U-God's Resume #22: "Diesel"

--Official Stats--
Artist: Wu-Tang Clan
Song: "Diesel"
Album: Soul In The Hole: Original Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture
Release Date: July 29, 1997

I know what you're thinking besides "what's the point of this" and "why ru wasting you life with this"...you're thinking "you're taking this too seriously." You know what? We're not taking this seriously at all. If we were, this whole blog would be about how hip hop was hit or miss even in its glory days and now it's an absolute disaster. I'll be serious, if you happen to catch a rap song on the radio today it's going to be awful unless you're tuned into some weird college station or some satellite trash, and even then you can bet your ass that besides yourself, the only other person listening is the disc jockey. Nobody listens to good music.


"But what about the internet?" you say, "you're always talking about all the good hip hop you find there." Yeah that's true, but do you know how many people are listening to it? None. Zero. If I put up a post about the dopest hip hop song out right now it will get zero hits. If I just put up a picture of Rick Ross it'll get a thousand hits a day. High interest. That's the truth. People would rather look at a fucking picture of Rick Ross than to even be introduced to one track that's actually decent. That's you. You do that. Yeah there is a ton of good hip hop coming out all the time but you'll never hear it because you're too busy looking for fucking pictures of the Ying Yang Twin's gross tattoos. YOU'RE THE WORST.


So what does that have to do with the song Diesel by the Wu-Tang Clan? I DON'T KNOW, WHY DON'T YOU ASK YOUR FRIEND AKON? That's what you care about. ALL OF YOU. You know what? Just leave the blog. Do it. I don't want to review this for you. I'll even make it super easy for you:

CLICK HERE FOR SOMETHING YOU'LL LOVE AND DON'T COME BACK 

Well I hope my anger doesn't spill over into this review (spoiler alert: it will). So this song is from the pandering money-grab soundtrack to the movie "Soul in the Hole". The cover points out that some of the songs were just "inspired" by the movie. I'm sure that the Cocoa Brovaz went out and saw "Soul in the Hole" and were so inspired that they rushed home to make "Won on  Won" (which was a good song actually). I bet their inspiration had something to do with dinero. Fuck whoever put this soundtrack together. Cross marketing. I can just hear some rich fat-cat executive saying "Hey! That Soul to the Hole movie is gonna flop since it's a piece of junk so let's get a bunch of rappers on the soundtrack, those heathen consumer morons will buy the CD to hear their favorite rapper then they'll see the movie. They're dumb! People who like basketball like rap as well. We'll all be richer!"


All that aside, I did buy this soundtrack AND I seem to remember liking it. I had a giant CD case and for some reason this CD was in the front and I got a good look at the Basketball themed CD all the time (even though I didn't listen to it that much). I also remember this song as being good (probably thanks to its inclusion on some Killa Bee's album or Wu greatest hits album or mixtape or whatever). WHO CARES. Let's hear the track...


"Diesel"



There is nothing better than starting a song with ODB talking nonsense, actually it's not nonsense. It's ODB literally asking for help: "They already did 2Pac in...Biggie Smalls..someone help me. Someone help me please!" That's heavy. ODB's verse is understated but perfect. Rae is next and the odd sound leaves on the vocals are what makes this track work so well. Sure the beat is okay (not great) and the lyrics are banging throughout, but the sound levels kind of level the playing field for the featured MCs and put the focus on the lyrics themselves rather than the personalities involved. It's almost like the RZA is trying to pull people into a trance. It's great. Anyway, after Rae, ODB gets raw again for a few lines, then Meth comes in (grimy Tical Meth, not polished Meth). ODB is back just to usher in the RZA and holy shit, can it get any better than that? Meth to ODB to RZA over a raw beat. No.


So then U-God comes in with this:

Thirty-six anger, dirty language is the stranger
The mangler, the honor roll singer righteous finger
When we shine-a, we always find a never minor major
Hard to spot we dangerous with our behavior
Then it's back to the RZA for a few lines, then back to U for this:

I aim slang I maintain, through the main vein
The answer came clever, when we do greatness through trial and error
Mile of terror motormouth, let the odor out
Fumin greater, the temper in my spine huminator
The super grass childish blast sleepy eye stash
The hashish masterpiece, Osirus is the virus
This split second splash, severe drop is near pop
There's fallin teardrops, now is it worth your career?

You know what, I think this was an ODB song, maybe for a future (and unmade) ODB album. Let's look at the evidence: (1) ODB is heavily featured (2) Raekwon, Method Man and U-God each mention him specifically (3) it sounds like an album track (not a soundtrack song). That's it. I rest my case.

