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Ghostface Killah - Big Doe Rehab

Album Review by: Slav Kandyba
Tuesday, December 4, 2007


Ghostface Killah-Big Doe Rehab

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In a a genre whose finicky fan bases place premiums on beefs rather than clever rhymes and soulful beats, the Wu-Tang Clan still holds sway, as evident this past summer when it headlined Rock the Bells Tour. But, it's greatness as a group may be a thing of the past, as each member have long ago carved their own path in the industry, especially Ghostface Killah, whom even Nas admitted to have “borrowed” styles from. Few rhymers have been as successful at straddling the underground and mainstream fan bases as Ghost, undoubtedly due to the Def Jam machine firmly behind him on Fishscale and More Fish, two consistent showcases of Ghost's clever lyrical wordplay.

The old adage that 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' applies to Ghost's new effort, Big Doe Rehab. The album is vintage Ghost in every way. Fresh off Hov's American Gangster, LV and Sean C. of Diddy's The Hitmen help lay the muscular sound terrain beneath Ghost's storytelling on two of the album's signature cuts, “The Barrel Brothers” and “We Celebrate.” On both, The Hitmen supply rock guitar riffs that drive the lyrics of gun play and other such exploits. Beanie Siegel and Ghost make a nice tandem when they trade war stories on “Barrel,” while the Rare Earth sample on “We Celebrate” is sure to make the joint a staple on the palates of DJs across the world.

Big Doe Rehab features most of Ghost's Wu breathren and members of his clique, the Theodore Unit, but not to the album's detriment. In fact, The Hitmen-produced “Paisley Darts” drips with a soulful bassline and sample while Raekwon, Sun God, Method Man, Trife Da God and Cappadonna drop solid verses. One of the better songs on the album is one of the two bonus tracks, “Killa Lipstick,” co-produced by Ghost and Anthony Acid and featuring Method and Masta Killa. The breezy bassline and the memorable hook from Meth make the track a well-put together one.

You'll undoubtedly read in other reviews that Big Doe Rehab is one of the year's best albums, if not the best. Not so. The album is great if you can appreciate Ghost's colorfully cinematic thug stylings over 70s soul samples, which you should as a matter of appreciating good music. Technically, though, that makes this album a throwback and there's nothing wrong with walking down a well-walked path, except that it's just that – a well-walked path.






(24) Comments | Post a comment »


