Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II is the fourth
solo albumA studio album is an original collection of new tracks by a recording artist.It usually does not contain live recordings and/or remixes, and if it does, those tracks do not make up majority of the album and are often "bonus tracks"...
by American
hip hopHip hop music is a musical genre which developed alongside hip hop culture, and is commonly based on concepts of loop, rapping, freestyle, DJing, scratching, sampling and beatboxing. The music is used to express concerns of political, social, and personal issues...
rapper and
Wu-Tang ClanThe Wu-Tang Clan is a New York City-based hip hop group. Wu-Tang Clan consists of RZA, GZA, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Masta Killa, the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, and Cappadonna...
-member
RaekwonCorey Woods better known by the stage name Raekwon , is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., in 1995, and has continued recording solo and with the Wu-Tang Clan since then...
, released September 8, 2009 on Ice H2O Records in the United States. It is the sequel to his critically acclaimed debut album,
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995).
The album debuted at number 4 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and at number 2 on the
Top R&B/Hip-Hop AlbumsTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart, while selling near 68,000 copies in its first week.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II received universal acclaim from music critics, based on an aggregate score of 89/100 from
MetacriticMetacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. The album has sold 111,000 copies in the United States as of October 4, 2009 according to SoundScan.
Background
The album was originally announced in late 2005, when it was stated that
Busta RhymesTrevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known as Busta Rhymes , is a Grammy-nominated Jamaican-American rapper, songwriter, and actor...
would be executive producing the album. In January 2006, Raekwon announced that the album was finished, and production was largely credited to RZA, with RZA and
Busta RhymesTrevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known as Busta Rhymes , is a Grammy-nominated Jamaican-American rapper, songwriter, and actor...
being named executive producers. In 2006, it was revealed that Wu-Tang Clan members
GZAGary Grice , better known by his stage name GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist best known as a founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan and for his inclusion on their group albums, his groupmates' solo releases and a successful solo career...
and
Inspectah DeckJason Hunter, better known as Inspectah Deck , is an American rapper, producer, and actor. A member of the Wu-Tang Clan, known for his lyricism, he has not achieved the same level of success in his solo career as some of his fellow Clansmen , though he continues to be respected and actively...
would be featured, returning with their Wu-Gambino personas.
Busta Rhymes' influence on the project became more solidified when it was announced Raekwon had signed a contract with Dr. Dre's label
Aftermath EntertainmentAftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records.-History:...
, to which Busta was signed. The deal was structured so that the released would be a joint venture between Wu-Tang and
Aftermath EntertainmentAftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records.-History:...
. After a period of time and reported delays in the recording process, the two parties eventually separated from the original agreement. The decision came after it was revealed Dr. Dre had reportedly become creatively tied up with his personal Detox record, and had lost interest in working on Raekwon's album. Raekwon stated in an interview that Aftermath isn't the label the album will be released on, stating Dr. Dre is a busy man and may not have the time to give the album his full attention, but that two tracks from the album were produced by Dr. Dre.
A supposed insider from Aftermath spoke about the album and its repeated delays:
The album, which was still not released by 2007, and was named the #6 most anticipated album of 2007 by
XXL MagazineXXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.Since 1997, XXL has competed with Hip-Hop powerhouse magazines such as The Source Magazine, and Vibe Magazine. It was founded by former Source staffer, Jules Winnfield, as well as others who wanted to create a more critically sound...
, though it would be pushed back numerous times and numerous changes were made to the release date.
In an interview with HipHopDX.com, Raekwon commented on the upcoming album:
Near the end of 2007, Wu-Tang Clan group leader RZA came under attack from members
Ghostface KillahDennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
and Raekwon over the production of the group's 2007 album
8 Diagrams8 Diagrams is the fifth studio album by New York hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released through Street Records Corporation on December 11, 2007.-Background:...
, with Raekwon even going as far as to say he would not include any of RZA's production on the album.
Raekwon and RZA later made up with Raekwon deciding to work with RZA who served as the album's executive producer.
