it took a while but we finally got a masta killa album,and this shit is hot,great lyrics,beats and tempo,when do we get more.he is so underated
finally
it took a while but we finally got a masta killa album,and this shit is hot,great lyrics,beats and tempo,when do we get more.he is so underated
I think this album is overrated. I loved it when i first gat it but it got boring havent listened to it in a while. I think it has a few bangin tracks e.g School, Silverbacks and Masta Killa, but it just doesnt flow that well together for an album. Thats what made LS, OB4CL, SC etc classics and its missing here. Its more like a collection of songs than an album.
born chamber: typical wu-intro, a scene of a kung fu movie. nuthin' more 2 say...
grab the mic: the 1st time i heard, i found it boring, but now i can't get these rhymes n this beat outta my head! very laid back... almost 2 laid back... (4.5/5)
no said date: luv this one. a fresh beat n a fresh masta killa. totally different from grab the mic but the same quality, only a bit betta... (5/5)
last drink: could be the soundtrack of an old kung-fu film. needed 2 hear this a few times to like it & now i luv it! very nostalgic... (4.5/5)
love spell: black sheep of the album. this song sucks but it isnt mastas fault. this b*tch of a hook singer (don't know the name) ruined this track. masta did well to save it but it's not more than (2.5/5)
the future (skit): wasted time... in 2004, they were 2 young.... listen to them in made in brooklyn!
d.t.d.: on this old sounding beat masta doesn't sound very fit and rae has made better rhymes too, but ghost killed it with his best verse since millenium! (i mean, fishscale wasn't that good, was it? don't know about more fish but i'm gonna buy it too) if ghost wasn't on this track, it wouldn't get (4/5)
whatever: i don't like prodigal sunn's raps and i think masta shouldn't have featured him on this one but the beat is one of the best i eva heard from mathematics and streetlife did his best. but masta definitely killed this track. flow n rhymes were perfect! (5/5)
secret rivals: beat isn't very great as well as killah priests flow but his rhymes were good. method man somehow did best in this trio but masta was also good. don't know what to give... i think (3.5/5)
skit: see born chamber
digi warfare: old school hip hop beat plus a party-masta... doesn't fit to the wu-tang but this one is great! (5/5)
old man: kinda crazy... if odb was rappin on it instead of wantin a cheeseburger or whatever i would give him 5/5. but i don't because of rza. i mean hes the best producer i know and he was rappin very good on enter the wu-tang but his rap style has changed... his rhymes are still good but i hate his flow and his voice... (4/5)
queen: lyrics are almost the same as on love spell but i thank god this singer isn't on this one. beat is like the background of a drama. like it. (4.5/5)
school: on this one rza is much betta than in old man. beat is very good and masta's intro and his verse after rza's are the shit. i think i give it (5/5)
silverbacks: the beat is dramatic like the one in queen. gza, deck & mk are a dreamteam... no more 2 say... just enjoy it... (5/5)
masta killa: best outro i've eva heard. i like it when masta does as if he's a wise man... beat remembers me of whateva but is a bit deeper... namsayin?
(5/5)
total: (8.8/10)
classic!!!
Masta Killa- No Said Date
Thought i'd add my own 2 pennies about this album since i just re-listened to it a few days back:
1.Born Chamber
A standard Wu Tang album introduction. Taken from some old school kung fu movie most of us have probably ever heard of. It gets the message across of this album being a journey and sets us up nicely for the first musical track.
2.Grab the Microphone
Produced by Brock
Brock gives us a nice laid back beat with a heavy baseline which matches Masta Killa’s tempo. The lyrics are a little simplistic in places but the whole track comes off as a warm-up anyway. The imagery is excellent, the hook is crazy as well.
3.5/5
3.No Said Date
Produced by Rza
Probably the best song of the album, God knows what Rza was on when he made this beat but it sounds incredible, a high tempo oriental sounding track with windpipes and violin-like sounds. Masta picks his flow up about a dozen notches “this military arm marine sub machine gun”, multis, vocab, imagery and a catchy yet simple hook blows your eardrums out. My only complaint is this track is too damn short.
5/5
4.Last Drink
Produced by Mathematics
“after this drink, we shall become sworn enemies!” another kung fu movie sample kicks off this marching type beat. The hook is plain lazy however, Masta Killa comes off as a little lazy on this track. His vocab is strong but that’s about all you can say here. He’s still talking about rocking crowds but even so comes with the occasional good line “come with a beat as rare as leap year.”. one of the weaker tracks on the album.
