Masta Killa releases his second solo album two years after his debut and they're both part of the fourth wave of Wu-discography releases, having been released in the mid-2000s. RZA doesn't realize any rhythm in this project, being replaced by a dozen different beatmakers behind the keyboards: MF DOOM, PF Cuttin, and Pete Rock, among others, stand out, while the Wu-Element Bronze Nazareth is the major producer with three rhythms. All the members of the Wu-Tang Clan still alive collaborate on the disc, along with Popa Wu aka Freedom Allah, Free Murder, Killa Sin of Killarmy, as well as Karim Justice, Shamel Irief and Young Prince, respectively sons of GZA, Masta Killa and RZA.
"Then & Now" is the first cut of the edition and is immediately a showcase for the sons of GZA, Masta Killa and RZA. The production is done by Chris Conway & Mark Grant, they make an alternative and dystopian jazzy boom bap, Karim Justice starts with decent flow and rapping almost spoken. Simplistic hook, then Shamel Irief to the second verse, better flow and delivery than the previous interpreter, but still quite simple. The last stanza is reserved for Young Prince, who has a heavy flow and fewer bars than the others, before the outro of Masta Killa. It follows "E.N.Y. House", heavy, cartoonish boom bap from MF DOOM, outstanding on this beat: Masta Killa lets the breathe the beat and then attacks it in an attempt to defeat it, however, Dumile did a truly excellent job and the rhythm resists the verbal assaults of Noodles, which sound light. On the third choice, the quality drops, due to a generic rhythm performed by Dev 1, the Wu-Tang's MC is faster than usual, but not necessarily more effective.
Lex Diamonds & Tony Starks come to put a full stop within the record: PF Cuttin realizes a rhythm that sounds Wu-Tang, skit from an oriental kung-fu movie, then oriental and alternative boom bap, with dark and somber cornet looped tightly in the background. It sounds like a dirty beat of the best RZA, and instead it's PF Cuttin. Master Killer opens with good flow and convincing delivery, attacks Raekwon with energy by delivering badly, closes Ghostface Killah with a great attack, killing the beat. Brilliant cut. "Nehanda & Cream" makes the whole project slip again: there's a skit of almost two minutes before a light jazzy beat starts, made by Bronze Nazareth, on which the rapper delivers calmly in a sort of speeded ballad. "Iron God Chamber" confirms that the album will be a bit of a swing: on a hopping and cheerful beat, nice and wagging tail by Whyz Ruler, a Wu-Tang posse is unleashed in battle rap. U-God offers a smooth flow, followed by RZA, which sounds less good with his syncopated style, then Method Man breaks the song, then Masta closes the games.
Jig Sor creates an appropriate soundscape for "Pass the Bone (Remix)", a remix of a song from GZA's debut album before the official birth of the Wu-Tang Clan, Masta Killa plays practically half of the same text with a good slow delivery on a great fast rhythm, with Startel's hook. Pete Rock is the producer of the number eight cut, a sequel to a song that features in "Wu-Tang Forever", the second record of the supergroup: the rhythm of the talented producer is amazing, vintage, deep and heavy, dark, with raised horns, however, accompanying Masta Killa in the delivery are Freedom Allah, the moniker of Popa Wu, and some unknown dudes who add nothing to the track. On the contrary, they take away a lot, creating an exhausting piece among the least successful of the edition. Masta Killa spits out a few bars with a quick style, but the cut itself feels like it's been wasted. The record continues to rock back and forth, up and down, and even sideways, even in its second part: "Let's Get Into Something" is a typical pure-rnb filler track, with long soul-rnb hook and rhythm performed by the same person, that Startel.
The last high point of the project is represented by "Street Corner", I want to exaggerate and say that this cut is a classic of Wu-Tang. Beautiful boom bap created by Bronze Nazareth, relaxed, downtempo drum, light strings, piano and female chipmunk soul sample in the background, opens Inspectah Deck with top-notch flow and one of the best delivery in the record, effective, relaxed, smooth, dope. Masta Killa continues on INS' wave, confident, slow, hardcore, smoothness, hook performed by himself, then closes GZA, which kills the entire record with an incredible verse, hardcore delivery, energetic, weighted, flowing, dope. Beautiful cut. Bronze Nazareth provides his latest beat in "Ringing Bells": another high-profile production, heavy carpet, stretched, with a beautiful piano masked in background, good solo by Masta Killa, however, he doesn't excel.
It follows a posse track with Victorious, K. Born, Free Murder, son of Popa Wu and member of CCF Division, and Killa Sin, MC of Killarmy: boom bap tense gloomy provided by Dev 1, Masta Killa is the first rapper, he proposes a good rapping, even if it's not much above the average. Victiorious is clearly two cities away from Master Killer level, while K. Born is slightly superior to the previous performer. Free Murder doesn't impress, so the track is closed by Killa Sin. The MC doesn't disappoint, not even this time, he's fantastic and is one of the best performers of this edition, perhaps only behind GZA, Rebel INS, Ghostface Killah & Raekwon: he's clearly superior to all the others on this track, he goes away with a dope flow and kills the others, unfortunately, the posse remains a fairly weak cut, but the boy makes you understand the value of him by representing the Killarmy at best. The tape is closed by five minutes of dancehall / reggae ballad with Ski and Governor Tools, the latter is also the producer of the track.
Distributed by Nature Sounds, the disc achieves a good commercial success, entering both the Billboard 200 and among the top 50 among hip-hop records. Consisting of 13 tracks for a total of around 51 minutes, it's very well received by most critics, who praise the project as an honest sequel to the debut, while fans crush it like any record of your generic MC. Or like the latest one by Cappadonna. I didn't understand the hate, or why this record should be hated: reviewing it now, perhaps four to five years after the last listening and all my notes, it's evident that there are mistakes. I find them even if I don't look for them: if I take the tracklist, I start to suspect tracks with Startel and all those unknown dudes in the posse, which will inevitably be mediocre. And indeed, it is. I may not trust solo cuts, and I certainly don't expect there to be three mediocre ballads out of thirteen.
With all these choices scattered throughout the album, an erratic project emerges: the record moves syncopated, with one good track and one no, right from the start, I mean, "ENY House" is good, the next one less, Ghost & Rae bring a classic, then there's the first ballad, another Wu-posse, and another unhappy choice. Masta Killa's rapping style is monotonous, often lacking in personality and in the core energy of a Wu-record, and part of the production is forgettable. The record inevitably falls in the second part and sinks into the final, and yes, probably, if I count them, there are more weak tracks than strong ones. But the strong cuts are powerful enough to take this project to the top, among the most solid of the year: aficionados compare it to "Fishscale" and think this record is disappointing and bland, but it's a little more complicated than that. It doesn't help that this project is completely erratic and full of weak ballads and posse tracks, coupled with the fact that Ghostface Killah's album is one of the best of the decade and practically no one can stand at that level, not even Masta Killa. Either way it's a Wu-Tang album, a good Wu-Tang album, certainly not great, but it's still an enjoyable listen for most East Coast fans.
Highlights: "E.N.Y. House", "It's What It Is", "Iron God Chamber", "Street Corner". The performance of Killa Sin in "East M.C.'s".
Rating: 7/10.
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