In 2010, the collaborative album between the Wu-Tang Clan rappers Method Man, Ghostface Killah & Raekwon, was released. The three MCs published one album each the previous year, the Meth & Red sequel and the parade of stars that Ghostdini brought to "Wizard of Poetry" were well received by critics, while Lou Diamonds' sequel to "Only Built" was widely regarded as an authentic comeback album and one of the best works of the year. Def Jam, which already has Meth and Ghost in its stable, signs Raekwon, and the trio begins work on the album.
In theory. Because in practice, it doesn't look like anyone really worked on it: it seems the artists spent a lot more time denying that they were a new group separate from the Wu-Tang, rather than recording and fixing the songs. The record is a month ahead of the "Avenging Eagles" promotional mixtape, which is surprisingly better and, while simply containing revised, cropped and remixed previous material, has several memorable moments, being curated and created by a professional like Mathematics. DJ Mathematics himself produces three tracks on the album, but he disappoints, flanked by people who have recently worked with the trio, including Ty Fyffe, Emile and Scram Jones, and from BT Rockwell, Digem Tracks Productions and RZA. Bobby Digital looks to swan song by providing an honest beat for "Our Dreams", where he samples Michael Jackson in one of the rare tracks that features all three performers. In general, the production is "cartoony", poor and simplistic, composed of scarce, minimal and excessively light drum machines, and of rough and random sounds.
The lack of samples is almost tearful: BT Rockwell doesn't even make the effort to change the rhythm of RZA for Purple Tape's original "Criminology", he just makes it older, rusty and less memorable than the nine-five beat. Inside, of course, Ghostface and Method Man? What, man? WHAT? On genius I see that there would be an opening verse from Raekwon and another from Ghostface, what happened to them? Why? The rest of the production is extremely disappointing, so much so that I will pretend that the rhythm of RZA in "Our Dreams" is good. Digem Track Productions brings out the worst rhythm of the edition in "Gunshowers", with a sample born correct — The Escorts' "La-La Means I Love You" — however, it's looped too tightly and in an incredibly annoying way, the same mistake that Mathematics makes with the sample of the vicious song "Miranda", one of the few to have Meth, Rae and Ghost on the same track. Emile disappoints, memory tells me that Scram Jones has done some good production in his career, but they're definitely not here.
In addition to the Wu-Elements, the trio also renounces the Wu-Tang Clan to fill the numerous spots present in this tape: Inspectah Deck is the only MC of the supergroup, the remaining guests are affiliates such as Streetlife, members of the Theodore Unit (Solomon Childs, Sun God and Trife) and D-Block rappers Sheek Louch and Bully. None of these guys impress in any way: Streetlife pays homage to all members of the Wu-Tang Clan in its verse and should be somewhat noteworthy, but for some reason, it doesn't seem like that. In the same cut, the guys keep the same beat as Ty Fyffe featured on the new album by Killa Beez, hold the Solomon Childs hook and replace his verse and Trife's with those of Method Man and Streetlife.
Distributed by Def Jam, the album is praised by critics and is doing very well in the charts, coming close the top ten of the pop chart and finishing second among rap records. It should be the event album of the year, there are three of the best rappers of the Wu-Tang Clan in a short minute (half an hour), but the project is empty, generic, tasteless, it leaves you nothing. It looks and feels like a mixtape when it's released by Def Jam, and it's not even a real collaborative record, because the guys are on the same track a quarter of the time. Method Man, Ghostface and Raekwon all go on autopilot, unwilling, lazy, monotonous on a forgettable production with random lyrics: it almost feels like a compilation of discarded verses from sessions for other albums. The cover is saved, which is the union of three different covers of artistic works, note the Wu logo which becomes a "3" for this record. Quite worryingly, there are eleven executive producers on this work, a sign that everyone has demanded a slice of pie. It's never relevant, never memorable, extremely disappointing, not recommended. 5/10.
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