Raekwon - Only Built For Cuban Linx 2 Review (WORLD EXCLUSIVE)
July 21st, 2009 · 1 Comment
“A Toast To The Best To Ever Do It”
That's still a flipping shit review.
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Raekwon - Only Built For Cuban Linx 2 Review (WORLD EXCLUSIVE)
July 21st, 2009 · 1 Comment
“A Toast To The Best To Ever Do It”
That's still a flipping shit review.
superior album, but in some time it will turn into classic, I'm 100% sure about it
best album of the year imo but stil prefer 1st one.. pretty impossible to top that tho.
^^ of course the first one is better lol.. look at it like this, OB4CL2 is the best album of the year but OB4CL1 is the best album of all time. there's a huge difference there...
this is probably my favorite LP of the year too though, and the only Wu album to make my top-5 and maybe even 10.
^ cosign that whole post except the part about it being the only Wu album making my top 10...Dopium probably slides in there for me at 10
thats why i said its pretty impossible to top thatQuote:
Originally Posted by claaa7
36 Chambers
Liquid Swords
Cuban Linx
Wu-Tang Forever
Supreme Clientele
Ironman
Cuban Linx 2
Return to 36
Fishscale
No Said Date
Tical
Beneath the Surface
Bobby Digital in Stereo
The W
8 Diagrams
Protools
Grandmasters
Tical 2000
Iron Flag
Dopium
Here is my top 20 breakdown
I put Cuban Linx 2 in the #7 spot. I think it's better than the modern classics, No Said Date and Fishscale, but not as good as the top 6, all golden era releases. Everything in the top ten is 4.5 or above. I would call Tical the weakest of the golden era releases, starting at #11. Even though Return to 36 isn't a perfect album, it's uniqueness equates to #8. Sliding in at #16 and rounding out the top 20 are Pro Tools and Dopium, relatively new releases. Legend of a Liquid Sword would be my pick for #21 meaning GZA has 5 of the top 21 albums released.
^ we know how much u love ur "iglc" polls..
u have no right putting this album even in the same rent district as
Return to 36
Fishscale
No Said Date
Tical
Beneath the Surface
Bobby Digital in Stereo
The W
ill take one for the discussion..
really brock..
return 2 the 36 is not as good as cl2..
dispite all ur polls an such u still put cl2 above return..
so ur saying tracks like shimmy,zoo,raW HIDE,HIPPA2 THE HOPPA,dont u know..really dont u know...is not better than anything on cl2
dont u know..!!!
ur out of u fuckin mind bro..
the stomp..
snakes..
please tell us why cl2 is greater than dirty's 1st..
an also tell us why ur not a vatican anymore..
Quote:
Originally Posted by battle?
Ok calm down a second and let's think about this logically alright. First of all, you didn't even mention two of the best tracks on return to 36, Damage and Cuttin' Headz which is a crime in and of itself. For that album, as great as it it is, had only two singles, Brooklyn Zoo and Shimmy Shimmy Ya. Cuban Linx 2 was hyped for 4 years and produced not only State of Grace and Shaolin Go Hard as scraps leftover that are classics, but also singles and videos for New Wu, Catalina, Walk With Me, House of Flying Daggers, Have Mercy, Surgical Gloves, and singles for Gihad and Kiss the Ring. It is arguable that there are at least 8 classic tracks on the album to as many as 20, more than the actual number of tracks on Return to 36 (16). Say what you want about Return to 36, it's a brilliant album, as are Fishscale and No Said Date...but those albums just can't match the bulk of straight bangers from start to finish that Cuban Linx 2 has. Feel free to tear down that logic in any way you like, I think I've stated my case clearly.
cl2 has only been out how long..
were thinking about this logically right..?>
return 2 is going back where.?
i could of posted the whole track list of return2 from start 2 finish..
really "the bulk of straight bangers"
what track does every wu fan want to hear @ a wu concert..
its not state of grace..
its not new wu
its not house of..
do i need 2 go on..?
go ask rae what album he thinks is better..
an to shed some logic..
@ least the kung fu samples are relevant to return 2..
really brock..
u cant be right all the time..
