prodigal Sunn ft. Method Man & True Master)
Also this cut, says the title itself, is made after the departure of Shabazz the Disciple and Killah Priest from Sunz of Man. RZA lends a hand to the guys who remained loyal to him by bringing in Method Man and True Master, the latter makes the music and spits out the first verse of the track. Good rhythm with an oriental flavor of the Wu-Element, intro and hook of Shakwon, rap of True Master, who delivers combative bars with a good regular flow. Method Man draws a battle rap, he has a great voice, but his flow comes out in some forgettable way, I mean if he doesn't pay due attention and you listen to the record in the background while you're doing something else, you might not even notice that Tical is on this track. Let's say that these are not the sensations that usually leave the contributions of Method Man. Hell Razah on the third verse, then Prodigal Sunn brings energy back to the posse with another of his excellent contributions to the record. Chorus and outro provided by Method Man, if the beat wasn't produced by True Master, the Wu-Tang Clan rapper probably wouldn't be here.
12. "Inmates to the Fire" (Prodigal Sunn, Hell Razah & 60 Second Assassin ft. Dreddy Kruger)
This track is originally recorded in 1995, but after the RZA basement floods, the boys have to redo the track: originally, Killah Priest is on the track, but due to him now recording his own solo CD, the guys are unable to reach him, so they complete the piece without him. It's unclear what guest Dreddy Kruger of Royal Fam's role is here, possibly in the outro. RZA behind the keyboards, delivers one of his darkest beats ever, cinematic, worthy of a horror movie. Powerful bass line that weaves in the dark, pale skeletal drum, few cold piano keys, melodic rhythm that boasts a terrifying loop in the background. Prodigal Sunn opens the games with a hardcore verse delivered in a hurried and rough manner. Hell Razah seizes the momentum and somehow gets one of his greatest performances in this CD. 60 Second Assassin to the last verse, hardcore, totally inspired, goes away. One of the best joints on the disc.
13. "Not Promised Tomorrow" (Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin & Prodigal Sunn ft. Tekitha)
Production realized by 4th Disciple, vibrant bassline, minimal, dry, hard, midtempo drums, violins. Hell Razah opens the track managing to keep its text as socio-political as possible, despite some attempts to deviate towards religious, criminal and conspiracy directions (there's a tribute to the writer William Cooper). 60 Second Assassin brings out an extra verse preceding the hook sung by Hell Razah along with Wu-Tang affiliate Tekitha. Prodigal Sunn completes the work with a sharp socio-political verse.
14. "For the Lust of Money/The Grandz" (Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin & Prodigal Sunn)
True Master returns behind the keyboards, playing a sample of "For the Love of Money" by the O'Jayz. Skit between 60 Second Assassin and Prodigal Sunn, then switch beat by True Master, who places a loop from Sweet Inspirations' "Wishes and Dishes". Intro and hook by Hell Razah, 60 Second and Prodigal Sunn on first two verses, then Hell Razah kills the track.
15. "Can I See You" (Hell Razah & Prodigal Sunn ft. Kinetic 9)
Another joint recorded around 1996, maybe 1995. Instead of a rapper from Staten Island called by The RZA, there's a rapper from Steubenville called by 4th Disciple, his friend Kinetic 9 of Killarmy. RZA creates a solid beat, boom bap, good piano scale, powerful bass line in the background, lively drum. Hell Razah is fine on this production, Beretta 9 seems inspired more than usual in this track and the lyrics of him don't break away from the Killarmy mentality and revolve around military themes. Prodigal Sunn overshadows the others with a narration in the last verse.
16. "The Battle" (60 Second Assassin & Prodigal Sunn)
Freestyle with 60 Second Assassin and Prodigal Sunn over the rhythm of "Inmates to the Fire". Sounds of swords fighting in background from a kung-fu movie.
17. "Next Up" (60 Second Assassin, Prodigal Sunn & Hell Razah ft. Method Man)
Fourth production of True Master, booming bass, tight drum, melodic sample, great rhythm. 60 Second Assassin and Prodigal Sunn aren't overly impressive this time around, there's room to shine for Hell Razah. It's at least curious that the few times someone in the group lets their guard down and leaves a glimmer of Hell Razah to embiggen over everyone, someone always arrives to overshadow him irreparably: this time the task is up to Johnny Blaze. Yes, Method Man returns to spit on a True Master beat on this record, and this time he redeems himself by dropping slashes with an inspired, lively, fluid delivery style that finally lives up to his name, elevating this cut among the best on the CD.
18. "Intellectuals" (Hell Razah & 60 Second Assassin ft. Raekwon & U-God)
Fifth and last song produced by True Master, who thus becomes the major producer of the Sunz of Man debut. Second joint where P Sunn isn't present throughout the disc. RZA helps the few remaining in the group by bringing in a lot of Wu-Tang, here are Chef Raekwon and Lucky Hands to lend a hand to the boys. 60 Second Assassin's intro, Flaming Ember's "Mind, Body and Soul" loop, powerful bassline, midtempo dusty dirty drum, awesome melodic sample, this is one of the best beats of the project.
