| Product Summary | | Label: Sony/epic | | UPC: 00074646932520 | | Release Date: 2/8/2000 | | Buy.com Sku: 60384649 | | Item#: MHM5YJ | | Buy.com Sales Rank: 25050 | Format:  CD |
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| | Album Notes and Credits |
Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel includes: Ghostface Killah, Bobby "RZA" Digital, Mastah Killah, GZA, Cappadonna, Superb, Method Man, Redman, Raekwon, 60 Second Assassin, Inspectah Deck (vocals); Dennis Coffey, Carl Robinson (guitar); The Detroit Orchestra (strings); Rudy Robinson (keyboards); David Brandon (drums); The Dramatics (background vocals). | | Producers include: Mathematics, "Choo" The Specializt, Carlos Broady, RZA, Carlos Bess. | | Engineers include: Jose Reynoso, Tony Prendatt, Gabe Chiesa. | | Recorded at 36 Chambers Studio, The Hit Factory, Quad Recordings & Track Records, New York, New York; Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida. | | Most of the members of rap's Roman Empire, the Wu-Tang Clan, experienced sophomore slumps with their second solo releases, whether artistically or commercially (usually both). The second offerings from Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, GZA, and Raekwon featured some of the old Wu magic, but not enough to warrant a claim to their once total mastery of the rap game. Just as the Wu empire appeared to be crumbling, along came the second installment from the Clan's spitfire element, Ghostface Killah (aka Tony Starks, aka Ironman). Every bit as good as his first release, Supreme Clientele proves Ghost's worthiness of the Ironman moniker by deftly overcoming trendiness to produce an authentic sound in hip-hop's age of bland parity. Some of the Wu's slump could be contributed to Wu-Abbott's (aka RZA) relative sabbatical. This album has RZA's stamp all over it, but the guru himself only provides three tracks. On this effort, the Wu-Pupil producers at times seem to outdo their teacher. RZA's best composition is the piano-driven, double-entendre-laced childhood retrospective "Child's Play." But of the many standout cuts, it's the slew of disciple producers paying homage to the Wu legacy that truly makes this album fresh-sounding: "Apollo Kids" (Hassan), "Malcolm" (Choo the Specialist), "Saturday Nite" (Carlos "Six July" Broady), "One" (JuJu of the Beatnuts), "Cherchez la Ghost" (Carlos Bess), "Wu Banga 101" (Allah Mathematics). While the album is complete and characteristically Wu-sounding, each track is distinctive lyrically, thematically, and sonically. Ghostface's Supreme Clientele is a step toward the Wu-Tang Clan's ascent from the ashes of their fallen kingdom. The once slumbering Wu-Tang strikes again. ~ M.F. DiBella | | Since the release of the Wu-Tang debut, ENTER THE 36 CHAMBERS, Wu-lovers have been treated to a series of solo efforts from individual Clan member. Though all have been strong efforts, only a select handful have proven worthy of standing anywhere near that classic group debut. | | SUPREME CLIENTELE, the sophomore album from the Wally-wearing Ghostface Killah, is one of those rare Wu solo efforts to fall into the latter class. With the RZA as the overseer, this album is a triumphant reminder of the influence that the Staten Island-based crew has had on the rap game. Ghost drops jewels of criminology and street ethics over basement-flavored production. And with its various Wu-appearances, SUPREME CLIENTELE is also a glimpse of what the Wu promises to bring in the 21st century. |
Musical Guests | | RZA | | 60 Second Assassin | | Cappadonna | | Inspectah Deck | | Superb | | Raekwon | | Redman | | Masta Killa | | Method Man | | GZA |
| | Artist Overview | | With more successful releases under his belt--including IRONMAN and the SUPREME CLIENTELE--than any other member of the venerable Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah is arguably the Wu's biggest star. While other members of the rap collective have broadened their artistic palettes over the years to include film and TV work, Ghostface has remained dedicated to releasing stellar records marked by expansive soul-based samples and a dizzyingly complex ghetto-slang vocabulary. In 2006, he collaborated with underground star MF Doom for FISHSCALES. |
| | Compilation Appearances |
| | Technical Info | | Release Date : 02/08/2000 | | Original Release Date : 2000 | | Catalog ID : 69325 | | Label : Razor Sharp Records | | Number of Discs : 1 | | Runtime : 64m : 12s | | Studio/Live : Studio | | Mono/Stereo : Stereo | | SPAR Code : n/a | | UPC : 00074646932520 |
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| | Professional Reviews | | Rolling Stone (1/4/01, p.108)
- Included in Rolling Stone's "Top 50 Albums of 2000".Rolling Stone (3/16/00, p.74)
- 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...will strengthen the most evangelical of Wu-fans' faith....The album goes a long way toward reuniting the otherwise disparate Clan itself....Still, Ghostface keeps a firm grip on the mike..." Spin (1/01, p.73)
- Ranked #11 in Spin's "Top 20 Albums of the Year [2000]" - "...Results: fun as bursts of adrenaline, a restored Wu-Tang Clan, and a reawakened RZA." Q (5/00, p.107)
- 4 stars out of 5 - "...Magnificent throughout....Rare is the contemporary hip hop album that has so few dull moments." Alternative Press (5/00, p.85)
- 5 out of 5 - "...Amazing....From the opening minutes of this all-uptempo, all-sorta-dissonant wild ride, it shows and proves....a minutely detailed, if largely abstract, document of a unique black artist's emotional life..." The Wire (1/01, p.34)
- Included in Wire's "50 Records Of The Year". The Wire (4/00, p.68)
- "...[He] sproings out of the slammer, declares 'Rap is like ziti' and the day is savory. Smack 'em yak 'em!....Ghost verbally dyes and bleeds...with at least 9 producers, Ghost is everywhere..." CMJ (2/21/00, p.5)
- "...marks a renewed sense of unification and strength within the Wu World Order....a solid reminder as to why Ghostface's voice is the first one you hear on the Clan's inimitable debut." Vibe (6/02, p.109)
- Ranked #10 in Vibe's "Top 10 rap albums" - "...Ghost cobbles juicy, tabloid-worthy tales from free-associated verses, spiked with occasional sobs - B-boy becomes B-man..." Vibe (4/00, p.176)
- "...exemplifies Ghost's lyrical dexterity. While his thunderous light-speed delivery hasn't changed much, his jagged wordplay is at its zenith....this banger's luscious linguistics and potent production support its claim of supremecy....pure delight..." The Source (3/00, pp.239-40)
- 4.5 mics out of 5 - "...an A record in Wu fashion....arguably as entertaining as his debut, IRONMAN....With appearances by just about every important Wu figure...[the album] is a Wu album in the Wu-est sense....a big glob of mud, smackin' hip-hop dead in the face..." Melody Maker (2/15/00, p.47)
- 4 stars out of 5 - "...while the hallmarks of the Wu sound are all in place on super-claustro tunes like 'Apollo Man'...the album has a more laid-back and funky feel....SUPREME CLIENTELE drops bombs like a crazy-ass Lancaster." NME (Magazine)
(12/30/00, p.79)
- Ranked #36 in NME's "Top 50 Albums Of The Year". NME (Magazine)
(2/19/00, p.32)
- 7 out of 10 - "...his ability to paint a dense, cinematic picture with his raps: tales as involved and complicated as a Tarantino storyboard...marks [him] as one of the elite Wu....considerably better than the solo follow-ups of other Wu members..." |
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