While the album wasn't talked about much in 2008, in an interview with
DJ SemtexDJ Semtex is a disc jockey and presenter for BBC 1Xtra digital radio station, presenting the flagship hip-hop shows, the Friday and Saturday Night Mixtapes from 1900-2200 on Friday and Saturday nights....
, Raekwon stated the album was set for release in February 2009, as he stated it could be ready at that point, but he continued to fine-tune and add more material.
The album's first single, originally entitled "Wu Ooh" and later retitled "New Wu", was released for playback on various radio mixshows, including New York's Hot 97, with an official video being released on the internet. The video features Ghostface Killah and Method Man, who rap their verses respectively as well as guest appearances from The Alchemist, The RZA,
CappadonnaDarryl Hill, best known by his stage name Cappadonna, is an American rapper.He is a member of the Wu-Tang Clan and has appeared on many of their albums, as well as having a successful solo career...
, Inspectah Deck and other Wu-Tang affiliates including Popa Wu.
In interviews in early 2009, he stated the album will be released through his own label, Icewater Records, with him later confirming
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
as another label the album will be released on.
In April 2009, Raekwon conducted an interview with
XXLXXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.Since 1997, XXL has competed with Hip-Hop powerhouse magazines such as The Source Magazine, and Vibe Magazine. It was founded by former Source staffer, Jules Winnfield, as well as others who wanted to create a more critically sound...
where it was confirmed that Busta Rhymes would no longer be credited as executive producer on the album. In the same interview it was stated that the album would be released on August 11, 2009. Raekwon later announced that, due to a leak of a song on the album entitled "Surgical Gloves," as well as sample clearance issues,
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II would be pushed back once again to September 8, 2009.
Structure and lyricism
The album follows a similar crime laced cinematic approach as the original. In keeping with the structure of and concept of
OB4CL the loose storyline of a mafioso crime boss is told mainly from the 3rd person. It is combined with carefully placed skits weaved into the beginnings and ends of songs.
In contrast to the first album/story where the main character is attempting to leave behind a criminal life, here he has seemingly embraced the life. The narrative has these older characters taking a look back at their pitfalls and spoils as they have finally risen to the top. "While many of their '90s peers recycle toothless tautologies about bringing New York back or vainly wrestle with advanced age by collaborating with flavor-of-the-minute flotsam and jetsam, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah refuse to stay forever young. Proudly profane, the two come off as salty mafia dons with long memories, too old to change their ways but with the narrative skill and eye for detail of master storytellers in their prime."
The album's final track, "Kiss The Ring" has Masta Killa's narration summarizing the loose concept of the story and closing the album in film-like fashion:
Now he's an old Mafia don, from back when
He managed to survive the game, ducking fame
It's how he maintained, the state of grace, kept his lab laced
Ladies of a fine taste, kept his place guarded
While the young charted, found acquitted, all charges
And his heart loss and, marksmen take the contract
From the contact, waiting for the right event, it all made sense
He left no prints on the weapon, and he was blasting
Came home from prison stashing, still stacking
His whip still matching his kit, steel flashing
Hands quick, nice with his shit, three holy foods
Drops jewels, from a street corner level, young brother, I'm a rebel
Here to instruct private soldiers to buck arms
Ya'll rap cats had your last win, toast the kings
It's Wu-Tang, it's our thing: Kiss the Ring
The lyricism displayed on
OB4CL2 has been highly praised, especially Raekwon's performances:
Recording
Announced producers were confirmed to include
RZARobert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy winning music producer, author, rapper, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in hip hop music, he is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan...
,
Dr. DreAndre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, and actor...
,
J DillaJames Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
,
Erick SermonErick Sermon, also known as Erick Onassis, is an American rapper, musician, and producer. Sermon is best known as half of late-1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for production work. He currently resides in Hauppauge, New York. - Career :"The Green Eyed Bandit" has also made multiple solo...
, Allah Mathematics;
Marley MarlMarlon Williams , better known as Marley Marl, is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.-Biography:...
