March 28, 2017

Ghostface Killah "Fishscale" Review (Vibe, 2006)

Ghostface Killah Fishscale Vibe April 2006 Album Review

Extra! Extra! Ghost says he was the first to use the name Wu-Tang ... was that ever confirmed? Either way, today marks 11 years since Ghostface's release of his 5th studio album, 'Fishscale.' The review above - published in Vibe (April, 2006) - does a good job at giving you a quick breakdown on the album. 'An intentional radio-ready endeavor' is a nice way of saying some crossover shit, and Def Jam doubled down by adding Kanye West to the remix, where Ye basically rapped over snaps, lol. Fortunately, the album had much more heart and soul than that. My good homie, MoSS, came through and blessed the raw production on 'Kilo' with Raekwon, which was definitely one of the best cuts on the LP. Yet, the standout to me is 'Whip You With A Strap,' based off the nostalgia & serendipity of the record. J. Dilla passed away 3 days before his masterpiece, 'Donuts,' was released, and after his demise, many artists have grabbed at his instrumentals. However, it's clear Dilla had Ghostface in mind when he crafted “One For Ghost.” Ghostface laced that beat as only he could, bringing us back to his childhood and sharing tales of his mom putting a whoopin’ down on him, lol. Dilla’s impeccable ear for samples and chops brought Luther Ingram’s ‘To The Other Man’ to life and with Ghostface, it was the perfect pairing. Dilla is also featured on ‘Beauty Jackson.' While 'Back Like That' may have sold the album to a wider audience, it's the album cuts that make Ghost one of the best to do it. In 2015 - for record store day - Def Jam released 1000 copies of a 7" that featured Jay-Z's 'You Don't Know' on the A-Side and Ghostface's 'Whip You With a Strap' on the B-Side; I hope you got your hands on that collector's item vinyl. Salute, Ghostface! Still lovin' this...