2.5/5
5.Love Spell
Produced by Dave West
A summery sounding beat which sounds oddly out of place on this album, some unknown singing the hook. Its still a definite head-nodder, Masta Killa comes with some geniune sounding romantic lines and a smooth flow. He rides the beat without breaking a sweat. Definitely a track to play for your girl.
3.5/5
6.The Future (skit) performed by Shamel, Kareem and Jamel
Produced by Hakim Shabazz
This is crazy shit, a bunch of kids with some serious attitude spitting wu tang lyrics over a typical wu-sounding beat. They’re actually pretty good. Check for these guys in about 10 years or so. Ha ha.
7.D.T.D. featuring Raekwon and Ghostface
Produced by Mathematics
One of the worst sounding tracks on the album. Raekwon’s verse sounds like something Nas would do which is probably a good thing. Masta follows up with a verse filled with the same stuff he’s already been talking about. Ghostface finishes this effort off with a fire-packed verse perfectly on beat. The hook is fucking terrible. The lyrics don’t save this, Mathematics really did a bad job on this one.
2.5/5
8.Whatever featuring Streetlife and Prodigal Sunn
Produced by Mathematics
Mathematics redeems himself with this stunning beat, every rappers energy is through the roof on this number, packed with multis and killer one-liners. The hook is catchy as hell. Masta Killa in particular tears the track to pieces.
4/5
9.Secret Rivals featuring Killah Priest and Method Man
Produced by True Master
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. True manages to fuck this track up with one of the worst beats I’ve ever heard. Which is a shame beacuase this track probably has the best lyrics of the entire album. Killah Priest comes with this killer couplet “I transform into a sandstorm and leave one third of the land-torn” in a verse which starts off shaky but finishes like fire. Method Man too, more than fulfils his potential on this one with an old school sounding verse “like Tyson, when all else fails start biting”, some hilarious shit. Masta winds up slightly out classed here. f the beat was better this could be a 4, even 5 mic song.
3/5
10.Skit
Another kung fu sample explaining the difference between martial art disciplines.
11.Digi Warfare
Produced by Choco
The beat is trippy as hell. Masta switches his style to an 80’s flow which matches the mood perfectly. If you’re looking for a track to break-dance to. This is the one. An old school club track all the way. Some really gutsy stuff.
4/5
12.Old Man featuring Old Dirty Bastard and Rza
Produced by Rza
Ol’ DB will crack you up on this one, his vocals fit the beat seamlessly. Rza brings us some 60’s sounding, riding in your car type beat which unfortunately begins with Masta rapping “I rock the mic and make the crowd say ho”, update your style mate. Rza and Masta do get a great back and forth style going between them though. Some great stuff on here.
4/5
13.Queen
Produced by True Master
True Master pulls out a better beat for this one. Masta gets on a romantic line with his lyrics again. It’s like a more laid back version of “Love Spell”. Some great imagery and vocab on here which a listener would be used to by now. A nice little track to set the mood.
3.5/5
14.School featuring Rza
Produced by Rza
Rza comes back for a victory lap with a beat which start off with a very stripped down sound, but quickly switches to a fast pace beat as Masta hands the flow over to Rza. They paint vivid images of their school days with strong vocabulary and the occasional well-placed multis. Global issues get discussed here. Masta also successfully switches tempo between verses here but again remains stuck on rapping about rapping. Still a good track.
4/5
15.Silverbacks featuring Inspectah Deck and Gza
Produced by True Master
A surprising tupac interview sample kicks this rugged sounding beat off. This is easily the best effort from True Master on this album. Rebel INS takes the first verse and kicks thing off by singing, a really bad idea, but he quickly redeems himself by dropping a blistering verse about the struggle which is life, an excellent verse in all aspects. Masta follows with one of his best verses on this album and follows on with Rebel’s subject matter. Gza finishes this off with his usual incredible imagery and vocab. One of the best tracks on the album.
4.5/5
16.Masta Killa
Produced by Baby Dooks
Where was this producer earlier in this album? An incredible kung fu sounding beat which Masta rides easily with some excellent lyrics and flow. Instead of a hook the break between verses and laced with bruce lee interview samples explaining the idea behind jeet kun do. “be water my friend”. It’s a head nodder and a philosophy rolled up in one.