, Scram Jones,
Pete RockPeter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper of Jamaican descent. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
and
The AlchemistAlan Daniel Maman , better known as the Alchemist, is a hip hop producer and emcee. He hails from Beverly Hills, California...
.
There was some speculation as to what RZA's role would be on OB4CL2. On the original album, RZA was the only producer to contribute as well as the album's executive producer. Raekwon had commented early on that the sequel would be different in this light. "[RZA] definitely put his two cent in and made his elements, and that’s what it’s about. But I can’t allow one man to lead my destiny no more." Raekwon spoke on the difficulties of working on the project with the legendary producer:
During
Rock the BellsRock The Bells is an annual hip hop festival that originally took place in Southern California only, but has since toured throughout the world. The concert features a lineup of high-profile alternative hip hop acts, often headlined by a more mainstream artist...
'09, Raekwon spoke on the importance of getting the right producers on board with the project:
Raekwon spoke on what it was like getting the opportunity to rhyme over the late
J DillaJames Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
's production:
Expectations grew high for the album as wide variety of reports attached various guests and producers to the project. An all-star cast of musicians appeared on the record, but many more of these reported collaborations did not come to fruition or did not make the final cut. Reports mentioned Raekwon working with a wide variety of guests as well. Raekwon stated
The GameJayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name The Game, is an American rapper. He rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, and his two Grammy nominations...
and
Travis BarkerTravis Landon Barker is an American drummer and the current drummer for pop punk trio Blink-182. He has also been a drummer for several side projects including +44, Box Car Racer, Transplants and Expensive Taste....
would be featured on the album, although neither would appear on the final product. Raekwon mentioned in an interview that a track was recorded with
Bun BBernard Freeman , better known by his stage name Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern hip hop duo UGK.-UGK and Mddl Fngz:...
(of
UGKUGK was a Grammy Award-winning hip-hop act from Port Arthur, Texas formed in 1987 by the late Chad "Pimp C" Butler. He then joined with Bernard "Bun B" Freeman who became his longtime partner...
) called "Never Used To Matter".
Bun BBernard Freeman , better known by his stage name Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern hip hop duo UGK.-UGK and Mddl Fngz:...
earlier said in a
Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on independent music, especially indie rock...
interview that he was to be featured in the album, however the mentioned track was not on the final cut. Raekwon stated that rapper
NasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones , who performs under the mononym Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was born and raised in the Queensbridge housing projects in New York City...
wished to be on the album, featuring in a song with a familiar style to an earlier collaboration from the two, "Verbal Intercourse". "Regarding 'Verbal Intercourse 2,' Nas said he’s gonna be on the album. We’re still working on catching him." Despite this, a collaboration with Nas was not recorded for the album.
- Pete Rock
Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper of Jamaican descent. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
re-uses his song "Questions" from NY's FinestNY's Finest is a studio album by hip hop producer and emcee Pete Rock. The album was Rock's first studio album since 2004's Soul Survivor II, and was released on February 26, 2008 through the Nature Sounds record label. The album's cover art was created by Fuse Green and inspired by the cover of...
for the song "Sonny's Missing"
- J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
re-uses his song "The Red Remix" from Jaylib for the song "10 Bricks"
- J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
re-uses his intro song "Believe In God" from Jay Love JapanJay Love Japan is an instrumental album by the late J Dilla distributed to retail by the California-based Operation Unknown label in 2008. It is now out of print....
for the song "Ason Jones"
- Black Mozart shares a sample with "Back To New York" by Sadat X
Sadat X is an American rapper, most famed as a member of Alternative hip hop group Brand Nubian. Originally known as Derek X, Sadat takes his name from former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat.-Biography:...
- Canal Street shares a sample with "Fight Club" by Fat Joe
Joseph Cartagena, better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper signed to Imperial Records, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
- Have Mercy shares a sample with "Say Hey There" by Atmosphere
An atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, by the gravity of the body, and are retained for a longer duration if gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
- Pyrex Vision shares a sample with "Jewelz" by O.C.
