Brooklyn Zu was born from an idea of Russell Jones aka Ol' Dirty Bastard in 1994. The group is composed of his former hype man, friend and all-rounder Ellery "Buddha Monk" Chambers with ODB cousins Odion "12 O'Clock" Turner, David "Murdoc" Turner (both blood cousins), Zu Keeper and Shorty Shitstain, although sometimes the composition is also expanded to other rappers close to the group, such as the members of the collective Brooklyn Zu Fam and the rappers of the affiliated group Zu Ninjaz. The group debuts entirely in ODB's solo debut "Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version" (1995), all five have a contribution in the posse "Protect Ya Neck II the Zoo". Due to various vicissitudes, the five are unable to release any project and in 2004 the leader of the group Ol' Dirty Bastard dies. Only in 2008, the boys manage to give life to a studio album.
Production is by Cno Evil, Rico Lumpkin, LSI, Phaze Wun, RZA, DJ Woool, Plaboy-Chi, Devious, Yoel Beats and Structure. Mixing is handled by Frank Vasquez. The guests are GZA, Masta Killa and RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Killah Priest, 60 Second Assassin and Prodigal Sunn of Sunz of Man, Rugged Monk of Black Knights, Free Murda of CCF Division, Shyheim, Zu Ninjaz, K-Blunt, Popa Chief, 5 Foot Hyper Sniper, Chi-King, The Preacherman, Felicia Ray, LaFonda, Lifestylez, Captain Midnight, Willy Gleamz, Allah Real and Popa Wu.
"We Comin' for Ya" is the first cut of the album and the only one with all five members. Solid, robust boom bap, dry drum, dark samples, good beat made by Cno Evil, already producer of Dungeon Masta, Solomon Childs and Buddha Monk (sometimes credited along with Cno Evil behind the keyboards). Sample from "Zu Warriors", intro by Raison the Zoo Keeper, hook by Preacherman together with Buddha Monk, first verse by Buddha Monk, good flow, Merdoc follows with a less good and a bit irregular style. Zu Keeper follows with energy, while Shorty Shistain drops his bars screaming, then leaves room for Popa Chief (first of three guests from the affiliated group Zu Ninjaz), good energy, honest flow. 12 O'Clock follows with a well style, then Zu Keeper anticipates the final verses of K-Blunt, with a rough style, and 5 Foot Hyper Sniper who drop bars with a slow and irregular rapping in a joint maybe too long that travels towards five minutes when three would have been enough.
The second track takes its title from the name of the group. On a production by Rico Lumpkins that features a hard and raw boom bap rhythm, tough drum, heavy samples, 12 O'Clock spits hardcore with a good delivery. Chorus with a very short sample of ODB, Merdoc in the second verse does not have a good flow, followed by another member of the group Shorty Shistain, also without good technique and with the only swagger of shouting his own bars. Buddha Monk takes the track with a raw and hardcore rapping. "Do It for" boasts a boom bap soul by LSI, often uncredited producer. Sample by ODB, intro by Buddha Monk, 12 O'Clock attacks hardcore in the first verse with a good flow and socio-conscious lyrics. Hook by Preacherman, space for K-Blunt & Popa Chief of Zu Ninjaz, the latter closes the piece with a hardcore verse.
"Love Is Blood" uses a fresh sample from "The 5th Dimension" by Orange Air, a late sixties track that serves as a backdrop to the gangster-esque Brooklyn Zu battle: simple bare drums, obsessive loop, unnerving horns, after the hook of 12 O'Clock, Buddha Monk, Merdoc and Shorty Shitstain drop a verse each with a fairly average style despite the latter two trying to raise the listener's attention by increasing the decibel volume but not the lyrical one. 12 O'Clock closes at the fourth stanza over a controversial rhythm by Phaze Wun. This producer stays behind the keyboards to provide the beat of "Cold World", same name of the iconic track of GZA & Rebel Ins from "Liquid Swords": raw, dirty, underground boom bap, good samples, slow dry drum midtempo. Hook by Buddha Monk, first verse left to Shorty Shitstain who as usual starts hardcore straight shouting his lyrics. Hook sung in an almost ridiculous falsetto, second verse provided by 12 O'Clock that brings the joint back on the right track, energetic, flowing, regular, good flow. Final verse left to 5 Foot Hyper Sniper, slow, messy, irregular flow. Cut that ends up a bit disappointing at the expense of a sensational beat.
