Ghostface Killah has demonstrated a marvelous magic trick; he has undoubtedly become the most positively consistent artist in a genre that is so littered with ever-changing criticism and unruly judgment. As if that trick wasn’t enough, he’s come back for an encore with Ghostdini: The Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City, a genre crossing album done ever so tastefully and coherently that even the most skeptic Wu heads will want to touch their lighter side. While this project is hardly a stretch for Ghost, it’s the essence of the idea that may prove to be the biggest difficulty in comprehending. An R&B album? Sure, if we want to call it that. The fact is there hasn’t been an unlikely combo as fitting than Ghostface and love themed lyrics alongside softer production. Wizard of Poetry keeps Starks’ streak going and he reasserts himself not only as the best and most consistent clansman, but also one of the most versatile and reliant names in the industry.
“Not Your Average Girl” is an excellent starter even if it doesn’t show any hints of this particular R&B cadence. In fact, we hear a Ghost akin to Supreme Clientele, stemming from the energetic flow and high intensity in his repertoire. Nevertheless, Ghost is as vivid as ever as he visits hardcore sex antics on the raunchy, hilarious, and fitting “Stapleton Sex.” Sandwiched in between “Lonely” and “Stay,” “Stapleton Sex” acts as that quick intense in-the-moment sex session to fulfill a lonesome void, but also brings on the aftermath of companionship and greed. Evidently, the Wizard is not only crafting a great album, but the poet is mustering up a Shakespearean love story filled with worship, hate, and passion with others and within himself.
The Raheem DeVaughn assisted “Baby” and “Do Over” are amongst the albums highlights. This is due to the powerful and intricate lyrical content displayed by Ghost and ear catching production courtesy of Austin “Watts” Garrick & Rashad Smith and Mahogany, respectively. The use of auto-tone by Raheem on “Baby” certainly isn’t necessary, it’s a small gripe. A similar complaint comes at the hands of “Guest House,” which re-uses the J.U.S.T.I.C.E League production on Rick Ross’ “Yacht Club.” Still, the inclusion of Fabolous as the cheating perpetrator adds an additional touch of drama to the story Ghost tells us. A similar feature that proves vital to the success of the song is Estelle’s appearance on “Paragraphs of Love” as Ghostdini’s beautiful, pregnant, and married apple of his eye. Everything on “Paragraphs…” comes together as a romantic would’ve-could’ve story and the chorus by Vaughn Anthony helps it reach new heights.
Even by the closing moments of the album, Wizard of Poetry never slows down. “Forever” and “Goner” are both heavy on replay value because of the sincerity from Ghost over the soulful strings on the former and the playful-but-not-playin’ attitude on the latter. Even the guest spot by Lloyd on “Goner” is welcomed.
Everything about this project just ends up coming together, which is amazing considering the difficulty of conceiving this idea then executing it near flawlessly. The bonus tracks really weren’t necessary though; the outdated “Back Like That” featuring an equally outdated and uninterested Kanye verse and a questionable feature from Ron Browz on “She’s A Killer” don’t add up to the top quality that make up this album.
It’s hard to say that there’s a “flaw” or “misstep” on Wizard of Poetry. If anything, songs like “I’ll Be That” are a little similar to some stuff we may hear on the radio on a daily basis that provides typicality and lack of substance. Still, that’s not the case here. It’s the spin, the detail, the honesty, the humour, and the emotion that Ghostface injects into each and every one of these songs that prove that this album is not another “softer-side attempt.” Love stories and advice from Ghostface Killah is a formula for brilliance and let’s all colour in that space that may have been left blank for topics Ghost has touched. It’s starting to look like rainbow-ish basket-weave, as opposed to a yellow brick road on the catalogue for arguably the decades best hip hop artist.
90/100
Goner
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Do Over
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Not Your Average Girl
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
90 is kinda high! The lyrics will always be there (I couldn’t see Ghost coming soft with the lyrics) but some of the music is subpar to me! I give this album a 75/80 out 100.
***Wait a minute! This album had a higher rating than Rae’s album!!! NO NO NO***
Good review. I love Ghost’s occasional R&B song on his albums, (never be the same etc) but it took a little getting used to this. It’s a solid listen for definite, don’t know that the strict hip hop heads will feel it though. Still, they’ve got Cuban Linx II so it’s all good, there’s enough Wu for everyone in 2009!
Dope review Deez!
Ghost ca change the game with this album.
Grown Man HipHop at its Finest.
Really surprised by the score, however this is another solid release from Ghost. The album sounds better on CD than on my iPod because I was hatin on it prior to release date. I was thinking the album was going to be more “Forever” type tracks than “I’ll Be That.” What I will say is those Raheem DeVaughn songs are certified bangers.
Album of the year!!! Blue print 3 was a dope too, but this came out of no where. I don’t think anyone expected this from GFK. Its a testament to the golden era of the 90′s. All ways leading, and not following.
“I’ll Be That” and the Ron Browz joint are the only below-average joints on the album, the rest is flames. Ghost deserves extra points since Def Jam made him do this album due to the lackluster sales of his previous albums and yet he STILL made something a quality album.
Dope review Deeeeeez.