So I feel like I've had nothing but good things to say about this song specifically. The truth is that it's not that good. I mean it's solid but I think it's missing some ingredient. Energy maybe. I don't know, it's nothing that I want to repeat anytime soon. Despite ODB really knocking it out of the park. As for Baby U, I think he (once again) did the worst of all involved. You can take that to the bank. Word 'em up.

Track Score: 6/10

U-God’s Score: 3/10

Impact on Rep (+,-,=): None

Next Week: U-God helps Cappadonna out with his debut album on the track  "Supa Ninjaz"

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.

U-God's Resume 5 Year Plan Review

The Results of the Plan

So today we'll do a long, in-depth retrospective on U-God and how he emerged from the RZA's five year plan. No big deal. And also: so booooorrrrring. So grab a seat, or better yet find a link outta here.

Let's go.

On one hand I would say U-God came out of the five year plan just great! In just a few years everyone in America learned the name U-God. A lot of people could even recognize his voice on songs that played on the radio and on BET. He was in music videos and living the high life, I’m sure. I would even speculate that he had established a legitimate fanbase! Plus, all the money and celeb connections and travel and doing what he loves and getting money for it…we would be so lucky to live like that. U-God was on top of the world! Good on him.

On the other hand I would say that his fame might have had nothing to do with his own abilities, but his connection to a very popular super group with a bunch of people in it. So the coattails argument may have come up in his head, whatever that is. The Clan had several breakout stars who sold millions of solo records – and he wasn’t one of them. Everyone knew and loved Method Man, ODB was becoming America’s sweetheart, GZA, Ghost and Rae were being listed with the great MCs, and RZA was being praised for his vision and production. U-God was one of the odd men out. Shit, the only ones left without a solo at this point were the RZA, Deck, Masta Killa, and U-God. But RZA was known for his production and Deck had established himself as a force behind the mic. So it was really only U and Masta Killa at this point. In fact U had that Black Shampoo track working against him, so things were also kind of a mess for him. So...that's got to be a lot of stress for Baby U (I hate that name BTW).

It’s impossible to discuss the Wu without comparing the MCs. In the old days, people would sit around and list their favorite members of the Clan, discuss their best lines, and then talk some shit about the rest. U-God always got bad word of mouth in my circles. Why? His style is on par with Rae and Ghost, right? His flow is rugged and on point, and he’s mad creative (who else rhymes  like that consistently?). I think the answer has something to do with the randomness of his spitting. Rae and Ghost also do stream-of-consciousness rapping, and they get pretty random, but they both also kill back-and-fourths, and rap the shit out of a story rap. U-God always stuck to the stream-of-consciousness flow and never really changed up or tested other styles (maybe except for Black Shampoo), plus he got mad random a lot...sometimes it sounds like he’s just listing words. In fact, that’s what he sounds like a lot of times, and nobody likes that. It’s nonsensical and impossible to relate to.

I wonder how U-God would have done if he had been a solo artist instead of a member of a collective. Would he have sold units? I doubt it. I would argue that early on the Wu was the Method Man show featuring the rest. Ghost and GZA held their own as well but I don't know if the rest of the Clan had the charisma to get signed. Let's be honest, ODB probably wouldn't have had a chance (due to his weirdness) and the rest of the clansmen are pretty odd (if you've never heard of the Wu). I've noticed that promotion from early Wu appearances was dominated by Meth and Ghost, sure the other guys were around but everyone knew who to put the mic in front of during freestyle time. In fact, it's tough to even find early promotion featuring U-God, I don't know what he was doing, but it wasn't promotion. And that's the thing, U was playing a supporting role even in promotion, in his first five years he established himself as a relief from the headliners within the Clan. Everyone pays to see Meth and Ghost, and U-God spits some dope lines between them and (1) breaks things up (2) is quick about it (the four-bar killer) and (3) makes the headliners look better.

So what’s the point? The Tort Team started this series to prove that U-God’s lousy reputation was unearned, and now it looks like we’re agreeing with it. We’re not. Dumping on U-God is like saying that Flava Flav is the worst member of Public Enemy. Of course that’s true, but Chuck D is a headliner and Flava plays his part to make the group better. Chuck D as a solo act would have been incredibly dope, but Chuck D with support from Flava Flav changed music history. Similarly, the Wu-Tang Clan would have been dope with or without any specific member, but the fact that they all form together as one makes the overall unit better. When U-God comes in to spit, he usually improves the project, and in some cases he dominates. We’ve seen that many times in his first five years of songs, and we'll see it again. The Wu is stronger with U.

