Ghostdini: Wizard Of Poetry

Hip Hop Wired Music Review:

Ghostface Killah - "Ghostdini: Wizard Of Poetry"

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» by JUSTIN STEWART October 5, 2009, 11:48am

While his Wu Tang brethen Method Man and Raekwon returned to create sequels to their 90s albums Blackout! and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Ghost pushes the envelope forward and takes a sidestep to his usual formula.

Generally known for weaving intricate street tales, the Staten Island native has also shown his admiration for the opposite sex and his overall love for women. Maybe coming as a result of growing older, the rapper takes a mature approach in presenting his latest.

“Do Over” shows the rapper feeling the after effects of living a negative life and how it has affected his significant other. Finally returning to reality to what he has put her through, he only hopes that he can find a way to get her back and if not, he only wants her to find a man that will make her happy.

“I wrote this right here on the bus to Riker's/ Right next to the thieves, the cons, the lifers/ For mad years you held me down, I'm overwhelmed with pain/ In the worst time to leave you know/ I'm sorry, please forgive me, the streets caught me/ I appreciate your concern and support for me/ Most important, your honesty and trust, you're hearts incredible/ This the truth spilling out of my guts.”

The album could easily be about getting the girl or taking the girl from another, but Tony shows all sides of the fence. On “Lonely” the song gives off that exact feel as he reflects on the feelings of having another man under his roof now that karma has come around and his woman is now his old woman. Realizing that he messed up too many times when he was with her, now he is only left to walk around with his head hung low as his own son tells Ghost how much better the new man in her life treats her. Guess women aren't the only ones that feel the pain and go through it.

“As I got closer, something ain't kosher/ I heard a bunch of squeaky sounds from the house, I don't think I suppose tah/ Is this the end of the Starks regime?/Let me find out somebody on my ground….is pounding my Queen.”

Above all else, GFK is a storyteller, and he utilizes this album to showcase his abilities in the relationship realm. Being an album leaking out R&B from all sides, it would only make sense to bring Fabolous along for the ride as he is featured on the track “Guest House.” Almost like taking a page out of the R.Kelly and Ronald Isley chronicles, Loso and Ghost play opposing sides when Starks' paranoia of his woman's whereabouts leads him to his bedroom where Fab has her legs spread eagle. Playing the cable guy, the rapper was doing a lot more than hooking up DirectTV as he‘s caught in his birthday suit. Fans will have to sit back and listen to how the story unfolds after.

“You can put my dick in your mouth and play wit my nuts/But before I bus babe I think I'll cum in your butt/ I got my gun on the floor and I'm ready to fuck/ Like it's nothing, it's nothing.”

Accompanied by moans and sexual play coming from a heavily aroused woman, this is the start for the track “Stapleton Sex.” Comparable to “Strawberry” from his 2001 album Bulletproof Wallets in its content as he has clearly upped the ante. Listening to this track is like an ear full of porn as Starks holds nothing back in his sexcapade adventures. Aside from the intro, Ironman needs no chorus while painting a rather vivid picture of raunchy sex 101.

His latest project shows that Starks doesn't discriminate in who he enlists for the army behind him. Ranging from Shareefa to John Legend to Lloyd for R&B flavor, the rapper is trying to tie the album in a bow as he presents a body of work that should be able to touch numerous audiences.

Digging into the crates , he decides to revive the remix to “Back Like That” with Kanye West and Ne-Yo. Although it makes sense to include the cut as it was the commercial hit that catapulted the rapper into the realm of mixing his gritty sound with R&B, the record is three years old. It would have been better if the three could have linked up again to create an updated cut for this project.

Although the Auto-Tune was passable for Raheem DeVaughn for the record “Baby”, Ether Boy Ron Browz should have been left off the list of those invited to the party. Clearly “She's A Killah” serves as the up-tempo club track, but it was almost a breath of fresh air when “D.O.A” seemed to scorch the blaze that the “singer” was creating behind him with every song he jumped on.

Those that choose to compare this album to Raekwon's latest are sadly mistaken. Ghost should not be held against others, but should be placed against himself as he has already made it clear that he is trouble in the booth. This may not be considered his greatest album to date, but it does serve as a positive shift to show that Tony Starks is a man of many hats and can handle music on all ends.