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Ironman (album)
 
 
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For other albums of the same name (Eric Dolphy, Pete Townshend,...), see Iron Man (disambiguation)
Iron Man (disambiguation)

Iron Man is a Marvel comic book superhero.Iron Man may also refer to:...


Ironman is the first album by American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 Hip-hop
Hip hop music

Hip hop music is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rapping which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is part of hip hop culture, which began in the Bronx, in New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latino Americans....
 artist and Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan

The Wu-Tang Clan is a New York City?based hip hop group. Wu-Tang Clan consists of nine United States rapping: RZA, GZA, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard....
 member Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah

Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapping and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the early- to mid-1990s, each member went on to pursue a solo career....
. The LP is slightly different to other first generation solo albums released by Wu-Tang members, owing much of its thematic scope, mythology and samples from classic 1960s and 1970s blaxploitation
Blaxploitation

Blaxploitation is a film genre that emerged in the United States in the early 1970s when many exploitation films were made that targeted the urban black audience; the word itself is a portmanteau of the words "black" and "exploitation." Blaxploitation films starred primarily black actors, and were the first to feature soundtracks of funk an...
 as well as kung fu
Martial arts film

Martial arts film is a film genre that originated in the Pacific Rim. This genre is a type of action film characterized by extensive fighting scenes employing various types of martial arts....
 films. It is also notable for being considerably more open in its references to the Nation of Gods and Earths
The Nation of Gods and Earths

The Nation of Gods and Earths, sometimes referred to as the Five-Percent Nation, the Five-Percent Nation of Islam, or the Five Percenters was founded in Harlem, New York in 1964 by Clarence 13X, known to his young disciples as Allah or the Father....
 and the Clan's beliefs.

gh a solo, the album is filled with Wu-Tang collaborations and only two tracks ("Wildflower", "Poisonous Darts") feature Ghostface on his own.






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Encyclopedia


For other albums of the same name (Eric Dolphy, Pete Townshend,...), see Iron Man (disambiguation)
Iron Man (disambiguation)

Iron Man is a Marvel comic book superhero.Iron Man may also refer to:...


Ironman is the first album by American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 Hip-hop
Hip hop music

Hip hop music is a music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rapping which is accompanied with backing beats. Hip hop music is part of hip hop culture, which began in the Bronx, in New York City in the 1970s, predominantly among African Americans and Latino Americans....
 artist and Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan

The Wu-Tang Clan is a New York City?based hip hop group. Wu-Tang Clan consists of nine United States rapping: RZA, GZA, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard....
 member Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah

Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapping and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the early- to mid-1990s, each member went on to pursue a solo career....
. The LP is slightly different to other first generation solo albums released by Wu-Tang members, owing much of its thematic scope, mythology and samples from classic 1960s and 1970s blaxploitation
Blaxploitation

Blaxploitation is a film genre that emerged in the United States in the early 1970s when many exploitation films were made that targeted the urban black audience; the word itself is a portmanteau of the words "black" and "exploitation." Blaxploitation films starred primarily black actors, and were the first to feature soundtracks of funk an...
 as well as kung fu
Martial arts film

Martial arts film is a film genre that originated in the Pacific Rim. This genre is a type of action film characterized by extensive fighting scenes employing various types of martial arts....
 films. It is also notable for being considerably more open in its references to the Nation of Gods and Earths
The Nation of Gods and Earths

The Nation of Gods and Earths, sometimes referred to as the Five-Percent Nation, the Five-Percent Nation of Islam, or the Five Percenters was founded in Harlem, New York in 1964 by Clarence 13X, known to his young disciples as Allah or the Father....
 and the Clan's beliefs.

