Pages tagged “ghostface killah”

The strangest moment on Ghostface Killah’s new record, The Big Doe Rehab, occurs at the end of “Paisley Darts,” a long cut featuring the fist-clenched rhymes, retro samples and marquee guests (Raekwon, Method Man) that have been the hallmarks of Dennis Coles' 11-year solo career. As the furious studio track fades, the buzz of a concert crowd emerges, and then Ghostface’s voice rises up over everything. The veteran MC delivers a hip-hop state of the union address, warning about rappers who get “caught up in radio,” trying to sell cheap rhymes for quick bucks.

“His bark might be big, but his bite ain’t shit,” Ghostface screams about no rapper in particular, or maybe it's about most of them. It’s a philosophy as good as any with which to analyze the music of one of the most complete MCs in the history of the game. In another decade, Ghostface could have made his living scoring blaxploitation films. But in the 21st century, Tony Starks has become the street rapper capable of creating substantive albums in a single-obsessed era.

Ironically, the album’s most tenuous moments happen during “We Celebrate,” which samples Rare Earth's instantly recognizable “I Just Want to Celebrate.” The easy hook affords Ghostface a certain laziness: “(I just want to celebrate) Like my baby’s first steps, you heard? …(I just want to celebrate) Like my first time platinum, yo.” What could have been (and carries itself as) a verifiable celebration of hip-hop turns instead into a catchy pop throwaway. Luckily, “We Celebrate” is followed up with the instant classic “Walk Around.” Like most of Ghostface's best material, “Walk Around” bridges vintage '70s sounds (“Packed Up and Took My Mind” by Little Milton, in this case) with Ghost’s brutal but honest narratives.

"Walk Around" is one of a few cuts on Rehab that come close to achieving the type of grandeur omnipresent in 2006's Fishscale. While Rehab doesn't represent the top of Ghostface's game, the MC's approach is as viable as ever. And if the album doesn't pack the kind of radio-ready hits provided by this year's other big-time rappers like Kanye West and Jay-Z, it's only because this is one artist with other priorities.

Every time money-hungry Hollywood announces a new comic book adaptation for the big screen, our reaction is the same: how badly are they going to screw this one up? So when we heard Paramount Pictures was taking Iron Man to cinemas across the nation, the office pool was on: would it be a Spiderman-sized success or a colossal Ghost Rider-esque strikeout?

Then the trailer hit. Seeing Robert Downey Jr. yuk it up as billionaire weapons dealer Tony Stark was enough to assuage most of our concerns. At least it was going to be a fun ride.

But today, our expectations just jumped to a whole new plateau. Ladies and gentlemen, the real Mr. Tony Stark, Ghostface Killah, is appearing in the film as a cameo. Our music geek sense is tingling...

Ghost had all the details of the guest appearance in an interview with MTV.com.

"I jumped in there for maybe 12 or 16 bars, nothing too major," said the ever modest rapper. "It was a good look for the kid because Robert Downey Jr. recognized me as soon as I seen him. He was like, 'Yo, Tony!' ... For him to recognize me, I was kinda surprised by that."

Those familiar with Ghostface's discography will know that the man has likened himself to Iron Man in his rhymes for over a decade. He titled his solo debut album (pictured above) after the superhero, and laced landmark effort Supreme Clientele with old Iron Man radio show samples.

Between this film (coming May 2), guest appearances on 30 Rock earlier this year, and an upcoming bizarro collaboration with Lyle Lovett and Jewel in Judd Apatow's Walk Hard, Ghostface has really sunk his teeth into the acting game.

"I'mma start doing a lot of [acting] in the next year," Ghost told MTV. "My character on the screen is incredible. Acting is nothing for me, man. It's all an act. Rap is cool, but acting, that's my star. When you get me in front of a camera, it's a whole different aura."

In other news, the previously reported release date feud between Ghostface and his brothers in Wu-Tang is dead and buried. Ghostface will release his latest, The Big Doe Rehab on Dec. 4, and the Wu-Tang comeback effort The 8 Diagrams drops Dec. 11. Pitchfork has all of the details on Big Doe for you, including cover art and a track list.

Oh yeah... and did we mention that Ghostface is a collectible figure now? Is this guy batting 1000 or what?

Related links:
Ghostface on MySpace
Ghostface at DefJam.com
YouTube: Ghostface Killah - "Daytona 500"

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With a stellar post-millennial discography that includes Supreme Clientele, The Pretty Toney Album and Fishscale, it's safe to say that Ghostface Killah has become the torch-bearer for the Wu-Tang Clan in the 21st Century. Who else could spit "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" forwards and backwards in the same line without missing a beat?

So when the man's upset with his parent collective, it's a serious event. This isn't like U-God sitting out a few sessions; this is your MVP, all-purpose rapping threat saying that he's receiving lousy treatment. Better pay the guy some attention.

When we first reported on the Wu-Tang's upcoming 8 Diagrams album in July, the release date was set for October. But that got pushed back: first to Nov. 13, and even more recently to Dec. 4.

This isn't the first time that a hip-hop record's release date has been kicked around. The problem arose when Ghostface revealed that he intended to release The Big Dough Rehab, his third album in the past two years, on the same day.

"I had December 4 for the longest," Ghost told MTV.com. "But the Wu album, brothers was kinda late on doing whatever they were doing and pushed it back ... on my date."

"I'm not [mad at] all the members," he added. "It's not based on the members, but the hierarchy at Wu-Tang Clan is on some bullsh--. They trying to f--- around and make me push my album back and doing all this."

And the big, headline-making quote?

"It's a battle right now."

Aww snap!

Ghostface's involvement with The 8 Diagrams was in doubt from the start. He didn't appear in promotional materials for the album, and his contributions to three tracks (including "The Heart Gently Weeps") seem to have been sent in at the last minute.

"The Big Dough Rehab is my album," Ghostface explained to MTV. "8 Diagrams is their album."

Is there a hip-hop relationship counselor in the house?

Related links:
WuTang-Corp.com
Ghostface at DefJam.com
YouTube: Ghostface - "Back Like That"

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[Above: Ghostface Killah]

The people at Adult Swim have proven equally adept at producing hip-hop albums and shutting down major cities, so it only figures that they're now trying to do both simultaneously. Launching at the beginning of next month, the Adult Swim Hip Hop Tour (what? No clever title?) will be hitting up college campuses nationwide. The headliner? An MC who's tough like an elephant tusk - Ghostface Killah. Witchdoctor of the Dungeon Family collective will play support to the Wu-Tang master on the twelve-date tour:

October
1 - Albany, N.Y. @ State University of New York
3 - Durham, N.H. @ University of New Hampshire
5 - New Brunswick, N.J. @ Rutgers University
6 - Richmond, Va. @ Virginia Commonwealth University
7 - College Park, Md. @ University of Maryland
9 - Washington, D.C. @ American University
10 - Atlanta, Ga. @ Georgia Tech
11 - Orlando, Fla. @ University of Central Florida
14 - Norman, Okla. @ University of Oklahoma
16 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ UCLA
17 - Tempe, Ariz. @ Arizona State University
19 - Albuquerque, N.M. @ University of New Mexico

Also forthcoming: a "heavy metal" tour, featuring the potentially Metalocalyptic combination of ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead and Adult Swim cartoon heroes Dethklok. Unfortunately, no dates have been announced just yet. That should give you just enough time to fill out your will before purchasing a ticket, since Dethklok shows have been known to end rather badly for audience members.

Related Links:
AdultSwim.com
Ghostface at DefJam.com
TrailOfDead.com (Tolkien reference!)

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