Grown Folks Business!

Remember the post that The Royalist put up a minute ago about indie rockers The Black Keys and thier hip hop fusion album that appeared to be helmed by Jigga's one time off-sider Dame Dash? Well here's a brand new track off that very album!
I can't tell you too much about The Black Keys, but i can tell you that we here at The Royal Rundown don't mind a bit of the Chef Raekwiz from time to time. So in saying that, i thought i'd take this opportunity to go on record and say i really enjoyed (and continue to do so) Raekwon's Only Built For Cuban Links 2.
The internet, in all it's blogging glory, had an almost field day upon the release of this album with the majority of bloggers and hip-hop nerds choosing to "pan" it outright on the strenth of a few youtube and myspace leaks. Anticipation was high, rumour had it that GZA would be replacing Tony Starks as Rae's co-protagonist and it's release would be handled by Dr. Dre and the Aftermath camp.
As with most Aftermath artists (see Joell Ortiz, King Tee, Busta Rhymes and Rakim amongst others) Rae left stifled but on good terms with his OB4CL2 album later seeing the light on his own independant Ice Water Inc. label.
It's never easy for a major artist to top thier career's pinnacle. Nas tried it with Stillmatic, Jay tried it twice with The Blueprints 2 and 3, Lil Wayne did the same as Jay releasing three The Carter's, while only Prodigy of Mobb Deep springs to mind as someone who crafted a sequel (HNIC2) that captured the essence of its predecessor.
OB4CL2 was cursed from the jump. The original Only Built For Cuban Links was released in late '95 and is considerd a master stroke of hip-hop by almost all that listen to it, ranking it amongst the top 20 hip-hop albums of all time. Such lofty heights can rarely be reached twice, especially when you call in the assistence of outsiders who weren't involved in the original. Imagine if Francis Ford Coppola hadn't directed The Godfather 2, instead someone like Brian DePalma or Martin Scorsese was left to man the sequel, it wouldn't be the same. Sure the latter two know how to make a great gangster flick but they wouldn't be able to capture and make use of Coppola's subtleties.
The same can be said for Cuban Links 2. How can a great sequel be crafted without its original team firmly in place. RZA being replaced by producers as diverse as Dr. Dre, Marley Marl, Necro and the Alchemist, while guests included The Lox, Busta and the usual Wu stand-ins you'd expect.
While the inconsistencies are obvious, they aren't to say its bad album. Quite to the contrary, it's a fucking great album!
Not enough complete albums are being made these days in favour of a singles driven itunes market, Raekwon has made a great almost cohesive album. Cuban Links 2 it ain't though. Had it been given an alternate title i don't think the internet and magazine reviews would've been as critical and in some cases scathing as it marked an absolute return to form of one hip-hop's most masterful and relevant MCs.
You can't make everyone happy though. Me? I love it! Fingers crossed on a vinyl release.

Its not Cuban Links but its that welcome return to form i've been talking about. Off (another) posthumous J-Dilla release from a month or two ago called "Jay Stay Paid". Its feelin like '96 all over again, The Chef Raekwon teaming up with Havoc of Mobb Deep. 24K Rap.


One of my favourite album tracks of this year!