A FOREWORD
by Munz
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What could be written about Wu-Tangs Ghostface Killah that hasn't been said already? What information and stats could be given by me that you don't know already? Hmm. If you're looking for a blog styled in that format this ain't the place... try wiki or do your googles. I was asked to put a blog together of my choice to highlight something of the renowned Ghostface Killah. What I decided to do was make a list for my TOP 10 SOLO GFK TRACKS OF ALL TIME. Now, I want you to pay attention to two words , "my" and "solo" , this is strictly based on how I'm calling it and how I see it. Definitely can picture a bunch of you motherfuckers on your phone trying to challenge the order of this song list and or songs chosen, relax. The kid has been a GFK fan for quite some time, I'm very familiar with his music, also , I've been arguing on the internet with strangers since Windows 95, hit them comments. Munz is definitely with the shits. I'm guessing most people reading this will be fans of GFK (?) , if not they will be familiar with sun's work. Most of you guys are human so you can understand where I'm coming from when I say it is very difficult to pinpoint only 10 songs from your favorite artist especially when you love the music and you're attached to the bulk of the work in ways that might take a few lifetimes to explain.
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The real dilemma I had when making this list was the fact that Ghostface Killah has a music collection that is monumental, on top of that , what makes it even more complex is that his immense collection is 100% consistent and damn near flawless ... you're talking about back to back critically acclaimed hip hop albums from like 96 to 15+ ! Not including Wu joints. Being the type of guy I am, I would hate to downplay any of his work, that seems to happen when you celebrate and compare things, comparing great works just make for a big mess, sometimes. This list comes from a place of love so if it seems like I'm knocking, please understand that that is the furthest thing from what I mean. GFK is one of the few artist that puts out work strictly for his core fanbase, he does not go after the sound of what's "hot right now" or what's trendy at the moment, it doesn't seem like he's chasing new young fans just because they might buy more albums at that moment. So, with all that said.. let's get into this.
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Real quick , I want to thank EB for the platform , especially Bam La Roc for reaching out , giving me an opportunity to speak on My top 10 Solo GFK tracks , Bam and used to speak about music (hip hop especially) for hours and hours , literally, when we go in on music it gets very technical and in depth , this blog list is reminiscent of that and those times, we need a show, Netflix what's good? Lol. I also want to send a special thanks to my good friend Seillis (@Seillis_Mc) who helped create a realistic space to build in, the idea of picking 10 tracks out of GFK's superabundant selection is near impossible for a fan of the music, Seillis directly creating the boundary lines of "Solo joints" was clutch, I appreciate you letting me bounce ideas off you , thank you.
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Guerilla Hood (718 Album Theodore Unit)
A few things : Ghost's pen is a fucking flare gun , and he spit what was on that pad with pure precision , sun was in his B-A-G. You can tell he was into the beat too, his punch! Effortless , how could you not make this the first joint on the 718 album? How did this not make the Pretty Tony cut!? It's crazy because this album is basically all the ones that didn't make the Pretty Tony album; glad it wasn't scrapped. From what I know, there are two versions of this song, the original that had Solomon Child on the hook didn't make the 718 album ( The hook was really grungy, Solomon said some shit like "This is for the holes in my mommas socks..." ) lol that's Solomon for you, all the way hood, a good thing, nyc is built off that. Produced by Cilvaringz who is also responsible for producing the worlds most valuable album "Once upon a time in Shaolin" -Wu , which most of us won't get to hear until the year 2103 (or some shit like that) Agony! Dude is naaaaasty with the production , so I can only imagine what that Wu joint sounds like.. yo , check out "Silver Rings" by Raekwon and Gfk, produced by Cilvaringz, that beat is monkey shit too!
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One (Supreme Clientele)
"The devil planted fear inside the black babies, 50cent sodas in the hood they gone crazy, dead meat placed on the shelves , we eat cold cuts, fast from the hog , y'all , and grow up!" And that's all I need to say about that.
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Outta Town Shit (More Fish)
This Alan Tew - "Drama Blackcloth" sample is just retarded and the way producer Lewis Parker put his spin on it makes it so dramatic, don't know if you've ever heard of sun but his beats are all the way "hip hop" , shoutout to that Bajan guy! "More Fish" was such a gift, similar to 718 paired with the Pretty Tony album , it basically pieces that didn't make Fish Scale album. Ghost was doing Ghost, nothing less than excellency ... Story styled rap , the detail in the dice game dilemma is so damn precise , "holy smoke, I admire your roll" , check it out.
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Malcom (Supreme Clientele)
This is actually my favorite track on the Supreme Clientele album, exceeding the more popular Mighty Healthy, if you let me call it. Now-Now, I'm sure that will twist a few faces and wrinkle somebody's school clothes but , CALMATE , I'm not the casual GFK fan, this shit is round the clock for me, put it like this... ask a sincere Mobb Deep fan their preferred or favorite Mobb track and Shook ones Pt2 might not be said, the casual fan most likely will choose it , tho. No harm in well thought assessments , take a Re-listen , gritty piano beat, gritty NYC chant styled hook, ghost is schooling! It's unfortunate , over the years I didn't hear too many people drool over this one! Realize that this is a pillar! , carry on.
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Walking Through The Darkness (Bulletproof Wallets)
This song would make my top ten GFK tracks everyday of the week, no matter the parameters. As I dig into the past... I remember being in like 10/11th grade playing Bulletproof Wallets over and over (an outrageous amount of times) This joint, in particular, always stood out. I used to imagined Ghost being on a small stage with Takitha and a ragtag band paying in an aged lounge packed to capacity, killing it. Tekitha's voice is so vigorous and infectious, it's really unbelievable. Rza did the track, he outlined the Bobby Womack - "Across 110th Street" sample, I love the way he slightly staggered the drums; man, I've seen and heard producers sample this song but flat out missed this baseline. The Bobby Womack song was featured in a blaxploitation styled movie with the same title in 1972 but more recently in Quinten Tarantino's "Jackie Brown" as the opening song. Can that be a movie night double feature at EB, what up?
