MUSIC REVIEWS
Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
Jared Wade
With his fifth solo album in ten years, it seems Ghostface accomplished everything he set out to do on the aptly named Fishscale. Because not since Supreme Clientele, has Tony Starks blessed us with such a potent, uncut raw.
Right out of the gates, we’re brought back to the cinematic “Criminology” days with the lead track “Shakey Dog”. Through visuals only the Wally Champ can concoct, we’re taken along on a cab ride complete with fish dinner, weed toking and clip-loading as Ghost begins his an ill-fated drug caper. “Throwing ketchup on my fries/hitting baseball spliffs/backseat with my leg all stiff, ‘Push the fucking seat up’/tartar sauce on my S dot kicks/rocks is lit/while I’m popping the clip/I’m ready for war.”
The only thing missing here is Ghost’s Cuban link-wearing comrade, a problem soon remedied on the Grindin 101 tale “Kilo”, and the day-in-the-life saga “R.A.G.U.,” which sounds time-sealed from 1995 with its ominous piano keys, soft background wails and hard drum snaps.
Pete Rock later enters the fray on the skillfully crafted posse cut “Dogs of War”, which samples Sly Stone’s “Family Affair” and maintains the song’s original nature with another appearance by Rae’s inspired flow and solid showings by both Trife and Cappadonna. But the longest and most compelling verse on the track belongs to none other than Ghost’s real-life 18-year-old son, Sun God, whose irregular flow merges nicely over the #1 Soul Brother’s production.
For many Wu diehards, of course, Fishscale’s brightest moment comes on the MF Doom-laced “9 Milli Bros”, which features all nine 36 Chamber vets in royal rumble succession, complete with a posthumous verse by ODB whose shout outs to his favorite zoo are welcome reminders of foregone days. Each Clan member shines over their limited bars, but it’s UGod who sounds the Wu Tang trumpet perfectly with the track’s final verse: “The Rat Pack is back from the Island of Stat.”
But despite the successful guest verses, Ghost’s best flows don’t need any help from his friends. The album’s standout, “The Champ,” unleashes a lyrical onslaught entrenched with its Rocky-inspired theme. “Underwater” is Tony Starks at his free-form, nonsensical apex, spitting an aquatic, spiritual dream sequence that witnesses “mermaids with Halle Berry hair cuts” and “Spongebob driving a Bentley coupe banging the Isleys.” Another gem comes at the capable hands of the late, great legend J. Dilla, whose “Whip You With a Strap,” sampled banger is set up well by the comical account of a foul-mouthed kid in need of discipline. We’re then taken back to an “All That I Got Is You” fashioned reminiscence of Ghost’s mischievous days as a shorty catching beatings from his moms.
With 24 tracks including many unnecessary skits, some songs just completely miss the mark, however. Most notably disappointing are the awkward and sloppy “Three Bricks” collabo that features the Notorious BIG’s lyrics from “Niggas Bleed” and an equally misplaced Rae verse; the poorly produced “Clipse of Doom” that stifles otherwise decent verses by both Trife and Ghost; and the radio-friendly, R&B-slanted “Back Like That”, which seems more misplaced on this project than altogether unsuccessful.
But in the end, Fishscale only solidifies Ghost’s position as the most consistently hard-hitting Wu banger since the clique first entered the 36 Chambers. This fifth installment represents an updated and reinvigorated look into the world of Tony Stark’s, and is surely his best and most self-fulfilling effort in years. And as with all other classic Ghost offerings, the cult following will love Fishscale, the critics and true heads will label it among the year’s best, and all the other casual hip hop fans will be left scratching their heads.
