Ghostface Killah, Wu-Tang

When Will Ghost Finish Supreme Clientele 2?

Back in September 2021 Ghostface Killah claimed that Supreme Clientele 2 was on the horizon, and would arrive February 2022. Kanye West, Mike Dean & Producer Plug Uni would be executive producing, and with that there was a little bit of hope for the sequel to the lauded sophomore LP by Ghost.

SUPREME CLIENTELE 2 IS EXECUTIVE PRODUCED BY: KANYE WEST, MIKE DEAN & PRODUCERPLUGUNI.COM, RELEASE DATE: FEB 2022 – DINI

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This was preceded by an Instagram post in October 2020 where Ghost confirmed working on it with a caption saying “WU-BLOCK.. SUPREME 2 IN THE MAKING!!!! #wutangforever #ghostfacemusic #supremeclientele #wublock #ghostfacekillah“. Again people were hyped. But so far, we have gotten nothing.

The original Supreme Clientele holds a special place in a lot of peoples hearts, and a sequel to the album would be something special like a sequel to Only Built For Cuban Linx…, which we got back in 2009. And for which Raekwon also announced a third part. That being said, this is not the first time we heard about the Supreme Clientele 2.

The announcements actually go back to 2010 when it was first mentioned, and January 2011, when Ghost posted a video on Youtube in which he said it was coming. Which state it was, was still unknown at the time. It wasn’t untill February 2013 when he did an interview with Montreality and talked about the album:

Blue & Cream. Hopefully, hopefully this summer, hopefully this summer. Like, maybe like August or something like that. I’m going to try for August, September or maybe July, you know what I mean. But I think August might sound more reasonable if i can do it. I shouldn’t set it, because sometimes when I say a date, it don’t ever fuck around and whatchama. But I gotta put it out because I’ve been sitting on it for like, going on three years.

Montreality

In the same interview Ghost also mentioned his DOOMSTARKS project and 12 Reasons To Die. When fall came, there was no DOOMSTARKS project. 2013 only saw the release of the Adrian Younge collaboration 12 Reasons To Die. And with the recent passing of DOOM, their collaboration project may never be finalized.

It wasn’t untill deep in 2014, when Ghostface spoke to DX Daily and mentioned that Supreme Clientele 2: Blue & Cream was 85% done. He still wanted to get some people on there, and samples had to be cleared. A weird claim when the album was supposed to be ready a year ago. But creative processes could always change course. So who is to say what happened and what the state was. In hindsight, that 15% seems to be further from completion than ever.

By now it is safe to say that we have been waiting for more years than Supreme Clientele was old when it was first announced. On multiple occasions it seemed almost done, just some samples clear. But we have to take into account that Tony has been clear on the fact he does not work with deadlines any more, ever since the problems that arose out of that with Ironman. So yeah, by this point a lot of people have given up on ever seeing this album. And I’m afraid that any mention of this album without anything to back it up, will just water down the hype more.

That is not to say the Ghost has been sitting still. Since 2011 he has had a steady stream of music. From Wu Massacre to Wu Block to 12 Reasons To Die, Sour Soul, 36 Seasons, The Ghost Files, Ghostface Killahs, Czrface meets Ghostface. Ranging in quality from great to filler. And he has had some more than questionable business endeavours in the form of his recent Christmas EP and now a album in two versions on the Stem Player.

Especially the stem player has people talking. Since this was first used for the release of Donda, and Mike Dean & Ye were supposed to help up finish the album with Ghost, people are asking if this would be the much anticipated sequel. Something that would me sense for this expensive project. But so far it just seems like this is a normal collection of tracks for this project without any further vision as far as I know.

At this point, only time will tell when we will see it if ever. But hopefully it will be earlier than we hear Once Upon A Time In Shaolin or The Cure. Because at this point I got my money on hearing that million dollar album sooner than we’d be hearing Supreme Clientele 2: Blue & Cream.

Wu-Tang

Bugsy Pulls Off Wu-Elements Album

This is something of a first. Bugsy Da God got an album that is exclusively produced by Bronze Nazareth, 4th Disciple & True Master. A thing that fans have been asking for for year, albums exclusively produced by the Wu-Elements. Even though it is 2022, soundwise this most definitely delivers. Bugsy Da God & Dom Pachino delivered with that. Magnificent is some classic True Master, and Wrath Of God is some classic 4th. Banging.
Not going to lie, the sound is solid. And I’d say that if they continue this vision, a niche could be carved out for some solid Wu Killabeez releases this way. It is nothing game changing, but it is a familiar and solid sound. Often that is just what the fans are looking for. Especially those who got older and are out of tune with the sounds of the day.

The RZA, Wu-Tang

The House That Hatred Built by Gravediggaz

Back in the early 2000’s the idea of a proper Gravediggaz reunion or a recasting was super exciting. Over and over there were rumors. Warcloud, Killah Priest & Shabazz would be more involved. RZA would take the reigns again. But nothing ever really materialized after the death of Poetic, making Nightmare In A-Minor their last official collective effort.
Nowadays I’m not following everything what happens that much, and much time has passed since it sounded like something I’d like to hear. But some time ago Prince Paul took the time to share an unreleased Gravediggaz demo called The House That Hatred Built.
Apparently this was the first demo the group recorded ever, back in 1991. This recording, and the start of the Gravediggaz, predates the recording of the Wu-Tang Clan for RZA. There is actually a lot of interesting information about this and the formation of the Gravediggaz in this interview he did with Brian Coleman at Trinity College. Like how the album was recorded in full before Enter The Wu-Tang, but only released 9 months after. So be sure to read all about that there.

