Pro Tools (album)
Encyclopedia
Pro Tools is the sixth studio album
by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan
-member GZA
, released August 19, 2008 on Babygrande Records
. It serves as his first release since his collaboration album with DJ Muggs
, Grandmasters
(2005), and follows six years after his last solo effort, Legend of the Liquid Sword
(2002). Production for the album took place during 2008 and was handled by several record producers, including RZA
, Bronze Nazareth
, Preservation, Mathematics
, Black Milk
, Arabian Knight
, True Master
The album debuted at number 52 on the US Billboard 200
chart, selling 9,000 copies in its first week. Upon its release, Pro Tools received generally positive reviews from most music critics.
, a production software program. In an interview with Vibe, he explained:
Pro Tools features production from Wu-Elements
producers RZA
, True Master
, Mathematics
and Bronze Nazareth
, as well as Arabian Knight
, Dreddy Kruger, Preservation. Guest appearances range from RZA, Masta Killa
and GZA's son Young Justice GZA later said "I saw an ad out there where it’s promoted as a GZA album. I'll probably be on most of the tracks but its supposed to be a compilation album
, there’s various artists on the album".
GZA was asked about producers and having fewer guest appearances on the album, responding "I’m not one who works with big producers because I expect that to make the album go double platinum. I remember once we paid $150,000 for a Trackmasters beat once, with Ron Isley singing, the “Back In The Game” track off of Iron Flag
, and it wasn’t even a single, so I don’t bother searching for names. I’d rather people buy the record because they want a GZA album, and then the extras be a surprise. The album as a whole has only two Clan members on it. The last day we were recording, I was in Paris
supporting the Wu tour, and a call was put out that I was in the studio and the only two that showed up were RZA
& Masta Killa
, so that’s what we went with. My next album is going to be no guest appearances. Emcees need to start carrying their own weight". In the same interview, he gave a response about having only a few RZA-produced songs on the album, stating "Well, you have to put in time with your producer, and RZA and I have been working back since I was 11 & he was 8 going to the Bronx to check out this hip hop stuff, so you have to know where they are coming from. Whenever I close my eyes and listen to his stuff, I can’t put a rhyme to it. His beats are more cinematic".
. 50 Cent has not responded to the track. GZA, during a performance in Queens, New York, had this to say about 50 Cent: "a Nigga don't got fuckin lyrics". In response to a question about "Paper Plate", he said:
chart with first-week sales of 9,000 copies. It spent two weeks on the chart. The album also peaked at number 13 on Billboard
s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
, at number two on the Top Independent Albums, and at number nine on the Top Rap Albums
chart.
s, based on an aggregate score of 76/100 from Metacritic
. Allmusic writer David Jeffries gave it 4 out of 5 stars and viewed it as reappearance of the Wu-Tang Clan's early sound, stating "the uptempo and sometimes oddball rhymes are back in full force here and sit on a set of melancholy soul productions that have that classic Wu atmosphere". Billboard
s Jeff Vrabel called GZA's rhymes "liquid" and wrote "it's worth a listen to hear what sneaky, suspicious, image-heavy tricks still emerge from his notebook". Ivan Rott of About.com
commended GZA's abstract lyrics and the album's musical structure, noting "a distinguishably liquid-like (ahem) sense of continuity and focus throughout the album's duration". JIVE Magazine
gave Pro Tools a 5 out of 5 rating and called it "lyrically stunning". Seattle Weekly
s Kevin Capp praised GZA's lyricism and wrote that he crafts "earthquake-proof rhyme structures, steel hulks whose ornate décor distracts from their essential solidity. In short: the aesthetics mask the utility, as well they should". RapReviews writer Steve Juon gave it an 8.5/10 rating and wrote that GZA "honed his lyrical tongue to an even sharper and more polished edge" on the album. Boston Herald
writer Chris Faraone gave Pro Tools an A- rating and wrote that GZA "comes as close as he ever has to matching freshman miracle" Liquid Swords
(1995).
