The Wu-Tang Clan enjoyed unprecedented success as a group and as individual members during the early-mid-90s, finding massive success and critical acclaim with their debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and successive solo albums from Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah. Arguably, the album that stands out the most from that group is Raekwon’s debut solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. Of all the adjectives that attempt to do the album justice, from haunting to pioneering to grimy, the one word that comes up most often is cinematic, and for good reason. It is hip-hop’s Godfather, Scarface, Goodfellas, Casino. RZA scores movies for Quentin Tarantino now, but he cut his teeth on making movie music by handling the production for OB4CL, and directing it like he would a movie in a sense, with Raekwon as its star, Ghostface Killah as its scene-stealing, Oscar-winning supporting actor, and cameos from their Wu brethren and Nas.
RZA brings the listener into a seedy world of drug dealers, mob bosses, and hitmen, complete with audio clips from crime and mob movies mixed with classic Wu-Tang kung fu samples, all layed against orchestral horns and strings. Raekwon and Ghostface play their roles perfectly, the two criminals that the album is centered around. “Criminology,” “Incarcerated Scarfaces,” Wu-Gambinos,” and “Verbal Intercourse” are all perfectly-crafted examples of what “Mafioso rap” exactly is, spawning Reasonable Doubt, Life After Death, and The Firm, among others. And even when the album takes brief departures from the Mafia sound, it still delivers. “Guillotine (Swordz)” would have fit perfectly on the Wu-Tang’s kung-fu-influenced albums like Enter the Wu-Tang or Liquid Swords. Even the song meant for radio, the ode to the ladies “Ice Cream,” comes way harder than your standard mainstream fare. Method Man completely bodies the hook. It’s a testament to how good this album is, front-to-back, that the “radio” song is 10x harder and better than the album cuts on anyone else’s album.
Normally, when an album goes on for 18 songs, it runs too long. Fact is, a majority of artists cannot sustain consistent, dope music for 18-20 songs on an album. The albums that can do this are the exception, not the rule. OB4CL is a glaring exception to this rule. Even with 18 tracks, the listener is left on the edge of their seat, eager and excited for what the next track holds in store for them, like a good movie where you can’t wait to see what happens next. RZA is in rare form, ditching the gritty sound that was prevalent on Enter the Wu-Tang and going for a crisper, cleaner sound. Raekwon and Ghostface don’t waste the heat he brings by lyrically tag-teaming the album. True to Ghostface form, his stories and descriptions are wild and vivid, while Raekwon is just as grimy, with a persona and delivery that defined “hip-hop Mafioso,” as they both dig deep into their vocabularies and present an album with so much street slang and crime lingo that you needed an interpreter from Staten Island to even begin to understand it. A product of one of hip-hop’s most powerful, influential dynasties and an essential album from hip-hop’s Golden Age, the album is a landmark in hip-hop history, introducing a popular subgenre and is deservedly mentioned among the greatest-produced, best-written, most influential hip-hop albums ever.
97/100
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
fair! this album really is almost perfect
97/100! Highest score on this blog? Rea deserves it!
It’s the highest score on this blog only cuz I haven’t reviewed the Chronic yet. Which reminds me, Chronic Re-Lit is out. hmmmm…..
But real talk, this is easily one of the greatest albums I’ve ever heard. It gets better every time I hear it
I carried this album (along with The Show, The Afterparty, The Hotel) with me the whole summer/fall of 95.
Great tape. This was a perfect mix of beats and rhymes. A lot of people took from this album. Rza was on that stuff when he cooked these tracks up.
CLASSIC
100/100 haha
lol @ Thomas… I feel dirty listening to “The Show The Afterparty, The Hotel”
Anyways, I said it when I got the review in my inbox. This is the best review Fred has written. It cuts to the core of the album and it does the job. It’s a great review for a great album.
Interested to see what Fred rates Part II compared to the original.
Yo the whole summer and fall of 95 I had Wu on heavy rotation in the car. Cuban Linx…ODB’s album, I had GZA’s joint pumpin’ when it came out, AND I was still pumpin’ Tical.
lol @ Thomas… I feel dirty listening to “The Show The Afterparty, The Hotel”
TSTATH was that crack. Them boys could sang.
yeah.. but I mean.. I couldn’t listen to that album without having a shower near by. Jodeci were shameless man hahaha
They were like a much more talented, better produced, Pretty Ricky
I do love Jodeci though man, I’m not hating at all
“They were like a much more talented, better produced, Pretty Ricky”
^^^^^^
Ummmm…no.
After 14 yrs since the release of this joint and it still get regular spins in my crib and car should’ve got a 100/100 why 97/100
we’re really debating Jodeci and Pretty Ricky here LOL. Jodeci rules
it’s not 100/100. I don’t even think I’d have The Chronic that high. Illmatic might be, if not a 99. 100/100 would have to change the world and cure cancer. Like Thriller.
jahahahahhahaa
yeah, 100 are pretty impossible
i would argue that it’s the best wu album…and only because i think liquid swords is slightly better.
@ Jon…Liquid Swords better?…No dis because that was a great album as well but HELLLL NO!!!….I’d place ODB’s album ahead of Liquid Swords. Like I said, it was great as well but nowhere near the best.
Liquid Swords is my GOAT album drew.
classic is a word that gets thrown around too easy these days, but this album really is……when it first came out, i loved it, but i didnt fully appreciate how good it really was because in the early/mid 90’s there was so much good albums out at the time, the standard was so high, now 14 or so years later (is it really that long?) you hear it again, and it still sounds fresh-rappers today cant hold an EP up to the album, let alone a full blown release……in my humble opinion, the golden era for hip-hop was 1986-1995!
I think Liquid Swords can certainly hold a torch to this. I generally feel like Liquid Swords is better because I’m a sucker for Gza’s subject matter and quick darts.
The production on both, well, that’s a toss up. Rza was on A++ on both, and with different styles while maintaining a trademark sound. That was impressive.
Liquid Swords vs. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx really is a discussion for the ages though
@ sean: and one that i have gone back and forth with myself many many times…both albums are just about perfect, for their own reasons. it’s like comparing 2 masterpieces…no real point as each stands on it’s own merit and created it’s own legacy.
@drewj: remind me to never as you to dj for me…we must be hearing 2 different things…although i still play rawhide
Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…R.I.P. O.D.B.
some of yall might clown..but aside from cuban linx…tical was my favorite solo..there…i said it
I love the chronic, but i dont think it sees Cuban Linx or Liquid swords. To be blunt (lol) the lyricism just doesn’t stack up to these two records and Rza’s work is almost, if not equal to Dre’s on the chronic. I would prolly give this album 100 but it is my 2nd fav hip hop album next to Illmatic.
Tical is mad underrated imo Im only 19 so obviously i didnt hear it when it dropped but on my first listen it is an outstanding lp. The grittiness and the style are brilliant. Though i will say its on the same level of Ironman and Return to the 36 chambers.
i always thought tical was funny, method was considered the most commercially viable of all the members and releases the most grimiest shit you’ve ever heard. This is my fav wu release followed by ironman, but my two fav albums are probably this one and illmatic, i don’t know about the chronic, i always considered Uncle Sam’s Curse better
Raekwon 4 President, Ghostface 4 mayor and RZA 4 pope. nuff said