As we continue this series we’ll take a look at U-God’s solo albums, and we'll also see the entire Clan slide from the premier name in hip hop, to veterans trying to hold their spot in the face of Kanye, Eminem, and 50 Cent. The end of the five year plan also marks the end of the Clan’s glory days. Sure there are lots and lots of good things to come, but it’s a long, long, long slide from the top to where we find ourselves right now. Today the Clan has low sales, infighting, and solo albums that get almost no attention. In 1998 I would buy anything even loosely associated with the Clan, today I even skip some major releases. There has just been too much Black Shampoo and not enough Bells of War. Things are very different indeed.

Series Score 0/10

 

Yo! Wu, What's Ya Freestyle

Can I curse son?




"You is nothing...I bet you thought your Clan had your back, but they was frontin'"

Freestyle Score 9/10

We Got Something New: Method Man "World Gone Sour (The Lost Kids)"

Apparently I am way, WAY, WAAAAAY out of the loop on everything. Especially the things that I hold dear. What do I mean? What am I talking about you ask? How about this:



That's my ex-favorite MC Method Man doing something that I don't like at all. Actually it's Method Man doing the thing he does best: rapping. But here is a question: is this a commercial? Here is another question: is this the same guy who dropped "Bring the Pain"? That song was the best ever. What is this? Eat 'em up? Candy? Here's the answer: this is selling out big time.

I mean I like some of the lines here, but is this a commercial? Let's check the end:

BINGO! That's a commercial. Really, Method Man? You made a commercial for Sour Patch Kids Candy? Do you need money that bad? HOLY SHIT! I mean you've always done questionable stuff (sitcoms, movies, prequel albums, Limp Bizkit spots, etc.), but you also do a lot of good stuff (Tical, The Wire), and then you go and do this. You ruined a lot of people's day.

Also, I'm not one for censorship, I'll print anything on this blog, but Mr. Meth has a line in this song about a "BLEEEP Pump" being next to your shower and, dude, this is a commercial for candy. Candy that no adults like becasue it's gross and just dyed chemicals and sugar. Kids don't want to hear about "BLEEP Pumps" especially when they are just kids and just like kids stuff, like candy, they don't care about Bleep Pumps (pelvis thrust). Gross.


Now They're on Facebook, deleting all your friends fans

Let me just pull a few lines from the end of this song. Here, Method Man is describing the mischief that uneaten Sour Patch Kids cause:

Wipe the music off your MP3

Burn a rug

Pull the Plug on your MTV

This is thug vision in 3D

and these kids ain't worried

they play dirty like they're O. D. B.

I strongly oppose this ODB reference. Let's just go on with the lyrics:

These kids are rude 'til the day that they're chewed down

That's bad news, now they're in a bad mood, damn

First they're sour then they're sweet little dudes

and they will fight the power 'til they're food

Method Man gets a lot of leeway on the ODB references, but to get paid some amount of money to sell candy and then to compare that candy to the late great MC ODB is despicable. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU METHOD MAN? This is very wrong. Hey, Method Man, weren't you the guy who had a problem selling Wu-Wear? But this is cool?

Oh, and one other thing to the advertising execs who threw this together. I don't like Sour Patch Kids candy. Now that I've seen this video, I like them a lot less and I like Method Man a lot less. So, two strikes. Now, if I were on the fence about buying a bag of Sour Patch Kids, I doubt that this video would sway me either way. So, nice ineffective job, advertising executives, strike three. But what do I know, this commercial is clearly aimed at second graders.

In conclusion: DAMMIT. I need to rethink my life, this blog, my musical tastes, my views on Method Man. 

Method Man Score 0/10

Literally bringing the pain, and eating something that reminds him ODB (and also gives him $$$).

Track Checker: RZA "Wu-Wear"

Artist: RZA featuring Method Man and Cappadonna

Song: Wu-Wear (The Garment Renaissance)

Release Date: September 10, 1996

Album: High School High Soundtrack

If there is one thing that I like to do it's stay cool. I don't mean low temperatures in the hot summer either, I mean fresh threads ya knucklehead. So when I want to be at my coolest I look to rap artists and especially bootleggers for guidance and deals. BOOTLEG CLOTHES! Actually, I don't like to wear bootleg clothes...those lousy bootleggers, they take everyone's ideas and just make them cheap and sell them to make money. I'm talking cheap like the collar falls off the first time mall security grabs at you during an escape. You know: CHEEEAAP. So back to bootleggers, or more specifically, the bootleggers who took the iconic Wu-Tang "W" logo and made a t-shirt iron-on or something and then sold it for big bucks while the actual Wu-Tang Clan got nothing. Those guys. Obviously all the Wu fans wanted Wu-Branded merchandise, so the Wu decided to actually sell it themselves and beat those bootleggers, so they made their own clothes (and shoes and hats and everything else). They also made a commercial disguised as a song and threw it on the "High School High Soundtrack" and also released a single. I bought both. I paid to hear two commercials.