I’m a def check this out. I love the juxtaposition between Ghost as we know him and the smoothed out ‘love’ tracks. Delicious.
I kinda have mixed feelings about this lp. Fisrt off let me say I feel like Ghost pulled off something that no one else in Hip-Hop could have gotten away with & I applaud him for it. But I don’t know how much replay value this album has. After the first 2 spins I kinda felt like…OK enough is enough…pop in the Supreme Clientele. I definitely can’t agree with the score/rating. Definitely doesn’t deserve a higher rating the OB4CL II. Rae gave the people what we’ve been asking & waiting for, whereas I feel like Ghost really just did the type of album HE wanted to do. Not a dissapointment by a long shot, but for me it was a “listen to it 3 good times then put’um away lp”
A solid album, I enjoyed it but it’s not up there w/ many of his other albums. The 90/100 is overzealous imo. In the 80-84 range.
Good way to mix up the game and give yourself a new look without being fake.
Haters will find something wrong if they look hard enough.
KeepRealHipHopAlive
Personally, I have had a hard time getting into this album… need to give a few more spins.
cosign beatsbeast..the replay value for me isnt there..a few listens and on to the next
dope comments
guys, I reiterate again… take the scoring with a grain of salt, please lol.
A 90 for this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s “better” than Only Built 2, especially since it was done by two different reviews. Would Melanie Fiona’s score mean it’s a better album than another Hip Hop album? That’s hard to judge, especially considering they are two different genres…. so treat this the same way, especially given the different sound and content on this in comparison to Cuban Linx.
For what it’s worth, I agree with Fred’s scoring of Cuban Linx, and to put it simply.. Ghost did what he set out to do better on this than what Rae set out to do on Cuban Linx 2. In the end, they are tough to compare and shouldn’t be compared
Stapleton Sex is one of those songs I had to delete from my iPod – it’s uncomfortable as hell to hear in the morning or on the subway, etc, lol. The Ron Browz joint was instantly deleted, and Back Like That has been around for like 93 years now… I don’t understand how that’s a ‘bonus.’
Maybe I haven’t given it a good-enough listen, but this isn’t an album I’d be begging to replay.
Quite surprised about the score! Good review.. the three highlights you picked are def very dope.
This cd has some good joints on it and then there’s some that I ain’t feeling..is it me or the sangria, lol…let get anutha taste of sangria and listen again.
I’m back and Deez this is a nice review.
rating is a little high… rae’s album is better
Yo eA, I feel you on the “stapleton sex” joint…I was playing it in my room one time and my moms came in there and started yelling at me because she thoguht i was watching porn…I had to laugh….
by the way…excellent review….i thought it was a good album…honestly thought mr. starks was going to take the album in another direction, and fortunately he didn’t….i do argee with everyone saying that the rating is a little high…it’s good and all but let’s face it, it’s no IRONMAN nor SUPREME CLIENTELE nor FISHSCALE nor BIG DOE REHAB….lol.
I ca see why Deez gave the album 90/100.
Ghost made a whole album about love, sex, and relationships in its different forms and fashions and kept it entertaining the whole way thru.
I think the beats bang and Ghost, like beastbeats said, is the only cat that could have pulled this off.
Ghost made an adult contemporary HipHop album. Its like a new genre an shit.
I think thats something unprecedented and should be applauded for effort, completion, and cohesion.
Co-sign Jun, couldn’t have said it better myself!
Love the review Sean and I’m glad you gave Ghost the credit he deserves for this. When I first read about Ghost doing an R&B-tinged album I was worried it might turn out to be a dud, especially since it popped out of nowhere so quickly. But as always with Ghost, even if he doesn’t invest massive time in putting together his albums, the results are still top notch. I’ve always loved Ghost when he flowed over smoother beats based on old soul samples and even though the songs on this have a more contemporary twist they still sound dope and some have that old school sample groove, like “Forever”. I agree that the two bonuses spoil the show a bit, and the autotune touch comes at a very bad time when it’s been officially debased as played-out, but overall the album is surprisingly dope. I think it’s more satisfying than OB4CL2 in the sense that the anticipation and build-up for Rae were extremely high and when you wait that long for an album you somehow always feel slightly disappointed when the actual thing drops, no matter how brilliant it is, whereas with Ghost, he keeps churning them out at a rate where you expect him to make a misstep here or there but he always surprises you by exceeding your expectations. This is definitely a good year for the Wu, if I had to name my favorite Top 10 albums off the head, they’d get like 3 slots (Ghost, Rae, and the Chamber Music), and that U-God had some brilliant tracks too (but what was he thinking with those weird remixes at the end?)
Review was on point. Overall this came across like all GFk albums with the exception of the Pretty Toney album which is to say this shit is fiya! Only about 3 joints that may not ever get played again like the I’ll be that, the Ron Brows joint, and the Back like that remix. Not sure what the point was of that one. But overall the shit is active. Ghost to me has always made the best albums out of the Wu and even on the OB4CL2 album it would be more certifiably classic if Ghost touched it more. When u consider the 1st Only built and how heavy Ghost was on that album and then look at everything he’s dropped since, you have no choice but to respect his genius.
STAY is a classic ghost is still here
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