Chef Raekwon is the emcee on verse number one, he delivers totally in confidence, smooth, dope flow, he resists the urge to drop mob bars for half a verse, then he has to give in. Hell Razah follows, always influenced by the guys who are with him in the booth: throughout the disc he spat abstractly, not to say confused, lyrics written in a sort of battle rap that mixes religious, political, criminal and bragging references. Now, he has to follow Raekwon's verse, then comes his spell: Hell Razah manages to place, in a single verse, criminal bars, boasting, religious references and materialistic mafia-inspired boasting (champagne, women, money, murders), which has never been considered lyrically in this project up to this point (except for a couple of functional references to the Gambinos to complete some verses), and that reaches its peak when he mentions Bugsy Siegel.
Hook by U-God, a short verse chanted by 60 Second Assassin which is almost a natural extension of the hook. U-God returns and he jabs the edge with a hardcore verse delivered with confidence and style, the boy raises the Wu-Tang flag as high as he can. Final hook and outro both by Hell Razah, skippable. Excellent track in any case, among the best of Sunz of Man.
19. "Five Arch Angels" (60 Second Assassin, Hell Razah, Killah Priest & Prodigal Sunn ft. Shabazz the Disciple, uncredited)
This is a joke, because one of the group's finest cuts ever becomes a useless outro-skit. Shabazz is even credited as a guest here. I recommend listening to the real track because it deserves.
Final Thoughts
Sunz of Man's first album, after so much effort, comes out during the second wave of Wu-Tang release. The genesis of the group is complicated. The guys you heard are, in no particular order, Chron "Hell Razah" Smith, Lamar "Prodigal Sunn" Ruff, Walter "Killah Priest" Reed and Frederick "60 Second Assassin" Cuffie. A couple of the beats were made by in-house producer Alaric "Supreme" Wilder and originally, the group consisted of other elements, later excluded from the final lineup, such as David "Shabazz the Disciple" Collins and Ian "7th Ambassador" Bellido. They're all kids from Brooklyn, New York.
Killah Priest grew up in various Brooklyn neighborhoods and for a time was GZA's neighbor, through whom he knew RZA. Priest is destined to become the ninth member of the Wu-Tang Clan, he competes with Masta Killa to join the group by writing a verse in a Wu-Tang track, but after having a quiet couple of weeks instead of writing the text, on the last available night the boy falls asleep, while Masta Killa stays up all night and delivers what will be the final verse for "Da Mystery of Chessboxin". Killah Priest is out of the Wu-Tang Clan, however, RZA calls him to collaborate on a couple of tracks of his side project with the group Gravediggaz.
At the end of the eighties, in Red Hook, Brooklyn, a rap group of kids, Mad Mob, was formed: it was made up of Shabazz the Disciple, Hell Razah, 7th Ambassador and Supreme Kourt, producer of the young crew. A few years later, a demo of Shabazz ends up in the hands of RZA via Freestyle, cousin of Shabazz and rapper of the Arsonists: the Mad Mob rapper makes a good impression on RZA who decides to bring him too on the Gravediggaz album, in two songs together with Killah Priest. One of the tracks is the lead single "Diary of a Madman", and today Priest and Shabazz are considered among the pioneers of the horrorcore subgenre together with the other members of the group for their contribution in the record released in 1994.
Around the same time, Mad Mob changed their name to Da Last Future and released a demo in 1994 under Nocturnal 7 Records. The tracks are made by the three remaining members of the group after Shabazz, still a member of Da Last Future, made the leap to the circuit, 7th Ambassador and Hell Razah are in the rapping side, and the tracks are all produced by Supreme. The final track of the EP, "Evil Lulla Bye", also features Prodigal Sunn, with a verse, and Killah Priest, with the outro: both are considered as part of the group. This last song is one of the first of the act that will take on more defined contours with the name Sunz of Man. Through a cousin of RZA, Supreme and Shabazz meet RZA. When Da Last Future's EP is released, Supreme the Mechanic is looking for a deal: he passes his group's EP to RZA, who he and Shabazz met through RZA's cousin, also meeting the guys from the Wu-Tang Clan and recording material for about a year both with them and at his house with his friends. Bobby Steels is positively impressed by the EP and decides to sign Da Last Future with Wu-Tang Records, thus the group became the first to sign with the label.
