Raekwon – “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…” – [Loud Records]

incognito   10/6/2013   CD, Hip Hop

It’s hard to come up to say something new about “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…” – it’s a legendary album from Wu-Tang’s golden age. Raekwon’s first solo album, heavily featuring Ghostface, the two focusing on themes of crime, drugs, inner city life and growing up in the projects of Shaolin (Staten). It’s a cinematic, huge album that launched an entire generation of rappers into imitating and trying to adopt the mafioso hip hop genre. RZA is at the top of his game here, blending his own raw beats with samples from 70s funk and soul, mafioso and crime films and of course, kung fu movie samples. I’ve always thought this was a Rae and Ghost album more than it is a solo effort, with many members of the Clan and Nas featured on a lot of tracks.You’re probably not going to hear this one getting any play during day time – this is raw and uncut. WuTang forever.