Props to ghost man 4 real. He stayed true over the years. Im ckoppin this a saigon today.
Posted by kidnots
Best album of 07 by far and i'm a hova diehard fan!
Posted by KingJames313
I'm coppin this sh*t on my lunch break....
Posted by HELLZWINTA202
Love it, you can always count on ghostface killah
Posted by cardan
There is nothing wrong with making dope new music following an old theme. I wouldn't be mad if ghost walked this path a couple more times.
Posted by bobby steals
Ghost has become one of my fave emcees..not just the wu ranking...but overall...now if we could only get gary grice some great production...then...my favorite emcee will be able to shine like he's supposed to!! breaker 1-9
Posted by St. Ides Supremist
where do you get these people for reviews? at least edit them. Nas said he borrowed "from both of them" referring to raekwon and biggie, not ghost. Also ghost comes up with at least 3 new styles on every album. It's not a well-worn path. Ghost has a very real idea of what hip-hop should sound like, which many share with him. He has taken this formula and consistently progressed and innovated, competing only with himself because, really, there isn't much competition in the field. This is what hip-hop would sound like if, instead of taking that unfortunate puffy/southern led turn in the late 90's, the top tier mc's kept progressing in the same vein. Far from stagnation, it's innovation minus the wackness. Also you spelled "brethren" wrong.
Posted by starks
This album is hard. Crazy how it's 100x better than the wu album.
Posted by speakingofwhich
Supreme clientele with a mixture of iron man the lyrical movement has begun couple more step it up we back on haven't bought a cd in awhile but i copped this one support that big doe.
Posted by victor36
Good but not better then face made album
Posted by hollywood jiggalo
What up "starks", i'm the dude who wrote this review. Where did nbs get me from? well ... Google my name and you shall find the answer. My name is slav kandyba, i don't really go by aliases anymore. As far as your points, now, yes, i stand corrected on nas referring to biggie and raekwon and not ghost. I didn't go to ohhla to double check what nas said, and your memory is fresher than mine obviously, so you're 100 percent right. I don't know about the "3 style" point of yours, though. I think ghost has been consistent and that qualifies as "a well-worn path." (well-walked is what i wrote, anyway). The rest of your comment was well put together, in fact so much that it seemed academic. I felt like i learned something. Lastly, please excuse the editing error on brethren. I was trying to make this review a breath of fresh air, but apparently the "a" should've been taken out because i failed to live up to your "a" expectations.
Posted by Slav Kandyba
I like the record, but there are no tracks that stand out. But is better than the bs on the radio....not that i listen to it that much anyway.
Posted by sugar hill
Wow thank god for gfk. Finally an album i don't have to skip through to find the hot songs. Def one of the best albums of 07.
Posted by Clever C
Its true that ghostface has found his nitch/comfort zone and has stuck to it, why fix whats has been working for you right?. But i think that its kind of hypocritical that rza gets called out for trying new things. The fact that he wants to change is good..its just going to take some time to polish the new sounds that he has been working on. Ghost and the rest of the clan should work with dude cuz they all have found their own sound true, but its getting a bit redundant now. Yeah, i like the album and ghostface but he really needs to move on from the old school soul samples for a minute and let us true fans see him wax some new type tracks. All artist have to change. I'll say this at least rza let us hear what he has been working on with 8 diagrams, can't say the same for dr. Dre and detox!
Posted by NYC
I gotta admit: for the first time i was skeptical ´bout a ghostface album...and i really don´t know why!!!the album is another banger to add is his collection, one of the top albuns this year but he should consider changing his beats a little bit...it´s like bulletproof wallets recycled...anyway the cd is strong!!!!!
Posted by 23k
Cd was boring. I love ghost verses but all these songs sound like i have heard them before. I don't just mean by ghost either. This album sounds like at least 75% of the hip/hop out right now musically. Lyrically ghost on point here but his musical selection destroyed the album. This album should have been called, "i have just sold out......well sorta."
Posted by DJThrawn
First off this album is straight fire and gfk is one in a handful of true mc's. I dont know what people are talking about when they say that he could try to change his production style, havent you people heard gfk spit on tracks outside of his solo albums or the wu camp? the man is a lyrical beast, no matter what kinda beat hes on and if u dont know u need to do som serious homework on the man. I think he just sticks with the 70's and soul samples because its what makes his sh*t stand out from the rest of the copy cat 'pop hop' stars and its what keeps his music sounding like a classic throughout the ages, any real hip hop head can still pump supreme clientle or bullet proof wallets like it just came out yesterday. Its not a path well walked its a technique artfully mastered.
Posted by DreadeD JokerR
This review sucks men.this album is the best album out 2007.if u disagree...then suck a fat d*ck!
Posted by Masih
The first time i heard this album i have admit i was not that impressed at all by it but the more listened to it, it grew on me the more and more i was rocking it. I came to the realization that ghostface is a genius who knows what he's doing his sound is 70 soul music cuz he's from that era born in '70's raised on real soul music the type of music that was good for the soul not like the none sense that's passing for music nonadays. Ghosts' formula is comfortable it work for him so ya can't hate the man for that, my advise to ya is just sit back, and listen to the man's stories and feel his joy and pain cuz its a crazy soulful ride in the life and times of dennis cole aka ghostface killah cuz when the wheels fall, hot damn that day the world will realize what i'm talking about.
Posted by elvgero1
U know what it is go cop it & not form the bootlegger u fake music lovers
Posted by SURGERY#1
This is classic... No matter which way you look at it.
Posted by p gutta
He need to stick with rza like the first album was tha best. What mc comes out 3 times a year.
Posted by keen
Big doe rehad is ghost's worst album ever. Gfk will never have another bulletproof wallets. He's just not hungry enough. And the only reason why fish scales was good because he had hungry rappers on the album with him. Sorry ghost, it was good while it lasted.
Posted by Squid
Big lol...squid u a funny n*gga........
Posted by jjroots

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