For reasons I don't know about, 7th Ambassador aka Zodiac Killah left the group in 1994 before the affiliation with Wu-Tang — he's retired, possibly. Also around this period, between 1994 and 1995, Shabazz and Killah Priest form the duo The Disciples of Armageddon (D.O.A.) and get a contract with Atlantic to record a demo, creating the tracks together with Hell Razah & Prodigal Sunn. During these sessions, the tracks "Deep in the Water" and "Writing Rhymes With a Liquid Pen" were recorded (later also released under the name "Elements" on the group's CD of the same name and under the name "Combinations of Death" in the disk "The Old Testament", greatest hits of the Brooklyn group released in 2006), which are some of the premieres of what will be the Sunz of Man group. The songs are both produced by Penalty Recordings-related producer Dropsect, with whom Shabazz has worked releasing several singles for his forthcoming solo project, on which he focuses on leaving Da Last Future.
Around 1995, to replace the two emcees is called 60 Second Assassin, cousin of Ol' Dirty Bastard and close to Brooklyn Zu, that is introduced to the lineup. The group impresses RZA and in 1995 signs with his Wu-Tang Records: it's the first group, after the Wu-Tang Clan, to sign with the label. Sunz of Man thus became the first known Wu-Tang affiliated group and one of the most important of the affiliates, Wu-Tang Killa Beez, forming the first part of a trinity consisting of the Killarmy and the Royal Fam, three hip-hop groups composed all by boys who grew up with members of the Wu-Tang Clan. This Sunz of Man album is also the first to combine the three groups: Killarmy is represented by Beretta 9, while Dreddy Kruger is credited on one track for the Royal Fam.
In 1995, Sunz of Man released their first single, "Soldiers of Darkness / Five Arch Angles", two of the group's finest tracks ever, both produced by 4th Disciple. I start with "Five Arch Angelz": it's a historical track, because it's the only one to have the five emcees of the group after the release of 7th Ambassador, namely Killah Priest, Prodigal Sunn, Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin and Shabazz the Disciple, who briefly returns to the group after leaving Da Last Future shortly before. Also, it's probably the only track released by Sunz to have Shabazz and 62nd together. "Soldiers of Darkness" is performed by Prodigal Sunn, Killah Priest and 60 Second Assassin along with 9th Prince, younger brother of RZA, and Killa Sin, both rappers of Killarmy. It's thought that this could be the basis for a group of elements at least as large as the Wu-Tang Clan, with the beats made mainly by 4th Disciple, but the idea is soon shelved even given the lukewarm response of the public. The two Killarmys are joined by other emcees from Steubenville, Ohio, and 4th Disciple becomes that group's in-house producer, while Sunz of Man, who already have their in-house producer in Supreme, continue their journey on their own, they're already in enough. At the moment. Another single is published in 1995, "No Love Without Hate". Prodigal Sunn, Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin and Killah Priest, there are the four emcees later featured as Sunz of Man in this album.
Around 1995, the two members of Disciples of Armageddon deal with GZA's management company, Liquid Swords Entertainment, and the group prepares to release their debut album "Nothing New Under the Sun", however, the first problems arrive: Shabazz goes on a collision course with RZA and decides to leave the group, disagreements arise between Killah Priest and RZA, moreover, the GZA management company goes folded. In 1996 the Brooklyn group's fourth single, "Bloody Choices", was released and the interpreters have drastically reduced to only two: the track is carried on by Hell Razah and Prodigal Sunn, who pay homage to everyone in the outro: 60 Second Assassin, Killah Priest (who therefore, by implication, is still part of the group at the time of recording), the producer 4th Disciple — production credits often don't say it, but I'm telling you, this is one of his darkest, edgiest, and finest beats — Killarmy, Royal Fam, Begga Clan aka The Beggaz and the Population Click Crew. Not Shabazz, who's already out of the group. The track is distributed by Priority, a quick taste of the commercial glory of the Clan given by Bobby Steels to the boys for a brief moment and soon faded.
In fact, RZA closed the doors to "Nothing New Under the Sun", interrupted the distribution planned by Priority together with Wu-Tang Records for the Sunz of Man and stopped financing the project, nipping their career in the bud. Shabazz the Disciple and Killah Priest break ties with the Wu, and consequently also with the Sunz of Man. The two exiles from the Sunz of Man join forces in The Disciples, heir to the D.O.A., releasing "Writing Rhymes With a Liquid Pen" on an independent label, maintaining the verses of Sunzini e Hell Razah as Sunz of Man guest spots. We are around 1997. The response from the public is around zero, both because the promotion is minimal and because the song would have been comfortable if it had come out four or five years earlier, now it arrives too late for the scene and is ignored. The duo breaks up and the boys take different paths: Shabazz believes that only a new name is needed and wants to continue the duo, while Killah Priest wants to form the Maccabees group together with Shabazz and Timbo King, leader of the Royal Fam whose debut album scheduled for 1996 has been shelved by Capitol. Then, Killah Priest signs with Geffen and starts recording his debut solo album around the same time that Sunz of Man are recording their first album.
