Customer Reviews

Rza As Bobby Digital in Stereo

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Well here it is 1998 and we get a first SOLO album by the RZA. He is already known for being as one of the best Hip Hop producers so now people are wanting to see what sort of album he could cook up. Well this one some people were like "What kinda stuff is this"? It sounded different. RZA was experimenting with different production methods. This doesnt sound like the original Wu-Tang group stuff your used to hearing so notice that, but let me break it down for you.

Lyrics, wow this is where you get to really see RZA shine though. His lyrics are SO on point its crazy! He drops straight knowledge all the way through the album. A couple funny tracks like " Kiss Of A Black Widow" and "Domestic Violence" but even those songs are on point! Lyrically, RZA would outshine anyone who spit on th e album. Before hearing his solo stuff, if you ever said "RZA is alright", nah check this album out then you will see how good his lyrics can really be. Every single track he drops ILL rhymes. Lyrically, this album is hott!

Production, heres the crazy stuff. He experimented with a different production method. Not the normal types of beats he usually cooks up for other Wu member or group stuff. What is amazing, is how great RZA can make a song and album be. He can give a album a CERTAIN vibe ALL THE WAY THROUGH! Its crazy! This album has a certain vibe all the way through, I cant tell you which "sort" of vibe because its too hard to think of one, but there is one trust me. The beats on this album are off the hook though. They are different and unique, so check this album out NOW!

This album is different, but the lyrics are hott, production is hott and thats all you need for a good album right. Classic RZA material right here. Probably his best solo effort out. And all of the appearances by different emcees they all drop knowledge and hott rhymes.

***SUPPORT RZA AND REAL HIPHOP AND BUY THIS***

My Top 5 Songs
1.Love Jones
2.Mantis
3.Holocaust (Silkworm)
4.Kiss of a Black Widow
5.Domestic Violence

Wu-Tang Forever

1)Intro(skit)-N/A
2)B.O.B.B.Y- 5/5- Great way to start out the album. 3 killers verses from Rza. This song gets me mad hyped and you're sure to sing along to the chorus
3)Unspoken Word- 5/5 - Some people may not like this song but this another song that gets me so hyped. It's real gritty and Rza just brings it. "The Wu rag tied around your head like a doo rag/Carry large black guns in small school bags"...ill.
4)Slow Grind African(skit)- N/A
5)Airwaves- 4.5/5 - I love this song. I love the chanting of "Wu-Tang, Wu-Tang" in the background. it's a little short but not that short.
6)Love Jones- 4/5 - Rza's love song only the way Rza can do it. uses metaphors that are actually kinda graphic so it's not your traditional love song. Not one of my favorite songs on the album but it's very good and it's not like i skip it. and plus,if one of your least favorite songs on an album is a 4/5, then that says somethin really good about the album.
7)N.Y.C. Everything- 5/5 - Damn, Rza and Method Man together over a dope ass beat equals greatness. see,this is the Method Man i love, not the one making silly rhymes for the radio dancing around like an idiot with Redman.
8)Mantis- 5/5 - Oh man. This is just some hype sh*t. Rza and Masta Killa rip it. I could have done without Jamie Sommers but Rza and MK make it a 5.
9)Slow Grind French(skit)-N/A
10)Holocaust- 5/5 - Call the medics. This song is frieken killer. Holocaust of the Black Knights starts off the song and just rips it to shreds. Rza,Dr.Doom, and Ghostface Killa all come next with dope ass verses(though I don't think Ghostface's made one lick of sense)
11)Terrorist- 4/5 - Nice little quick cut with the Black Knights. But boo to no Rza. Still good though.
12)Bobby Did It- 5/5 - Oh hell yeah. The first two guys(not sure who they are,might be from Black Knights) do their thing well and set up Rza and Ghostface to rip their verses. Jamie Sommers finishes things off on a down note, but again, not enough to make the song anything less then a 5.
13)Handwriting on the Wall- 4/5- another nice quick cut with Rza and Ras Kass doing a quick verse each. Each of them do their thing nicely. I especially liked Ras Kass's verse.
14)Kiss of a Black Widow- 4.5/5 - I really like this song a lot. Some people may not feel the same way. ODB is on it and that "it's taking me over" being looped in the background mesmerizes me. you can tell that Rza is semi-freestyling here(which i heard he did for most of this album) but it's definetly apparent here.
15)Slow Grind Italian(skit)-N/A
16)My Lovin' is Digi- 4.5/5- Really dope song. I love the beat with what sounds like a violin in the background(could be wrong) but it's hot as Rza talks about the ladies(or maybe just one)
17)Domestic Violence- Hilarious. It's a song with Rza arguing with his girl. He lays into here and it is so funny. Great song.
18)Project Talk- 4/5 - This song really grew on me. I wasn't feelin it so much at first and it uses the beat from "The Projects" off of Wu-Tang Forever. But it's a dope song. It's pretty short as Rza and another guy just talk about what's goin on in the hood.
19)Lab Drunk- 5/5- Awesome song. Another hype track. 3 great verses from Rza and I love the chorus.
20)F*ck What You Think- 4/5 - It's a really good song when Rza starts it off but then goes downhill once the 2 other no name guys do their thing. The last guy is really, really wack. But Rza keeps it at a 4 as his verse is worth listening to song alone and the 2nd guy isn't that bad but the last guy is just wack
21)Daily Routine- 3.5/5 - I could have definetly done without this song. It's ok and isn't that bad of a song on its own but it doesn't go with the album (sounds more like something off Birth of a Prince) and it's just not as good a song as the others. Rza should had stopped at 20 tracks.

