solo album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...
by American rapper Ghostface Killah, released on October 29, 1996, by
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was founded predominantly as a jazz and classical mu ...
. It was produced by fellow
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close aff ...
member RZA. The album's music draws prominently on
blaxploitation
Blaxploitation is an ethnic subgenre of the exploitation film that emerged in the United States during the early 1970s. The term, a portmanteau of the words "black" and "exploitation", was coined in August 1972 by Junius Griffin, the president ...
films and soulsamples. More so than on other solo debuts from the group's members, ''Ironman'' contains references to the Nation of Gods and Earths.
''Ironman'' peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. It was certified
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platin ...
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cr ...
''. Retrieved on 2009-12-20.
Music and lyrics
Although a solo album, ''Ironman'' features many Wu-Tang collaborations and only four tracks feature Ghostface performing as the sole rapper. The two most prominently featured artists are
Raekwon
Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream succes ...
and
Cappadonna
Darryl Hill, better known by his stage name Cappadonna, is an American rapper. He is a member of the hip-hop collective the Wu-Tang Clan and is a member of the rap group Theodore Unit together with Ghostface Killah.
Career
Cappadonna (also kno ...
, who both accompany Ghost and have their names on the album's cover.
Raekwon
Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream succes ...
appears on 13 of the 17 tracks, with "The Faster Blade" featuring him performing solo. Cappadonna appears on five tracks.
As opposed to earlier Wu-Tang solo projects, in which the performers involved were believed to be infallible, Ghostface is somewhat vulnerable on several of the album's songs. This is perhaps best illustrated on the single, " All That I Got Is You", which is essentially a tribute to his mother. However, the rest of the album contains many street oriented, and organized crime topics, similar to '' Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...'', in which Ghostface was heavily involved. ''Ironman'' contains more of Ghostface Killah's highly praised unique uptempo, stream-of-consciousness rhyming style, which he would go on to further utilize on his highly acclaimed second studio album ''
Supreme Clientele
''Supreme Clientele'' is the second studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released on February 8, 2000 by Epic Records. The album showcases Ghostface's signature up-tempo, stream-of-consciousness rhyme style, ...
''. The album also features a substantial amount of story-telling rap, such as the song "260." Producer RZA combines his dark keyboard tones and early-1970s soul samples, heavily used on ''Only Built for Cuban Linx...'' and ''
Liquid Swords
''Liquid Swords'' is the second solo studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, released on November 7, 1995, by Geffen Records. Recording sessions for the album began midway through 1995 at producer RZA's basement studio in ...
'' respectively, to engender a soulful and melodic, yet dark and harsh feel that later influenced many other Wu-Tang releases, such as ''
Wu-Tang Forever
''Wu-Tang Forever'' is the second studio album of American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released June 3, 1997, on Loud/RCA Records in the United States. Pressed as a double album, it was released after a long run of successful solo projects fro ...
The Tao of Wu
''The Tao of Wu'' is the second philosophical book written by Wu-Tang Clan member and producer, RZA. It is a sequel to ''The Wu-Tang Manual''.
Content
The book details RZA's personal path towards enlightenment. In the book he uses hip-hop l ...
'', producer RZA points out that Ghostface's voice sounds noticeably different on ''Ironman'' from previous Wu-Tang releases. This is because ''Ironman'' was released following a flood that destroyed the basement studio in which those recordings were made. RZA had set up individual microphone preamps and compressors for each member, which were destroyed in the flood. Thus, the vocals on ''Ironman'' had to be recorded in a different studio with different equipment and settings, which slightly altered their sound.
Critical reception
In a positive review for '' The Village Voice'', music critic Robert Christgau said that despite morally questionable actions in Ghostface Killah's narratives, "the detail is so vivid and complex that for once we get the gripping blaxploitation flick gangsta appromises rather than the dull or murky one it delivers ... Most decisive of all, RZA's music is every bit as literal as Ghostface's rhymes and rap, giving up tunes, even hooks."
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles (born October 25, 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times'', wrote in his review of the album, "Anger is just a stimulant for Ghostface Killah. On ''Ironman'' he raps about male bonding, the mating game and the violent ups and downs of the drug trade, in a voice raised just above the tone of conversation."Pareles, Jon Review: ''Ironman'' '' New York Times''. Retrieved on 2009-12-20. ''
Vibe
''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down production in ...
'' columnist The Blackspot hailed the album as "proof of his matured lyrics and delivery and the Wu's strong family stand. If '' Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...'' had you open, prepare for another gaping wound."
In ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' magazine, Chris Norris wrote "Ghostface wreaks havoc with meaning and narrator reliability, flitting from gangster-film intrigue to grimly prosaic reality." Norris also praised RZA's production, stating "As usual, the Wu's sonic auteur provide awesomely dark and eccentric backdrops for the MC's dark maneuvers, mixing soul horns with horror-film keyboards." ''
The Source
''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...
'' took note of the album's "intense emotional moments" and stated, "The RZA does another masterful job, topping himself in terms of sonic diversity." '' Q'' magazine was less enthusiastic and felt the songs are "more about lyrical finesse than anything else".
In a retrospective review for AllMusic, senior editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that "the mood of the album can switch tones at the drop of the hat. The record is filled with inventive production and rhymes, and ranks as another solid entry in the Wu-Tang legacy."Stephen Thompson from ''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cr ...