In contrast, Spin
s Thomas Golianopoulos gave the album 2 out of 5 stars and wrote that GZA "drifts into irrelevant lyrics and weak beats", stating "These C-grade tracks ape RZA's trademark sound, but lack any sense of melody". Addi Stewart of NOW
commended its "Shogun Assassin
throat-slashing rap", but viewed its production as a weakness and wrote that the album "suffers from the law of diminishing returns". Giving it a 6/10 rating, PopMatters
writer Anthony Henriques perceived a lack of presence by other Wu-Tang members "to compliment and add contrast to GZA’s potent style" as its "largest flaw", but ultimately commended its production and called it "just as impressive" lyrically as Liquid Swords. Henriques described Pro Tools as a "quality project" and called it "further proof" that "Those who continue to lament some apparent demise of the Wu-Tang Clan... need to wake up". Despite calling its production "a glaring weak point of the album", Sputnikmusic
writer Sobhi Abdul-Rakhman gave it 3½ out of 5 stars and commended individual producers' contributions, while writing "GZA-science is always refreshing and reflective". Pitchfork Media
's Nate Patrin gave Pro Tools a 6.8/10 rating and noted a lack of "stylistic cohesion" in its production, but ultimately lauded GZA's lyrics and viewed them as the album's key strength, stating:
Micah Towery of Slant Magazine
wrote that it "serves as a satisfying example of a hip-hop artist who has not burnt out or sold out his craft to be an industry kingpin (cough, Jay-Z
, cough). At worst, the album serves as the base minimum of what we should expect from any of the "greatest rappers alive" after five albums". Tiny Mix Tapes
writer Larry Fitzmaurice gave the album 3½ out of 5 stars and wrote "while its power as a long-player doesn’t hold up very well, random dissection brings out tracks destined for analog and digital freaks alike". Giving it a B+ rating, The A.V. Club
s Nathan Rabin called the album "so rich in detail that it takes a few listens just to soak everything in", and commended its sonic sound, stating "GZA relies on production to convey emotion". Alex Baldinger of The Washington Post
gave Pro Tools a generally positive review and wrote "The album's fine production carries GZA through several tracks, rather than the other way around. But his rhymes are sharp as ever, displaying his knack for imbuing his lyrics with double-entendres and extended metaphors". In his consumer guide for MSN Music
, critic Robert Christgau
gave the album a B+ rating, indicating "remarkable one way or another, yet also flirts with the humdrum or the half-assed". Christgau commended GZA's "factual" lyrics and its minimal style of production, stating "the budget production enhances a master lyricist's specialty by subtraction". The Village Voice
s Christopher R. Weingarten called the album "a no-nonsense mash of classic Gary Numan
breakbeats, swipes at 50 Cent
, retro-future noir production, and his inimitable puns".
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
-member GZA
GZA
Gary Grice , better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and has maintained a successful solo career...
, released August 19, 2008 on Babygrande Records
Babygrande Records
Babygrande Records is an independent record label based in New York City founded by Chuck Wilson. Babygrande is distributed by the The Orchard, and represented by the Creative Artists Agency in Hollywood.-Discography:...
. It serves as his first release since his collaboration album with DJ Muggs
DJ Muggs
Lawrence Muggerud , better known as DJ Muggs, is Cypress Hill's DJ and producer. He also produced tracks for Funkdoobiest on the albums Which Doobie U B? and Brothas Doobie.-Cypress Hill :...
, Grandmasters
Grandmasters (album)
Grandmasters is a collaborative album by DJ Muggs and GZA released on October 25, 2005 on Angeles Records. The album is the first in the "DJ Muggs vs. " series, followed by his 2007 collaboration with Sick Jacken, Legend of the Mask and the Assassin, 2008s Pain Language with Planet Asia and 2010s...
(2005), and follows six years after his last solo effort, Legend of the Liquid Sword
Legend of the Liquid Sword (album)
Legend of the Liquid Sword is the fourth solo studio album by American hip hop artist GZA, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. It was released December 10, 2002. The album is named after the kung fu film Legend of the Liquid Sword...
