The Rundown: Wu-Tang Clan, A Better Tomorrow
A track-by-track look at the group's sixth release.
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The Rundown: Wu-Tang Clan, A Better Tomorrow - It's been 20 years since Wu-Tang burst on the scene and they picked right back up where they started with their sixth release A Better Tomorrow. Check out the track-by-track breakdown and see why they still ain't to be f'd with.— Michael Harris (@IceBlueVa) (Photo: Warner Bros Records)
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"Ruckus in B Minor" - The Killer Bees swarm all over this potent introduction as all The Clan, including the late O.D.B., drop jewels. RZA puts his stamp on the track as he rhymes, "GZA, this is called 'Ruckus in B Minor'/Rae, all those bad times is behind us/Ghost, put that mask on to remind us/Method Man, let 'em know who's New York's finest." Tical closes it out and won't let you forget that Wu-Tang Clan "is still number one" after 20 years in the game.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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"Felt" - Cappadonna, Masta Killah, Meth and Ghost handle the felt tip sharpie here as they paint images on the slowed down RZA production. Promising to keep delivering substance with the music and making sure it's felt, Cappa shines with bars like, "Every time we touch the mic, you know our lyrics is felt.../Yeah, we gets busy, teach the youth because we know how it felt/Give 'em knowledge of self, expressing in a way that it's felt."(Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)
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"40th Street Black / We Will Fight" - The mic doesn't stand a chance here as the Wu passes it like hot potato and lets you know that with a collective as tight as theirs, you'd better think twice before entering the danger zone. Meth rides this bounced up track like the pro that he is as he declares, "The Wu first up, the game is the world versus us/Y'all was good 'til the world heard us."(Photo: Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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"Mistaken Identity" feat. Streetlife - The Clan kicks game about the crooked judicial system and how brothers take that long vacation everyday over set-ups and corrupt cops. With Streetlife handling the hook about wanting to come home from a forced vacation, Inspectah Deck brings the point home as he spits, "They want me locked down, frying in jail/Before you hear that I decided to tell, I'd rather die in a cell/I was framed like a wedding flick, two-time felon/Still a predicate, doing time, tell 'em that's a negative/Prejudice judge, bails be a mil' in cash/Scoring money like the meter on the yellow cab."(Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
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"Hold the Heater" - The RZA brings his gritty raw production on this cannon-waving track as the rest of the squad lets you know that each one of them comes packed with extra clips. GZA gets busy with his mathematical flows on this one while Cappa explains what will make him flip. "How come the streets don't want me to live?/Plus my n****s keep telling me fibs/But the devil done poisoned my wiz/I'm doing this for my family and kids/I'm tryna be wealthy, take my time right and stay healthy."(Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
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"Crushed Egos" - Rae gets his classic Wu-Gambino mafioso rhyme book out the closest for "Crushed Egos" while RZA gets the drums and organs bumping for the sonic background. Paying homage to Dirty in the process, the Chef seasons his lyrical gumbo with darts like, "Status is gigantic, culture's alpaca/Meetings in the Vatican, drinking scotch with the Muscle Milk/Praises go to Ason, the dynasty Mr. Russell built...."(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
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"Keep Watch" feat. Nathaniel - Mathematics handles the boards and Nathaniel supplies the hook for this upbeat soulful hip hop savior's track. As the Clan flashes that Wu symbol to let you know that they're back on their watch for the culture. The Genius breaks down Wu's dichotomy with, "Each drop full of hip hop energy/Balanced on all sides such great symmetry/The bars unlocked the power of the stars/The mirror in the telescope pinpoint the Gods."(Photo: Scott Gries/ImageDirect)
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"Miracle" - 4th Disciple's production on "Miracle" brings the clan out of their dark-sounding element as he provides a soft rock backdrop for Rae, Ghost, INS and Masta Killa to kick their street scriptures showing the ups and downs of the game. Spitting about a young shorty caught up in the game, Deck's introspective rhymes include, "For Heaven's sake, you pray God open the gate/In this modern day Sodom, that's their only escape/10 year olds are cold, no, they don't hesitate/2 up a G pack, he chose the whole 8/Catch a 5 to 10 selling 5s and 10s/And the police informer was your childhood friend."(Photo: BK/MMR/ Reuters)
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"Preacher's Daughter" - RZA flips the old school track "Son of a Preacher Man" for his brothers to spill their hearts about falling and lusting for church girls. Meth, Masta Killa and Ghostface show their affection but Cappadonna keeps one eye open for the Scarlett as he raps, "She a seductress in the form of a goddess/Never virtuous or modest, poison the part is/Breakin' the vessel, turn brother against brother/Man, that's how she molest you."(Photo: Bob Berg/Getty Images)
Photo By Bob Berg/Getty Images
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"Pioneer the Frontier" - The Gods converge here and let you know why they are hip hop greats and continue to push the culture forward. U-God stands firmly on his square and professes that it's about to be Wu season all over again. "I got my hands in the pot, 500 grand in the yacht/I'm the dope man with plans to expand on every block/Wu-brand, legendary hands, hard as penitentiary rock/Now put that to your temple, the Wu symbols 'bout to drop."(Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BET)
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"Necklace" - Rae, Capp, Ghost and GZA let you know they'll die for their necklace over this grind it out production from 4th Disciple. Knowing the "wolves are lying and waiting," Cappa warns, "I keep my neck frozen, .45 loaded, please don't approach this/Rope is so ferocious, diamonds that shine in oceans/Keep you arm distance from my carats, silly rabbits/Make me get my barrel, spaz out and cause havoc."(Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)
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"Ron O'Neal" feat. Nathaniel - Wu Tang Clan delivers some intricate word play here with a few messages woven into some dope tales paying homage to Super Fly. Masta Killa's eerie chorus, "See ignorance wouldn't allow retreat/So you rather pursue death than admit defeat," opens up the door for RZA to recollect on his days of youth and escaping death on several occasions. Bobby Digital's coming-of-age bars include, "I used to be so narcissistic, park the whip and spark the biscuits/Spit hollow tipped shells at the Narcs with quickness/Live to tell the tale 'cause only God's my witness/Been a long time, change gonna come son, I'm optimistic."(Photo: Kevin Winter/ImageDirect.)
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"A Better Tomorrow" - Wu-Tang's title track jacks a page out of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes song book when the Clan takes a moment to point out society's ills and encouraging the masses to steer out of prison despite the obstacles in the way. Raekwon shines bright as he spits, "Wake up and realize the times that we living in/The world is getting more iller than ever/Thought we was chilling, striving change for the better/But it was a dream like Martin Luther/He had a vision that could move a mountain/Protect one another, that's world to my brother Malcolm."(Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images
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"Never Let Go" - Wu-Tang kicks more knowledge on this one and lets you know to never to forget all the lessons they've taught over the years and that they're passing the baton to the younger MCs to keep on the tradition of using music to inspire hope. The Genius instills this message as he spits, "Never let go of your mind, It’s a terrible thing to waste/To lose, but it’s very hard to find/Being that ignorance is lethal/We must touch hearts, tune souls, harmonize the people/Never let go of your plan, execute/So when you shoot, inspire everyone on the land."(Photo: Bill Auth/Landov)