'' praised RZA's production, stating "Just as Terminator X was
Public Enemy
"Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe ...
's secret weapon, The RZA is The Wu-Tang Clan's. Producer RZA, quietly working behind the scenes, has been the force behind Wu-Tang's raw, all over the map,
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee (; born Lee Jun-fan, ; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Hong Kong and American martial artist and actor. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that ...
-meets- Gladys Knight sound. RZA has done it again on Ghostface Killah's ''Ironman''." Thompson further stated "Attacking from all angles, ''Ironman'' is classic Wu-Tang, piecing together something unpredictable and vital-sounding."
Accolades
* The information regarding accolades is adapted from acclaimedmusic.net, except for lists with additional sources.
* (*) signifies unordered lists
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 and on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts selling 156,000 copies in its first week.Snow, Shauna. Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation's press. '' Los Angeles Times''. November 7, 1996. The album went on to be certified
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platin ...
by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over a million copies in the United States. This remains Ghostface Killah's best selling album. In Canada, the album peaked at number four on the Canadian Albums Charts and was certified gold for denoting sales of over 40,000 copies.
Track listing
Track listing and credits adapted from Tidal. All tracks produced by RZA; except "Fish" produced by
True Master
Derrick Harris (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name True Master, is an American hip-hop record producer and occasional rapper, known for his affiliation with the Wu-Tang Clan.
Production credits 1995
*''Guru presents Ill Kid ...
.
Notes
* "Assassination Day" features additional raps by Masta Killa.
* "Winter Warz", "Wu-Will Survive" and "After The Smoke Is Clear" feature uncredited raps by
Raekwon
Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream succes ...
.
* "Wu-Will Survive" and "Daytona 500" feature uncredited singing by The Force MD's.
* "Black Jesus" and "All That I Got Is You" feature uncredited vocals by Popa Wu.
* "After The Smoke Is Clear" and "Marvel" feature uncredited raps by The RZA.
* "Wu-Will Survive" is erroneously labelled as "Box In Hand". The original "Box In Hand" (featuring Method Man & Street) was replaced last minute and can be found on other releases, such as Hidden Darts: Special Edition.
* In 2001, "The Soul Controller" was removed from subsequent pressings of the album, due to sample rights not being cleared.
* "Marvel" is a CD only
bonus track
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records col ...
.
Sample credits
* "Iron Maiden" contains a sample of "Gotta Find a New World" by
Al Green
Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), better known as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including " Take Me to the River", ...
and dialogue excerpts from the film '' The Education of Sonny Carson''.
* "Wildflower" contains dialogue excerpts from the film '' J.D.'s Revenge'' and contains a sample of "Someone" by
Johnny Mathis
John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standard music, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum s ...
.
* "The Faster Blade" contains samples of "Can't Go No Further and Do No Better" by The Persuaders and "El Rey Y Yo" by
Los Angeles Negros
LOS, or Los, or LoS may refer to:
Science and technology
* Length of stay, the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation
* Level of service, a measure used by traffic engineers
* Level of significance, a measure of statistical significan ...
.
* "260" contains a sample of " You Ought to Be with Me" by Al Green and dialogue excerpts from the film ''The Education of Sonny Carson''.
* "Assassination Day" contains dialogue excerpts from the films '' The Usual Suspects'' and ''
Crying Freeman
is a Japanese manga series written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami. ''Crying Freeman'' follows a Japanese assassin hypnotized and trained by the Chinese mafia (called the "108 Dragons") to serve as its agent and covered in ...
''.
* "Poisonous Darts" contains dialogue excerpts from the film ''
Mystery of Chessboxing
''The Mystery of Chess Boxing'' ( zh, , t=雙馬連環, p=Shuāng mǎlián huán; also known as ''Ninja Checkmate'') is a 1979 Hong Kong kung fu film written, produced and directed by Joseph Kuo and starring Mark Long, Jack Long and Lee Yi Mi ...
''.
* "Winter Warz" contains samples of "I Think I'd Do It" by Z.Z. Hill and "Midnight Theme" by Manzel.
* "Wu-Will Survive" contains a sample of " Never Can Say Goodbye" by
The Jackson Five
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series motor race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is the first of two Cup races held every year at Daytona, the second being the Coke Zero Sugar 400, and one of thr ...
" contains a sample of "Nautilus" by Bob James and "The Lady In My Life" by
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
.
* "Motherless Child" contains samples of "
Motherless Child
"Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child", also "Motherless Child", is a traditional Spiritual. It dates back to the era of slavery in the United States.
An early performance of the song was in the 1870s by the Fisk Jubilee Singers. "Blue Gen ...
" and "Into Something (I Can't Shake Loose)" by
O.V. Wright
Overton Vertis "O. V." Wright (October 9, 1939 – November 16, 1980) was an American singer who is generally regarded as a blues artist by African-American fans in the Deep South; he is also regarded as one of Southern soul's most authoritativ ...
Carlito's Way
''Carlito's Way'' is a 1993 American crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma, based on the novels '' Carlito's Way'' (1975) and '' After Hours'' (1979) by Judge Edwin Torres. The film adaptation was scripted by David Koepp. It stars Al Pac ...