Another thing I came across, was the fact that the Gravediggaz declined a deal with Ruthless Records. Prince Paul actually met with Eazy-E & Jerry Heller, and this was during which he had a hard time finding a home for the record. But the deal they offered was so bad he still had to decline. There is more to read in this track by track run down of 6 Feet Deep that Prince Paul did with HipHopSite back in 2013.

Speaking of tracks. It seems that from time to time people did still record under the Gravediggaz monniker. Which leads to the following track I came across, 2 More Cups Of Blood. In 2010 Shabazz did an interview with Wu-International in which he revealed that the Gravediggaz was back together. It was him, Priest, Frukwan, 9th Prince, Beretta 9/Kinetic was there, and RZA & Prince Paul were also involved. Shabazz stated, ‘3 more songs and the new album is done! I recorded at Rza’s crib. He called me and we had a looong overdue reunion!!! Priest came thru too. So yes Gravediggaz is coming soon!!https://wutangcorp.com/forum/showthread.php?103433-Shabazz-the-disciple-wu-international-interview!!!!!!‘ He even mentions that he has some Poetic verses that they might use on the record, making it a complete reunion. Sadly nothing official ever saw the light of day or the dark of night save for this track. Apparently this was leaked by RZA himself, and most defintely flew under my radar.

One of the biggest tracks that Gravediggaz are known for, and also introduced some people to Shabazz The Disciple & KIllah Priest, is Diary Of A Mad Man. Now people seem to think that RZA produced this record, but in a video interview back in 2018 Prince Paul cleared up the air surrounding that record: “Alright, so RNS gets credit for the record [sample]. RZA gets credit ’cause it went through RZA, and me, ’cause I put the whole record together: programmed the drums, put the court pieces and stuff in it. But when you look at the credits, everybody goes ‘Yeah, RZA produced it, but Paul had nothin’ to do with it.’…it’s obviously a Prince Paul production, you can hear how it’s done. Nobody makes stuff like that, at least during that time.

The whole story you can hear about in the video underneath.

That said, Diary of a Madman is obviously a classic that many people hold dear. The track itself with the court, and the video is like no other. The video was actually direct by Hype Williams, who would later direct many more music videos in his own style. Which brings me to the following: Diary Of A Madman Part 2
About six month ago the Warcloud meets Killah Priest effort Savage Sanctuary got released on Black Stone of Mecca. This album carrying the track Diary of a Madman Pt. 2 featuring a slew of people on a original RZA beat. The track first surfaced on a Black Knights album a few year ago, but with in a horrible state. This time around they seemed to have cleared up the recordings and the mix a bit.
Rumors about this track travel back to around 2005 I believe. Word was that a part 2 was recorded with Priest, Shabazz & Warcloud. And again nothing ever got released, and now we finally have the track, 15 years later. Was it worth the wait?

Killah Priest, Wu-Tang

Another Priest Album: Mr. Universe

It seems that every moon cycle Killah Priest manages to drop another album. This time around he got one with Jordan River Banks again, after the 2020 The Third Eye In Technicolor. The album continues the current style Priest has managed since Rocket To Nebula, also back in 2020. So it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

And if you are wondering what Priest has been up to, you can visit his Bandcamp to find Rocket To Nebula, The Third Eye In Technicolor, The Last Ride with the HRMN, Ragnarok, The Goddess and The Priest with Bliss, and Savage Sanctuary with The Holocaust/Warcloud.

What is missing from this list of the last two years is Lord Sun Heavy Mental 1.1, Summer End Cafe, Divine Intervention with True Master, The Three Fantastic Supermen Epic, and Horrah Scope.

As you can see, Priest has been very consistent in his output of music.

Ol' Dirty Bastard, The RZA

Where did this ODB track come from?

Pretty sick tune that crossed my path the other day. An unreleased track by Ol’ Dirty, of which there are not many left any more. Produced by The RZA, and it is actually banging. Too bad about the quality, but it leave me wondering from which era this is. Sounds like his 2nd album though.
The RZA

RZA Returns With Digital Potions

Looks like RZA is going to give us a 3rd EP in two years with Digital Potions. He talked about this EP previously with the release of Pugilism back in April 2021. This is the end transformed into the Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater EP with DJ Scratch. Yes I am just as confused as you are. (That last one was also called RZA vs bobby digital at one point.) Even more so since there has been no update on his website or in any outlets. Just on the websites of the various records stores who are stating it as a Record Store Day release.

It seems to feature the following 7 songs:

  1. Fashion
  2. Better Than Yours
  3. Flagrant Flavors
  4. Garden State
  5. Rain on Em
  6. Attack of the Lioness
  7. Don’t Cry on My Shoulder



Visit the following the links to order your copy.
Rough Trade
Good Taste Records
Elmhurst Records


Wu-Tang

An Inside Story Of How Protect Ya Neck Was Shot

Recently I came across this story. And the preview underneath here says it all. Insane.

This is an older story from 2012, but didn’t see it posted here or translated anywhere, and thought it was a cool story. Something might get lost in translation. Anyway: Osmo Walden ended up filming Wu-Tang Clan debut single “Protect Ya Neck” in 1992. Osmo Walden from Helsinki studied film industry in the 1990s at the Tisch School of the Arts in the New York University. After you graduated, you automatically got a one year working permit. So after his studies, Osmo stayed in the city to

 

Wu-Tang

Masta Killa interview with Forbes

With his last album Loyalty is Royalty just released. One that was in the works for quite some time. Most fans know that Noodles takes his time. But he also wants to really do it by himself. And in this interview with Forbes Masta explains his ways. A good short read.

Zilla Rocca speaks with Wu-Tang member Masta Killa about his solo career, working with PETA, and the modern state of music consumption.