I remember people saying, back when the recession started, one good thing that could maybe come out of it was it could save music from its dismal state. Not the music industry, which was already pretty much doomed whatever happened, but music itself. Because of the commonly held belief that bad times make for good music. I guess because of the famously fertile early '70s? That is probably my favorite musical era. But maybe that's because that's when I was born. Do people have a built-in preference for the music that was made around the time they were? Do the first sounds we hear, even before we're fully conscious of it, become the ones our tastes gravitate to? Pandora should do a study. Anyway, I was skeptical. And I guess I still am. It's always hard to see the relative quality (if it's even valid to assert such a thing) of current art without the benefit of a couple years' hindsight. But I'd offer the resurgence of the Wu-Tang Clan as evidence that something good did happen during the recession. It has taken me by surprise in a way that makes me very happy. Above, "Criminology 2.5," the first track from the Wu-Masacre album, coming March 30th from Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon the Chef. It's a remake of a 1995 song, but the guys sound as strong and as sharp as ever. They've maybe mellowed a bit with age, but not in a bad way. Here's the track list and production credits for the new album:
1. Criminology 2.5 (feat. Raekwon, Ghostface Killah & Method Man)
2. Mef vs. Chef (feat. Rhythm Roots Allstars) (prod. by Allah Mathematics)
3. Ya Moms skit (feat. Method Man & Raekwon)
4. Smooth Sailing Remix (feat. Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Solomon Childs & Streetlife) (prod. by Ty Fyffe)
5. Our Dreams (feat. Raekwon, Ghostface Killah & Method Man) (prod. by RZA)
6. Gunshowers (feat. Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck & Sun God) (prod. by Digem Tracks Productions)
7. Dangerous (feat. Rhythm Roots Allstars) (prod. by Allah Mathematics)
8. Pimpin' Chipp (feat. Rhythm Roots Allstars) (prod. by E Meal)
9. How To Pay Rent skit (feat. Tracy Morgan)
10. Miranda (feat. Raekwon, Ghostface Killah & Method Man) (prod. by Allah Mathematics)
11. Youngstown Heist (feat. Trife, Sheek & Bully) (prod. by Scram Jones)
12. It's That Wu Shit (feat. Ghostface Killah & Method Man) (prod. by Scram Jones)
Here's the video for the original "Criminology Rap," from Rae's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., which probably gets my vote for greatest rap album of all-time.
I wouldn't say people have a preference for music made when they were born - why would they? they wouldn't have any memory of it - but certainly for music that was made when they were teenagers. In my case this was the late 70s which is lucky for me!
That would make more sense, wouldn't it? But while I was a teenager in the '80s, and certainly love much of the music made at that time, I've never thought it was the best time for music. I always had that feeling, and this is as cliched as anything else, of, "Man, all the best music was made before I was around to enjoy to enjoy it. Like, if only I could have seen the Stones and Zeppelin and The Who in their prime..." And Sabbath, and the Stooges, and Skynard, and Sly and the Family Stone, and Stevie Wonder, and Al Green, and...
I, too, was born in the 70s and think it's the best musical decade. Maybe these anecdotes suggest that objectively the 70s killed all other decades? I mean, I'll add Bowie to this list. Fame on Soul Train in 1975 - kind of meh performance, but the fact that it happened speaks volumes.
And I fully support any Tracy Jordan / Wu Tang collaborations.
I'd respectfully have to disagree that the early 70s were better than the end of the decade (with gave us punk, post-punk, hip-hop, electronic music etc. etc.) and even the 80s. It was an incredibly fertile time for music. I'm certainly very happy that I saw The Jam and The Clash in their prime (and Stevie Wonder in the early 80s) and don't think I missed anything. I actually think you feeling that way is rather sad.
Teenagers these days, however, must feel like they've really been shafted.
A little sad. But only a little. Like I said, I love plenty of the music made in the 80s, too. There's always great music being made. We'll always catch some greats in their prime. Likewise, we will always miss some others. That's nice that you don't have that feeling of missing out, though.
Oh sure, I would have loved to have seen James Brown at the Apollo, The Velvets at Max's, Sinatra at The Sands etc. but the only regrets I might have involve passing up early chances to see Joy Division and The Specials.
I do have a softer-than-warranted spot for music made when I was a teenager; the mid-nineties weren't great, really, but it's what I grew up with. That said, I'm bigger on, say, the early 00s, and the late 60s than stuff from the early 80s (when I was born). I think that it may just be that the 80s was a bit unfortunate.
The teenagers I know are raiding our era.
Here's to hoping Scarface as a hip-hop prop goes the way of the Raider hat.
But think about the context here: These guys were 13, 14, 15-ish when Scarface came out. Fast-foward ten years, and they're, ahem, "laying down beats." Even after a decade, that movie resonated.
According to the Way of the Samurai, you never correct the closing rapper's sibilance.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx was released in August 1995, not 1997. I believe Criminology came out some time before the album.
Whoops. Right. Fixed. Thanks.
No problem. Great post. I agree with your idea that the first sounds someone hears the sounds that that person gravitates too. Another thing about Criminology: few Wu joints get a crowd jumping at a Wu show quite like it does. While many Wu bangers do have that effect, Criminology, in my experience, seems to have it the most...with the possible exception of Shimmy Shimmy Ya when ODB (RIP) was alive.
*is the sound that that person gravitates to. sorry.
Only Built... never clicked for me, maybe 'cause the whole Wu-Gambino thing just never clicked either. But both the original "Criminology" and the new one sound good. Count me in as excited for March 30!
(How is 8 Diagrams? I thought Iron Flag was pretty great, but maybe too reliant on Meth for the choruses? I guess I could just go Lala it. Oh, Internet-how you simultaneously abet and obsolesce discourse.)
That is: The original "Criminology" has always sounded good, and the new one does too.
I know lots of people really like 8 Diagrams, think of that as the resurgence. I never got into it that much, though. It seemed slight compared to the Ghost solo stuff coming out around then. But maybe I should go back and give it more time.
There are some great GREAT songs on 8 Diagrams, but the album as a whole is kind of weighed down by the not-great moments. The 3/4 of it that works, though, is a dark and smoky mood.
That is one of my favorite moods. And of course, after the smoke is done, Wu-Tang you'll find is number one.
I am so super-fuckin-psyched for this record. The "Criminology" re-up is aces, but all I know is that if there was a "Can It Be... Part 3" on there I'd be the happiest idiot in America.