- Mean Streets shares a sample with "The Message Aura Check" by Tragedy Khadafi
Percy Chapman, known by his stage name Tragedy Khadafi, and formerly known as Intelligent Hoodlum, is an American hip hop artist who hails from the Queensbridge housing projects in Queens, New York, which has spawned other hip hop artists such as Nas, Cormega, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, and many...
- Fat Lady Sings shares a sample with "Who's Sleepin" by Memphis Bleek
Malik Thuston Cox, better known by his rap persona of Memphis Bleek or "Memphis Grillz" , is a New York rapper mainly known for his tenure with Roc-A-Fella Records and CEO of his own label Get Low Records...
Release
On July 22, 2009, a report was published which claimed numerous collaborations, final track names, and producers. A month later on August 27, another report was published featuring the final track listing.. The two reports listed most of the same tracks, but with slight differences in names, producers, and featured guests. The change lead to the perception that there were many tracks cut from the final listing, however it is more likely that the details were transcribed incorrectly as most of the tracks listed were released in some form. The final album differed from the initial report as follows:
- "Godfather" retitled to "Black Mozart" (was previously a solo track called "Secret Indictment")
- "40 Deuce" retitled to "Broken Safety"
- "Wu Ooh" retitled to "New Wu"
- "Nigga Me" retitled to "About Me"
- "Kareem Khan" retitled to "We Will Rob You"
- "Walk Wit Me" was moved to an European/iTunes Bonus track
"Criminology 09" featuring Ghostface Killah and "Rockstar" featuring Inspectah Deck & GZA were the only songs listed in the report that was eventually cut from the final line-up. "Criminology 09" had been earlier leaked and discussed by Raekwon as being included on the effort. An additional song was added to the August report and remained in the final line-up titled "Baggin Crack" and produced by
Erick SermonErick Sermon, also known as Erick Onassis, is an American rapper, musician, and producer. Sermon is best known as half of late-1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for production work. He currently resides in Hauppauge, New York. - Career :"The Green Eyed Bandit" has also made multiple solo...
. It is only available on the explicit version of the album.
Reception
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II was released on September 8, 2009 and was ranked the number one downloaded album available on
iTunesiTunes is a proprietary digital media player application, used for playing and organizing digital music and video files. The program is also an interface to manage the contents on Apple's popular iPod digital media players as well as the iPhone...
for the first three days of its release. It debuted at number 4 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and at number 2 on the
Top R&B/Hip-Hop AlbumsTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart, the same positioning as the original
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., while selling near 68,000 copies in its first week.
Upon release,
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II received universal acclaim from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 88/100 from
MetacriticMetacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Allmusic gave it 4 out of 5 stars and lauded Raekwon's lyrical ability, writing that he is "in top form, spitting out rhymes worthy of the Wu logo", while calling its production "equally magnificent".
Los Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California since 1881. It is distributed throughout the Western United States. It is the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States and the fourth-most widely distributed newspaper in the United States...
writer Jeff Weiss called the effect of the album's various producers "analogous to the hip-hop version of
The DepartedThe Departed is a American crime drama film remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. The Departed was directed by Martin Scorsese, written by William Monahan and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga and Mark Wahlberg...
: filled with virtuosic star-studded performances, heavily indebted to Asian cinema, and tweaking rather than transforming a timeless aesthetic".
The A.V. ClubThe A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. It comes included with the print editions of The Onion, and maintains its own separate website. Unlike its parent publication, The A.V. Club is non-satirical, though it strives for a humorous, snarky tone...
s Nathan Rabin it an A- rating and praised the album's "vivid crime-world narratives rich in pulpy detail". Giving it a 4½ out of 5 star rating,
Tiny Mix TapesTiny Mix Tapes is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news...
wrote that
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II meets the "charged" expectations of a sequel to the original and called it "dense, dignified" and "flat-out SOLID".
