Raekwon|Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… [1995]
People overuse the word “classic” when talking about albums these days. When 14 years can go by and your album is still fresh to every Hip-Hop head, that my friends, is CLASSIC. When your album is referred as “the Purple Tape” you know that is has to be one of Hip-Hop’s greatest masterpieces. I do not care if you like the Wu-Tang or not, you HAVE to like this album.
When Raekwon dropped his “solo” album, the game would not be the same for a while. While this album displayed two of Shaolin’s greatest samurai’s, it also cemented the Wu’s legacy on Hip-Hop. Everybody knew the Wu as a collective was nothing to fuck with, now we knew the Wu was strong enough to go for dolo. This album featured every member of the Wu, and a guest appearance from an up and coming Nas. Raekwon the Chef lived up to the hype giving you top notch lyrics from the POV of a drug kingpin. OB4CL jumpstarted the whole Mafioso/Hip-Hop love affair of the 90’s and easily is considered the best album that came out of the Wu-Tang camp. RZA’s production was flawless on this album, the rhymes were first class, and the cohesiveness of Ghost and the Chef was remarkable. This album did not just give you razor sharp lyrics; it also gave you some memorable intros and skits. I would be wasting time picking out which songs to highlight THEY ALL ARE GOOD!
Trust me; this is one of those that you have to have in your collection to consider yourself a true HIP-HOP HEAD, its undeniable CLASSIC MATERIAL.
You know I got this album recently. Ive fallen for the Mafioso style of rap back in the 90s. This album inspired many including NaS. Straight Classic.
I still have to listen to this album.
what are you waiting on? GO GET THIS ALBUM!
Yeah what are you waiting for?
Lol nothing really, just too lazy to download it right now. Plus, I downloaded so much music this month, all old albums that I haven’t heard and some new mixtapes from new artists. I got enough to listen to for months!! I’ll just get this album when I need new music.
Download albums?? What…Classics SHOULD not be downloaded. GO support the artist. All my albums are ripped from the cd. And I know what ya mean. I’ve been backed up with older albums for a year now and I’m barely moving on
Hmmm… I’ll see if I can go buy it.
Yeah! I came on Hip-Hop in like ‘03, so there are a lot of albums I missed, all the classics and shit. So, even though the first quarter is moving slow, it’s good for me, I got enough shit to listen to!!
Jerm good pick. This album was definitely the bomb in my book. Probably the best Wu Tang solo album besides Iron Man from Ghostface.
This definitely inspired a lot of people with that mafioso rap. I think Kool G Rap started it first but then again I think Rae & Ghost did. Overall this is a good album from start to finish, and RZA definitely step his game up on the samples.
woah woah woah. Iron Man and OB4CL the only good 1s? You’re tripping right now. Liquid Swords and Tical are so highly acclaimed its just ignorant saying that. The whole Clan was dominatin back then and you shouldn’t even need to make that sort of distinction.
Liquid swords was good, I meant to say that but I think Raekwon had the best one though. The production and the themes was on point. Tical was straight too, it was about two songs on there I didn’t like much but that album wasn’t bad either. I liked it. To me Ghostface and Rae had the better solo albums. Cappadonna should have released his album around 96, his album would have been a doper if they would have followed the same formula with him having Ghost and Rae on the CD, and I believe it would have went a different route as well. I forgot about Old Dirty, his first solo was the shit too. Very different and creative.
The “Criminology” video was classic
Yes it is
Damn jerm came through for classic week. This is my second favorite album behind Illmatic.
LIQUID SWORDS
I love this album. I remember buying it when it came out and couldn’t believe how many great songs were on it. In fact, perhaps there’s too many songs! Haha. He could have released 10 tracks, then followed it up the next year with Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2. That’s just my opinion of course.
The production is incredible with RZA at his best. Top notch record and an immortal classic!!