Album information

Though a solo, the album is filled with Wu-Tang collaborations and only two tracks ("Wildflower", "Poisonous Darts") feature Ghostface on his own. The two most prominently featured artists are Raekwon
Raekwon

Corey Woods, better known by the stage name Raekwon , is an United States East Coast hip hop rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. His 1995 album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is widely considered to be one of the best Wu-Tang solo albums, and one of the finest and most influential hip hop albums of the 1990s....
 and Cappadonna
Cappadonna

Darryl Hill, best known by his stage name Cappadonna, is an United States rapper, friend of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has appeared on many of their albums, as well as having a successful solo career....
, who accompany Ghost and have their names featured on the album's cover. Raekwon
Raekwon

Corey Woods, better known by the stage name Raekwon , is an United States East Coast hip hop rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. His 1995 album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is widely considered to be one of the best Wu-Tang solo albums, and one of the finest and most influential hip hop albums of the 1990s....
 appears on 13 of the 17 tracks with one track, "The Faster Blade", featuring him performing solo. Cappadonna
Cappadonna

Darryl Hill, best known by his stage name Cappadonna, is an United States rapper, friend of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has appeared on many of their albums, as well as having a successful solo career....
 is featured on 5 of the 17 tracks.

Contrary to the earlier Wu-Tang solo albums, in which the emcees involved were believed to be infallible, Ghostface is ironically very "human" and quite vulnerable in Ironman. This is perhaps best illustrated with the album's second single, "All That I Got Is You", essentially a song Ghostface composed as a tribute to his mother. On this album, Ghostface discovers a new and highly praised lyrical style, rhyming with a unique uptempo, stream-of-consciousness, which he continued to utilize on his highly acclaimed second album Supreme Clientele
Supreme Clientele

Supreme Clientele is the second album by Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, an United States hip hop music artist. It was released on January 25, 2000, on Razor Sharp/Epic/Sony Records....
. Producer RZA combines his dark keyboard tones and early-1970s soul
Soul music

Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the African American culture through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of funky, Secularity testifying." The genre occasion...
 samples, heavily used on Liquid Swords
Liquid Swords

Liquid Swords is the second solo album by Wu-Tang Clan member GZA. It was released on November 7, 1995 through Geffen Records....
 and Only Built for Cuban Linx 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

Wu-Tang Forever was the long-awaited follow-up to the Wu-Tang Clan's first album Enter the Wu-Tang . It was released on June 3, 1997 as a double album and, despite limited radio and TV airplay, the album debuted at #1 in the U.S....
 and Uncontrolled Substance
Uncontrolled Substance

Uncontrolled Substance is the 1999 debut of Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck, an American hip hop musician. This album explores Inspectah Deck's lyrical skills, with sparse guest appearances....
, as well as numerous other East Coast
East Coast hip hop

East Coast hip hop is a form of hip hop music that originated and developed in New York City, USA during the 1970s and early 1980s. The style emerged as a definitive subgenre after artists from other regions of the United States emerged with different styles....
 artists.

Reception

The album found considerably large success within the rap underground, enough to enter the pop charts number two on its release. The album has since been certified Platinum
Music recording sales certification

Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music Sound recording has shipped a certain number of copies.Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories, which are named after the precious materials gold, platinum and diamond ....
.

Professional reviews:

  • Rolling Stone
    Rolling Stone

    Rolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J....
     (12/12/96, p.82) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "After defining the music's rhythm in his dusted, offbeat, signature style, RZA emphasizes simple, precise percussion and bass thuds that are augmented by moody traces of lush strings, baroque riffs and samples from ’60s soul records."


  • Spin (2/97, p.90) - 7 (out of 10) - "Ghostface raps a more explosive variant of the chippy, Wu-Tang rhyme combinations....This guy just sounds mean—brutal, skilled, and unpredictable. As usual, [RZA] provides awesomely dark and eccentric backdrops for the MC’s dark maneuvers."


  • Entertainment Weekly
    Entertainment Weekly

    Entertainment Weekly is a magazine published by Time Inc. in the United States which covers movies, television, music, Broadway stage productions, books, and popular culture....
     (11/08/96, p.69) - "The latest from the Wu-Tang Clan member finds Ghostface talking vehemently about sex, politics, and sexual politics...." - Rating: B+


  • Q
    Q (magazine)

    Q is a music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 130,179 as of June 2007.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology — from artists suc...
     (6/00, p.123) - 3 stars out of 5 - "More about lyrical finesse than anything else. 'Daytona 500' is a magnificent, fast-paced testing of skills with Raekwon and Cappadonna...everything is delivered with tongue-twisting Wu-Tang virtuosity that untangles with every listen."


