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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Where did this " Fall off " term come from?, September 26, 2003
I just want to let you ALL know, Wu-tang clan has never " fallen off"? What you are calling " Falling" is simply the Wu-tang style metamorphasis. Let me break it down for all yall... If you have been a Wu fan for a while you will reconize what im talking about.. but heeeeeeeeeeeeere we gooooooo....Their first style- probably the most trademark, The Kung-fu sampled, dark/ chamber style beats introduced by the infamous Rza. There are many examples of this - Enter the Wu, Cuban Linx, umm Liquid Swords, Pillage ( yuck).. anyway- this seems to be the most popular, and definetly was reconizable. The rugged beats with dark lyrics seemed to have faded away... 2nd style - THIS album - kind of their inbetween, its very weird, i can't really have a grasp on the sound they were going for on this album, we really caught them in the midst of experimentation - you can tell by such songs as, Older godz, Triumph ( kinda), MGM, Cash rules, Projectz especially, they were slightly leaning toward glamour and MGM type apollo sounds ; lyrics werent rugged, more of a ghetto pride, superior black supremist who obtains the glitter and glamour of money and respect --- SIDE NOTE: if you want to see the final result of this style, check out Ghostface killah - supreme clientele ( wow, great album- good job ghost) 3rd style ( cuz i only got 1,000 words)
now i like this the best, RZA did more experimenting with Soul, mo-town samples, with that classic Wu-sound mixed in... kind of hard to explain but you can see examples with " Hollow Bones" off " the W" and RZA - " Be a man" he kind of slowed down the beats, and made the lyrics more rugged like the first style, but it sounded tight mixed in with the samples. Bottom line - What would you have rather seen Wu do, Experiment with their style, change it up a little, possibly break up into numerous solo projects and develope individual sounds.... OR simply sell out to the ice shattered, female degrading, mainstream pop that has now taken the name Rap??
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Revolution Will Be Heard, July 22, 2001
Double rap albums are usually long-winded self-indulgent affairs. But then again, the Wu-Tang aren't your usual rap group. We're talking about the Wu-Tang Clan, a conglomeration of some of the best MCs to ever grace the microphone helmed by a producer of ingenious proportions - the RZA. Remember that irrefutable masterpiece Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) that came roaring out like of the underground, slashing and biting? It hit hard and quick - BAM, BAM, BAM! Like the grace and viciousness of martial art fighting, Wu-Tang Clan combined the mystique of sparse minimalist beats with savage lyricism. But while, Enter the Wu-Tang was characterized by guerilla style attacks, Wu-Tang Forever is the group's manifesto drawn out to epic scope, unfolding slowly like a sepia-toned cinematic tale of inner city life. In this, the group sacrifices impact for the overall effect. If it's one thing that Wu-Tang Forever suffers from, its over ambition. But you can hardly blame a group for such a fault. Criticize a rap artist for turning out a cheap cash-in, criticize a rap artist for stuffing a double album up to its neck in filler - but Wu-Tang Forever is neither. Wu-Tang Forever takes artistic chances with RZA fleshing out some of the most captivating soundscapes ever heard in the rap world. Look at the song "Reunited" - where violins wail gypsy-style changing tempo and building up into a climactic frenzy. It's classic Wu at its best. Lyrically, the entire album crackles with the same passionate furious energy of their debut album. Over the spread of four years, the group members have developed distinct personas and defined their rapping style. On Wu-Tang Forever, each member really comes into their own, exchanging rapid gunfire worldplay with experience and ease, playing off each others strengths and weaknesses. All rules and logic argue that with such large individual egos in play, it would tear the group apart but rather it tightens it into a sleeker method of attack. The song "Triumph" is the best example of this with all the group members passing the mics as torrents of lyricism follow each other with relentless power. The Wu-Tang Clan is such a tightly knit combination of talent it seems difficult to ever take them down. Even when RZA's beats and productions don't hit the mark, the MCs carry the song through. And vice versa. There are a few times when both counterparts fail such as Black Shampoo and Maria. But these are minor complaints because even the throwaways work beautifully within the context of Wu-Tang Forever. Check out "For Heaven's Sake" with a trademark stomping militant chorus come-on and its quirky nasal female flourishes. "Visionz" features eerie piano chords tip-toeing along dark alleys and ducking within shadows. Speaking of vision, there's plenty of it on Wu-Tang Forever with the group contributing to the anti-mainstream rap cause and calling for social reform. And while a few times, the group's vision errs (i.e. the condemnation of evolution), nonetheless it remains refreshing and interesting compared to their middle-of-the-road peers. Take Wu-Tang Forever piece by piece, listening to the entire album in one sitting is a feat I myself have not even accomplished. The album is meant to be enjoyed in measured listenings but the overall effect at the end is more rewarding than any hip-hop album I have heard yet.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My Intro to Hip Hop, July 5, 2006
I was 16 years old when this cd dropped, and I didn't listen to hip hop at all at the time. I was a skateboarder, and all I listened to was punk rock back then. I didn't really get the slang, styles, or concepts of hip hop; and I never really gave hip hop a chance before this cd came out. However, I do remember a lot of my friends telling me how nice The Wu were, and how excited they were when this cd was released.
After seeing the video for "Triumph" a few times, I knew that The Wu were dope. I didn't realize it at the time, but "Triumph" actually changed my whole perspective of hip hop. To this day, I believe that this song is the best posse cut ever. Inspectah Dek and Method Man jump start this song with incredible back to back verses, and the beat is epic. I've heard this song hundreds of times, but I still get amped whenever it's playing. Everyone spits a good verse on this song, and the energy of the track is incredible.
"It's Yourz" is another classic. This is a great closing track for disc 1. Similar to "Triumph", this song has a lot of energy. It also has a great hook. This time it's The Rza and Inspectah Dek who lace the track with the most memorable verses.
A lot of people hate on this cd, but I don't understand why. Although "Wu-Tang Forever" is not anywhere near as raw as "36 Chambers", it is definitely more lyrical. I don't agree with all these filler complaints either. I have listened to both of these discs repetitively for nearly a decade, and the only tracks I skip aren't actual songs.
My favorite tracks include:
Disc 1
Reunited-great verses from The Gza and Meth
Visionz-great Production from The Rza
Older Gods-love the beat and Ghostface's verse
It's Yourz-see Inspectah Dek verse
Disc 2
Triumph-The Anthem
Little Ghetto Boys-one of Cappadonna's more memorable verses
Hellz Wind Staff-dope song w/ martial arts vibe
Heaterz-another great beat courtesy of The Rza
The Last Words: Classic cd. It honestly changed my life.
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