Customer Reviews

Made in Brooklyn

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

June 2004....

Seriously, Masta Killa was the last guy I expected to hold down the Wu Tang when they started to slip. When I got word that he was dropping an album back in '04, I just knew it was going to be the worst solo album in the entire Wu camp (Not that he was wack, but every group has that one guy that may not get as much shine/spotlight as the rest of the crew...Masta Killa was that guy). Then I popped No Said Date into my CD changer......and it's still there.

Fast forward to 2006 ......

With the release of Made In Brooklyn, Masta Killa should easily be regarded as one of the most consistant Wu members (along with GZA and Tony Starks). The album has a distinct Wu sound despite production from cats like Pete Rock, PF Cuttin', MF Doom, and some relatively unknown beatsmiths (Jig Sor, Whyz Ruger, Chris Conway, Mark Grant....just to name a few). To list every dope track would result in me writing a 12 paragraph review. Trust me when I tell you that this joint is nothing short of definite satisfaction. The production is tight, MK brings it on the mic, and every living member of the Wu (R.I.P. Ol' Dirty) comes through to drop verses.

As far as flaws, there aren't many. I wasn't really feeling "Let's Get Into Something" or "Lovely Lady" and "Older Gods" may fall under skip material if you're not in the mood for it. The rest of the album is practically untouchable. As a whole though, the album isn't as creative as his previous LP.

Made In Brooklyn is as good as you're going to find in rap this year. This album along with strong joints from Ghostface (Fishscale), Inspectah Deck (Resident Patient), Mathematics (Soul Of A Man), Raekwon (The Vatican Mixtape), and Bronze Nazareth (The Great Migration) marks a strong return for the WU in 2006. It gets two thumbs way up from me. I recommend making this one a collection piece.

Standout Tracks: East MCs feat. Victorious, K. Born, Killa Sin, & Free Murder, Pass The Bone [Remix], It's What It Is feat. Raekwon & Ghostface (My Favorite), Iron Gods Chamber feat. U-God, RZA, & Method Man, Street Corners feat. Inspectah Deck & GZA, Nehanda & Cream, E.N.Y House, Ringing Bells, and Then & Now feat.Karim Justice, Shamel Irief, & Young Prince

Masta Killa may've been the most overlooked member in the Clan during their breakthrough, and subsequent reign on top, but nowadays, he's made himself one of the more noticable Clan members. Sure, Ghostface still puts out the most consistently dope music, Method Man's still a media darling, and the GZA is still the greatest lyricist in the game, but Masta Killa has one thing going for him, that no-one in the Wu but Ghost can claim; consistency.

No Said Date is not a classic in my eyes, but it was one of the best post millenium Wu albums, and remains one of the best today. Made In Brooklyn is a fine follow-up to No Said Date; it's definitely not better than his solo debut, but Killa surely didn't fall victim to the sophomore slump. In fact, I don't find this album any lower in quality than No Said Date; it's just that with Ghostface's Fishscale this year, and GZA's GrandMasters last year, Made In Brooklyn didn't really stand out as much as No Said Date in '04.

With that being said, this is one of the two Wu-Tang albums I've constantly bumped this year; still behind Fishscale, but this has gotten a nice chunk of rotation. While Inspectah Deck released another mediocre album, U-God released an abortion of an album, Method Man released a dissapointing album, and Bronze Nazareth released an overrated album(I hate to say it, but Great Migration did nothing for me, even as a die-hard Wu fan), Masta Killa released a dope album that Wu fans can be proud of. Even if he's only two albums into his solo career, there's clearly quite a few solo releases ahead of him, and if he can continue with the consistency, he may gain the same respect outside of the innercore as Ghostface.

Production on this album is handled by a variety of cats, ranging from Metal Fingers(who's beat was taken from MM...FOOD?, but is still dope; in fact, that beat was underutilized on MM...FOOD?), to Pete Rock, to the aforementioned Bronze Nazareth. Every living member of the Clan makes a guest appearance, as do some of the lesser affiliates. There's no "9 Milli Bros" here, but the posse cuts that are included(Iron God Chamber, Street Corner, It's What It Is) are some of the best tracks found on the album.

Overall, Made In Brooklyn is yet another fine release from an underrated lyricist, whose skills are rarely appreciated outside of Wu fans. Definitely one of the best of the year, and a must have for any fan of the Wu, or good east coast hip-hop.

With his sophomore album, Masta Killa further proves the talent he showed on No Said Date. Another must have for Wu fans. Solid lyrics, tight beats with production from many MC's including Pete Rock and MF Doom.

