Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
4.5 Stars - NY Hip-Hop, April 9, 2005
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).
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11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good album but some really weak tracks, December 19, 2003
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.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Underrated and excellent, February 13, 2005
A Kid's Review
This album is the truth! Don't pay attention to the heads who diss this album because they're all probably jocking the Game or Eminem or some other wack zombie. The Rza drops mad wisdom on this album and the beats are knocking! Cop this right now!
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by RZA 
