So why is Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele on this best 1,000 albums ever thing?
When all-time great TV shows that I revere end – such as The Wire, The Sopranos, the combined Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul universe, Party Down, and so on – part of the fun is following what other projects the cast and producers of those shows get involved in down the line.
A similar thing holds true for the iconic rap collective known as the Wu-Tang Clan. While the Wu-Tang has by no means closed up shop as of this writing, it’s been a pleasure to follow the exploits, collaborations, and solo projects among the entire group’s “extended universe.” Of course, some projects are more successful than others, but with this crew, a stunning amount of it is at least really good.
With so much material to dig into, it took me some time to find my way to Ghostface Killah’s solo work. I was living in greater Los Angeles in the mid-2000s when I stumbled across the brilliant song “9 Milli Bros,” off of the fantastic Fishscale album, and from that point forward I dove further in.
My favorite track on Supreme Clientele is “Nutmeg,” which features Ghostface’s colleague and Wu-Tang rapper and producing mastermind RZA. It’s got a smooth and pulsing vibe, with a funk/soul sample that evokes late night lounge adventures.
“Wu Banga 101” comes in a very close second, and features four other Wu-Tang alums (GZA, Cappadonna, Masta Killa, and Raekwon) who themselves have separately and collectively contributed to some of the greatest hip-hop music of all time.
As on the best Wu-Tang tracks, the playing off of different styles among these five rappers is exceptional, and the production – led by Allah Mathematics on this one – is propulsive and exciting and yet smooth and nearly mesmerizing at the same time. The more I listen to “Wu Banga 101,” it reminds me a bit of Wu-Tang Clan’s “Iron Flag,” off of Iron Flag.
Covering all bases from the world of Wu-Tang and associates, “Buck 50” features Cappadonna, Method Man, and Redman, and is a super fun one. A trilling, whistle-like sample plays over a wild funked out guitar and high tempo hip-hop beat.
On a final note, this is a rare time when I have an album extremely close to the same “rank” as Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking. The best 1,000 albums ever has Supreme Clientele at #425, and Rolling Stone has it at #403.
Some stats & info about Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientele
- What kind of musical stylings does this album represent? Rap, Hip Hop, Hardcore Rap, East Coast Rap
- Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking – #403
- All Music’s rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars
- When was Supreme Clientele released? 2000
- My ranking, the one you’re reading right now – #425 out of 1,000
Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele on Spotify
A lyrical snippet from Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele that’s evocative of the album in some way, maybe
Spotlight hits the metal mic, majority stare – heard the Wu snare, while my iris cut down the glare.
What does the “best 1,000 albums ever” mean and why are you doing this?
Yeah, I know it’s audacious, a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot cray cray), bordering on criminal nerdery. But here’s what it’s NOT: a definitive list of the Greatest Albums of All-Time. This is 100% my own personal super biased, incredibly subjective review of what my top 1,000 albums are, ranked in painstaking order over the course of doing research for nearly a year, Rob from High Fidelity style. Find out more about why I embarked on a best 1,000 albums ever project.