Toronto StarThe Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, though its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
writer Corey Mintz gave the album 3½ out of 4 stars and commended Raekwon for his ability as an emcee, writing "Raekwon still simmers with the same confident tempo, as if never breathing in or out". In a rave review of the album, Sobhi Abdul-Rakhman of
SputnikmusicSputnikmusic, occasionally referred to as Sputnik Music or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
gave
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II a 5 out of 5 star rating and wrote:
USA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth...
s Steve Jones gave it 3½ out of 4 stars and called its cinematic crime narratives "rivetting". Henry Adaso of
About.comAbout.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
commended Ghostface Killah for his contributions to the album and gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
SpinSpin is a music magazine. Founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr., it competes with industry stalwart Rolling Stone. Madonna was the artist on the cover of the first issue.-History:...
gave
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II 3½ out of 5 stars, writing that its songs "contain some of his most rewind-worthy bars in years". The University of California, Berkeley's student publication,
The Daily Californian, applauded the album's diverse but seamless production as its highlight, writing that "
Pt. II displays a dizzying roster of 13 producers ... each with well-established and distinct takes on their craft. Rather than playing out as some sort of haphazard compilation, the album flows seamlessly. The myriad of producers didn't work together, but somehow they all managed to end up on the same page. If anything, this is what makes
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx ... Pt. II so fantastic".
Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on independent music, especially indie rock...
's Nate Patrin gave the album a rating of 8.8/10, commending its guest contributions and calling it "as good as fans have been hoping for". Patrin compared
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II to Ghostface Killah's
FishscaleFishscale is the fifth solo album by Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah. It was released by Def Jam on March 28, 2006. The album follows a cocaine theme, named after a term for uncut cocaine, fishscale....
(2006), writing that "Like Ghostface's modern classic, this album defies hip-hop's current atmosphere of youthful cockiness and aging complacency".
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
s Jon Caramanica called the album "impressive" and stated "That it’s inconsistent with everything in hip-hop that surrounds it only adds to the album’s charm".
PastePaste is a monthly music and entertainment magazine published in the United States by Paste Media Group LLC. Its tagline is "Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture."-History:...
magazine gave it a rating of 87/100 and called it "a classic, and one of the best albums to come out of the New York rap scene in the last decade".
Video
A music video was released for "New Wu" months before the release of the album. Two different versions of the video were made, both of a similar style. The first official music video has Raekwon and his fellow Wu's interrogating a suspicious man thought to be a cop. As the supporting single for the album, an animated video for "House Of Flying Daggers" was released including GZA for the chorus. A week before the album's release, the video for "Walk Wit Me" was released. Several other music videos have been made since, such as for "Have Mercy", "Surgical Gloves" and "Catalina".
Track listing
| # |
Title |
Producer |
Samples |
Time |
| 1 |
"Return of the North Star" (feat. Popa Wu) |
BT |
- "North Star" by Raekwon
- "Have Mercy" by Raekwon
- "Mellow Mood Part I" by Barry White
Barry White was an American record producer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his rich bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s with The Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring hit soul, funk, and disco songs...
|
2:39 |
| 2 |
"House of Flying Daggers" (feat. Inspectah Deck Jason Hunter, better known as Inspectah Deck , is an American rapper, producer, and actor. A member of the Wu-Tang Clan, known for his lyricism, he has not achieved the same level of success in his solo career as some of his fellow Clansmen , though he continues to be respected and actively...
, Ghostface KillahDennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
, Method ManClifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man or Meth is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo...
& GZAGary Grice , better known by his stage name GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist best known as a founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan and for his inclusion on their group albums, his groupmates' solo releases and a successful solo career...
) |
J Dilla James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
|
"Eleanor Rigby"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by The Beatles, originally released on the 1966 album Revolver. The song was primarily written by Paul McCartney...