(2002). Production for the album took place during 2008 and was handled by several record producers, including RZA
RZA
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
, Bronze Nazareth
Bronze Nazareth
Bronze Nazareth is a Hip-Hop music producer and emcee associated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He is, along with Cilvaringz, part of the new generation of producers to carry on the Wu-Tang sound. He has a solo career as an emcee and is also a part of the hip-hop group Wisemen.- Biography :He was born and...
, Preservation, Mathematics
Mathematics (producer)
Mathematics, also known as Allah Mathematics, is a hip hop producer and DJ for the Wu-Tang Clan. As well as producing many tracks for the Wu-Tang Clan and for its solo and affiliate projects, Math has released two solo albums.-Biography:Born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York Mathematics was...
, Black Milk
Black Milk
Curtis Cross, better known as Black Milk, is a hip hop producer and MC from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:In 2004, he formed B.R. Gunna, with Young RJ, and Fat Ray, and together they released Dirty District: Vol. 2, a follow up to a compilation released in 2001 by Slum Village, which he had...
, Arabian Knight
Arabian Knight (producer)
Sulayman Ansari, better known as Arabian Knight, is a hip hop producer affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also been credited as Q-Base.- Production credits :- References :...
, True Master
True Master
True Master is an American hip-hop producer and very occasional rapper. He is closely affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan and an original member of its production team, sometimes referred to as Wu-Elements. He derives his rap nom de plume from the martial arts movie of the same name...
The album debuted at number 52 on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, selling 9,000 copies in its first week. Upon its release, Pro Tools received generally positive reviews from most music critics.
Background
The title was derived from Pro ToolsPro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
, a production software program. In an interview with Vibe, he explained:
Pro Tools features production from Wu-Elements
Wu-Elements
-Conception :The Wu-Elements are a production team closely affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan. A loosely-knit group, it consists of five producers who typically support main producer RZA in handling production duties for Wu-Tang group, solo and affiliate releases...
producers RZA
RZA
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
, True Master
True Master
True Master is an American hip-hop producer and very occasional rapper. He is closely affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan and an original member of its production team, sometimes referred to as Wu-Elements. He derives his rap nom de plume from the martial arts movie of the same name...
, Mathematics
Mathematics (producer)
Mathematics, also known as Allah Mathematics, is a hip hop producer and DJ for the Wu-Tang Clan. As well as producing many tracks for the Wu-Tang Clan and for its solo and affiliate projects, Math has released two solo albums.-Biography:Born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York Mathematics was...
and Bronze Nazareth
Bronze Nazareth
Bronze Nazareth is a Hip-Hop music producer and emcee associated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He is, along with Cilvaringz, part of the new generation of producers to carry on the Wu-Tang sound. He has a solo career as an emcee and is also a part of the hip-hop group Wisemen.- Biography :He was born and...
, as well as Arabian Knight
Arabian Knight (producer)
Sulayman Ansari, better known as Arabian Knight, is a hip hop producer affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also been credited as Q-Base.- Production credits :- References :...
, Dreddy Kruger, Preservation. Guest appearances range from RZA, Masta Killa
Masta Killa
Jamel Arief , better known as Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan...
and GZA's son Young Justice GZA later said "I saw an ad out there where it’s promoted as a GZA album. I'll probably be on most of the tracks but its supposed to be a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, there’s various artists on the album".
GZA was asked about producers and having fewer guest appearances on the album, responding "I’m not one who works with big producers because I expect that to make the album go double platinum. I remember once we paid $150,000 for a Trackmasters beat once, with Ron Isley singing, the “Back In The Game” track off of Iron Flag
Iron Flag
Iron Flag is the fourth studio album by American East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, released December 18, 2001 on Loud Records. The album was certified gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. Iron Flag served as the group's second lowest-selling album , as their...
, and it wasn’t even a single, so I don’t bother searching for names. I’d rather people buy the record because they want a GZA album, and then the extras be a surprise. The album as a whole has only two Clan members on it. The last day we were recording, I was in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
supporting the Wu tour, and a call was put out that I was in the studio and the only two that showed up were RZA
RZA
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
& Masta Killa
Masta Killa
Jamel Arief , better known as Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan...
