Customer Reviews

Birth of a Prince

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I passed up on this album when it first dropped in 2003. Even though I'm a big Wu fan, I grew tired with the RZA and his Bobby Digital alter ego, as well the delay of the much hyped, and yet to be delivered album "The Cure." In addition, RZA's cumbersome flow is somewhat tough to swallow on an extended solo basis. So, I passed on this album, figuring I wasn't missing anything big. About a week ago I was in a bodega and overheard someone talking about Birth of a Prince being one of the "best Wu joints ever." So, being bored with the current state of hip-hop I figured I would cop the album to see for myself with the ultimate goal of being able to download one or two hot tracks onto my ipod. First of all, let me say that despite my late pass, I deserve eternal detention for having slept on this album. I deserve no alibi. I can't believe that I snoozed so hard on this joint. Personally speaking, the beats alone have me speechless (if that makes sense). There is only one weak track, the worthless bounce of "The Drop Off". Otherwise, each track is a unique banger. There is nothing commercial about this album at all. All the beats are full-grind hip-hop. In other words, they are bare, eccentric, and New York. The only thing that can improve this album would be subtracting a couple of the generic guest rappers and replacing them with established Wu-Tang members. Although Master Killa pops in effectively for two cuts, his appearance is not enough with consideration to the total quality of the production. This is not to say that RZA as a rapper does not shine in his own right. He comes through professionally throughout, progressing fluidly between trash talk and science. If you pay close attention, the album is a personal story of introspective fruition. I place Rebirth of a Prince up there with the other great Wu solo releases (Liquid Swords, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, and all three Ghostface albums).

To start off, I would actually give this album somewhere between a 3.5 and 4 but that wasn't an option so i'll round it up cuz it's closer to a 4. i can't believe some people here saying that this is a classic and that it measures up with wu solos like cuban linx or liquid swords. i am a huge wu fan, i have followed them since they started and i will say not only is this not one of the best wu solos, it isn't even close to being Rza's best solo. Bobby Digital and Digital Bullet are both better. with that said, this is still a good album. I really didn't feel it that much at first but it definetly grew on me and i have been listening to it a lot lately.

1)Bob N' I- 4/5 - Nice start to the album. A little "b-boy freestyle" by rza although i doubt it was freestyled.
2)The Grunge- 4/5 - This song kinda annoyed me at first but it grew on me and now i would say it's pretty damn hot.
3)We Pop- 2/5 - Disgusting. This isn't Rza. This isn't a Wu song. Tell me I'm dreaming. Tell me that they took a P.Diddy song a imposed it on to this album because this is rediculously wack. The last guy(i think his name is Freemurda) is so unbelievably wack, I honestly felt naueseous. he is so wack, words don't do justice to how wack he is. if i wanted to here a song like this, i'd pick up a nelly cd or something.
4)Grits- 5/5 - Great song. it kinda reminds me of "all that i got is you" by ghostface but is not as emotional. the chorus got stuck in my head. masta killa represents as well and does his thing like he always does.
5)Fast Cars- 5/5 - Yeah, this is what i'm talking about. Dope ass track. definetly one of my favorites of the album. my favorite wu member ghostface comes through and does his thing as always.
6)Chi Kung- 4/5 - pretty good song. rza's flow is kinda off here but it's still pretty good.
7)You'll Never Know- 4.5/5 - i really like this song a lot. i love the beat and i just like everything about it.
8)Drink, Smoke, & F*ck - 2/5 - oh no he didn't. nice to kill momentum after you built it up after "we pop" rza. what happened to dropping knowledge and all that? this again is something way beneath you rza. come on, i expect more from you and not something so shallow. why don't you just put ludacris and ja rule on your album and completely ruin it.
9)The Whistle- 4/5 - nice recovery from the last track. the chorus for this really annoys me. it just seems so generic. but masta killa is on it which is always good and some other guy who is decent. where's your solo Masta Killa. come on. the beat is sick.
10)The Drop Off- 3/5 - come on rza. enough with songs like this. another generic ass chorus. the song isn't horrible and it isn't bad as the other ones that i said sucked. but it's still another dumb song by rza.
11)Wherever I Go- 3.5/5 - this song would be higher if it wasn't for the last guy(same guy who was really wack on "we pop").rza, why are you putting this absolutely piece of sh*t "rapper" on your album. he seriously makes me sick with how wack he is. oh my god,i'm listening to the song now and i want to throw up. this guy needs to get out of the game ASAP. way to ruin a dope beat and an otherwise dope song.
12)Koto Chotan- 4/5 - dope song. not much to say. my man masta killa reps again.
13)A Day to God is 1,000 Years- 5/5 - great song. love the beat. this is what i want from rza.
14)Cherry Range- 3.5/5 - pretty good song. it's hard to explain but to me, but this seems like a serious song that you would find on like a 50 Cent cd. for 50 cent, maybe it's a good serious song but for Rza, to me it seems kinda lazy. i say that because of the chorus which is like half the song. it's supposed to sound all serious and having a message but it's generic and i know that Rza can do better.
15)The Birth- 5/5 - Oh hell yeah. this is the type of stuff that Rza is capable of and should have a cd full of stuff like this. drop your knowledge Rza.
16)See the Joy- 5/5 - Sick ass song. He talks about being a sperm and becoming a baby. very well done.

