Mathematics x Wu-Tang Clan "Black Samson, The Bastard Swordsman"

After enjoying its heyday in the 90s and 2000s as arguably the greatest hip-hop group ever, the Wu-Tang Clan spent the late 2010s to mid-2020s solidifying its legacy in various ways--a television series, a docuseries, a Las Vegas residency, a cross-generational pop-culture touchstone. But fans who've wanted a Wu-Tang Clan album have often had to accept consolation prizes; 2015's Once Upon a Time in Shaolin was a single copy auctioned for millions of dollars. Mathematics is as legitimate as anyone to continue the Wu-Tang Clan's legacy. He isn't one of the original nine members, but he's produced songs on some of the group's most beloved solo and group albums (The W, Supreme Clientele, and Bulletproof Wallets, for example), has served as their longtime DJ, and is even the creator of its iconic W logo. Black Samson, The Bastard Swordsman is his second collaborative album with the group, and earns its Wu-Tang Clan co-billing: All the members of the group make appearances here, and he capably continues the group's distinctively dark, cinematic aesthetic. There aren't any songs that feature more than 3-4 Wu-Tang Clan members at once, but everyone shows up and delivers authentically sharp verses, and with Mathematics' expert understanding of the Wu sound, fans of the group will be satisfied with this addition to the catalog. - Apple Music.

Wu-Tang Clan "The Saga Continues" / "People Say"

The Saga Continues is a new compilation album from the Wu-Tang, entirely produced by long-time producer and designer of the Wu-Tang logo, Mathematics. RZA takes an executive producer credit, but it's clear he's not at the helm on production and much of the album is pieced together from verses collected over the years, then curated by Mathematics. In some ways, I wasn't mad at it - Method Man sounded razor sharp in the songs he's on, as does frequent collaborator, the Funk Doc, Redman. That said, it's clear this is not a Wu-Tang Clan album and they don't hide the distinctions in the titling and the pairing of MCs on the tracks. I don't suspect there will be a tour in support of the project, so it might come and go with today's shelf-life for music. Enjoy "People Say" and "If Time Is Money," which are my top picks from the LP, and hopefully we'll get a more official, more cohesive Wu project before things fall apart and there's no putting it back together.