Audio By Carbonatix
The gritty, woozy sound that defined the Wu-Tang Clan’s mid-’90s dominance still pounds in the eardrums of the Hip-Hop Nation. It’s the reason Ghostface Killah’s last album, 2001’s pop-friendly Bulletproof Wallets, was so poorly received by the street that it “went wood.” And it’s why his new single, “Run” — a chase through siren-screaming streets, with an RZA beat rolled in vintage NYC grime — put the block immediately on lock. But while Ghost might occasionally haunt those old, unforgiving alleyways, most of Pretty Toney confirms that Tony Starks (just Ghostface these days) is a lovah now, not a Killah.
For diehards, that’s the cue to exit. Yet since his classic solo debut, Ironman, Ghost has always depended on old-soul warmth to back his high-pitched verses. If the R&B samples are now sweeter (“Save Me Dear” is borderline saccharine) and sometimes longer (“Holla” simply bites its source whole), they also accurately reflect a rapper coming to grips with unexpected maturity; “Love God,” he rhymes, “He let me see past 32.” Whether it’s better to burn out or fade away is an old question, but Pretty Toney makes a pretty good soundtrack for debate.
Will you step up to support New Times this year?
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