, so that’s what we went with. My next album is going to be no guest appearances. Emcees need to start carrying their own weight". In the same interview, he gave a response about having only a few RZA-produced songs on the album, stating "Well, you have to put in time with your producer, and RZA and I have been working back since I was 11 & he was 8 going to the Bronx to check out this hip hop stuff, so you have to know where they are coming from. Whenever I close my eyes and listen to his stuff, I can’t put a rhyme to it. His beats are more cinematic".
Music
The first single from the album "Paper Plate" was released on July 18 and has been circulated widely over the internet. The single continues the feud between him and 50 Cent50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
. 50 Cent has not responded to the track. GZA, during a performance in Queens, New York, had this to say about 50 Cent: "a Nigga don't got fuckin lyrics". In response to a question about "Paper Plate", he said:
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 52 on the US Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart with first-week sales of 9,000 copies. It spent two weeks on the chart. The album also peaked at number 13 on Billboard
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
, at number two on the Top Independent Albums, and at number nine on the Top Rap Albums
Top Rap Albums
Top Rap Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks Rap and hip-hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart began publication for the week of November 13, 2004....
chart.
Critical response
Pro Tools received positive reviews from most music criticMusic criticism
See also Music journalism for reporting on classical and popular music in the media.The Oxford Companion to Music defines music criticism as 'the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres'. In this...
s, based on an aggregate score of 76/100 from Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Allmusic writer David Jeffries gave it 4 out of 5 stars and viewed it as reappearance of the Wu-Tang Clan's early sound, stating "the uptempo and sometimes oddball rhymes are back in full force here and sit on a set of melancholy soul productions that have that classic Wu atmosphere". Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Jeff Vrabel called GZA's rhymes "liquid" and wrote "it's worth a listen to hear what sneaky, suspicious, image-heavy tricks still emerge from his notebook". Ivan Rott of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
commended GZA's abstract lyrics and the album's musical structure, noting "a distinguishably liquid-like (ahem) sense of continuity and focus throughout the album's duration". JIVE Magazine
JIVE Magazine
JIVE Magazine is a popular-entertainment, technology, and urban-culture magazine. It publishes features, reviews, editorials, photo galleries, and art productions on the web as well as quarterly in print. The web edition is updated frequently. JIVE Magazine launched its website in August 2000...
gave Pro Tools a 5 out of 5 rating and called it "lyrically stunning". Seattle Weekly
Seattle Weekly
Seattle Weekly is a freely distributed newspaper in Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded by Darrell Oldham and David Brewster as The Weekly...
s Kevin Capp praised GZA's lyricism and wrote that he crafts "earthquake-proof rhyme structures, steel hulks whose ornate décor distracts from their essential solidity. In short: the aesthetics mask the utility, as well they should". RapReviews writer Steve Juon gave it an 8.5/10 rating and wrote that GZA "honed his lyrical tongue to an even sharper and more polished edge" on the album. Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
writer Chris Faraone gave Pro Tools an A- rating and wrote that GZA "comes as close as he ever has to matching freshman miracle" Liquid Swords
Liquid Swords
Liquid Swords is the second solo studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, released November 7, 1995, on Geffen Records. Recording sessions for the album began mid-way through 1995 at producer RZA's basement studio in Staten Island New York...
(1995).
In contrast, Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
s Thomas Golianopoulos gave the album 2 out of 5 stars and wrote that GZA "drifts into irrelevant lyrics and weak beats", stating "These C-grade tracks ape RZA's trademark sound, but lack any sense of melody". Addi Stewart of NOW
NOW (magazine)
Now is a free weekly newspaper in Toronto, Canada. It was first printed on September 10, 1981 by Michael Hollett and Alice Klein. Now is an alternative weekly mixing arts and entertainment news with political coverage....
commended its "Shogun Assassin
Shogun Assassin
Shogun Assassin, known in Japan as , is a jidaigeki film made for the British and American markets and released in 1980. In 2006 it was restored and re-released on DVD in North America by AnimEigo....
