Def Jam Prepares For The WU Massacre
(New York, NY) Cosmic forces of destiny unite three mortals in world-shaking times, as Def Jam recording artists – and Wu-Tang Clan brothers-for-life – Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon join forces on WU MASSACRE, an historic collaboration that takes Wu science and theology to the next step on hip-hop’s evolutionary grid. (Tentative tracklist, song titles and guest artists appear below, subject to change.)
WU MASSACRE, which arrives March 30th in the physical and digital marketplace, will be preceded by the soulful street single “Our Dreams,” starring the legendary Wu-Tang Clan’s three most dynamic MCs, Meth, Ghost, and Rae and produced by RZA for Wu-Tang Productions. For an added tug on the heart-strings, “Our Dreams” samples Michael Jackson’s mid-’70s hit as a 17-year old, “We’re Almost There.”
In addition to “Our Dreams,” Meth, Ghost and Rae take the trio spotlight on two more tracks: the thunderous opener “Criminology 2.5” and “Miranda.” Ghost and Meth take the lead on “It’s That Wu Sh*t.” On the “Smooth Sailing” Remix, Ghost and Meth are joined by Solomon Childs and Streetlife. On “Gunshowers,” Meth and Ghost are joined by fellow WTC rapper Inspectah Deck and Sun God. “Youngstown Heist” features Trife, Sheek and Bully.
In addition to RZA, WU MASSACRE features a number of guest producers, starting with Mathematics on “Mef vs. Chef,” “Dangerous,” “Miranda,” and “Made Men.” Scram Jones produced “Youngstown Heist” and “It’s That Wu Sh*t.” E Meal produced “Pimpin’ Chipp.” And Ty Fyffe produced the “Smooth Sailing” Remix.
The springtime arrival of WU MASSACRE follows a busy year of album releases and performance schedules by all three artists:
Ghostface Killah returned as The Wizard Of Poetry (released September 2009), his 6th Def Jam album (and 10th major label album). The Wiz focused on duets with an A-list of guests including Raheem DeVaughn (on the first single, “Baby”), Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Fabolous, Lloyd, Vaughn Anthony & Estelle, and others. Ghost spent July and August with Method Man and Redman, keeping the Wu-Tang Clan spirit alive and well on the month-long, 21-city Foot Print in Hip-Hop Tour.
Raekwon aka The Chef gave WU fans something to believe with the long-awaited Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II (also released September 2009), which spun off a pair of all-star singles: “New Wu” featuring Meth and Ghost, produced by RZA; and “House of Flying Daggers” featuring Meth, Ghost, GZA, and Inspectah Deck, produced by J. Dilla. CLII is the sequel to Rae’s groundbreaking solo debut of 1995, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, one of the very first solo albums released by a W-TC member after the group’s 36 Chambers entry back in ’93. Rae spent the summer 2009 on the massively successful Rock The Bells Tour alongside GZA, RZA, Nas, Damian Marley, the Roots, Ice Cube, Common, and others.
Always larger than life, Method Man is still basking in the glow of Blackout! 2 (released May 2009), his critically acclaimed collaboration with Redman. It was the long-awaited sequel (ten years!) to Meth and Red’s RIAA platinum Blackout, a defining hip-hop event of 1999 (with “Tear It Off,” “Y.O.U.,” and “Da Rockwilder”). Blackout! 2 blasted off with a trifecta of new single releases showing off Meth and Red at their very best: “A-Yo” featuring Saukrates, produced by Pete Rock; “Mrs. International” featuring Erick Sermon, produced by Buckwild; and “City Lights” featuring Bun B, produced by Nasty Kutt.
WU MASSACRE (tentative track listing):
1. “Criminology 2.5” featuring Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and Method Man.
2. “Mef vs. Chef” featuring Rhythm Roots Allstars, produced by Allah Mathematics.
3. “Ya Moms” skit featuring Method Man and Raekwon.
4. “Smooth Sailing” Remix featuring Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Solomon Childs and Streetlife, produced by Ty Fyffe.
5. “Our Dreams” featuring Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and Method Man, produced by RZA.
6. “Gunshowers” featuring Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck and Sun God, produced by Digem Tracks Productions.
7. “Dangerous” featuring Rhythm Roots Allstars, produced by Allah Mathematics.
8. “Pimpin’ Chipp” featuring Rhythm Roots Allstars, produced by E Meal.
9. “How To Pay Rent” skit featuring Tracy Morgan.
10. “Miranda” featuring Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and Method Man, produced by Allah Mathematics.
11. “Youngstown Heist” featuring Trife, Sheek and Bully, produced by Scram Jones.
12. “It’s That Wu Sh*t” featuring Ghostface Killah & Method Man, produced by Scram Jones.
