Album: Ironman
Release Date: October 29, 1996
Producer: RZA (except "Fish," produced by True Master)
Review: Some would say it's almost a misnomer to call this Ghost's debut album, since he featured on a full 14 of the 18 tracks on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... the year before, even earning his name on its cover. However, this is the first album in the catalog to be primarily released under his name - although he returned the favor to Raekwon by listing him and Cappadonna both on the cover, since both are featured throughout Ironman. In addition, the album has such a distinctly different feel from Cuban Linx that it would be even more unfair to lump him in as a supporting act on Cuban Linx and proclaim that he just eked out a solo record here. Both albums deserve to be respected as separate visions from separate artists, despite their extensive collaborations on both records.
As early as the intro of Ironman's opening track, "Iron Maiden," any adept listener will notice an audible difference between it and previous Wu-related albums. RZA has utilized funk horns before, but here, they and the uptempo bass and drums seem much more heavily inspired by old blaxploitation and crime films from the '60s and '70s.
This effect is aided by dialogue samples from blaxploitation movies like The Education of Sonny Carson and J.D.'s Revenge. Both the instruments and the dialogue persist throughout the album's 16 tracks (17 if you caught an early pressing) and give Ironman an old-school hip-hop feel from the get-go. Even the cover, featuring Ghostface, Cappadonna and Raekwon dyeing Clark Wallabys and wearing bright colors, exudes a classic rap feel. The bright brass on "Iron Maiden," "260" and "Poisonous Darts" could have easily been composed 40 years ago by Bobby Womack, and True Master earns his reputation with "Fish," which perfectly echoes the sentiment - True Master would be entrusted with production of two songs on the next album in the Wu catalog (also the sophomore album by the group), Wu-Tang Forever. The melodramatic backing vocals throughout "Black Jesus" blend in nicely with the pulp movie feel of the album, as do the uneasy keys on "Camay" and "Assassination Day."
RZA's fast-paced music invigorates Ghost and his guest stars (nearly every Wu member, aside from GZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard) to command likewise upbeat, rapid-fire verses - Cappadonna especially is on point throughout Ironman. I mentioned his slow, open-verse style when I discussed his appearances on Cuban Linx... and here he may as well be a different emcee. For example, in his verse on "Daytona 500," Cappadonna rhymes "For the Son of Song, I keep dance halls strong / Beats never worthy of my cause, I prolong / Extravaganza, time sits still / No propaganda, be wary of the skill." Once again, tight and upbeat rhymes to match the music.
Long-time Wu fans know that Ghostface loves the ladies - his later album Ghostdini is slathered in sex-inspired R&B tracks; many of his songs and guest appearances on other albums constitute story-telling verses about local girls he's known in one way or another. If his verse on Raekwon's "Ice Cream" hadn't set the precedent for Ghost's affinity for sex, Ironman does so in spades. "Wildflower" is all about Ghost telling his girlfriend that he had sex with a friend of hers; "Camay" sees him sealing the deal with a girl on a date.
However, the biggest takeaway of Ghostface Killah's lyrical mastery on Ironman is "All That I Got Is You," which also has the distinction of being the most vulnerable, heart-felt Wu-family track so far. Beating out Method Man's "All I Need" and even Raekwon's verse on "C.R.E.A.M.," Ghostface rhymes
"Sadly, daddy left me at the age of six
I didn't know nothing but mommy neatly packed his shit
She cried, and grandma held the family down
I guess mommy wasn't strong enough, she just went down."
Ghost then delves deeper into his humble beginnings, dredging up some of his hardest family memories.
"And there was days I had to go to Tex's house with a note
Stating 'Gloria can I borrow some food I'm dead broke'
So embarrassing I couldn't stand to knock on their door
My friends might be laughing, I spent stamps in stores
'Mommy where's the toilet paper?' 'Use the newspaper'
Look, Ms. Rose gave us a couch; she's the neighbor
Things was deep, my whole youth was sharper than cleats
Two brothers with muscular dystrophy, it killed me."
His girl-crazy stories might have lasted for 20 years, but so has Ghost's ability to tell a serious story about life in the city. His next notable heart-wrenching verse is on "Impossible," on disc two of 1997's Wu-Tang Forever, about watching his friend Jamie die in the street. Ironman also gave us the classic "Winter Warz" which, despite not being a single for the album, has been a fan favorite ever since. "Winter Warz" features strong verses by Masta Killa, U-God, Ghostface and Cappadonna.
Legacy: Ironman is the last album in what's considered the "first phase" or "round one" of the Wu-Tang saga. Aside from Wu-Tang group albums and RZA solo albums, Ironman is also the last solo record to be produced primarily by RZA, unless you count Ghostface's 2000 follow-up Supreme Clientele which features 11 RZA-produced tracks out of its 21 tracks (although some are skits). If one could consider this a send-off for RZA's five-year agenda for the Wu, it's a hell of a last hurrah. And unlike the mixed reviews for Method Man's, GZA's and Raekwon's sophomore releases, Ghost followed Ironman with Supreme Clientele in 2000, which some call his best album. It's hard to believe that Ghostface is the fifth Wu member to release a solo record; he has since become the most prolific member of the group, releasing 10 studio albums in less than 20 years.
Recommended Tracks: "Winter Warz," "Iron Maiden," "All That I Got Is You."
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