"Knock, Knock" has the same name of a piece released by GZA in "Legend of the Liquid Sword" (2002), originally produced by Jay Waxx. This version has a dark production worthy of a horrorcore record, crazy boom bap masterminded by The RZA: sharp rusty drum, sharp samples, raw bass great line, awesome beat, dark, scary. Intro and long hook by Buddha Monk, before his verse, good flow, that fits the soundscape faithfully, slow, crawling, raw, rough, uneven, as it should be spoken, great work on the mic. After the hook the boys get GZA, yes, The Genius from Wu-Tang Clan to back this track up. GZA hits it off perfectly and delivers with his style, slow, cold, glacial, very clean, crisp, relentless, perfect. Awesome contribution. Hook, the task of closing the joint falls to one of the best emcees of Brooklyn Zu, if not the best, 12 O'Clock, who goes away with a slow, regular, loose, silky flow, good contribution. DJ Woool is credited behind the keyboards on "Eat Ya Food". The track boasts a solid boom bap, weak skeletal drum, good samples, energetic hook by 12 O'Clock that introduces the joint, then Shorty Shitstain opens the joint reciting his bars with energy and paving the way for 12 O'Clock who offers the second verse with a good delivery. Chorus, then room for Killah Priest of Sunz of Man, calm entrance, silky flow, Buddha Monk brings Brooklyn Zu back into the track with a smoothness style, hook, then Masta Killa of Wu-Tang Clan has the honor of closing the piece, calm, regular delivery, good flow, endless final hook by 12 O'Clock. Mandatory cut in the group's discography, as well as being one of the best productions of the decade created by Bobby Digital.
"Baby" is the first track produced by Plaboy-Chi. It has a rough and bouncy boom bap, looped electric guitar plucked, Buddha Monk's intro, chorus honeyed-sung, first verse of 12 O'Clock that shows off with an irregular rapping, slow on a bizarre beat that features curious samples and a sparse and syncopated drum. Merdoc in the second verse with a contribution that normally doesn't impress, his flow is normal, but the rhythm somehow carries him forward and makes him seem suitable for the track, crazy. Buddha Monk in the final stanza of this cut, he enters with a meandering, tortuous, irregular flow, interesting and good contribution to tame a rhythm that until then was going a bit where he wanted, Buddha Monk cages it for a few moments. Devious realizes the rhythm of next choice. "Pass the Mic" has melodic samples, sparkling keyboards, perfect dusty drum, raw bass line, it's a solid boom bap. Intro and first verse by Chi-King, good flow, loose, silky, rides well on a fantastic rhythm. Chorus by Buddha Monk, Felicia Ray and Chi-King, second verse by Shorty Shitstain who comes in screaming and delivers hardcore straight for straight, irregular, ignoring the meter but giving funny moments like when, after not having met the drum even by mistake for over half of his verse, he's so bold as to state "my whole style is orthodox", stretching out the last word of his bar to the point of absurdity and despite everything without managing to cross and take the drum. Hook, then Buddha Monk & 12 O'Clock both with energy and regular rapping.
The second and final joint produced by Rico Lumpkin follows. "Party with the Zu" has a cheap boom bap rhythm, poor drum, questionable samples. Intro by 12 O'Clock, refrain by Preacherman, 12 O'Clock returns dropping bars with a slow and irregular delivery on a syncopated drum and a pretty poor music that clashes with the rest of the album, despite the group's desire to design a party track. Buddha Monk delivers a second verse with an average style, 12 O'Clock returns and Buddha Monk again to close the joint, not memorable. A short skit precedes "Pour My Liquor", which has a raw, dry, rough, underground boom bap performed by an often uncredited producer, Yoel Beats. Hook by Buddha Monk as usual, Merdoc has the honor of opening the piece on the first verse, his flow is weak, slow, irregular, outclassed by the production, tight dry drum and rocking samples in the background. 12 O'Clock enters with energy, good flow, regular delivery, slow, fluid. Shorty Shitstain closes in a messy way, he enters and continues shouting, straight ahead.