Well that's that. some really good songs. but some of them just made me so angry that they were on a Rza cd. his first 2 CDs were so f*ckin good. and this album is definetly hot, no doubt but the songs i pointed out that were wack were just way to wack. you don't have to drop knowledge on every track like "the birth" but if you're gonna make a song like "we pop", you should A)get rid of the really wack guests and B) do the damn song in a more original way. i guess Rza is just trying to make the radio but i don't like it. i've heard some people that now he's Rza and not Bobby Digital like his other albums(which seems to be true because in one of the skits he says not to refer to him as Bobby anymore,even though he refers to himself as Bobby Digital throughtout the album). well if that's the case, then give me Bobby Digital any day. for a big wu fan like myself and also a big Rza fan(one of my favorite 3 wu members along with ghostface and gza), this album is slightly disappointing. but like i said,i've been listening to this album a lot lately so i'd still recommend it. but the bottom line is that this album doesn't feel like a Rza/bobby digital album. it almost feels like a different guy. but whatever. cop it still. and again, whoever on here calls this a classic and/or puts it on cuban linx's or liquid swords' level are idiots and have no idea what they're talking about.

This a average album with I'll production, all the guest do their thing & RZA still got it.Only difference between "Birth Of A Prince" and his 1st classic "Bobby Digtal in Sterio" is that this sounds like a bunch of songs just thrown on a disc to make a album as for "Bobby Digital In Sterio" the production blended whell and the vibe & sound of it was 1 in amillion. 01 bob n I - 4/5 - b-boy feel great sample at the begining dope short verse.02 the grunge 3.5/5 - hectic beat the keeps switchin up very different style03 we pop - 3/5 - club banga not the original wu sound (f/ Sha cronz & Free murder) megaheartz beat. 03 hidden track "hoodrats" f/ Tash Mohagony - 4/5 - bangin beat short song but great 04 grits - 4/5 f/ Masta Killa , Allah Real (vocals), relaxing layed back soulful joint05 fast cars - 5/5 f/ Ghostface Killah, another hectic beat up tempto banga with a catchy hook real grimey joint , they both flip it.06 chi kung - 3.5/5 - f/ Kinetic lazy feel to this, Rza sounds tierd & sleepy, whack chorus 2nd verse it picks up a bit tho. 07 you'll never know - 5/5 f/ Clivaringz beat sounds like it keeps playin' over but the drums are nice its kinda relaxing while both emcees rip it.08 drink, smoke + fcuk - 4/5 sounds like a slower tempo of GZA's "breaker breaker" not the original wu sound but for current stuff this would've knock out other singles good chillout joint. 09 the whistle - 5/5 f/ Masta Killa & Prodigal Sunn, cool catchy chorus sounds a bit misterious like james bond mission sneakin in the dark. 10 the drop off - 5/5 f/ Sha Cronz, Free Murder dope beat here both verses are sick, catchy chorus & Rza's fingerin a chick before he speeds of from the cops and kicks his verse off witch he switches up like a mug. 11 wherever I go - 5/5 f. Sha Cronz, Free Murderthis song is grimey to the core sounds is very slow tempo setting a late night mood. 12 koto chotan - 5/5 f/ Masta Killa & Tashmahagony, production is amzaing, no chorus trust me you never heard anything like this. 13 a day to god is 1,000 years 3.5/5 - an ok song, album slows down about now and gets darker sounds similar to Jay-Z's "anything" but more mello. 14 cherry range - 5/5 f/ Kineticanother mello joint but with bangin drums, here Rza & Kinetic conversate on the phone while driving in the rain, basically "Project Talk" Part2 but better beat & catchy chorus.15 the birth - 3.5/5 very sad song about modern day slavery very dark and emotional. 16 see the joy - 5/5 best for last this is a creative song where rza speaks in the prospective of a sperm cell and what's to come. the begining sample'll make your hairs stand very deep & sad song. Production - 9/10Guest - 8.5/10Lyricisim - 9.5/10Ratting - 4/5Only disappointment a wu fan would have here is that its a u-turn from their original sound (which is more rugged & dusty sound production)but as a veterin artist grows with time they have to adapt to what music sounds like in a the new era.

Look, this album is great, unique and different, I know people here are comparing it to his last albums........but those were bobby digital albums. He's now come out with his first official RZA album, "Birth of a Prince". You might not like too much of the first half but as you get towards the end, RZA rewards you with some really good songs, like "The Birth", pure excellent lyrics and you'll be playing this track over and over. I can't belive people are saying the lyrics are weak, show me an album that came out the same year that has better. Production is more polished and even though he didn't do as much on this album like the bobby digital albums, other producers still bring in tight beats like "Fast Cars" and "A Day To God Is 1000 years". If your a wu-tang fan or are just looking for good albums to widen your music collection, this should be ordered or bought now.......it's a great album.