So how about a little Wu-Wear history, fella? "No Thanks" - you. Well it's kind of important to this post. The Wu-Tang Clan was a ridiculously stong brand (which was nothing new, so was Death Row and Bad Boy at the time) and the move to sell clothing really strengthened the connection between the artist and other ways to make money besides music. This song was the official starting point, after this a lot of the big rap artists started affiliating themselves with clothing (but maybe not as directly).

But the Wu didn't settle for just selling clothing at Macy's (which they did), they also had their own stores that only sold Wu-Wear. Exclusive! Being an idiot, and a true fan (and living near the store) I visited the Wu Wear store in Philadelphia. You had to ring a buzzer to get in. The store was about the size of a 7-11, and it was really nice inside, like somewhere you would buy a business suit. They had hardwood floors, dramatic lighting, expensive looking paint schemes and moldings. They had a wide variety of merchandise: jeans, hoodies, key chains, t-shirts, jackets, gloves, shoes, and much more. I also remember seeing the price on a pair of jeans and immediately planning my escape, that shit was expeeennnsssive ($$$$)! I was (and am) low on the CREAM, son!



Raw No-Shows



Before I start reviewing the actual song, I have a clip of RZA talking about Wu Wear, he describes how it lets the public dress like the Wu (no duh), and that it "...is just as good as Polo, Tommy Hilfinger...a real strong competitor inside the garment district." Okay, what is the "Garment Dustrict"? He goes on to say that Wu Wear was put out to help express the rawness of the streets, to help tell the story of the struggle that the members of the Wu experienced...the song is dedicated to that same message. That's so dumb, here's the song...

So who ended up being recruited for the commercial? RZA, Method Man, and Cappadonna (who was still getting established thanks to his late start in the Clan).

The song starts out with a pretty strong beat, listening to it there is no doubt that RZA is behind the production. Meth drops the hook, half singing, half whining, and to be honest it's both irritating and catchy...like crabs. Then the beat changes up a little and RZA starts tearing it up over a doorbell. Rewind: RZA starts tearing it up over a doorbell. Where do they come up with these beats? Huh, kids today a long time ago. His verse is vintage RZA, hes talking about sodium benzoate, chicken thighs, and triglycerides. It's amazing. He manages to stay mostly on the Wu Wear topic, and talks about someone who was lost, "then he became highly civilized and spent time amongst the wise, went through a garment renaissance". RZA then lists all the clothing brands that this person stopped wearing (read: competitors brands) and claims that he now wears "strictly Wu Wear". Great verse.

Meth hits the hook again, then Cappa comes in with an absolutely irritating verse. He also manages to stay on the topic of fashion (something he is very good at), but his lyrics are a bit more random. He doesn't do anything memorable, except he closes his verse with a final frenzied sales pitch: He mentions Wu-Wear several times and sounds completely out of his mind. His lyrics kind of make sense when you read them, but they are absolutely incomprehensible on the song. 

Now it's my time, Asian Wu Wear, Cap and fleece wear / One wear plaids the Don will hold the best for all wear /
plus boo wear, Wu Wear, what's going on / We're the best of this year, Wu Wear and fleece wear

Whut? Finally Meth drops the final "verse" (only two lines) in the same singing/whining voice and for some reason it works, he basically takes the hook and extends it a few lines, then drops two lines with his normal flow. Meth also manages to advertise the clothing brand, but his pitch might not be as effective:  

"Official nasty asses, straight shots in dirty glasses / Wu Wear fleece for you and your stinkin piece"

The rumor is that Method Man was opposed to the whole concept of Wu-Wear, he was even quoted as saying, "I never rock that shit". So listen close: every time you hear him spitting the hook you can hear him dying a little bit inside. Actually, he experiments a little on this song, and sounds good...which is partly a tribute to RZAs production ability.


The song wraps up with Meth rocking the hook over an extended instrumental filled with doorbells and random keyboard pounding. I like it and so do you!
Overall this is a good song and a good commercial. It definitely has a different vibe than most other Wu songs...it almost sounds happy. The clan push their brand hard, and mention other clothing brands about twenty-five times during the four minute song. But it all works...nice job to all the Clan (even Ghost and he wasn't even on this track)!


Wu-wear is still around today, the physical stores are (mostly) closed but they still have an online shop. I don't know who is buying it but they still release new gear. However, it is obviously not a priority: on the Wu-Wear website, the Clan's biography discusses how they are coming together to work on "The W" which dropped almost ten years ago. Maybe they need another commercial/song.


Score: 8/10


Yep. I Wu-Tang Wu. (Probably not official Wu-Wear)