As one of the original members of the seminal '90s
rap crew
the Wu-Tang Clan,
Ghostface Killah (aka
Tony Starks) made an impact before he released his debut album,
Ironman, late in 1996. Like all members of
the Wu-Tang Clan, the rapper used the group as a launching pad for a solo career, which was assisted greatly by other members of
the Clan, particularly producer
RZA.
Ghostface Killah had rapped on
Wu-Tang's 1993 debut,
Enter the Wu-Tang, but he didn't distinguish himself until 1995, when he was showcased on fellow
Wu member
Raekwon's
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.
Ghostface received good reviews for his appearance on the record, and his contribution to the
soundtracks for Sunset Park and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While You're Drinking Your Juice in the Hood also were well-received. All of these guest appearances and
soundtrack contributions set the stage for
Ghostface Killah's solo debut,
Ironman, in late 1996. Like all
Wu-Tang projects, it was produced by
RZA and was quite successful in the large
hip-hop/
rap underground, debuting at number two on the pop charts upon its release.
Ironman was also the first album to be released on Razor Sharp Records,
RZA's record label on Epic Records.
Work with
the Wu-Tang and their various members kept
Ghostface Killah busy until solo singles started appearing at the end of 1999 followed by his sophomore full-length,
Supreme Clientele, in early 2000.
Supreme Clientele was a success, but it was followed a year later by
Bulletproof Wallets, an album that didn't sell well and had fans declaring
the Ironman had gone soft. Once again it was back to
the Wu for a couple years before the rapper would be appearing solo again. Epic issued the compilation Shaolin's Finest in April of 2003, and by the end of the year two new
Ghostface tracks had started to appear on mixtapes. The chaotic "Run" with
Jadakiss and the more commercial "Tush" with
Missy Elliott raised the anticipation for the rapper's first album for Def Jam and his first under the simpler moniker
Ghostface.
The Pretty Toney Album hit the streets in April of 2004. The Top Ten hit
Fishscale, along with
More Fish, followed in 2006, but not before 718 -- an album from his
Theodore Unit. Always prolific, the rapper put out
The Big Doe Rehab -- whose release date had originally coincided with
Wu-Tang's long-awaited fifth full-length,
8 Diagrams, which
RZA agreed to push back a week so as to not coincide with
Ghost's effort -- in early December 2007.
Ghostface returned in 2008 with The Wallabee Champ, a collection of rarities and B-sides featuring cameos from
Jadakiss,
Lil Wayne,
Fat Joe, and others. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
2006 Island Def Jam Music Group