  • The Wire
    The Wire (magazine)

    The Wire is a British avant garde music magazine, founded in 1982 by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray. The magazine initially concentrated on contemporary jazz and improvised music, but branched out in the early 1990s to various types of experimental music....
     (10/01, p.46) - "A masterpiece...Raekwon and Ghost raise the slang bar quickly, analogizing various mysterious practices to various foods."


  • Vibe (12/96, p.186) - "Ghostface bangs out sarcastic, street-camouflaged wildness...If Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...had you open, prepare for another gaping wound."


  • The Source
    The Source (magazine)

    The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and Hip hop culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection....
     (12/96, p.124) - 4 Mics (out of 5) - "Introspective lyrics, haunting melodies and intense emotional moments...[The] RZA does another masterful job, topping himself in terms of sonic diversity..."


  • Rap Pages (1/97, p.25) - "Yet another tangled web of expectations-bashing yarns; an exhilarating listen...with moments to inspire both cardiopulmonary palpitations and contemplative nods...Ironman is the Wu banger to challenge your demands and ultimately win you over..."


  • NME
    NME

    The New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition....
     (12/21-28/96, pp.66-67) - Ranked #29 in NME's 1996 critics' poll.


Track listing

  • All tracks produced by the RZA
    RZA

    Robert F. Diggs , better known as RZA , is an United States Grammy winning music producer, rapper, and occasional actor. A prominent figure in hip hop music, he is the de facto leader of the hip hop music group Wu-Tang Clan....
     with the exception of "Fish", produced by True Master
    Wu-Tang Clan affiliates

    The hip hop music group Wu-Tang Clan has various "affiliates" which receive support, financial and otherwise, from the Wu-Tang Clan. This is a list of musical groups and producers that are officially affiliated with the group, mostly through the RZA....
    .


  • "The Soul Controller" was removed from later releases of the album due to the sample it contained.


  • "Winter Warz" was also featured on the soundtrack to the hood parody film Don't Be a Menace, and was played in its entirety during the closing credits of the movie.


#TitleTimeWriter(s)Producer(s)Performer(s)Sample(s)
1"Iron Maiden"4:46D. Coles, C. Woods, D. HillRZA
RZA

Robert F. Diggs , better known as RZA , is an United States Grammy winning music producer, rapper, and occasional actor. A prominent figure in hip hop music, he is the de facto leader of the hip hop music group Wu-Tang Clan....
Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah

Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapping and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the early- to mid-1990s, each member went on to pursue a solo career....
, Raekwon
Raekwon

Corey Woods, better known by the stage name Raekwon , is an United States East Coast hip hop rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. His 1995 album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is widely considered to be one of the best Wu-Tang solo albums, and one of the finest and most influential hip hop albums of the 1990s....
, Cappadonna
Cappadonna

Darryl Hill, best known by his stage name Cappadonna, is an United States rapper, friend of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has appeared on many of their albums, as well as having a successful solo career....
  • "Gotta Find a New World" by Al Green
    Al Green

    Albert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an United States gospel music and soul music singer who received great acclaim in the 1970s. At the 2008 BET Awards Green was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, for all the work he has done throughout his career....
     and dialogue excerpts from the film The Education of Sonny Carson
    The Education of Sonny Carson

    The Education of Sonny Carson is a 1974 film based on the best-selling autobiography of Sonny Carson who joined a gang and committed petty crime before being sent to prison....
2"Wildflower"3:26D. ColesRZAGhostface Killah
  • Dialogue excerpts from the film J.D.'s Revenge
    J.D.'s Revenge

    J. D.'s Revenge is a blaxploitation horror film released in 1976 in film. It starred Glynn Turman and Louis Gossett Jr.. The main character becomes an unwilling host for the restless spirit of J.D....
    • 3"The Faster Blade"2:27C. WoodsRZARaekwon
    4"260"2:46D. Coles, C. WoodsRZAGhostface Killah & Raekwon
  • "You Ought to Be with Me" by Al Green
    • 5"Assassination Day"4:18J. Hunter, R. Diggs, C. Woods, E. TurnerRZAInspectah Deck
    Inspectah Deck

