classic Wu-Tang solo run poll

am considering undertaking something of an academic exploration into ALL of the Wu solo albums (jesus there are a lot) and seeing what few undiscovered/underrated gems there are

U-God albums, how bad are they

i would read that tumblr

well first up: Cappadonna's the Pillage. This is 1/3rd of a decent record, the majority of it is pointless and at least one track (Young Heart) is outright terrible. The dude just doesn't have enough personality and wit to make a decent solo record. He has no ear for lyrical hooks, his flow is monotonous and kinda clumsy... half the time it sounds like he's just stringing random catchphrases together. Unsurprisingly, the handful of gems on here are the cuts with other Wu members, and the single (Milk the Cow) was the only one where Cappa came up with a decent hook for the chorus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cqwIfllkDs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g53nActB9c0
Ghost kills this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T23A61CBivo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAGKH0JFBzw
one of the better beats, and probably the only song on the album that Cappa really carries all by himself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32n_21HSp3c
Meth puts Cappa to shame on this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhbYpZepYSQ
and the album closer, which sounds like it could've been a great song if RZA and Ghost had made the effort to actually finish it instead of just letting it run on and on for 2 extra minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88jCMNxr6Ac

huh this GZA/Muggs record is way better than I would have expected

That got pretty good reviews at the time iirc although i've never heard it

I haven't heard anything Muggs has done since like '99 or something so I dunno if he's just aping RZA on it or if this is what he sounds like now (or did in 2005 anyway). but yeah it's solid. I'll post about it more tomorrow

the nfl track is CHEEZY

but the rest of it is good

i actually bought Pillage when I went through my "buy every Wu-Tang affiliated release I don't currently own, no matter how minute or pointless" phase last year. Never even got through one listen. ZzzzZzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I like the first Inspectah Deck solo album tho

first u-god album is underrated imo

I even bought that GZA "Pro Tools" one ....kinda meh, tho mostly due to the production.

"I like the first Inspectah Deck solo album tho"

Yeah, thats a cool lp. Inspectah is great throughout. Always loved the horribly schmoopy hook on the title track, good memories trying to sing like that fool. I sing that hook to my kid on occasion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee2NrhXEGWs

R.E.C. Room is a classic Wu banger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzDxg5psp9o

Muggs Gza album was kinda cool at the time but doesnt have any staying power. Pro Tools is boring. I bought Pillage back when, like 25% good iirc.

this is classic solo deck from 95

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs60xcgJZzo

quite aggy, this one

bob digi album is best post classic era solo lp in my humble opinion. fuck what you think, daily routine, mantis holocaust terrorist domestic violence all sick

That one had the odd good track a cool cover, but I don't think RZA's rapping can carry a whole album.

there are some decent tracks on the first u god album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmek6pR7jO4

This is great (but it's on one of the Chronicles too):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31naoRYXHK4

the nfl track is CHEEZY

yeah was gonna come here to say that there are def some low points, the labored sex-as-football rhymes being the worst. in general it's pretty consistent. his rhyme style is so clinical and dry it can get kinda boring, his tunes really live or die on the strength of the storytelling imho. these are the ones I thought were standouts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQPJUV3n6Ss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk4RTJzmlgo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-7g03iM3tU&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BudaSqOZpkE&feature=related

y'know, Immobilarity is really not that bad

this thread has some amazing posts