" by Four TopsThe Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, and showtunes. Founded in Detroit, Michigan...
|
3:51 |
| 3 |
"Sonny's Missing" |
Pete Rock Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper of Jamaican descent. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
|
Dialogue from the film The Killer
"Exercise Run" by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson was an innovative American composer whose interests spanned the worlds of jazz, dance, pop, film, television, and classical music....
|
2:28 |
| 4 |
"Pyrex Vision" |
Marley Marl Marlon Williams , better known as Marley Marl, is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.-Biography:...
|
"Changing Face" by J.J. Band |
0:54 |
| 5 |
"Cold Outside" (feat. Ghostface Killah & Suga Bang Bang) |
Icewater Productions |
|
4:40 |
| 6 |
"Black Mozart" (feat. Inspectah Deck, RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy winning music producer, author, rapper, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in hip hop music, he is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan...
& Tash Mahogany) |
RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy winning music producer, author, rapper, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in hip hop music, he is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan...
|
"Theme from The Godfather" by The Professionals |
3:24 |
| 7 |
"Gihad" (feat. Ghostface Killah) |
Necro |
|
2:57 |
| 8 |
"New Wu" (feat. Ghostface Killah & Method Man) |
RZA |
"I've Changed" by The Magictones |
3:50 |
| 9 |
"Penitentiary" (feat. Ghostface Killah) |
BT |
"Hit or Miss" by Odetta Odetta Holmes, , known as Odetta, was an American singer, actress, guitarist, songwriter, and a human rights activist, often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement". Her musical repertoire consisted largely of American folk music, blues, jazz, and spirituals...
|
2:35 |
| 10 |
"Baggin Crack" |
Erick Sermon Erick Sermon, also known as Erick Onassis, is an American rapper, musician, and producer. Sermon is best known as half of late-1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for production work. He currently resides in Hauppauge, New York. - Career :"The Green Eyed Bandit" has also made multiple solo...
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1:58 |
| 11 |
"Surgical Gloves" |
The Alchemist |
"Castle Walls" by Styx Styx may refer to:* Styx , the river that forms the boundary between the Greek underworld and the world of the living, as well as a goddess and a nymph that represent the river.-Popular culture:* Styx , an American rock band...
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3:24 |
| 12 |
"Broken Safety" (feat. Jadakiss Jadakiss is an American rapper. He is a member of the group The LOX. Jadakiss is one of three owners of the imprint known as D-Block. He recently signed to Roc-A-Fella Records, an imprint under Def Jam Recordings....
& Styles PDavid Styles better known as Styles Pinero or Styles P, is a hip-hop rapper and a founding member of the groups The Lox and D-Block.-Solo Albums:* A Gangster and a Gentleman * Time Is Money...
) |
Scram Jones Scram Jones is a producer, DJ and emcee from New Rochelle, New York. He has produced music for Mariah Carey, Jae Millz, Saigon and Lloyd Banks. As an emcee he has been featured alongside Nas, Saigon, Styles P, Kool G Rap and Immortal Technique...
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2:45 |
| 13 |
"Canal Street" |
Icewater Productions |
"Stop! in the Name of Love "Stop! In the Name of Love" is a 1965 number-one single recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland-Dozier-Holland, "Stop! In the Name of Love" held the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart from March 21 1965 to...
" by Margie JosephMargie Joseph is an R&B and soul singer.Often compared to Aretha Franklin, although a bit more mellow in tone, in 1967, she recorded some demo recordings at the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio's which led to her debut song, "Why Does a Man Have to Lie?"...
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3:37 |
| 14 |
"Ason Jones" |
J Dilla |
"You Are Just A Living Doll" by J.J. Barnes |
3:06 |
| 15 |
"Have Mercy" (feat. Beanie Sigel Dwight Grant , also known as Beanie Sigel, is a American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an artist on Roc-A-Fella Records who has formed a close association with rappers Jay-Z, Freeway and other former and current artists on the roster...
& Blue RaspberryBlue Raspberry is a singer affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan. Her stage name was given to her by Killah Priest, who said she reminded him of a blue raspberry.-Biography:...