    Jason Hunter , better known as Inspectah Deck, is an United States rapping, Record producer, and Acting. A founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, he has not achieved the same level of success in his solo career as some of his fellow Clansmen ; nevertheless, he has continued to release material into the late 2000's....
    , RZA, Raekwon, Masta Killa
    Masta Killa

    Elgin Turner , better known as Masta Killa, is an United States rapping and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Though one of the lesser-known members of the group and on their debut album was only in one song: "Da Mystery of Chessboxin" in which he had the last verse....
  • Dialog excerpts from the film The Usual Suspects
    The Usual Suspects

    The Usual Suspects is a 1995 Cinema of the United States neo-noir film written by Christopher McQuarrie and directed by Bryan Singer. The film tells the story of Roger "Verbal" Kint , a small-time Confidence trick who is the subject of a police interrogation....
    • 6"Poisonous Darts"2:15D. Coles, C. WoodsRZAGhostface Killah & Raekwon
  • Dialogue excerpts from the film Mystery of Chessboxing
    Mystery of Chessboxing

    Mystery of Chessboxing is a martial arts film released in 1979 and directed by Joseph Kuo, starring Mark Long, Jack Long and Lee Yi Min....
    • 7"Winter Warz"4:40D. Coles, C. Woods, L. Hawkins, E. Turner, D. HillRZAGhostface Killah, Raekwon, U-God
    U-God

    Lamont Jody Hawkins , better known as U-God, is an United States hip hop music and member of the hip hop culture collective, Wu-Tang Clan....
    , Masta Killa, Cappadonna
    8"Box In Hand"3:14D. Coles, C. Woods, C. SmithRZAGhostface Killah, Raekwon, Method Man
    Method Man

    Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man, is an United Statesn hip hop music, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop culture collective Wu-Tang Clan....
    , The Force M.D.s
    The Force M.D.s

    The Force M.D.s is a doo wop vocal group that was formed in 1981 in Staten Island, New York. They originally called themselves the L.D.s, then The Force MCs, but ultimatedly prefered M.D....
  • "Release Yo' Delf" by Method Man
    Method Man

    Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man, is an United Statesn hip hop music, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop culture collective Wu-Tang Clan....
    • 9"Fish"3:50D. ColesTrue Master
    Wu-Tang Clan affiliates

    The hip hop music group Wu-Tang Clan has various "affiliates" which receive support, financial and otherwise, from the Wu-Tang Clan. This is a list of musical groups and producers that are officially affiliated with the group, mostly through the RZA....
    		Ghostface Killah, Cappadonna & Raekwon
  • "Change is Gonna Come" by Otis Redding
    Otis Redding

    Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an United States soul music singer. He is renowned for an ability to convey strong emotion through his voice. According to the website of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , Redding's name is "synonymous with the term soul, music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of Gospel musi...
     and dialogue from the film Crying Freeman
    Crying Freeman

    is a manga by Kazuo Koike & Ryoichi Ikegami about an assassin who sheds tears after he kills his targets. Crying Freeman follows the titular assassin, a Japanese people man hypnotized and trained by the Chinese mafia to serve as its agent, and covered in a vast and complex dragon tattoo....
    • 10"Camay"4:34D. Coles, C. Woods, D. HillRZAGhostface Killah, Raekwon, Cappadonna
  • "Can't We Try?" by Teddy Pendergrass
    Teddy Pendergrass

    Theodore "Teddy" DeReese Pendergrass, Sr. is an United States Rhythm and blues/Soul music singer and songwriter. Pendergrass is also known as Teddy P, TP, or Teddy Bear....
    • 11"Daytona 500
    Daytona 500 (song)

