Search - Ghostface Killah, Mary J. Blige :: Ironman

After his riveting role as Raekwon's trusty sidekick on the landmark Only Built for Cuban Linx, it was inevitable that Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah would fly solo on wax. True to early Wu Tang form, Ironman is a family affair. The fragmented flows of other Clansmen are present on RZA-spawned adrenaline rushes like "Winter Warz." What differentiates Ironman from the rest of the Wu is Ghostface's vulnerability, belying the superhero overtones of the album title. The genuinely touching dedication "All That I Got Is You," and the bitter remonstrative missive "Wildflower," reveal an emotional frankness behind Ghostface's infectious verve and densely woven wordplay. Wu-Tang sound scientist RZA takes note, imbuing his patented razor-sharp dissonance with explicitly soulful hues. --Del F. Cowie