U-God's Resume #47, Ghostface Killah, "Cherchez La Ghost"

--Official Stats--
Artist: Ghostface Killah feat. U-God
Song: "Cherchez La Ghost"
Producer: Carlos Bess
Album: Supreme Clientele 
Release Date: February 8, 2000

Tommy Mottola lives on the road...(WORD? Where at?)

he lost his lady two months ago (Let her go, let her go.) (For What?)

Maybe he'll find her, maybe he won't..oh, wonder of love

YO! Brothers try to pass me, but none could catch me...

Fuck it's hard coming into a review of a classic track from a timeless album. You had better already know this is Cherchez La Ghost from Ghostface Killah's "Supreme Clientele", one of the best tracks the Wu has ever dropped. Now, that is tough for me to say becasue I should hate this track. I'm not a fan of singing, or smooth shit, or short verses...and this song has all of those. But the beat hits so hard that it's impossible to not dig this track, plus Ghost and U-God absolutely kill the shit.


So I have the privilege of reviewing one of my favorite songs, by one of my favorite MC's, from one of my favorite albums and it has a video (since it was a single). Kill 'em.


That's my word...let's do this.


"Cherchez La Ghost"



So the video is pretty simple: Ghostface Killah, U-God, and a ton of ladies at a highrise party, or the morning after a big party. Ghost is wearing one of his favorite robes (red, white, and blue) and the place is a wreck. Ghost brushes his teeth and starts spitting in the bathroom, which wakes everyone up, of course people start dancing because how could you not?

Honestly, you could put a phone conversation between two elderly ladies on this beat and it would be the dopest. It's so simple, just a driving bassline and a break beat, but it is impossibly hard. The hook, which is Goldie singing, is not my usual cup of tea, but it makes the track even harder. Plus, we get two champions spitting standard Wu verses at the ladies with expert vocal production.

We'll start with Ghost. His verse is short. A quick boast, a discription of the scene, a mention of the shoes, and he's gone. Now you see me, now you don't. It's like a flash fire. But this is a good time to focus on the production. They layering of the voices over the opeining singing improves the whole track (especially U-God's 'let her go, let her go'). On Ghost's verse we get that again, there are a couple of "Wu"s thrown in, plus U get's some back and forth at the end "shake ya body, body".

So good.



Hey! More of our friends ae there!


Then the singing comes back, and it's nice. Then U-God comes in with one his best verses, which is odd for me to say since it's a sex rap (and I hate those). He's just rapping out in the hall, no big deal. You would be lucky to get into that hallway. The we have U, uh, rappin with his face pressed up against a lady. Why not? Then everyone is at the pool.So here is the verse...

One in the head, I'm fed, this is how we doin,
Put a Ruff Ryder on my dick, bust right through 'em
Come out your shirt, insert the party rhyme
Fine Dr. Bizerk, Bicardi Lime
We passin it, takes the shake your Calvin Klein
Before the floor gets moist, taste and follow mine
Swallow nine, model dimes from Bahamas
Slim doo-doo makers stuffed inside pajamas

Easy enough. The song ends with a boatload of singing over the best beat and it's so nice. I love the line "They'll take all your rhymes with a Colgate smile". PLUS:

"Always will be my friend, Ghostface Killah"

Genius. Humor and dopeness. And that's that. Good song, good video. What more do you want? Method Man! He was there:

Inspectah Deck? He was there too!

All our old friends!


Havoc?

 In Conclusion: Nothing on this track should have worked. I hate every element by itself, and if someone described this song to me I would mock it. However, and as I said, it's one of my favorites of all time. Not to mention that it comes right before Wu-Banga 101 on "Supreme Clientele", which is also incredibly dope. Good job to everyone. Ghostface definitely earned his spot as one of the best who ever did it. And U-God, get on more shit like this.Track Score: 10/10
U-God’s Score: 10/10
Impact on Rep (+,-,=): Improves


Next Week: Playtime is over. We have to start chipping away at the Wu-Tang elephant "The W", with the first sngle "Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)". You're going to love it?

About this series: U-God’s Resume is a series of posts which looks at each line of U-God’s entire career to determine if his status as ‘wack’ is justified (as labeled by internet morons). I think it is not. U-God is dope. We'll prove it. Leave it to the Tort Team.