Song of the Week: Ghostface Killah feat. U-God – “Cherchez LaGhost”

U-God has a book out called RAW: My Journey into the Wu-Tang. I originally heard about this because RZA told Rolling Stone that the book is basically full of lies. I wasn’t gonna get too much into it because who the fuck cares about Wu-Tang Clan or U-God in 2018? And I used to be a huge Wu-Tang Clan fan (I may prove this later).

I was going about with my life but U-God showed up on one of the countless podcast I listen to each week. U-God was a guest on the Get Up On This podcast and I got to hear more about the book and his problems with RZA for roughly abount an hour. The thing that sparked my interests is that on the podcast (and I assume also in the book) U-God said that back in the day he and Kim Kardashian exchanged phone numbers but when she called Inspectah Deck answered and said that she would have to fuck U-God and him. He never heard from Kim K again. So now I guess I’m reading U-God’s book RAW: My Journey into the Wu-Tang.

Because of this I wanted to feature U-God on Song of the Week. I don’t really know any good solo U-God tracks, so let’s go with his best features. Off the top of my head I think about “Triumph”, “Winter Warz”, “It’s Yourz”, or maybe even “Put Your Hammer Down”. But the most notable one may be U-God’s verse on Ghostface Killah‘s “Cherchez LaGhost”. U-God’s verses mostly don’t make sense but I still don’t understand the “Slim doo-doo makers stuffed inside pajamas”.

Fuck it. Can we also talk about the music video for “Cherchez LaGhost” too? One of my favorite Wu-Tang related music videos of all time. Here are some notes:

  • If this felt like a Hype Williams video it was because it basically was. It was directed by Hype’s protégé Director X how I think was still Lil X in 2000.
  • This was during the height of video vixens. This video featured Melyssa Ford AND Gloria Velez.
  • Besides the obvious Wu-Tang appearances from Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, & Method Man, you also got cameos from Redman, Havoc, and Rass Kass (I probably missing someone).
  • Everybody looks cool carrying a premium replica wrestling title belt and seeing Ghost & Rae with the WCW World Championship (aka The Big Gold Belt) just confirms it. Shout out to Pastor Troy.
  • “Cherchez LaGhost” only peaked at #98 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and it makes sense. I always felt the song should have been tweaked a little bit. I know it heavily samples “Cherchez La Femme” by Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, but y’all couldn’t rewrite the hook? Y’all still have to have “Tommy Mottola, lives on the road” in there? Why even have Madam Majestic re-sing it?
  • Last one: Was U-God’s “Put a Ruff Rider on my dick, bust right through ’em” line a diss to Ruff Ryders? I always thought so because why would you even put that line in there knowing how it sounds. This again, I’ve already mentioned that U-God’s raps are mostly nonsense.

Okay. I’ve rambled enough. Watch the video below.