DJ Woool is called again in production, proposing the sound carpet of "If I Had a Gun": samples from "Zu Warriors", intro and hook by Buddha Monk, boom bap raw dark underground, rocking samples, dry, raw, dusty, perfect midtempo drum, splendid bass line provided by Shavo Obadjian of Achozen, newly born group created by RZA. 12 O'Clock enters the first verse calmly, sing-song flow, slow, fluid. Buddha Monk attacks the rhythm with a hardcore attitude, in shape, confident, effortless with an irregular, loose, fluid, chanted, unstoppable, fantastic flow, he's at his best, he seems a rapper from Wu-Tang. Rugged Monk of Black Knights at the next stanza with a regular style, almost spoken over one of the finest soundscapes of the tape, then RZA in the wake of Monk's verse. Steelz comes in raw, rough, without asking permission, dropping bars with a flowing, dirty, rusty rapping, with a fair amount of energy even if not totally inspired and with a breathless flow; takes a break, then comes back again with that style, almost on autopilot, he doesn't shake off the dust laid down by the drum and he's not saying anything, despite these it's one of his greatest contributions on the mic of the decade.
"Marvelous" boasts a dirty production, dry skeletal bare drum, obsessive almost annoying samples, squalid strings, this rhythm invented by Plaboy-Chi is a little bit cheap: hook by Zu Keeper, mediocre verse by Merdoc, 12 O'Clock goes hardcore and destroys the rhythm with a smooth, effortless verse. The guest Lifestylez delivers a third verse with a style all his own, in the wake of 12 O'Clock, even if he doesn't exploit, rapping badly, irregular, messy, shaky. Popa Chief of Zu Ninjaz closes hardcore. Plaboy-Chi also performs the rhythm of the following choice: "Put Yo' People's On" features a cheap production, poor drums, honest samples, intro by Zu Keeper, rnb hook by LaFonda, verses by Merdoc, 12 O'Clock and Buddha Monk in yet another battle rap with below-average styles, low-level track. "Get That Cheese" is a boom bap production by beatmaker Structure (sometimes uncredited), dark raw samples, good drums. Intro and hook by 12 O'Clock which also has the first verse, recited with a carefree flow, effortless, sad, dark, suitable for the rhythm, nice work by him. Joining him on the track are guests Captain Midnight, good flow even if he doesn't stand out in the cut, and the youngest affiliate of the Wu-Tang Clan Shyheim, with a calm, precise, punctual, commendable, loose execution.
"So Much 2 Say" is the fourth track produced by Plaboy-Chi and boasts a splendid soulful production: light boom bap with melodic soul samples, dry drum weak midtempo, introductory hook by Allah Real, Shorty Shitstain opens the first verse with an energetic, slow, heavy, rusty execution. Soul hook by LaFonda, second verse left to Free Murda of CCF Division, with a messy, slow, cautious flow. Willy Gleamz, another guest on the piece, follows with a calm, a bit stiff, normal execution. Another hook, then surprisingly 60 Second Assassin also arrives to represent Sunz of Man in the joint: great attack, silky flow, regular, superior to the previous rappers, takes the cut. Hook by LaFonda, contributions by Popa Wu and Allah Real, final hook. "First Thingz First", a track also known as "Shut Ya Trap", closes the album with the third production by DJ Woool: light boom bap, looped piano keys, dry drum downtempo sparse, simple rhythm by uncredited producer. Intro and first verse by 12 O'Clock, effortless, slow, carefree flow. Interlude by Prodigal Sunn of Sunz of Man, second verse by Chi-King, loose, normal rapping. Calm entrance by Raison the Zoo Keeper, nothing to say. Interlude by Sunzini, then P Sunn himself drops bars on the third verse: the leader of Sunz of Man calmly enters, delivers slow, irregular, fragmented, good flow, closes Zu Keeper with the outro. Final skit to close the tape.
12 O'Clock is the most present member on the first album released by Brooklyn Zu with 16 appearances in 19 tracks and excluding the skits he's practically everywhere except on "So Much 2 Say", it's almost an album of his own. Buddha Monk follows in 13 cuts (he leaves room for the other guys in the last quarter of an hour of the CD), then Shorty Shitstain (8), Merdoc (7) and Raison the Zoo Keeper aka Zu Keeper (3). Released by Imagine Music, despite the presence of Wu-Tang Clan and close affiliates, the album doesn't get a response from critics or the public, being rediscovered by fans (and some critics) only in retrospect. 7/10.
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