What happens when you combine 5 percent mysticism, folklore, innovative hip hop production, b-boyism, and battle poetry? You get the Rza, the architect behind The Wu-Tang. To me, this album is the embodiment of the ultimate folk song (that's right you moaning hip-hop heads, the Rza is "folk like that." Understand the word.). Bob Dylan sang of desolation, Bob Marley sang of redemption, and now Bob Diggs (rip) gives us the birth of a Prince. Sad to say, many people can't understand why the Rza became Digital in his past few albums, and maybe if they stop to listen to this WHOLE album and not just a few songs, then they'd understand that Digital was a part of his life and of the way he experimented on his production. And now we finally get introduced to the (final?) stages of the God. I can't wait for the Cure...

This album is a artistic testament to where Rza should currently be in his career. Very few can come close to touching the genius Rza brings to the hip hop community when it comes to flow, beats, and lyrics. This album is a collaboration of all these talants and is what makes the Rza such an infulential artist and hip-hop icon. I was eagerly awaiting this album, and was not dissapointed one bit. It was worth every penny. If your a hip-hop head and need something to stop you from floating down the polluted main "stream", this albums the life rope.

There was a time when the word Wu-Tang got the average hip-hop head hyped just thinking about the amazing lyrics and weight that the group brought to hip-hop. For many, 36 Chambers was the start of a new beginning in hip hop; many Wu followers waited for the next influential album to drop. Somewhere along the way the transformation went wrong;, the group diversified, millions were made, and Wu Tang rocked the world coast to coast, shore to shore. This 9-man team of fiery, ferocious rappers stoned out of their minds created a style of hip hop never imitated and original till today. Through this transformation many noticed that RZA, considered one of the best producers in the world, changed from his gritty, raw, uncut samples, to more beats with drum machines and synthesizers. Still a die-hard Wu fan (as most are), I still purchased the CDs every year, dissapointed in many ways. There shining tracks were often sporadic, you often had to skip tracks in CDs. Many had written the Wu off as a group that had blown big, and would never able to be as hot as they once were. This new CD from RZA is a beacon of hope to all Wu fans world-wide, you will hear some of the best RZA beats in a long time. The man is back, and the samples are crazy. The following will start again, raise the iron flag once more. Wu is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!

This "Birth of a Prince" is more like "Re-emergence of a Jackass"... I am a huge Rza fan but this is only more of what I DON'T like about him. Cursin', Wu-references, get drunk & f***... c'mon, turn the page already. I had high hopes for this CD but the cover art and title are the best things about it! They give the impression that it will be a rebirth for him. But although his intellect and vision always give you hope that he could do something great, he hardly does on this disc. The first track is hot, the rest are lame which is ironic since this year's "World According To RZA" is probably the best Hiphop album of the year! Buy that cause it's sick as hell. I liked "Digital Bullet" a lot too, though many hated on it. But just pick up "World According To RZA" and prepare to have your mind opened.

A founder of Wu-Tang Clan, RZA, has released a new album, called Birth of a Prince. Before this album RZA as Bobby Digital, has released two albums. First album was Bobby Digital In Stereo it was a classical album all tracks was good, second was a "Digital Bullet". It wasn't as good as "Bobby Digital In Stereo", but was not so bad. This year RZA went to Europe to record songs with European artist, and he released a solo album The World According to RZA. All songs were with European artists, and produced by RZA.I think "The World According to RZA" is a typical European album with dope production. I don't refer this album to the Wu-Tang. And now, October 7th RZA has released a new album Birth of a prince. Firstly when I heard a few songs of this album, I ask a question "is this a Bobby Digital? It doesn't sound as Bobby" anyway it's sound much better than Bobby. I have listened to album, and was in a shock. Album like that I didnt listen for a long time. Its wonderful album, best album of this year. This album is a final Bobby Digital - Prince Rakeem and RZA transformation. The first half of album sound like Bobby Digital and second half sound like Prince Rakeem. There are a slow songs like The Birth, A Day To God Is 1000 Years and banging dance songs like Fast Cars featuring Ghostface Killah, We Pop featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard. The reason why the album is so good is that, the album sound like an old Bobby and new RZA or Prince Rakeem. Of course is good that album featuring 3 members from wu-tang clan, Masta killa in songs Girts, The Whistle and Koto Gotan, Ghostface Killah in song Fast Cars and Ol' dirty bastard in song We Pop. Certainly it is a classical album. In my opinion this is a best Wu-Tang solo album of all time. If you like Wu-Tang, and albums like "Enter The Wu-Tang 36 Chambers" so you will love this cd. Anyway you must have this album for your collection, it's a classic album.

This is a funny CD. Because if you put it in and listen to just the first few tracks, and you're an old Wu fan, you're gonna want to eject it and throw it out the window. I must say, half of the songs on this release are really awful. RZA must be on that blow or something cuz I don't know how he coulda left some of these songs on there. Now WITH THAT SAID.. the rest of these songs are REALLY GOOD. I dunno what RZA was doing with this one. It's random as hell. If you're a big RZA/Wu fan, go ahead and get this one and listen to it a few times so you know which ones to skip, the rest of the CD is really great though.