The reason for OB4CL2’s hype, it seems, isn’t so much about a romanticization of, or obsession with, part 1, but rather because fans were dying to have their single hope confirmed—that Rae still had it.
For all those who listened to the album dispassionately and diligently, the result is clear—this Wu-Tang legend not only still has it, but has far more to say, and sound off on, than he did 15 years ago.
On Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… all but one song, “Incarcerated Scarfaces,” featured another rapper—mostly fellow Wu-mate Ghostface Killah—alongside Raekwon. A decade and half later, Rae is comfortable and confident enough to hold 7 tracks solo.
This is key. What it provides, in return, is a much more enjoyable and personal experience than the first installment afforded listeners. But that takes nothing away from the natural chemistry Raekwon brings on wax anytime he shares the vocal booth with other MCs.
In fact, one of the qualities that makes OB4CL2 so great is the diverse array of voices, minds, and characters Raekwon is able to assemble. Included are such luminaries as Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes, Beanie Sigel, Jadakiss, Styles P, and fellow Wu-Tang members Ghostface Killah, The RZA, The GZA, and Inspectah Deck.
Raekwon must have felt the most fitting way to start up a project as this; one with such a storied backdrop—including a three year delay which almost assured fans it would never see the light of day—was to pick off where he last left off.
Aptly titled “Return of the North Star,” the intro features Popa Wu catching up with Rae: “We done went through so many trials and tribulations, man. It’s a shame.” He then recounts a dream he had where Rae “took the world by storm,” but the public couldn’t “see the forest from the trees.”
Popa Wu drops a few more gems and Raekwon emerges, observing different activities taking place around him and offering running commentary to supplement them.
He’s barely done with his soliloquy before a voice announces, with much joviality, “Nobody is going to save you, now.” At this, drum loops pumped with adrenaline rush come blaring through. Welcome to “House of Flying Daggers,” the second single off OB4CL2, produced by the immortal J Dilla. Raekwon, who enlists half of the Wu-Tang clan to christen the new album, pleads his dying wish: “… Bury me in Africa/ With whips and spears, and rough diamonds out of Syria/.”
“Cold Outside” is built with the sensation of a suspense movie, but almost loses all momentum gained with a much too long intro. Nonetheless, Rae comes through “to get at the transactions/ … Land in every project/ Sex, lies, murderous reps/ Back to cassettes/ Vets dying on steps/ … Real life stories was made/ And candles got blazed for little young soldiers shot by them strays/,” paving way for Ghostface to rebound with trademark elegance, painting a gory picture of a “two-year-old strangled to death/ With a ‘Love Daddy’ shirt on in a bag on the top of the steps/,” before firing: “Our troops need to leave Iraq/ And Rap Ni**as need to go on strike, so we could get more cash/.” Hmm. Interesting proposition. Let’s see how many of his colleagues—have the ba**s to—follow suit.
It’s hard to recreate the electrifying waves that “Triumph,” “Protect Ya Neck,” and “C.R.E.A.M.” shocked millions of Wu-Tang adherents with in the ‘90s, but as one who recently saw “New Wu”—the album’s first single—performed on stage by Raekwon, it comes as close to any other theme song the last decade has produced to capture the spirit of a united Wu-Tang clan—giving fans, perhaps hopelessly, much to hope about. And why not? The hook, rapped by Method Man, goes: “Tell a friend/ It’s that symbol again/ That W/ Coming through/ … Ya’ll already know what it do/ Brand new/ Ni**a, back from the slums/ It be the Wu/.”
“Surgical Gloves” has just begun playing, and Raekwon boldly proclaims: “8 million stories, Ni**a. …Ya’ll Ni**as never heard Ni**as rhyme like this before, man. This ain’t no Wizard of Oz sh** neither, man.” The grimy and grisly electric piano playing on the frontground is only outdone by Raekwon’s lyrical discipline: “Have respect on how the game goes/ The same goes/ For get-fresh Ni**as, test Ni**as, extra-blessed Ni**as/ With them egos/ We blow you out your pea coats/ Ha-ha/ Adios mios/.”
On “Broken Safety,” Jadakiss might have single-handedly, and perhaps inadvertently, unveiled the mission of OB4CL2. “F**k saving Hip-Hop,” he states, “we bringing the streets back.”
And, indeed, Raekwon seems to have no overt desire to save or rescue or revive Hip-Hop. The aim, it appears, is to “bring back” the street element the last 5 years of constant commercialism all but successfully washed out.
“He was a powerful general/ The smell from his breath was balentine/ … That Ni**a could dance to slow music/ Out-drink any Ni**a on the benches/ … He’s 5-foot-7/ A legend was born/ Russell “Ason” Jones/ I know him for his braids and lessons/ … Yo, let’s toast to the fallen, lost, forgotten/ Ay yo, if Ni**as could hear me, then roll up some broccoli/ … Yo, I just miss this Ni**a/ And now I understand the meaning of love when I kissed the Ni**a/.” Raekwon dedicates this heartfelt and powerful track, “Ason Jones,” to his fallen comrade, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, who died late 2004, apparently from an accidental drug overdose.
In an age when erratic “no-homo” disclaimers have become more commonplace than the rampant homoeroticism that shadow them, it’s not only refreshing but also reassuring to hear Raekwon spill his guts about one of the most influential figures the Hip-Hop world was blessed with. And what better way to do it than over soulful Dilla time signatures?
“About Me” is Dr. Dre’s second work on the project, and, in my judgment, the only valid one. Dre takes us back to the mid ‘90s, with slow synthesizers controlling the emotion of the beat. Busta Rhymes is, as usual, precise in breath-control and sharp and smooth with delivery (“Here comes another lethal presentation, taking you places you never been/ Deadlier than a combination of coke and heroin/ I see the weakness in most of you Ni**as that be hollering/ So I toned it down, so these words be piercing your lower abdomen/”). And T-Pain might have a new opponent to pick on, as Raekwon declares his clique “anti-Auto-Tune.”
The Chef is wrapping up his masterpiece and has only one demand left: “Kiss The Ring.” When it comes to “making a classic/ … Some die live in the action/.” But Rae survived it all, and Hip-Hop is the better off for it.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II isn’t just one of the most highly anticipated albums of all time, it’s also one of the timeliest, and I hope timeless, compositions made at such a critical period in Hip-Hop history. Through narrative and vivid description, Rae tried, I can only imagine, as best as possible, to match the effort revealed in his classic debut. And as far as classics go, I’m not so ready to anoint OB4CL2 one. It would undoubtedly end up one of the best albums of the year—if not the best—but a few missteps could have been averted.
I could have done away with the mosquito buzzes looped on “10 Bricks.”
And I’m not sure “Fat Lady Sings” was ideal to the concept of this album.
Dr. Dre must have been half-asleep when he made “Catalina,” for how else to explain the second hand sound and artificial cymbals he polished it with.
“We Will Rob You,” even with the help of the inimitable Slick Rick and incomprehensible GZA, came off with a cheesy and cheap hook. For sure, this elite team of veterans could have done better.
But to suggest that this album lacks the quality of lyricism its prior put forth would be disingenuous.
I think sequels serve a very important purpose. The prime motivation for a sequel is demand; and without demand, such attempts usually culminate into epic fails. So, in terms of demand, Raekwon couldn’t have gotten a better head start. The second half of that equation, however, isexpectations, which usually trips us artists and actors.
On both counts, it’s safe to say Raekwon fared pretty well. And if those are the criteria with which OB4CL2 should be judged, it’s worth picking up and passing along.
Thank you, Rae. Hip-Hop needed this.