) |
Icewater Productions |
"Have Mercy On Me" by The East St. Louis Gospelettes |
3:51 |
| 16 |
"10 Bricks" (feat. Cappadonna & Ghostface Killah) |
J Dilla |
"You Got the Love I Need" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles |
3:16 |
| 17 |
"Fat Lady Sings" |
RZA |
"If This World Were Mine" by Zulema -Biography:Zulema was born Zulema Cusseaux in Tampa, Florida. She and her school friend Brenda Hilliard joined a local group called The 5 Crystals before the two formed the trio the Lovelles together with fellow Tampa native Albert Bailey....
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2:17 |
| 18 |
"Catalina" (feat. Lyfe Jennings Lyfe Jennings is a platinum-selling American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist. He plays the guitar, bass, and piano which he integrates into his music...
) |
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, and actor...
& Mark BatsonMark Batson is an American record producer, arranger, and songwriter from Bushwick, Brooklyn, now based in Los Angeles.As a co-writer and producer with Dr. Dre, he is responsible for Jay-Z's 2006 single Lost Ones, as well as tracks for Eminem, 50 Cent, The Game and Snoop Dogg...
|
Dialogue and score from the film The Killer |
3:28 |
| 19 |
"We Will Rob You" (feat. GZA Gary Grice , better known by his stage name GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist best known as a founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan and for his inclusion on their group albums, his groupmates' solo releases and a successful solo career...
, Masta KillaElgin Turner , better known as Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Though one of the lesser-known members of the group , due to being incarcerated for most of the album's production, He has been prolific on Clan group albums and solo...
& Slick RickRicky Walters , better known by stage names Slick Rick, MC Ricky D and Rick the Ruler, is a Grammy-nominated British-American rapper.-Career:...
) |
Allah Justice |
"Across 110th Street" by Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
"Hard Times" by Baby HueyBaby Huey was a gigantic and naïve duckling cartoon character. He was created by Martin Taras for Paramount Pictures' Famous Studios, and became a Paramount cartoon star during the 1950s...
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3:15 |
| 20 |
"About Me" (feat. Busta RhymesTrevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known as Busta Rhymes , is a Grammy-nominated Jamaican-American rapper, songwriter, and actor...
) |
Dr. Dre & Mark Batson |
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3:59 |
| 21 |
"Mean Streets" (feat. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah & Suga Bang Bang) |
Allah Mathematics |
"The Door to Your Heart" by The Dramatics The Dramatics are an American soul music vocal group, formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1962. They are best known for their 1972 million selling hit song, "In the Rain".-Career:...
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4:29 |
| 22 |
"Kiss the Ring" (feat. Inspectah Deck & Masta Killa) |
Scram Jones |
"New Wu" by Raekwon
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is a ballad performed by musician Elton John. The song was written by Bernie Taupin and composed by John for his album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Its musical style and production is heavily influenced by 1970s soft rock...
" by Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
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4:09 |
| Bonus tracks |
| 23 |
"Walk Wit Me" |
Scram Jones |
"Guillotine (Swordz)" by Raekwon |
4:18 |
| 24 |
"The Badlands" (feat. Ghostface Killah) |
BT |
|
2:30 |
Wu Gambinos
- Raekwon as Lex Diamonds
- Ghostface Killah as Tony Starks
- RZA as Bobby Steels
- GZA as Maximillion
- Inspectah Deck as Rollie Fingers/Manny Festo
- Method Man as Johnny Blaze
- Masta Killa as Noodles
- Cappadonna as Cappachino
- Jadakiss as Montega Jada
- Styles P as Styles Pinero
- Beanie Sigel as Mack Mittens
Chart history
Album
| Chart (2009) |
Peak
position |
| U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
|
4 |
| U.S. 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 albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
|
2 |
| U.S. Top Rap Albums Top Rap Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks Rap and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tracks the albums of rap and hip-hop. The chart has only been around since 2004....
|
2 |
External links
- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II at Discogs
Discogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about music recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II at Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
- Raekwon Video Interview about Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2