Thug-related style attract millions, fans
They understand my plan, who’s the kid up in the green Land?
Me and the RZA connect, blow a fuse, you lose
Half-ass crews get demolished and bruised
Fake be frontin’, hourglass-heads n***as be wantin’
Shuttin’ down your slot, time for pumpin’
Poisonous sting, which thumps up and act chumps
Rae’s a heavy generator, but yo, guess who’s the black Trump?
Dough be flowin’ by the hours, Wu, we got the collars
Scholars, word life, peace to Power and my whole unit
Word up, quick to set it, don’t wet it
Real n***as lick shots, peace Connecticut!
(“Incarcerated Scarfaces”)

My post for Wu Wednesday today is a heavy one, for Wu-Tang Clan general Raekwon The Chef’s classic gold-selling debut solo album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, celebrated its monumental 25th anniversary this past weekend. Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin with this joint. This is one of my favorite albums of all time as well as a universally praised hip hop masterwork and defining moment for NYC hip hop for a number of valid reasons; perhaps the most important being that this is one of the most cinematic albums in hip hop history and a highly influential Mafioso rap milestone. I apologize in advance if this write-up is all over the place; there’s a lot to unpack here.

OB4CL is commonly and affectionately referred to as “The Purple Tape” by hip hop heads, as it was initially released as a purple cassette tape limited to 10,000 copies. The original tape from 1995 is hard to come by these days (I still don’t even own one myself), and the Purple Tape has been reissued in a few separate limited edition packages in recent years; the original pressing of the CD came with a purple tray as well. The inspiration behind all this comes from Rae’s hustling days, where drug dealers would specially mark their product in order to distinguish it from that of their competitors. This would ultimately set the tone for the album’s overall concept and let consumers know that they were getting something special on a level never previously experienced on a hip hop album. Also, quick shout out to veteran photographer Danny Hastings for shooting the album cover; Hastings had previously provided the artwork for the almighty Wu-Tang Clan’s groundbreaking 1993 full-length debut masterpiece, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), and has since blessed the likes of KRS-One, Gang Starr, Big Punisher, Eminem, Fat Joe, Keith Murray and countless other hip hop luminaries with his talents. 

Sandwiched between two other key Wu solo releases in 1995 (albeit several months apart on both sides of the bread) from Ol’ Dirty Bastard and GZA, respectively, Cuban Linx… has the Chef cooking up complex, crime-ridden narratives laced with impenetrable slang and vivid imagery, while album co-star and Rae’s closest brother within the Wu, Ghostface Killah (who appears on most of the songs), delivers a fantastically energetic supporting performance all the way through. Additionally, the skits between tracks truly make you feel like you’re in the middle of an urban gangster film, while the overall sonic magic of this iconic release can be largely credited to Wu founder and production mastermind RZA, whose next-level soundscapes (simply calling them “beats” would be an understatement) are simply out of this world and considerably better and more polished than anything else the Wu had released up to that point. RZA’s tracks are oozing with dark, dirty, sinister, cinematic soul and serve as the flawless foundation for Rae and Ghost (as well as the album’s other guests) to lyrically build upon, while signature snippets from old martial arts, action and gangster flicks are peppered throughout, most notably from John Woo’s 1989 Hong Kong action thriller The Killer, a staple in the Wu’s deep and varied archives of influence (“Yo Meth, where my Killer tape at?!”).

Ghost’s exposure on the Purple Tape (including his own solo track, the raw and fly sexual encounter “Wisdom Body”) would prepare heads for his own classic solo debut, Ironman, the following year; on that album, Rae would return the favor with his own solo joint, “The Faster Blade”). Several timeless posse cuts also adorn Cuban Linx…, with Rae and Ghost’s remaining Wu brothers (minus the ODB) blessing the mic at various points. Inspectah Deck (arguably the Clan’s chief lyrical decapitator when it comes to opening verses in these situations) and GZA join the Chef and Ghostface as they remind everyone to protect their necks on “Guillotine (Swordz)”, while the Mafioso rap overtones are supremely solidified on “Wu-Gambinos” with several members of the Clan officially donning their respective gangster personas; Method Man (Johnny Blaze), RZA (Bobby Steels), Masta Killa (Noodles) and Ghost (Tony Starks).