While the two boys go their separate ways, the others remaining in Sunz of Man have to record the tracks themselves to complete their first album, having to find new lenders after RZA's step back and a new distributor, possibly international: Prodigal Sunn, Hell Razah and 60 Second Assassin remained. The previous singles are shelved with the album, all being owned by Bobby Digital's Wu-Tang Records. In 1997 the first single of the new CD was released, "We Can't Be Touched", produced by Tony Touch: Killah Priest, Hell Razah, Prodigal Sunn and P Sunn's sister Makeba Mooncycle. It's a good piece, the first product for the new label with which the group has agreed, Red Ant, and behind it there's Mercury, only for this song. As a b-side of the single there's "Natural High": rhythm provided by in-house producer Supreme, rap by Hell Razah, Killah Priest and Prodigal Sunn along with a guest, who's Hell Razah's older brother Trebag. These two tracks, both supervised by RZA and released in 1997, feature the presence of Priest still in the group and the absence of 60 Second Assassin, replaced by a guest who's a relative of one of the members, coincidentally. For whatever reason, "We Can't Be Touched" is dropped from the new album and the first single becomes "Natural High".
Shabazz the Disciple leaves the group shortly before the album's release: he signs with Penalty Recordings and wants to bring the other guys to Penalty too, but Supreme and Sunz reject the proposal. Sunz of Man finally agreed with the Red Ant because the label, rightly convinced by the fact that at the time anything that had the approval of the Wu-Tang quality mark would literally be snapped up by the huge fan base of supergroup from Staten Island, agrees with the boys for a million dollars. In March 1998, Killah Priest released his debut album "Heavy Mental", four months before the release of the Sunz of Man album. Few months later, the new single of Sunz, a bomb, rains from the sky: "Shining Star". A tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire, with Earth, Wind & Fire themselves and Ol' Dirty Bastard, on a beat by Wyclef Jean. Inside Hell Razah, Prodigal Sunn and 60 Second Assassin to represent the Sunz. The single's b-side is "Cold", which again features group columns Hell Razah and P Sunn over a 4th Disciple beat. The third and final single, released months after the album's release, is "The Plan", featuring the four members of the group on a 4th Disciple beat. The b-side of this track is the song made together with Method Man and True Master on a True Master production, where only Sunzini and Hellraizor spit something representing the Brooklyn group. In 1998 "The Last Shall Be First" was released, Hell Razah, Prodigal Sunn, Killah Priest and 60 Second Assassin are the members of the group and signed with Red Ant.
Hell Razah is the major performer of the disc, present 18 times in 19 tracks (he doen't appear in one of the skits), followed by Prodigal Sunn (16), 60 Second Assassin (13) and Killah Priest (5). This latest artist is almost a guest in this project, for the reasons mentioned above, anyway, his contribution is impressive every time and he's in one of his best moments. The other guys manage to keep up with Killah Priest, making this record a compelling listen, despite an all too abstract lyricism, whose full-bodied stream-of-consciousness reach ends up overflowing into extravagance. Ghostface Killah, who was originally supposed to executive produce the shelved album "Nothing New Under the Sun" alongside RZA, Divine and Power, he would listen to the group's songs and manage to contain the stream of consciousness, elevating it to an innovative structure for hip-hop tracks on his acclaimed second LP, "Supreme Clientele", a few years later.
The music provided by the Wu-Elements (RZA, 4th Disciple, True Master) is solid and represents the typical Wu-sound of the period, with dark and hard sounds that blend together with soulful and jazzy melodies, providing an ideal soundscape for hardcore rap, metaphysical bars, bragging, the biblical quotes and street lyrics of the Sunz of Man, as well as for the boys of the Wu-Tang Clan who appear as guests. Recorded in half a dozen studios on both Coasts (New York, Manhattan, Long Island, Burbank, Santa Monica and Los Angeles) in a time period of a couple of years, the product is one of the most robust in the Wu-Tang catalog with 19 tracks for a total of 73 minutes.
Released by Red Ant, Threat Records and Wu-Tang Records, the album reached the top 20 in the pop chart and the top 10 in the hip-hop records, also charting in the Netherlands, achieving one of the best sales results for an act affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan. To have terms of comparison, the disc has a better sales result than the debut of Killarmy released the year before and than the debut of U-God released the following year, settling close to that of Inspectah Deck, always of 1999. Sunz of Man are preparing to become the new emerging greats of the rap industry, to grind out platinum records and to rocket up the billboard charts, but this, frighteningly, doesn't happen due to poor promotion by distributors. Indeed, Red Ant goes bankrupt shortly after the release of the group's first album: the bankruptcy of the label and the sudden and unexpected commercial flop of the album convince the boys to go their separate ways and start their own careers as solo artists. It's rightfully considered the group's best album and one of the best records ever released by a Wu-Tang Clan affiliate.
Rating: 8/10.
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