throat-slashing rap", but viewed its production as a weakness and wrote that the album "suffers from the law of diminishing returns". Giving it a 6/10 rating, PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
writer Anthony Henriques perceived a lack of presence by other Wu-Tang members "to compliment and add contrast to GZA’s potent style" as its "largest flaw", but ultimately commended its production and called it "just as impressive" lyrically as Liquid Swords. Henriques described Pro Tools as a "quality project" and called it "further proof" that "Those who continue to lament some apparent demise of the Wu-Tang Clan... need to wake up". Despite calling its production "a glaring weak point of the album", Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic, or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
writer Sobhi Abdul-Rakhman gave it 3½ out of 5 stars and commended individual producers' contributions, while writing "GZA-science is always refreshing and reflective". Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
's Nate Patrin gave Pro Tools a 6.8/10 rating and noted a lack of "stylistic cohesion" in its production, but ultimately lauded GZA's lyrics and viewed them as the album's key strength, stating:
Micah Towery of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
wrote that it "serves as a satisfying example of a hip-hop artist who has not burnt out or sold out his craft to be an industry kingpin (cough, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, cough). At worst, the album serves as the base minimum of what we should expect from any of the "greatest rappers alive" after five albums". Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, as well as its mix tapes generator.-History:Originally called Tiny Mixtapes Gone to Heaven and...
writer Larry Fitzmaurice gave the album 3½ out of 5 stars and wrote "while its power as a long-player doesn’t hold up very well, random dissection brings out tracks destined for analog and digital freaks alike". Giving it a B+ rating, The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
s Nathan Rabin called the album "so rich in detail that it takes a few listens just to soak everything in", and commended its sonic sound, stating "GZA relies on production to convey emotion". Alex Baldinger of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
gave Pro Tools a generally positive review and wrote "The album's fine production carries GZA through several tracks, rather than the other way around. But his rhymes are sharp as ever, displaying his knack for imbuing his lyrics with double-entendres and extended metaphors". In his consumer guide for MSN Music
MSN Music
MSN Music was a part of the MSN web services. It delivered music news, music videos, spotlights on new music, artist information, and live performances of artists. In 2004, Microsoft created an MSN Music download store to compete with Apple's iTunes Music Store, though its sales in comparison were...
, critic Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
gave the album a B+ rating, indicating "remarkable one way or another, yet also flirts with the humdrum or the half-assed". Christgau commended GZA's "factual" lyrics and its minimal style of production, stating "the budget production enhances a master lyricist's specialty by subtraction". The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
s Christopher R. Weingarten called the album "a no-nonsense mash of classic Gary Numan
Gary Numan
Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music...
breakbeats, swipes at 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
, retro-future noir production, and his inimitable puns".
Track listing
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Featured guest(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intromental | Dreddy Kruger | Samples the song "Can't Stop Loving You" by Soul Dog | |
| 2 | Pencil | Mathematics Mathematics (producer) Mathematics, also known as Allah Mathematics, is a hip hop producer and DJ for the Wu-Tang Clan. As well as producing many tracks for the Wu-Tang Clan and for its solo and affiliate projects, Math has released two solo albums.-Biography:Born and raised in Jamaica, Queens, New York Mathematics was... |
Masta Killa Masta Killa Jamel Arief , better known as Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan... , RZA RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost... |
Samples the song "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins |
| 3 | Alphabets | True Master True Master True Master is an American hip-hop producer and very occasional rapper. He is closely affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan and an original member of its production team, sometimes referred to as Wu-Elements. He derives his rap nom de plume from the martial arts movie of the same name... |
Released as single | |