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Supa GFK (Big Doe Rehab)
Ghost sprinkled like 15 different flows over this shit, insanity. Whenever Ghost is the man behind the production of a song he leaves everything intact and just rhymes over the original song. It always works! , this sample is "Superman lover" by Jonny "Guitar" Watson , Ghost breathes new life into artist of the past who may not be on a young fans radar, I know many of us enjoy the hunt for oldies so when we hear stuff like this we go searching, Jonny "Guitar" Watson's collection is golden, so when you get a chance, go listen to some more of his music and say "Thanks" to the God GFK for the introduction. Take a moment If you haven't heard any other GFK produced tracks and check out : Teddy, Save Me Dear, Holla, Big Girl , Killa Lipstick etc., the artists sampled and their collections as well.
Alright, so, 6 down and 4 more to go, talk about stressful, ugh ! These next joints are crucial , every fan of Ghostface's music should know these next songs in and out, if you don't, you really shouldn't be allowed to cop the new Asics x GFK x EB Collaboration that should be dropping very soon... let the true supporters have that. Amen? Amen. I feel like these are the most crucial joints on the list, The order of these are exactly how I need them to be, if you don't like it... die.
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Mighty Healthy (Supreme Clientele)
It's the year 2000, rappers from all regions are dropping HEAT!!! Em drops Marshall Mathers LP, Outkast got that joint with B.O.B. and Ms Jackson, LOX - We Are The Streets , Common- The light, Jay-z drops the Dynasty album, Wu- The W, M.O.P. Got a album with Cold As Ice and Ante Up on there, Drag'on had that "Spit These Bars" joint, fuckin, Prodigy drops H.N.I.C. (RIP) , Busta Had the Anarchy album, Cam'ron - S.D.E , Pun Drops Yeah Baby, Ruff Ryders vol2., Memphis Bleek got a joint out, Beanie Sigel - The Truth, Nas-QB album, Nature - For All Seasons , Capone and Nore got The Reunion album, Half a Mill - Million (RIP) etc etc etc etc I mean, Talk about stiff competition, so many significant dope artists and albums lace the airwaves in the year 2000 , the shits not even funny, and I just named a few, I didn't bother naming the commercial hip hop albums outside of Em and outkast. That's what you call a fucking ROYAL - RUMBLE, sun; and Ghost survived it with ease by having such a strong album. Supreme Clientele is strictly Hip Hop, no funny shit like marketing tricks, pop producers, filler etc etc. There were a few dope producers on the album but RZA handled the end product, even remixed the other producers tracks so that they flowed better with the album as a whole, genius. This particular track stands out for many reasons, for some people it's the beat, for others it's the way ghost's ryhme patterns and heavy bars demand respect... it embodies New York ... hip-hop... the streets... you feel that mystical vibe?, Yea? We all feel it, what is that!? I'm sure you've all heard the Africa story and how it impacted the mind of GFK during the making of this album , if not look it up, it's really interesting. It seems that journey truly manifested itself in the music! Everyone who hears this song , gets it. - Mighty Healthy
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Wildflower (Ironman)
I remember hearing this song for the first time; I was a fresh 13, literally , I just turned 13 the day before Ironman dropped. I used my birthday money to pick up the Album. Picture this shit ... my eyes already wide , mouth with the slight grin from listening to "Iron Maiden" , the next song is coming up... it's Wildflower (but we ain't know shit about track listings so we just called it "number 2") , I hear "That was the best fuckin I ever had..." wait , What is going on!? , "Yo bitch I fucked ya friend yeah you stink ho..." , I got my headphones on but I turn down the music real real low because if moms hears this shit, frisbee. I peek my head out my room to make sure I'm all clear, moms says "how's ya CD?" From in the kitchen, I give her the "its great" and head back in my room to listen to the rest , on low vol in the corner of my room, comedy. Couldn't quite relate to everything GFK was saying in the song (back then) but I knew that what he was saying was meaningful to him, the pain was obvious. I feel like this song prepared me for the bullshit I was going to face over the years , I'm not gonna front. There is no better Release song in hip hop.
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Shakey Dog (Fishscale)
The opening song off the masterpiece Fishscale. We know Rza to be the movie guy of the Wu with his directorial/acting positions from Ghost Dog to The Man With The Iron Fist but I feel like Ghost would be perfect in that chair. Netflix what up? Lol. The sound effects paired with the looped styled beat and Ghost's detailed action packed story keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I'm gonna keep it a buck, I've waiting and praying for a part 2 since this dropped, stress. There's no way you could tell me this isn't his best solo story, no way. Hit them comments, let's argue.
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All that I Got IsYou (Ironman)
Hearing an official dude like Ghost tell you about his hardships growing up was very important for us, so often we listened to rappers who boasted and bragged about the flashy material items they possessed , things most of us (around my way) wouldn't be able to obtain without a strong armed heist or one of ya family members hitting the number or something. What good is being a god if you can't sit and mingle amongst your people? , This song let us know that no matter how far Ghost went, he was one of us. A Humble dude coming from humble beginnings , that is something a lot of us related to, it's like.. "if he came from that and made it, I might have a chance too." This is the only rap song I've seen people close their eyes to and nod , drifting away , reminiscing in their heads going back to a harder time.. this joint will make a grown man cry , I've seen it , twice . I chose this as the number one solo Ghost joint because he poured so much of himself into it, and spit it with such conviction , respect.
⁃ Munz