Ironman: Tremendously Obnoxious, No Blotches
GFK, Ironman, 1996 Photo of album cover by Nick M.W.
By Nick M. W.
The Silver Anniversary of a Wu-Tang classic.
1993 kicked off an epic run by the Wu-Tang Clan. Their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, was a breath of piss-soaked staircase air straight from the slums of Shaolin. Nine generals came together like Voltron and took the heads of their foes in the rap game. They warned their rivals, “The Wu is too slammin’ for these Cold Killin’ labels.”
Wu-Tang, collectively, would dominate the rest of the ’90s. Half the group would drop at least one all-time classic hip-hop album by the end of the century. There was a four-year stretch, though, between the group’s 1993 debut until the release of their sophomore album, Wu-Tang Forever, in 1997, where RZA had the King Midas touch. Everything he produced for his fellow Wu generals during that time was pure gold. Check the rap sheet:
1993 — Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (group debut)
1994 — Tical (Method Man’s solo debut)
1995 — Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (ODB’s solo debut), Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (Raekwon’s solo debut), Liquid Swords (GZA’s solo debut)
1996 — Ironman (Ghostface Killah’s solo debut)
1997 — Wu-Tang Forever (group follow-up)
This work represents a perfect confluence in the Wu-Tang Clan of creativity and talent that came at a time when the group and each of its members were still building their legend. Had it not been for a series of unfortunate plumbing issues that destroyed hundreds of RZA’s beats (and one completed Inspectah Deck album), there would have been more phenomenal Wu-Tang music available in that era. That was not the case, though, and while the Wu still put out classic albums post Forever, ’93 – ’97 were years the Wu-Tang owned.
Coming off the three-peat of bangers in 1995, the Wu were riding high. ’96 would be Ghost’s turn. Although he was featured heavily on Raekwon’s debut, the Wu’s best rhyme twister and slang thrower had yet to take the lead on his own joint. Ironman proved to be the perfect, unofficial sequel to Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, as well as a vital expansion of the Wu brand, from street disciples and rugged Shaolin warriors to drug kingpins moving major weight, creating generational wealth. Their personas on record had finally hit the big time, thematically, just as the real-life artists were cashing in on their growing popularity.
Photo of a CD by Nick M. W.
I mean no disrespect when I refer to Ironman as a sequel to Only Built..., and I know that Raekwon actually made an official sequel to the Purple Tape. However, both albums prominently feature Ghost and Rae, the Billy and Jimmy Lee of hip-hop, going blow for blow in each verse and giving opposition nothing but the hands on every track. Ironman continued that back and forth between Ghost and Rae, adding a bit more Cappadonna to the mix, whose verse on “Winter Warz” is one of the best on the album.
Ironman supplied Wu-Tang fans with organized crime raps told over soulful samples that RZA infused with his foreboding keyboard tones. Ghost strings together some outrageous stories on “Wildflower” and “260”, and he delivers a heartfelt reflection on his life growing up in the Stapleton Housing projects in “All That I Got Is You”. Ironman has guns, drugs, sex, and Five Percenter’s knowledge, as told by one of the greatest bards in the game and his buddies.
Twenty-five years later, Ironman still slaps. It is a snapshot of Staten Island as seen from the eyes of Ghostface Killah, and with a soundtrack composed by the Abbot, it becomes the best Blaxploitation hip-hop album to ever be recorded and rest in the upper echelon of Wu-Tang releases.
Standout Tracks
“Iron Maiden”, “The Faster Blade”, “Poisonous Darts”, “Winter Warz”, “Dayton 500” ... all bangers. All could be standout tracks on someone else’s list, and I wouldn’t argue against them. I love those tracks, and I love “Wildflower” and “Box In Hand” and “Fish”, but I love these three tracks a little more.
“260” (feat. Raekwon)
Ghost and Rae are sparring on this track, going back and forth over the Al Green sample in what might be the best duet about robbing a drug dealer.
“Black Jesus” (feat. Raekwon and U-God)
Ghostface flexes with the power of the gods, tosses wild threats while he grabs his dick, holds a Heini, and rock’s that fisherman’s cap, like Gordon’s, in a HOF tangential verse.
“All That I Got Is You” (feat. Mary J. Blige)
Ghost doesn’t show his vulnerable side often, but he opens up here and shares what life was like growing up in the Stapleton projects. Heartfelt rhymes about his family and Mary J lending her voice to the the song raise this track above the heavens.
