ghostface killah

Today in Hip-Hop History: Wu-Tang Clan Released Their Debut Single “Protect Ya Neck” 29 Years Ago

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On this day in 1993, the legendary Wu-Tang Clan began their reign as one of the most powerful and influential rap groups in history by releasing their debut single, “Protect Ya Neck.” With this track, Wu-Tang took the rap game by storm with a style unheard and an attitude unseen. “Protect Ya Neck” set a tone in Hip Hop that shifted the genre toward a more hardcore, rugged sound.

Originally recorded in a different order with a completely different beat, group member RZA took the liberty to reconstruct the song in post-production to the goliath that we all know and love. According to him, all he needed was the vocals of the group. The original beat used was just a placeholder used to get the verses. RZA’s unique style also incorporated the kung-fu film dialogue and fought scenes throughout the track. This unique style of production became a trend for Wu-Tang Clan.

To clarify any confusion about who is who on the song, the order of verses is as follows: Inspectah Deck, Raekwon, Method Man, U-God, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Ghostface Killah, RZA, & GZA. The single was first released independently through Wu-Tang Records and had “After the Laughter Comes Tears” as the B-side. Loud Records later re-released it with “Method Man” as the B-side. It sold 10,000 copies.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Wu-Tang Clan Released Their Debut Single “Protect Ya Neck” 29 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Raekwon and Ghostface Killah Kick-off Ja Rule’s ‘VIBES’ Concert Series with ‘The Purple Tape’ Live Band Performance

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On Monday night (April 11), a classic hip-hop album showcased its bind to longevity. Wu-Tang Clan legends Raekwon and Ghostface Killah took to the stage of Sony Hall in New York City and performed an array of hits from the Chef’s classic solo debut album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, also known as The Purple Tape, with a band in live form.

The ensemble included two electric guitar players, two keyboard players, and one drummer. Aside from the two iconic emcees, there was another vocalist who carried out the majestic harmonies of the album, as heard on “Can’t Be All So Simple (Remix)” and “Rainy Dayz,” Bobbi Storm. Together, the troupe fervidly enacted a symphonic expression of The Purple Tape, a spin in favor of the era-defining album’s reigning legacy as a game-changer.

The Purple Tape, or Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, is among the pioneering works for narrative mafioso rap and ultimately catapulted the style into a subgenre of hip-hop. Nearly three decades later, the Chef remains in awe at the album’s well-known repertoire but, in solid humility, commemorates the gem, representing a defining period.

“When I did that album, I felt personally that it was something great, but the commemoration that its given is undeniably awkward to me because I’m just a kid from the street that tried to do something that I felt was genuine to me, and the world looked at it as a blessing.”

The performance is a part of Ja Rule’s VIBES Concert Series, where artists tailor a routine after their journeys in a storytelling fashion. Raekwon and Ghostface Killah’s concert was the first to kick off the series as the experience plans to take on a roster of class acts. The event was streamed exclusively on the ICONN LIVE app.

The post Raekwon and Ghostface Killah Kick-off Ja Rule’s ‘VIBES’ Concert Series with ‘The Purple Tape’ Live Band Performance appeared first on The Source.

Hip-Hop Slang Dictionary for All the References You Need

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A guide for the uninformed. Continue reading…

Ghostface Drops Killah Koffee Brand

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Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah is entering the entrepreneurial world. The rapper launched his own coffee brand, aptly titled “Killah Koffee.” The coffee is said to be made with 100% Arabica beans and has four proprietary blends: Marble Cake, Supreme Dark Roast, Marvelous Medium Roast, or C.R.E.A.M. Killah Koffee will be launching monthly and weekly […]

Ghostface Killah Reveals ‘Supreme Clientele 2’ Will Be Produced By Kanye West And Mike Dean

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Ghostface Killah’s last album came in 2019 with Ghostface Killahs, a 14-track effort with features from Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, and more. Now,the Wu-Tang rapper is ready to release his fourteenth album. He hopped into Reddit’s HipHopHeads forum and revealed who would handle production on his upcoming album, Supreme Clientele 2. “SUPREME CLIENTELE 2 IS EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY: KANYE WEST, MIKE DEAN & PRODUCERPLUGUNI.COM, RELEASE DATE: FEB 2022,” he wrote in the post.

That means fans won’t have long to wait.

Ghostface has recently been looking backward, as well as forward. During an interview with Vulture, Ghostface spoke about Supreme Clientele and some of his intentions, or lack thereof, behind songs on the album.

“When I was rhyming on ‘Nutmeg’ and ‘One’ on Supreme Clientele, I made a style that I couldn’t even tell what it was,” he said. “I just wanted to use some words that sounded good with each other and everybody’s trying to decipher what I mean when, really, I don’t even know what it means because I had no beat.” He added, “But something said, ‘Make a record. Write a verse real quick just putting words together, whether they mean something or not. Just put them together.’”

The announcement comes months after Ghostface put on a show with Raekwon for a Verzuz battle back in February.

Raekwon And Ghostface Killah’s Verzuz Battle Date Has Been Set

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A few weeks ago, Swizz Beats and Timbaland confirmed that rap legends and Wu-Tang bandmates Ghostface Killah and Raekwon The Chef would participate in an upcoming episode of the popular streaming concert series Verzuz, and today, they revealed the specifics of the upcoming kung-fu duel. Raekwon Vs. Ghostface has been set for Saturday, March 20 at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET. Fans will have a new viewing option, as well; in the wake of Swizz and Tim’s partnership with Triller, the next battle will stream on the app rather than Apple Music, where it has previously streamed.

While Ghostface and Rae have spent much of the last year laying — typical of the Wu-Tang brotherhood as a whole when they’re not promoting a new album (or squabbling over it) — Ghost did reveal in 2019 he’s working on a horror thriller with RZA and in 2017, he was early on the cryptocurrency bandwagon, so don’t be surprised if he flogs an NFT or two during the show. Meanwhile, Raekwon celebrated the 25th anniversary of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx with a deluxe vinyl reissue, teasing work on a second sequel to turn the Cuban Linx brand into a trilogy. The Wu-Tang as a whole has an elaborately-produced photobook coming out but getting ahold of it sounds like the luck of the draw.

Check out the upcoming Verzuz on 3/20 on the Verzuz Instagram and Triller app.