Raekwon - "F.I.L.A." (one of the more underrated albums of the Wu saga)

[claaa7]

i'm not suprised that Raekwon's "F.I.L.A." is almost universaily shit at here, i've seen it compared to noice and sell-out nonsense... if you want your favorite artist to be stagnated and forgotten as a musician like Doug E. Fresh or Slick Rick i can see your coming from.... but damn "F.I.L.A." was a pretty damn hot fucing album. and unlike when Method Man was playing mr. popular wiith "Tical 0: The Prequel" or U-God did whatever uey did ith "Mr. Xxcitement", the difference is that Rae really pulled off that modern sound while not coming off as some sellout. He actually incorporated what was hot on the streets and on the billboardss and created a RAEKWON album around that, and for that he should be commended.
i heard it the first time it was so diferent from "Cl2" and "Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang", and obviously played on the "mainstream" hip hop of the day, with both produces and guest artists that i was a little taken a back.. but so what... "FILA" is a much more sonicallay relevant album than "Lex Diamond Srory" and the anajority of "Immobilarity":


And then you got "FILA", which is an equally important album. Rae today is by far the most important Wu member amongst the younger heads.He got that crazy crime-ridden flow, knows what beats knocks in the club and everyone wants him on a feature. For the most part Rae sounds great over these beats,no questions, and he is touching on a lot ot important topics whilel also just having fun iwht it.
Important topics over all original beats and hooks, making it front-to-back album and far from a mixtape. People here hate French Montana, but the song with him and Busta called "Wall to Wall" was a monster sngle that got HEAFY ROTATION over here.. "I Got Money" despite its assinine hook, his collaboration hee with Asap Rocky over Frank G's somewhat nursery school vibe that's saved by the hravy beat. But the best songs come when he's either going dolo or when he's building with original rhyme parters - I'm taling about "Nautilus", a Bob James song that has been sampled for decades, yet Rae and producer Scram Jones take it into the future. Or check how Ghost and Rick Ross killed it on that banger of a track called "Revnge" , same with album opener "4 in the Morning".

All in all I don't know how the fuck this album was kind of shit on but oh well, a lot of people have a hard time with their favorite artists trying something new, but this is certainly Raekwon. He proved with this last two albums that he can bring back the Wu sound full circle so fans should definitely let him experience. And when it's this good then hell yeah.

1. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Niggas
2. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Niggas Pt. II
3. Tbe Wild
4. Shsolin vs. Wu-Tang
5. F.I.L.A.
6. Immobilarity
7. LEX Diamond Story

[Rev Jones]

I remember liking about 4 songs on the album. Wall to wall was a good single. This album needed more Ghost and fewer mainstream sounding beats. I have listened to this album extensively, just to try and appreciate it for what it is, but in the end I just find the album unobtrusive, and bland in places

Imo The Wild captured the current sound of rap better than FILA, mostly because it incorporated soul music.

There's no shame in disagreeing, I respect your opinion claaa, and I am glad that at least you are able to get more joy out of the album than me.

I liked his We Wanna Thank You mixtape leading up to FILA better than FILA itself btw. Cuz it had soul too.

Peace.

[TSA]

I'm curious as to why you rank Immobilarity so low? Fila's good and I pretty much agree with you but I think Immobiliarity is clearly better.

[David Daniel Davis]

Immobilarity is a great album except for the garbage towards the end. It is my third favorite album from him behind Cuban Linx and Cuban Linx II

[josborne3680]

Yeah always said the ending of Immobilarity is dreadful. Last 4 tracks are unlistenable. N I also said in another thread just not too long ago that if you are a Wu fan your list should be CL and CL2 as one and two respectively. Fila is last and the rest in the middle is your preference. Peace

[claaa7]

I'm curious as to why you rank Immobilarity so low? Fila's good and I pretty much agree with you but I think Immobiliarity is clearly better.

Dont get me wrong Tsa, back when Rae originaĺly dropped his sophmore i was one of its biggest defenders. Lyrically its one of the best rap albums ever released and it was amazing storytelling and a brave move to drop joints like Jury and The Table after Ob4cl.

But then a lot of beats was pure ass deluxe. All I got is you 2? FUCK THEM??? Come on now, thats pure amateur ish.. All the infinite arkatectz beats, The Carlos broady joint, The Pete rock joints = all classics.. it was like half a classic but the joints thats bad are BAD!!!!

Had RZA co-exec produced like ge did Supreme Clientele it would have been untouchable, classic.

[ShaDynasty]

FILA stunk, thats my 2 cents.

I definitely reject the idea that it had a modern sound at the time. It was MOR rap, just trying not to offend anyone in particular, but not having a big enough appeal for any one crowd.

[JaSchu]

FILA was his worst, can't even listen through the whole piece. I like the Lex Diamond Story though.

[num2son]

...Immobiliarity is clearly better.

Way better.

[hotnikks]

I'm curious as to why you rank Immobilarity so low? Fila's good and I pretty much agree with you but I think Immobiliarity is clearly better.

thank you

[noel411]

When I saw this thread I thought maybe I should check out this album. When I read this thread I thought maybe I shouldn't check out this album

Lolz

[Hollow Dartz]

I respect your reviews but this album is trash. Raekwon tried to get on his "Rick Ross" shit and missed hard. "The Wild" was better at capturing the sound he was aiming for that's why I'm glad he tried again. F.I.L.A. has about 3 good cuts, the track with Ross and Ghost & The ASAP Rocky cut, I forgot the other one. Bars were weak, Beats were mehhh, Guest features aiiight. That track with Estelle is just lame, Raekwon not really rhyming about shit. Ghostface sounded burned out on this album I was disappointed in his guest spots. I appreciated him trying to get in this lane I just feel like it was a miss. The Wild hits the mark though. F.I.L.A. is his worst album hands down.

[soren]

FILA is a weak album, the production is really terrible all the way through.
Mr. Xcitement that is an underrated album!

[ShaDynasty]

I want to see Claaa really trash an album, just once. Then I can take it when he defends an album like this thats completely forgettable. I mean why not just play 36 Chambers again, you've probably heard it about a thousand times but its still more fun to listen to than this shit.

[Rev Jones]

wack ass shit : Mr Xcitement, Hillside Scramblers, The Prequel, FILA and 2017's King Just x Pop Da Brown Hornet album. If you take the only really worthwile songs off these albums and combine them you might end up with a solid 9 or 10 track EP/LP.

Notice how Cappa's not included. Even his weak albums always have a handful of good songs. The Cappatalize Project might be his worst, but it's still leagues better than Mr Xcitement and Hillside Scramblers, and did not have to meet the same high expectations from the public as FILA and The Prequel, both of which failed through mainstream beats that missed the mark.