Calm down...
its his opinion...
tastes are different..
cl2 is a new classic album
but IMO not that great like the 1st flood of the wu
Quote:
Originally Posted by beautifulrock
i thought this was ur top 10 breakdown..
http://www.wutang-corp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32959
I just brought the album last Saturday and all I can say is that I like it VERY much. There isn't a track that I don't like. Good job Rae.
4.5/5
Album is Superior now but in couple years we will be calling it a classic.
I dunno bout anyone else but i would of loved to hear a Wu Gambinos Part 2 but oh well
Rae gave us something fresh and new.
^ yeah "Wu Gambinos II" would be ill, i could've imagined it being over the "Black Mozart" beat which had the right mafioso type of vibe.
It's been 5 months and it's still in rotation.
im a young fella so ive missed the hype on alot of wu's classics.. but it was cool seeing a fresh wu album come out and picking it up.
and imo i think OB4CL2 is a classic..
im usually just diggin' up old stuff but now im diggin' up old stuff while blastin' CL2!!
peace.
I still don't get why Rae decided to call it a sequel instead of just another release. puts too much anticipation and comparisons by calling it Cuban Linx Part 2. anyway, the production is just as good as in the original, though it's more hit-and-miss on part 2. the original is also more grimy and moody, this one is like a celebration-type album. the only thing better on part 2 than the original is Rae's storytelling ("blood squirtin' out his neck, look like laundry detergent" on Fat Lady Sings, etc). also, the first half of the album is way better than the second half. the first 9 tracks all are bangers (flying daggers, pyrex vision, cold outside, gihad, new wu, black mozart)...then suddenly the album goes on a slump and shimmers in-and-out.
RZA and J Dilla get the nod for best production. though Necro's solo beat is awesome too
yeah rza did a really good job on this one...
black mozart is a combination of the so called old rza and the new experimental rza... fuckin great... and the corus he putted on is just great!!! awesome at the concert in münster/germany!
and new wu has the quality to fit on cuban linx 1...
yesterday i finaly recived my copy of OB4CL2. euro versions with 24 tracks... that 23rd track is str8 banger, didint heard it b4.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/8172/obcl2.jpg
i took a pause from all the Wu shit since a lil' while back but with the "Wu Massacre" LP leaking yesterday, the shit made me re-visit "Cuban Linx Pt. II" for the first time in maybe a month or two. i can't believe it's already been 6 months since this album first leaked (picked it up the first day of release and played that shit daily for the first 3 months) and the shit still sounds plain incredible to my ears. Raekwon definitely took his time with this one to make sure he stood on real solid ground, following up the, maybe, greatest hip-hop album of all time is a damn hard task and while the sequel obviously doesn't live up to it's preceedor it's still carries on it's legacy in a tasteful manner.
looking back now i think Rae made a wise choice including a who's who of the best producers in the industry rather than letting RZA handle the entire album by himself. all the songs on here have a clear Wu influence to them and it's obvious that the involved beat-makers tried to honour the original sound of the "Ob4cl2" while still keeping the sound fresh and up to date. Raekwon sounds like a real vet on here, a respected man in the game who been through a whole lot, lost alot and is now hungry for redemption. The flow is more laid-back but it works well in the context and the wordplay is still imacculate, this guy has to be the illest slang-twister to ever emerge from New York; even spitting about drugs and crime stories for 75 minutes never get boring because of the vivid wordplay and slanged out tonge twisting. even when backed up by RZA, Dilla, Pete Rock, Marley Marl, Erick Sermon, The Alchemist, Dr. Dre, Scram Jones, MoSS, Allah Mathematics and others the album seems focused because they all striving towards a similair goal, incorporating alot of the formula from Part 1 to their respective sounds.
i'm glad i took a pause from this shit because revisiting it now, it seems it makes me appreciate it even more. i honestly don't think i, truthfully ever expected a Wu-Tang album this hot 15 years after "Ob4cl" but here we are. if i was gonna sit here and speak on favorite cuts i would have to throw like 2/3's of the album out there, and that's a fucking solid product from the top chef!
4.75/5
*smacks myself for being skepitcal about this album*
ob4cl2 > wu massacre > manifesto
I probably listened to pyrex vision like 300 times so far
Love raes new album...i was happy to see popa wu on it as well...i was lucky enough to have popa wu drop some knowledge on my album ... You can check it out for a free download go to
www.knowledgeborn07.com
add me on fb if ya dig
www.facebook.com/knowledgeborn07
I gave it a 7/10
The spirit in the lyrics is mad vivid.