This review came from a HUGE Wu-Tang fan so maybe it is slightly biased but I will say that I didn't like it when I first got it but eventually I came to love it so I didn't love it unconditionally. GET THIS ALBUM. I have his other 2 albums and while both are definetly hot, this one is better then them. I would say this album is more of 4.5/5. I don't give out 5/5's easily so 4.5 is still and excellent album. There are flaws on it(like Jamie Sommers,the other guys on F*ck What You Heard, and Daily Routine) that keep it from being a 5/5 and being on the level as Only Built for Cuban Linx or Liquid Swords but it is still, in my opinion, a must have, especially for a fan of Wu

Wu-Tang Clan's leader and producer steps out on his solo effort RZA As Bobby Digital In Stereo with self-produced well rounded LP for the clansman. Advanced off-keyed production from the chambers shows the maturity and identity of their musical style on "Unspoken Word". "Airwaves" is a good tune that sounds as if transmitted through radio airwaves with a good mix. It seems no matter how many remake a song "Love Jones" is a good example of lyrical content on sexuality gives depths to RZA and this album. For a conventional 36 chamber sound "Mantis" featuring Masta Killa & Tekitha with sword swinging lyrics. The slow one two kick with eerie keys, "Holocaust (Silkworm)" featuring Ghostface Killah, Holocaust, Dr. Doom & Ms. Roxy brought have a head nodding song. "Terrorist" was handled by Killarmy & Black Knights without a verse or words from RZA for this up-tempo track. The off-keyed piano with the beat that's featured on the interludes "Handwriting On The Wall" featuring Rass Kass was equally effective by both emcees / rappers. Production by clan's member Inspectah Deck "Kiss Of A Black Widow" featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard added to the album's effectiveness. RZA goes after his woman and her ways on "Domestic Violence". This album ended on a high note with "Daily Routine" featuring Baretta Nine as they speak of their everyday life in a conscious effort. It may be overwhelming with a majority of this album had featured artists without completely showing the alter ego of Bobby Digital.

The 'Bobby Digital' persona allows presiding Wu-Tang genius RZA have fun with various stereotypes of black (masculine) experience - thug, loverman, gangsta, violent husband, superhero, persecuted minority, wide boy etc. 'Fun' is the wrong word - in the Wu-Tang universe, comedy, paranoia and terror are synonymous concepts. Like most (supposedly) solo Wu-Tang projects, 'Bobby Digital' is more ascetic than the Clan, the thin, thudding beats fretting at your anxious imagination, overlaid with shrieking violins or brittle, menacing synths reminiscent of horror movies by Carpenter or Argento. This tense urban atmosphere is seen to best effect on 'Airwaves', 'NYC Everything', 'Mantis' and 'Kiss of a Black Widow', the latter making brilliantly creepy use of a looping Portishead sample. 'My Lovin' is Digi' has a spooky prog-rock setting. The standout track, 'Domestic Violence', plays like a precursor to Eminem's 'Stan', in this case vitriolic misogyny hurled with brutal articulacy.

