TruSkool

Ear to the Ground: OB4CL II

Raekwon featuring Method Man and Ghostface Killah - “Wu-Ooh”

from the forthcoming LP Only Built for Cuban Linx II

Posted by Language Art

I’m not sure about the rest of the country, but southern California hip hop radio in the early-mid 90’s sounded like Deathrow Records compilations. Before the internet allowed one to cop the latest album leaks from artists all over the world (that is… before the release date), music from the east coast took a minute to get to my ears. A middle-schooler raised by the streets of Lakewood, a suburb bordering Cerritos and Long Beach, my homies and I spent hot summers cooling off at the local Sav-On and reading The Source. While they were peeping the Tupac cover story, I was trying to get the latest info on what was hot in NY’s hip hop scene.

Enter the 36 Chambers: Now I admit I was late as hell on this album. My first encounters with the Wu-Tang Clan consisted of the infamous hip hop verses which finished off the remixes of SWV’s Anything and Mariah Carey’s Fantasy. However, those verses being no more than a few bars, I didn’t pay much attention. Then Mary J. and Method Man dropped a Grammy winning track. The infectious hook borrowed from the Supremes wedged between verses filled with Method Man’s charismatic flow was All I Needed to become an instant fan. I immediately started researching all things Wu.

We all know the story behind the Wu and solo releases (form like Voltron, Gza’s the head), but when Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx dropped, heads weren’t ready. “Ice Cream” was on BET’s rotation and although Gza and Meth’s solo releases were received fairly well, OB4CLdisplayed the Wu’s mastery at “Verbal Intercourse”.

Fast forward past 15 years and two albums, OB4CL II has been done since 2007, but label (Aftermath Records) issues have left us still waiting. According to Raekwon, this album is 200% done and will release by this summer, major label distribution or not. With Wu’s record for independent distribution, I’d take his word for it. The video above is the first single from OB4CL II titled “Wu-Ooh”. I don’t know about you, but this track sounds like Raekwon picked up exactly where OB4CL left off. If you’re a fan of the Wu, this is definitely something to look forward to.

Download: Raekwon feat Method Man and Ghostface Killah - “Wu-Ooh”