"The W" review

[Sam the Seed]

Exceptional. Its not surprising this under-performed commercially but I think its a much tighter project overall than "Forever". "Forever" had more standout tracks but was also too long with a few overlong or unimportant songs. It was also more of a mixtape with no real focused concept or sound. "The W", on the other hand, feels like what Forever should've been if it were 1 disc. Besides one extremely mid song ("The Monument", I think Busta Rhymes is overrated af), every other track has sharp verses, great group chemistry and RZA being as grimy and experimental as he was on "36 Chambers". The album's only weakness is that it ends quickly which seems even shorter after the extremely long "Forever".

I've heard this album called "too poppy". Really stupid criticism imo. The only thing making this more commercial is its short length, the club quality of "Gravel Pit" and guest appearances by kinda wack pop rappers like Snoop and Busta. If you delete Snoop and Busta from this, it might be their best album. I especially love "I Can't Go To Sleep" which is the third in the trilogy of songs by RZA and Ghostface rapping about racism, STDs & black-on-crime after "Tearz" and "Impossible". These 3 songs are the best from their first 3 albums and "Tearz" was also the first official song recorded by TWC (as"After the Laughter"). So The W feels like the 3rd in a trilogy and a bookend to Golden Age Wu for me.

[ShaDynasty]

Its a classic. To me peoples objections to The Monument or any other song are just wrong.

Even Conditioner aged well.

[Rev Jones]

Yeah, eventually I got over 'The Monument' as well. Dope album. I always liked 'Conditioner' btw.

Some of my fav tracks are Red Bull, Hollow Bones, Careful & Can't Go To Sleep.

[Sharing_is_ caring]

Jah World is such a great track.

[SHEEPISH LORD OF CHAOS]

the album age well

[Sam the Seed]

MC Conditioner is a great except Snoop has the 2nd worst verse on the album. Still better than Busta. Neither guy is a spitter and just slows the momentum and IQ level of the album.

[IrOnMaN]

I love The Monument. GZA did good!

[ShaDynasty]

GZA's track at the end of Conditioner was great too. No reason to not make that a full Clan track.

[IrOnMaN]

^Agreed. That piece was too short.

[David Daniel Davis]

MC Conditioner is a great except Snoop has the 2nd worst verse on the album. Still better than Busta. Neither guy is a spitter and just slows the momentum and IQ level of the album.

Busta Rhymes can spit when he wants to. He raps according to the type of beat he is on. Monument is a mellow type track, so he was mellow on there. I think he would have been great on Red Bull with Redman, so he could get hype

[MikeAll]

^Agreed. That piece was too short.

What did GZA say... "Make it brief son, half short and twice strong" from "As High As Wu Tang Get" lol
Jks aside yeah I feel you re the dope tease. Appreciate those hidden dope joints. The Clan could even revisit that beat now to make it a full song and it would be DOPEness!
PEACE

[MikeAll]

Exceptional. Its not surprising this under-performed commercially but I think its a much tighter project overall than "Forever". "Forever" had more standout tracks but was also too long with a few overlong or unimportant songs. It was also more of a mixtape with no real focused concept or sound. "The W", on the other hand, feels like what Forever should've been if it were 1 disc. Besides one extremely mid song ("The Monument", I think Busta Rhymes is overrated af), every other track has sharp verses, great group chemistry and RZA being as grimy and experimental as he was on "36 Chambers". The album's only weakness is that it ends quickly which seems even shorter after the extremely long "Forever".

I've heard this album called "too poppy". Really stupid criticism imo. The only thing making this more commercial is its short length, the club quality of "Gravel Pit" and guest appearances by kinda wack pop rappers like Snoop and Busta. If you delete Snoop and Busta from this, it might be their best album. I especially love "I Can't Go To Sleep" which is the third in the trilogy of songs by RZA and Ghostface rapping about racism, STDs & black-on-crime after "Tearz" and "Impossible". These 3 songs are the best from their first 3 albums and "Tearz" was also the first official song recorded by TWC (as"After the Laughter"). So The W feels like the 3rd in a trilogy and a bookend to Golden Age Wu for me.

Great analysis! Personal last fav WTC album that rate as a CLASSIC. Appreciate seeing this RZA & GFK trilogy series point...

Overall great convo about this classic album SUUUUUUUUU!

[MikeAll]

MC Conditioner is a great except Snoop has the 2nd worst verse on the album. Still better than Busta. Neither guy is a spitter and just slows the momentum and IQ level of the album.

Re Snoop & Conditioner, while it may not be on same level as Wu MCs, it is/was one of Snoops best verses in years (imo from what little have heard). Dont yall find that when dudes collab w Wu they bring their best HipHop game eg Jim Jones on Rock n Roll, Thought on Masters of our Fate etc. Wu brings the HipHop MC out of rappers!
PEACE

[Sam the Seed]

Busta Rhymes can spit when he wants to. He raps according to the type of beat he is on. Monument is is mellow type track, so he was mellow on there. I think he would have been great on Red Bull with Redman, so he could get hype

I like Busta but his lyrics are too 80s party shit IMO. Its like when LL Cool J started trying to be hardcore in the mid 90s. I've heard all his best albums and the posse cuts with Flipmode Squad, he was always the worst imo. He can rap fast but he never says anything clever or deep IMO. But he does flow to beats memorably. But not on The Monument tho.

[Sam the Seed]

Great analysis! Personal last fav WTC album that rate as a CLASSIC. Appreciate seeing this RZA & GFK trilogy series point...

Overall great convo about this classic album SUUUUUUUUU!

Thanks, bruh.