Classics Discussion: Raekwon & Ghostface Killah

[Inspect Her Deck]

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx: 110/111 - 99%
Ironman: 91/102 - 89%
Supreme Clientele: 101/105 - 96%

 

[IAmListenin']

How much do y'all think G Rap should be credited for Mafioso rap?

G Rap said he “likes to eat hardy, party/ Be like John Gotti, and drive a Maserati” on the title track of Road to the Riches, was “Drivin’ a Saub, got connections with the mob” on the title track of Wanted: Dead or Alive, “bad to the bone like Al Capone” on “Bad to the Bone” on the same album, “got a job with the mob, makin G’s” on “On the Run” in Live and Let Die, sampled The Untouchables... Mafioso rap didn't start with Raekwon.

 

[Inspect Her Deck]

G Rap said he “likes to eat hardy, party/ Be like John Gotti, and drive a Maserati” on the title track of Road to the Riches, was “Drivin’ a Saub, got connections with the mob” on the title track of Wanted: Dead or Alive, “bad to the bone like Al Capone” on “Bad to the Bone” on the same album, “got a job with the mob, makin G’s” on “On the Run” in Live and Let Die, sampled The Untouchables... Mafioso rap didn't start with Raekwon.

yeah you're definitely right about that

it really came to fruition on Live & Let Die, more so than the previous two projects that only had sporadic references. But I think OB4CL was the first properly fulfilled cinematic vision type thing.

4,5,6 would be released later that year.

 

[Corndog]

IMO G Rap brought in the mafia as a topic for raps, but what cuban linx did was to transform the role played by the rapper. In G Rap's shyt in Live & Let Die, G Rap's character is a street level crime worker - an affiliate. In "On the Run" for example he's clear about the fact that the mafiosi he works for shyt on him and make him feel like a bum.

In Cuban Linx, the rappers take on the role of the don, the people calling the shots, even if they are up and coming in the narrative. Lo and behold, in G Rap's 4,5,6 he's rapping about being the boss at times. "Fast Life" for example. Should be said though that 4,5,6 came out only a month or so after Cuban, so tracing the influence directly would be difficult.

Anyway though, Cuban Linx is a much more consistent statement in terms of the mafia roles the rappers are playing than 4,5,6 is, and I think it stands as the critical turning point. Look at Nas between Illmatic and It was Written. Look at Biggie between Ready to Die and Life After Death. It's the same dynamic --> street level operator in the pre-Cuban albums, Don in the post-Cuban albums. I think everyone knows what I'm saying.

 

[JCalli]

I can't believe I missed this

I know i'm late but i'm still voting

Cuban Linx has a legit argument for one of the GOAT albums in hip Hop.

SC is the best album of the 2000's, there's nothing quiet like it.

Iron man is classic, hell yes it is, but not "as" classic as the 2 above.

If Linx 2 made the poll's, i'd have voted for that too

EDIT: I can't vote .

EDIT no 2: The Coli got the votes right

 

[SirBiatch]

@The Ruler 09 still never gave his explanation for Supreme Clientele not being classic

 

[KravenMorehead™]

i missed the vote fukk this shyt

 

[Middle Finga U]

Who the fukk voted no for the Purple Tape?

 

[Seedz]

Ghost my favorite artist of all time, Supreme Clientele my favorite album of all time.

"Heavy rain fukked my kicks up
Wasn't looking, splashed in the puddle
bytch laughed and first thought was beat the bytch up..."

And now I will mosey off gracefully to other less important threads than this one.

 

[feelosofer]

only 2 classics: Cuban Linx and Supreme Clientele.

Ironman is a good album but not classic.

I actually agree with this. Ironman, I think gets a little overrated on this site. Not every track on that album is great and in a lot of ways some of those songs were left on the cutting floor of OBFCL.

 

[Billy Ocean]

I actually agree with this. Ironman, I think gets a little overrated on this site. Not every track on that album is great and in a lot of ways some of those songs were left on the cutting floor of OBFCL.

What's the weak tracks? Tracks that you feel were left on the Cuban Linx cutting room floor?

 

[mr. smoke weed]

I agree, there are some similarities but those similarities stem from the fact that Ghost and Raekwon are lyrical companions. Naturally one album featuring both heavy will have some similarities to another album featuring both heavy. That's why the initial comparisons were made. But if Rae isn't on Ironman there really isn't any link to Cuban Linx. The ambiance differs.

I understand the comparisons between the two. But, Rae and GFK were on completely different levels MC wise from Only Built. Ghost's style advanced (more into storytelling, deeper with the imagery), and Rae's flow got sharper.

 

[Seedz]

I prefer Fishscale to Ironman honestly.

 

[feelosofer]

What's the weak tracks? Tracks that you feel were left on the Cuban Linx cutting room floor?

Wildflower
The Faster Blade
Poisonous Darts
Black Jesus

come to mind.

I'm not saying they're out and out terrible but Iron does not have near the polish production wise or lyrically Supreme Clientele had.

 

[Billy Ocean]

Wildflower
The Faster Blade
Poisonous Darts
Black Jesus

come to mind.

I'm not saying they're out and out terrible but Iron does not have near the polish production wise or lyrically Supreme Clientele had.

Wow. That's all.