But, to emphasise the violence and comedy is to overlook the Wu-Tang's mastery of the laidback, R'n'B 'love-song' (I use the term advisedly), although the sweet 'Love Jones' has its own demons. The Wu-Tang multiplicity of musical voices extends to language on 'Bobby Digital', with four 'Slow Grind' come-ons in German, 'African', French and Italian. Blood-rushing and (literally) stunning.

Uh, these spotlight reviews suck. 2 stars?! Why is that a spotlight review? Who chooses these.. anyways. This is one of the BEST CDs ever dropped by Wu-tang (or anyone on the east coast for that matter). RZA's flows on this CD are ABSOLUTELY amazing. As with all RZA music, it is very random, and sure, there are a bunch of tracks that might catch you off guard, and make you say "What the F8@$?" But all around, when you get an ear for the lyrics and the production which is the mastery of RZA, you will acknolwedge this CD as being completely amazing.

The RZA is one of the best rappers in the world. Like his name, his words cut you like a razor. No one can match his flow, its amazing the way he can deliver a rap. As a plus, RZA has some of the best unknown rappers on his cds; His beats are awesome. There are some dull spots on the cd, but its few and far between. The Wu and RZA should get more credit for what they do. I own everything RZA touchs, just because its always worth it. Unlike most rappers in todays industry. Im so sick of turning on Mtv, and seeing fake rappers millions of dollars for generic rap tunes. RZA, The Wu, and Wu family will always be better then anything rap will ever produce.

The head of the Wu is blazed up in this album. For those who said Bobby Digital was a wack album is dead wrong. Songs like "B.O.B.B.Y.", "F*#k What You Think", "Holocaust", and "Terrorist" makes your head fall off for nodding it too much. This is definately Wu-Tang Season!

I have listened to this cd over 100 times, and this album just did not meet my expectations. RZA is an incredible emcee, but to me in my opinion, this cd does not rank up with the other Wu artists.

A few of the tracks were however pretty tight, but for the most part the cd was just wack to me.

This cd is one of the best out of many cd's by the Clan. I have purchased every single Wu album that's ever been made such as WU TANG FOREVER, ENTER THE WU TANG, WU TANG KILLA BEEZ, WU CHRONICLES, THE RZA HITS, IRONMAN, ONLY BUILT FOR CUBAN LINX, LIQUID SWORDS, BENEATHE THE SURFACE, TICAL, TICAL 2000, U-GOD 1st CD REDEMPTION, BOBBY DIGITAL AND CAPPADONNA'S THE PILLAGE. this is the best one out of the wu member own albums. (wu tang forever is the best one) Bottom line is get this one. it's worth your money.

Good album I mean its hott. But could have been better in my point of view. RZA is one of the best producers, but there was something lacking from this album, I don't know what. But its definately a true banger. Pick this one up.

#1.Intro
#2.B.O.B.B.Y - 8/10
#3.Unspoken Word - 7/10
#4.Slow Grind African (Skit)
#5.Airwaves (Skit)
#6.Love Jones - 10/10
#7.N.Y.C Everything - 8/10
#8.Mantis - 10/10
#9.Slow Grind French (Skit)
#10.Holocaust (Silkworm) - 10/10
#11.Terrorist - 8.5/10
#12.Bobby Did It (Spanish Fly) - 7.5/10
#13.Handwriting On The Wall (Skit)
#14.Kiss Of A Black Widow - 10/10 (R.I.P ODB)
#15.Slow Grind Italian (Skit)
#16.My Lovin Is Digi - 7/10
#17.Domestic Violence - 10/10 (Love It)
#18.Project Talk - 6.5/10
#19.Lab Drunk - 8/10
#20.F*ck What You Think - 10/10
#21.Daily Routine - 8.5/10

Overall an alright album. Nothing perfect nothing weak, just alright. Cop it!