Lex Diamonds (aka Raekwon) and his sidekick Tony Starks (Ghostface Killah) present rhymes telling stories of drug trafficking, street life and even a stealthy diss directed toward The Notorious B.I.G. While the production is the obvious exponent of the cinematic quality I've been rambling about, it wouldn't really work without a talented group of MCs to tell the tales, and Raekwon and Co. It sees RZA moving away from the gritty style of earlier Wu-Tang projects, and embracing a cinematic lustre which relies heavily on strings and classic soul samples. is a long, theatrical and over-the-top epic. Where previous Wu-Tang albums like Method Man's Tical and Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) were short, raw and relatively focused affairs, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. Not unlike the rest of Wu-Tang's early material, the production here is credited solely to the RZA. It's an exclusive club, sitting alongside albums such as Liquid Swords and Ironman, which are not just excellent spinoffs from the Clan but are Hip-Hop classics in their own right. Raekwon's debut solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx., was part of the first round of Wu-Tang solo efforts that appeared in the three years following Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Review Summary: Raekwon gives us a sprawling Hip-Hop epic, which lines up besides Liquid Swords and Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) as a pinnacle of the Wu-Tang's career.
