10 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2017 (So Far)

Since the days of Wu-Tang Clan's prime, however, fans have been disappointed with the solo-projects that followed the debuts of most of the members, as some became generally frustrated with the attempts from the in-house producer RZA to make changes to the tried-and-true formula of making low-brow, rather branching into more intricate compositions that would alienate the simplistic-sound craving die-hard fans of the Wu.

It does not help that the release of their newest group effort was thwarted by difficulties following the RZA’s attempts at keeping the album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin exclusive to art-shows and demanding in a legal contract that the music may not be publicly released for 88 years. The strength of this album relies on the ability to hone the simplistic style where beats kick with authority and demand aggressive flows, however due to the familiarity of the sound, it comes off as slightly repetitive.

This is not to say that there is no progression, as Raekwon has evolved from rugged to a cleaner, more confident delivery that echoes his place in life in comparison to where he was in the early days of his career.

With features from Lil Wayne, CeeLo Green, and G-Eazy, it is a consistent album from start to finish that contains songs like “This is What It Comes Too” and “Marvin” that put a modern twist on the classic Wu-Tang sound, providing a staple for fans and proving that it is not too late for the Wu-Tang to come back with great music, and give one more final hurrah for their illustrious careers.