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, 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 – lead 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 Wu-Tang 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.