Literally every moment on OB4CL is memorable in its own right, but I’d still like to acknowledge several others in particular as concisely as possible. The blazing singles “Ice Cream” (dedicated to all the different “flavors” of women, with standout guest verses from Ghostface and Cappadonna and an infectious chorus from Method Man), “Criminology” (arguably the quintessential Rae and Ghost duet), “Incarcerated Scarfaces” (a solo cut from the Chef featuring a brilliant alternation of samples from RZA with one of the *nastiest* drum breaks in existence) and the “Can It Be All So Simple” remix are guaranteed to stick in your head forever. Additional singles “Rainy Dayz” and “Heaven & Hell” adopt a more somber and emotional tone, further contributing to the project’s cinematic vibe while painting a picture of the ups and downs of the hustler’s lifestyle; both cuts notably feature haunting vocals from Wu-affiliated R&B singer Blue Raspberry. The back-to-back dopeness of “Ice Water” (featuring Ghost and Cappadonna) and “Glaciers Of Ice” (featuring Ghost and Masta Killa) is also nothing short of amazing. All CD pressings of Cuban Linx… conclude with the exclusive bonus track “North Star (Jewels)”, another somber and thoughtful selection highlighted by Five Percent ideology courtesy of old-head Popa Wu; both “Heaven & Hell” (the album closer on all other formats) and “North Star” are fine choices to end this magnificent project, though it still seems crazy to me that the original Purple Tape doesn’t contain the latter.

I’d be remiss if I failed to mention yet another major album highlight, “Verbal Intercourse”, which features a career-best opening verse from none other than Queensbridge veteran Nas as well as one of RZA’s craziest sample flips ever, employing a chunk from the intro of an obscure track from old school soul act The Emotions during the latter’s tenure on Stax/Volt Records. “Verbal Intercourse” is particularly significant for being the first instance of a non-Wu-Tang emcee appearing as a guest on a Wu-related album, although the Nas-Wu connection was already teased earlier that same year on another monumental NYC hip hop album released on Loud Records, Mobb Deep’s The Infamous, where Nas and Rae traded bars with Havoc and Prodigy on the song “Eye For An Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)”. Nas is also billed on here as Nas Escobar, a moniker that the living lyrical legend would carry into the following year with the release of his highly-anticipated sophomore album, It Was Written, a departure from his classic debut (1994’s Illmatic) that would further keep the burgeoning Mafioso rap trend moving along. Incidentally, 1996 would also see the release of yet another classic, Reasonable Doubt, the debut album from Nas’ eventual rival-turned-friend Jay-Z that some might argue took the Purple Tape’s Mafioso rap formula to the next level.

Cuban Linx… masterfully succeeds on all fronts and its influence and legacy within hip hop is both incalculable and everlasting. Peep the countless works in recent years from such cinematic street stars as Buffalo’s own Griselda Records camp (Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher) and equally prolific Rochester-based emcee/producer 38 Spesh if you’re looking for that grimy and soulful Purple Tape feel in hip hop’s modern era. The excellent long-delayed album sequel, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II was finally released in 2009 to critical acclaim and employed a wide variety of guest artists and producers while maintaining an artistic integrity and vibe similar to that of its predecessor; a third installment is reportedly in the works right now as well. Not gonna lie, I’m having a hard time even concluding this shit because I already know I’m leaving out something important. Having written and rewritten this post, I now realize that I *still* didn’t even mention the first two (incredible) songs on the Purple Tape, “Knuckleheadz” and “Knowledge God”; what the fuck is wrong with me?! When something like that happens, you should already know that this is an album you need to absorb immediately and repeatedly.

Happy Wu Wednesday y’all….