    "Daytona 500" is the solo debut single by Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ghostface Killah, from his solo debut album Ironman . The title is taken from the most important and prestigious race on the NASCAR calendar: Daytona 500....
    "    		4:40D. Coles, C. Woods, D. HillRZAGhostface Killah, Raekwon, Cappadonna, The Force M.D.s
  • "Nautilus" by Bob James
    Bob James (musician)

    Bob James is a smooth jazz and jazz fusion keyboardist, arranger and Record producer....
    ,
  • "Turn the Beat Around" by Vicki Sue Robinson
    Vicki Sue Robinson

    Vicki Sue Robinson was an United States theatre and film actress and singer, closely associated with the disco era of late 1970s pop music; she is most famous for her 1976 chart-topper, "Turn the Beat Around" ....
    ,
  • "Crab Apple" by Idris Muhammed,
  • "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'" by Wu-Tang Clan
    Wu-Tang Clan

    The Wu-Tang Clan is a New York City?based hip hop group. Wu-Tang Clan consists of nine United States rapping: RZA, GZA, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard....
    ,
  • "Incarcerated Scarfaces" & "Ice Water" by Raekwon
    • 12"Motherless Child"3:45D. Coles, C. WoodsRZAGhostface Killah & Raekwon
  • "Motherless Child" & "Into Something (I Can't Shake Loose)" by O.V. Wright
    O.V. Wright

    O.V. Wright was an United States singer who is regarded as one of Southern soul's most authoritative and individual artists....
    • 13"Black Jesus"4:37D. Coles, C. Woods, L. HawkinsRZAGhostface Killah, Raekwon, Popa Wu
    Wu-Tang Clan affiliates

    The hip hop music group Wu-Tang Clan has various "affiliates" which receive support, financial and otherwise, from the Wu-Tang Clan. This is a list of musical groups and producers that are officially affiliated with the group, mostly through the RZA....
    , U-God
  • "Riot" by Blackbyrds
    • 14"After The Smoke Is Clear"3:17D. Coles, C. Woods, R. DiggsRZAGhostface Killah, The Delfonics
    The Delfonics

    The Delfonics are a Philadelphia soul singing group, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La ", "Didn't I ," "Break Your Promise," "I'm Sorry," and "Ready Or Not Here I Come "....
    , Raekwon, RZA
    15"All That I Got Is You
    All That I Got Is You

    "All That I Got Is You" is the second single by Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ghostface Killah from his solo debut album Ironman . The song features R&B songstress Mary J....
    "    		5:21D. Coles, M. BligeRZAGhostface Killah, Mary J. Blige
    Mary J. Blige

    Mary Jane Blige is a nine-time Grammy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated American R&B music singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor who has sold more than forty eight million albums worldwide....
    , Popa Wu
  • "Maybe Tomorrow" by The Jackson 5
    The Jackson 5

    The Jackson 5 was a two-time Grammy Award-nominated American popular music Jackson family Musical ensemble from Gary, Indiana. Founding group members Jackie Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson and Michael Jackson formed the group after performing in an early incarnation called The Jackson Brothers, which originally co...
    • 16"The Soul Controller"6:50D. ColesRZAGhostface Killah, The Force M.D.s, Popa Wu
  • "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
    Sam Cooke

    Samuel Cook, better known as Sam Cooke, was an United States gospel music, R&B, soul music, and popular music singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur....
  • Dialogue excerpts from the films Carlito's Way
    Carlito's Way

    Carlito's Way is a 1993 in film crime film based on the novel After Hours by Edwin Torres . The film adaptation was scripted by David Koepp and directed by Brian De Palma....
     & The Usual Suspects
    The Usual Suspects

    The Usual Suspects is a 1995 Cinema of the United States neo-noir film written by Christopher McQuarrie and directed by Bryan Singer. The film tells the story of Roger "Verbal" Kint , a small-time Confidence trick who is the subject of a police interrogation....
    • 17"Marvel"5:10D. Coles, R. DiggsRZAGhostface Killah & RZA


    Charts

    ChartPosition
    Billboard 200
    Billboard 200

    The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling Albums and extended play in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine....
    		2
    Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
    Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums

    Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop music albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan....
    		1