Convincing, like it's cooked from a mind of a vet, experienced.
It sounds like Rae took his time to take this album to a new level of cinematography and when it came out, it came out splazzing.
This Wu-sound is incredibly high-powered and I hope there's more of it to come out.
OK, gotta admit... i was wrong about rae on this album. i was initially disappointed & thought his rhyme scheme was pretty weak. i've recently listened to the album a bunch of times thru headphones, and u can really decipher rae's rhymes that way. he really did come NICE on CL2.
however, i still hate the fact that... there's too little rae. i think for your own solo album, u should dominate songs. rae did NOT! other MC's had longer verses far too often, & he got out-rhymed far too often. that shouldnt happen, especially on an album of this caliber.
the same thing happened on CL1 (GFK)... and a lot of people know it. dont front!!
anyone ever overtake a GFK solo?
1)Return of the Northstar: Papa wu going on, talking about Rae coming up and shit. Trying to hit up Rae for some cash. Good intro to OB4CL 2
8/10
2) House Of Flying Daggers Featuring Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah & Method Man
This track is bananas. J-dilla, proves why he was one of the best, And this is one the best of his career. Putting Deck up first is always the cue that the track is gonna be nuts.
10/10
3) Sonny's Missing: Nice throwback sample from The Killer, reminicent of the original. The beat is perfect for Rae's flow. Pete rock, a beat that has been used before, but not as good as this, Rae ripped it.
9/10
4)Pyrex Vision: This slow, and brooding beat went well with Raekwons tired and exhausted flow, it sounds like he's been cooking for hours, I just wish it was longer.
9/10
5) Cold outside: The sample in the begining was great. The hook rang alittle too long, but the verses made up for it. The beat went well for this type of song.
7/10
6) "Black Mozart": This song, has been loved or hated by alot of you. I personally love it, Its not Rza's best, but to hear Rae over a Rza beat is enough for me. Deck went off on this joint.
8/10
7) Gihad: Necros is VERY underrated in the beat game. Raekwon and Necro are a great fit. I wish that Meth was on this joint
9/10
8) New Wu: This shit should of been on 8 diagrams. Damn I love this shit. Another Rza classic. Nothing was wrong with this song
10/10
9) "Penitentiary": Probrably the first track that really felt like OB4CL 1, besides Pyrex vision. Probrably my 2nd favorite track behind New wu.
10/10
10) Baggin crack: An erick sermon beat, and you can tell. You almost expect redman to rip it. Probrably the first track I didnt feel all that much. But its not terrible.
6/10
11) Surgical Gloves: Alchemist is becoming one of my favorite producers I swear. The loop usage in the background was phenominal. Lyrically Rae is at home on this.
9/10
12) Broken Safety: Another kung fu sample, and I always appreciate them. jadakiss and Styles are just as good together as Ghost/Rae. The beat itself sounds like a great freestyle beat, I dont know Scram jones, but I look forward to hearing more from him on the production tip
8/10
13) Canal Street: A sample that was used previously by Just, But I think Rae sounds better on it than Jada did. Perfect flow on this.
8/10
14) Ason Jones: The dirty tribute, its like he wasnt satisfied with the tribute on 8d, This one was cool, and I cant judge it since it wasnt for us
15) Have mercy: Beans is missed in the game in my opinion. The kung fu sample is perfect, and to hear Blue rasberry after all this time, AMAZING, Thats what Wu has been missing.
9/10
16) 10 bricks: J-dilla did an AMAZING job channeling a Rza like sound over this Wu crew cut. Cappa did decent, I expected better, but Ghost went off. ''I got a team of niggas movin my furs''
9/10
17) Fat lady sings: I think this joint went too long before it started which took away from it. The beat is okay, not perfect though.
6/10
18) Catalina: The sample from The Killer was great. The beat was real dry from Dre, Rae is not meant for his beats.
6/10
19) Mean streets: i dont like the hook, but the song in itself is good.
7/10
20) We will rob you: Rick sounds dumb on this track, The beat itself saves the song.