| 4 | Groundbreaking | Bronze Nazareth Bronze Nazareth Bronze Nazareth is a Hip-Hop music producer and emcee associated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He is, along with Cilvaringz, part of the new generation of producers to carry on the Wu-Tang sound. He has a solo career as an emcee and is also a part of the hip-hop group Wisemen.- Biography :He was born and... |
Justice Kareem | |
| 5 | 7 Pounds | Black Milk Black Milk Curtis Cross, better known as Black Milk, is a hip hop producer and MC from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:In 2004, he formed B.R. Gunna, with Young RJ, and Fat Ray, and together they released Dirty District: Vol. 2, a follow up to a compilation released in 2001 by Slum Village, which he had... |
Intro produced by Preservation | |
| 6 | 0% Finance | Jose "Choco" Reynoso | Guitar by Mike | |
| 7 | Short Race | Arabian Knight Arabian Knight (producer) Sulayman Ansari, better known as Arabian Knight, is a hip hop producer affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also been credited as Q-Base.- Production credits :- References :... |
Roc Marciano | |
| 8 | Interlude | |||
| 9 | Paper Plate | True Master True Master True Master is an American hip-hop producer and very occasional rapper. He is closely affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan and an original member of its production team, sometimes referred to as Wu-Elements. He derives his rap nom de plume from the martial arts movie of the same name... |
Diss to 50 Cent 50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by... ; Released as single |
|
| 10 | Columbian Ties | Bronze Nazareth Bronze Nazareth Bronze Nazareth is a Hip-Hop music producer and emcee associated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He is, along with Cilvaringz, part of the new generation of producers to carry on the Wu-Tang sound. He has a solo career as an emcee and is also a part of the hip-hop group Wisemen.- Biography :He was born and... |
True Master True Master True Master is an American hip-hop producer and very occasional rapper. He is closely affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan and an original member of its production team, sometimes referred to as Wu-Elements. He derives his rap nom de plume from the martial arts movie of the same name... (chorus) |
Samples the song "Love Serenade" by Barry White Barry White Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring... |
| 11 | Firehouse | Roc Marciano | Ka Ka -Language:* Ka * Ka * Georgian language, ISO 639-1 code ka* A glyph in the Brahmic family of scripts-Media and entertainment:* Ka * Kà, a Cirque du Soleil show* Mister Mosquito, a video game, known in Japan as Ka... |
Samples the song "Let's Prove Them Wrong" by Debbie Taylor Debbie Taylor Debbie Taylor was an American singer. Her recording career between 1968 and 1975 saw her produce some of the most impassioned vocal performances ever committed to vinyl... |
| 12 | Path Of Destruction | Jay Waxx Garfield | ||
| 13 | Cinema | Arabian Knight | Justice Kareem (chorus) | Guitar by Christian |
| 14 | Intermission (Drive In Movie) | |||
| 15 | Life Is A Movie | RZA RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost... |
RZA, Irfane Khan-Acito | Samples the song "Films" by Gary Numan Gary Numan Gary Numan is an English singer, composer, and musician, most widely known for his chart-topping 1979 hits "Are 'Friends' Electric?" and "Cars". His signature sound consisted of heavy synthesizer hooks fed through guitar effects pedals.Numan is considered a pioneer of commercial electronic music... |
| 16 | Elastic Audio (Bonus Track) | Dreddy Kruger | Dreddy Kruger, Fyre Dept | Live Performance @ The Parish in Austin, TX 5/31/2007 |
Personnel
- Arabian Knight – recording engineer
- Black Milk – producer
- Bronze Nazareth – producer
- Ben Dotson – product manager
- Willy Friedman – product manager
- Jay "Waxx" Garfield – producer
- GZA – executive producer
- Dreddy Kruger – A&R, producer
- Larry Lachmann – mastering
- Mathematics – producer
- Nubian – artwork
- Preservation – producer
- Jose "Choco" Reynoso – mixing, producer
- Rock Marcy – producer
- RZA – producer
- Jesse Stone – marketing
- True Master – producer
- Chuck Wilson – executive producer
Chart history
| Charts (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
52 |
| US Billboard Top Independent Albums | 2 |
| US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
13 |
| US Billboard Top Rap Albums Top Rap Albums Top Rap Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks Rap and hip-hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart began publication for the week of November 13, 2004.... |
9 |
External links
- Pro Tools at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
- Pro Tools at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Video Interview: GZA at HipHop Elements