Wu Tang Clan, The 8 Diagrams

Wutang continues to be in a league of their own. No other dynasty, well who else could you ever call a dynasty when compared to the WU. I dont think any supposed drama will break up the elite Eight. RIP ODB.

There will be mixed reviews for Wu Tang Clan, The 8 Diagrams , that is for certain. This is a dilemma faced by any group or solo artist with a longstanding legacy. Should they return to the sounds that put them at the mantle of the rap game in the 90s? in risk of sounding dated? or should they reinvent themselves in risk of further alienating there fan base? In this album they do more of the latter however there is enough grime here to keep a true fan enthralled. One thing which shines through above all else is the maturity of the record it sounds more socially conscious which I would say is due in the most part to the fact that RZA has taken up production roles in movies and has dabbled in 'world' music. a good example of this would be in the 'intro' to the album, yes as we are accustomed by now, it starts with a kung-fu clip. But this time rather then being the sounds of a brawl, it is a conversation between a master and apprentice about becoming a better man and well rounded individual. Having listened to this album repeatedly over the past few days it has really grown on me and in my humble opinion, this is there best album since Wu Tang Forever. It is a shame however that there may never be another Wu album due to in-fighting.

My picks: gun will go, sunlight, windmill, life changes.

J

Great album, but it will generate a lot of mixed feelings. Some will love it, while others will hate it. Give the record a few spins, let the tracks sink in before you make a judgment because everyone has said that this album took a few listens to grow on them. Do not listen to the negativity surrounding this album (i.e. bad reviews, rae & ghost) because everyone felt the same about Wu-Tang Forever when that came out in '97...and now it is regarded as a hip-hop classic. One day this album will be regarded in the same light. But with that said, take this record for what it is...the 90's are over ladies...and clearly RZA wants to be labeled as a musician not a hip-hop producer

Best Wu album since 36 chambers... Magic... How can hip hop be dead if Wu Tang is forever...? To be honest I'm a big Wu fan and I wasn't expecting much after a few too many disappointments but this LP is a 9.5/10... cop it!!!