Enter the Wu-Massacre

Scribbled by Lethal Illness @ 12:02 PM on April 6th, 2010.

Last Tuesday marked the latest release from the Wu-Tang camp, Wu-Massacre. Wu-Massacre features twelve tracks plus a [limited edition] bonus track [which I didn't get] from three legendary Wu-Tang Clan members; Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon. Shockingly, of the twelve album tracks, only ten of them are actual songs, and one of those ten is a remix. What’s even more shocking is RZA only produced one very disappointing track, “Our Dreams”. The other songs [with better sounding instrumentals] are produced by Mathematics, Scram Jones, Ty Fyffe, Digem Tracks Productions, Emile, and BT. The features list is nothing too amazing and most people won’t even recognize the names aside from Sheek Louch and Inspectah Deck.

Wu-Massacre Cover

The cover looks amazing right? That’s because it was illustrated by Marvel’s own Chris Bachalo. Does the cover’s amazing illustration fit the albums content? Let me break it down track by track with some little notes I wrote while listening.

Tracklisting

1. Criminology Part 2.5

This track is cool and sounds very introductory as the first track should. The beat is pretty cool and the lyrics are raw. I just don’t think this should have been a part 2.5 to the original Criminology which was off Raekwon’s [wu-]classic album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx because it was way too short.

2. Meth v.s. Chef Part II

The beat definitely is recycled and played out. Regardless, I always have loved the back and forth concept (provided the two rappers are dope). I feel though that 4 bars each wasn’t enough and left me wanting more each turn because by the time I really got into one’s turn it was over. It was still a good track but doing 8 bars each turn would’ve easily made this one a favorite.

3. Ya Moms (Skit)

This was funny but it was completely pointless and didn’t have much to do with either the track before or after it. Meth’ was so much funnier on the very similar skit on LL Cool J’s G.O.A.T.

4. Smooth Sailing (Remix) ft. feat. Solomon Childs & Streetlife

I love the beat even though it sounds very recycled. I think it’s pretty cool for a remix on an album.

5. Our Dreams

I’ll admit I was looking forward to this track because it was produced by RZA. Instead of the dopeness I was expecting it definitely disappointed me. The beat starts out awesome and very soulful then out of no where it drops into the verse but it doesn’t even flow. It’s like mid note and then some odd sound comes into the verse. What’s worse is it does this through-out the song’s transition of chorus to verse. Regardless, the lyrics were pretty soulful, they just don’t make up for a half ass beat.

Update: They fixed this beat on the Alicia Keys version which sounds a hell of a lot better and more soulful. Reviving this song is a good look for RZA and I love Alicia Keys singing a hook.

6. Gunshowers ft. Inspectah Deck & Sun God

This one doesn’t sound bad but most of the lyrics were on that 90′s killer shit with a few cool punchlines but not much stuck out and it seemed like a filler track just to get some features.

7. Dangerous

This is probably one of my favorite of two tracks off this record. I love the beat and how it sounds modern yet preserves an old school vibe. The lyrics were dope and fit the beat well but the hook could have been a little better. Was it me or did it sound like Meth clipped a few times?

8. Pimpin’ Chipp

This is the other one of my favorites off this record. The beat is dated yet modern but it fits in with the track well. I’ve always been a fan of story concepts and this is no exception. It was a pretty good track overall.

9. How To Pay Rent Skit ft. Tracy Morgan

This was funny but again completely irrelevant to the album.

10. Miranda

This could be another one of my favorites. The beat sounds like it’s from the 80′s but it grows on you. The lyrics are cool for this concept, but the concept is a little over done. None the less it was executed decently. Also, LMAO @ Meth speaking spanish like he knows how to, he made the track very entertaining.

11. Youngtown Heist ft. Sheek Louch, Trife da God, Bully

This track has a typical gangster sounding beat but it’s cool. The features leave me saying “ehh”. It was like they were “freestyling” a bunch of simple recycled 80′s/90′s lyrics in between some dope ones. It’s a damn shame they didn’t do more with this track, especially that their voices fit the beat so well. At least they evened it out to be an okay track.

12. It’s That Wu Shit ft. Kevin Cossom

This beat sounds like it was made with a few Fruity Loops tutorials which is very amateur sounding. The punchline lyrics aren’t bad but I still have no idea where they were going with this concept. If they were going for a Wu-Tang signature sound this was definitely not it thanks to the beat and definitely not what I would want to be remembered for if I was them.

The Verdict

The short tracklisting, short tracks, and lack of engineering on the album gives me the feeling that this album was rushed and not ready for release. Personally, Wu-Massacre had more of a mixtape vibe rather than an album vibe. I feel this was the fault of the label more than the artists themselves. I wish there was a better selection of beats being that half of them we’re recycled sounding, but as far as lyrical content it’s pretty on point like you’d expect from these three. While this isn’t the best we’ve heard from these three it certianly isn’t their worst.