7/10
21) About me: Another dre beat, it sounds bad for Rae,again. This beat is for someone like Game or something.
6/10
22) Kiss the ring: One of the BEST end songs Ive heard on a wu album. I swear this shit is practically perfect.
10/10
Bonus tracks:
Walk wit me: This should have been on the album. Replaced one of the weaker tracks.
8/10
Badlands: This beat is fucking bonkers, Ghost hasnt went off like this in a while. I fucking love this shit.
9/10
188/240
This album is indeed one of Wu's best in a while
damn are they gonna release the gold edition yet, or do I have to cop this version? sucks not having The Badlands on there tho
^ the version with "Badlands" and "Walk With Me" was released at the same time as the regular US album. just order it from some international site and you'll get that version. i wouldn't hold my breath for a deluxe edition, doubt it will ever happen
Now that Gold is out, we need some reviews for the bonus cuts like "Rockstars & Smoking Barrels", "Never Used To Matter" & the original About Me
i'ma write a review for "Rockstars & Smoking Barrells" later but it's a great thing we finally got these two tracks, it really made me go back and listen to the album on a regular basis again. it still holds up as well as when i first heard it, probably even better now since every time i bump it on the iPod my tracklisting has "State Of Grace" and "Rockstars..." replacing "Penitentiary" and "Canal Street". i would say if the album had kept those 2 RZA productions instead of the other 2 tracks i mentioned it plays like a true classic masterpiece from "Return Of The North Star" and "House Of Flying Daggers" to "Kiss The Ring".
"Walk With Me" is a great track as well, but 22 minutes at 70-73 minutes is enough music for an album imo. with these minor changes i'm confident saying 'Ob4cl2' is a 5/5 album, without the changes i'd say 4.5/5.
^^^replacing Penitentiary and Canal Street?
What a faggot.
This album was 4**** started off well. The Dre beats were average so was Baggin Crack and Kiss The Ring. Rockstars should have been included.
A great effort from Rae.
So far I've replaced About Me with the original with Game on there. After Kiss The Ring mine looks like...
23. Walk Wit Me
24. The Badlands
25. Never Used To Matter
26. State Of Grace
27. Rockstars & Smoking Barrels
looking forward to get one....
A year later, and I'm still bumping this album. With the release of the Gold edition, and my iPhone, I reinserted the cut tracks (and switch the track order slightly). Unlike some others, I didn't think it was a good idea to remove any tracks (as all the track included in the original version were quality). Here is how OB4CLII look on my iPhone
1. Return of the Northstar
2. Crimonlogy 2
3. House of Flying Daggers
4. Sonny's Missing
5. Pyrex Vision
6. Cold Outside
7. Black Mozart
8. Gihad
9. New Wu
10. Penitentiary
11. Baggin Crack
12. Baggage Handlers
13. Surgical Gloves
14. Broken Safety
15. State of Grace
16. Canal Street
17. Ason Jones
18. Have Mercy
19. Never Matter To You
20. Rockstars
21. 10 Bricks
22. Fat Lady Sings
23. Catalina
24. We Will Rob You
25. Travel Places
26. The Badlands
27. About Me
28. Mean Streets
29. Kiss The Ring
30. Walk Wit Me
AYO I was blasting this shit earlier tonight, I'm bout to go pick up these females (its like 2:39 am lol) but yeah this album is #2 after Supreme Clientele in the category of Best post 1997 solo albums. This shit Fire. "The Last time i hit you kid, you made the top 30" lol Ghost is a nut!!! This album is fire, niggaz hatin for no reason. Critically acclaimed everywhere but HERE lol. SMH
house of flying daggers 10/10
sonny's missing 10/10
pyrex vision 9/10
cold outside 7/10
black mozart 7/10
gihad 4/10
back from the slums(new wu) 10/10
penitentiary 7/10
baggin crack 6.5/10
surgical gloves 9.5/10
broken safety 8.5/10
canal street 6.5/10
ason jones 9/10
have mercy 7/10
10 brick 7.5/10
fat lady sings 5.5/10
catalina 4/10
we will rob you 9/10
about me 5/10
mean streets 8.5/10
kiss the ring 10/10
**walk with me 9.5/10
**state of grace 10/10
**rockstars 8.5/10
**never mattered to you 8.5/10