Not a Wu Tang classic but deffinatly has the Wu tang sound and it's a solid solo album from Masta Killa.

Masta Killa comes again 2 years later within another album under Nature Sounds. Good to see MK staying consistent with the music but let me explain my thoughts on the album.

Lyric wise, Masta Killa drops that same style that hes always dropped. I havent looked much into the lyrics of the album, but I can say that from what ive heard hes still spittin the truth. They wont dissapoint you though on that matter.

Production wise, where people question the album. Well let me explain, theres production by Bronze Nazareth, and a couple others. But NONE from RZA. Which is sort of dissapointing, but it doesnt necessarily take away from the album. All the beats on the album are good for sure. Some of the beats sort of SOUND like RZA's beats but theyre not, so the production is still on point, and fit MK's still perfectly!

Overall, a very dope 2nd album by Masta Killa. I dont necessarily think its on the same level as "No Said Date", his first album. But he comes hard, and spits the lines. If you liked NSD, or any Wu music, make sure to get this!!

My Top 5 Songs
1.E.N.Y House
2.Its What It Is
3.Iron God Chamber
4.Ringing Bells
5.East MCs

Masta Killa is definatley one of my favorite rappers and probably the best rapper in Wu-Tang at the prestent time. Most people dont pick up on the complexity of his lyrics and the mastery of his delivery. He has a unique and complex rhyme scheme that goes over the heads of people who dont know how to annalize hip hop properly. Most rappers dont require this sort of annalysis and that is most likely the cause of the flood of garbage that is present day hip hop. This album has about 3-4 tracks that I didnt really care for but the rest of it is the closest thing to a classic since supreme clientele. If those 3 tracks were replaced by one track as good as the majority of this record i would have given it a 5. I liked NO SAID DATE but i thought that besides a couple of songs it could have been better strictly from a production standpoint. Most of this album has great production with the Wu Tang sound that i thought wasnt as strong on his first release. Lyrically Masta Killa never disapoints and slaughters this entire release. I dont listen to practically any hip hop any more because 99.9 percent of it sucks hard as hell but records like this give me hope. I like everything by Ghostface but I feel that he has dumbed down his style for more mainstream appeal which is why he has yet to top supreme clientele. Masta Killa however is just as creative and obscure as he ever was and this album is what Wu heads have been waiting for. If you listen to this album through and skip the 3-4 tracks that arent up to par this is as close to a classic as any hip hop realase since 2000.

this album is dope and definately worth your money. masta killa always keeps it grimey. what a great year for the wu-tang clan baby! i love it.

Made in Brooklyn is a classic rush-job, a fantastic EP marred by Masta's uncertainty of where to go next. Maybe he didn't have to go anywhere; in this climate, 50 minutes of solid lyrics, grimy beats and Masta Killa still remains a beast on the mic.

"Made in Brooklyn" is a step BACKWARDS from "No Said Date?"

To the people who have made this comment... well, I just gotta disagree. Far as I'm concerned, MK is bringin' the Clan back with these last two releases. True, about a third of the songs could use a little shoring up as far as production (the last song on the album is just completely ridiculous, a corny-sounding roots reggae joint on a Wu album? Wha... tha... fa...?), but the rest of it is just plain old bangin'.

MF Doom's track (a loop from a snippet of his King Geedorah LP) is tight, the Clan posse cut "Iron God Chamber" bumps with that slightly dissonant mid-'90s-era Wu sound, and "Nehanda & Cream" is one of the few Wu beats you could play in a club without every female takin' a break to grab a drink.

I think the one-two punch of MK's two albums have put the spotlight back on the Wu after Ghost got it shinin' with "Fishscale." I'm still not 100 percent sold on Meth's new album ("4:21..."), but you gotta say, the situation now looks a lot better than when RZA put out the God-awful "Digital Bullet" record.

The Wu ain't through. More than 10 years on and still grindin'. You gotta love it.

Masta Killa's "No Said Date" was the best album of 2004 and this album could very well be the best hip hop album of 2006. Simply put, Masta Killa has blessed hip hop heads with a jewel of an album with nice beats, and dope lyrics. Along with Ghostface's "Fishscale", Wu is proving that they are a force in the hip hop game. If you're tired of the same wack commercial rap that is flooding the airwaves, check this album out for sure! My favorite songs on here are "Ringing Corner", "Brooklyn King", and "Iron God Chamber".