4.5/5
Overall
Rza really deserves credit for his production work on this album. Some of the best we’ve seen from him in a long time. Masta’s flow is a little dated but he still has an impeccable flow and an incredible grasp of creating images in a listeners head make for an album which sounds like it was released during the wu tang golden age.
3.7/5
Stamping on the testicles of defeat!
Pretty good review, although we are in opposite directions as far as the beat on secret rivals goes, I think it's brilliantly original. It took a while to grow on me tho I admit.
Good review but I completely disagree about DTD, that track was fire and the beat was dope.
"I pledge allegiance to the hip hop"Method Man
i thought secret rivals was the best song on the album....the beat was pretty tight, killah priest's verse was obviously the best part of the song.
Secret Rivals is NOT a bad beat. Far from. Love the off beat piano.
Good review i nevely completly agree (although i think love spell is one of the whackest songs ive heard in a while - such a fuckin shit hook) id give this album bout 3 outta 5. I think DTD was dope doh, and the last 3 tracks were my favourite. I just think this album doesnt flow that well together at all. Its more like a collection of songs than an album. People on here call it a classic so there saying it in the same breath as OB4CL and LS, its nowhere near those two. there classics in every sense all the songs on those album flow together perfectly and i never skip any and that makes a classic album. And sometimes Masta gets a bit repetitive.
No you see, this is what i like about this site. Theres another site i'm on that if i posted this review and someone had disagreed about how i'd rated one of the tracks instead of 'i don't agree, but thats your opinion' it would've been 'dude, you're a fucking moron' coz they can't stay off the net beef.
Admittedly i may have penalised DTD a little harshly because i didn't like the beat.
Stamping on the testicles of defeat!
The Future skit is top3 best track of the album to me. The beat is sick, made from a couple of seconds of the music in Five Deadly Venoms, and MK's & GZA's kids are ill!
- I'm the assassin, A-S to A-S.. A-S.. I-N..
I think the last drink track is dope. That one of my favoirte math beats right there and masta lyrics are dope.
Old Man and School were the dopest songs that year.....
it a great album, I urge people to at least give it a listen..
No Said Date
1. Born Chamber - Normally I don't talk about skits because I don't rate them, but this is just perfect. fits the clan well, I never skip it.
2. Grab the Mic - dope intro track, masta does a great job of ordering this album well, it meshes perfectly making the whole better than the sum of its parts. 4 out of 5
3. No said date - Inferno. call the fire brigade. The fans spoke loudly. 5 out of 5
4. Last Drink - theres a thread named after it, but this is just average. The beat is weak at best. 3 out of 5
5. Love Spell - This is pretty annoying, no where near as good as the elegant Queen. 2 out of 5
6. The Future - sloppy. I'm the assassin A-S..AH..A-S-A-S-IN....they get better tho. 2 out of 5
I was pretty disappointed up to this point in the album but the second half rivals any previous solo put out.
7. D.T.D. (Do the Dance) - great voice samples, beat, tony is nuts, It's a classic to me. 5 out of 5
8. Whatever - Streetlife is back with a vengeance. My favorite track on the album. Best hook in a long time. classic 5 out of 5
9. Secret Rivals - The most eclectic beat imaginable. This shit grows on you. Mef is spazzzzzola. Killah priest kills it too. classic underground 5 out of 5
11. Digi Warfare - It's a digi beat all right and a good one. Masta is incredibly on point here. I guess right now you can take a hunch, fine, I'm the ninth member of the bunch....you just moved up. 4 out of 5
12.Old Man - Fucking great sample! God I love dirty. . 4 out of 5
13. Queen - Man this is a relaxing joint. great voice sample usage. great tune 4 out of 5
14. School - This is just fantastic. beat changes, masta and rza drop knowledge. classic 5 out of 5
15. Silverbacks - deck, please save the off tune singing for ghost and u-god. otherwise this is a classic track. 5 out of 5
16. Masta Killa - Excellent Wu track. It's all masta, all great. great voice clip of bruce lee. Also a fantastic ending to the album. 5 out of 5
58 + 1 for great skit usage and + 1 for a great flowing album= 60
60/14=4.3 or just below classic status.
gets better every time listening to it
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