After the complete and utter botching of Ghostface Killah's third studio album Bulletproof Wallets, Epic Records (or rather their parent label Sony) were forced to depart with their former business partner, and release a greatest hits record entitled Shaolin's Finest to commemorate the occasion. While Epic managed to continue record label-ing, Ghostface's decision to depart from the safe and comforting home of a major label was a risky one, as it wasn't like he was an enormous seller or anything, especially after the complete lack of proper promotion Bulletproof Wallets received. Thankfully, Ghost's close friend Clifford Smith, who he refers to affectionately as "Method Man", was currently in a firm and friendly deal with hip-hop giant Def Jam, and, in exchange for a substantial bag of marijuana, Cliff agreed to put in a word for Ghost to the big shot at Def Jam, Kevin Liles, and thankfully he allowed Ghost into his humble abode, but on the one condition. In order to help sell more records and appeal to a wider fanbase, the "Killah" must be removed from his stage name. That is why, on Ghost's fourth solo record, and first for Def Jam, The Pretty Toney Album, we see no mention of a "Ghostface Killah" - only a "Ghostface" (well, except for when it comes to the Executive Producer credit). Thankfully, when Jay-Z took over in late 2004, he appeared to recognise what a silly decision this was, and decided to lift the restriction, making The Pretty Toney Album the only record in Ghost's catalogue to omit the "Killah". Interesting stuff.
The Pretty Toney Album, ghastly title and all, was released to the hip-hop masses in early 2004 to quite an excited audience. It had been three years since we had gotten a full length from Dennis Coles, and given that his previous output had been nothing short of extraordinary (yes, even Bulletproof Wallets was a great record. Fight me.), everyone was itching to see what Ghost's next musical step would be. It probably wasn't anticipated, however, that he would ban all fellow Wu members from the recording studio, making this the first (and not last either) record in the man's discography to not include a single verse from another member of the Clan that bought him to prominence - not even label mate Method Man showed up. He did allow RZA and True Master to make a couple beats for him, but he left most of this album sparse of guests, with only Missy Elliott (on the lead single), his sidekick Trife da God, Jackie-O (huh?) and all three members of The LOX showing up for verses, which I'm sure the Clan were totally pleased about. As for beats, Ghost showed love to a couple of well known producers including Nottz and No I.D., and the aforementioned RZA and True Master, but also a load of dudes who I, and I'm sure a lot of you, had never heard of in my life. One thing that did look promising about the credits was the abundance of samples on here, which signified a possible return to the Wu sound of old, before RZA's "digital orchestra" phase kicked in.
Well, if that's what you were hoping for, then be prepared to be sorely disappointed.
1. Intro (prod. Emile)
Yes, the music is nice, but having an album intro that paints the host as an impatient prick probably wasn't the best idea for your label debut, was it Ghost?
2. Biscuits (feat. Trife) (prod. True Master)
Thankfully, this song contrasts the intro by being absolutely brilliant in every way possible. Firstly, the production on here from True Master is truly heavenly, with triumphant horns and a grimy mix that makes this song feel more 36 Chambers-esque than anything we saw on Bulletproof Wallets. Then, we have Ghost's first verse, which is excellent with the wordplay and flow, having some great memorable lines throughout. The hook is surprisingly well sung, and then Trife Da God comes in with an excellent second verse to rival Ghost's work on here. This was a fantastic way to open up the album, and one of the best songs in Ghost's catalogue.
3. Kunta Fly Shit (prod. RZA)
Ghost takes a minute to rip up a RZA beat that starts off reminding me of Pharoahe Monch's "Simon Says", and then transitions into a fairly simple but menacing instrumental for Ghost to do his thing over. For an album with such a cutesy title, this thing is sure off to a dirty start, and it's all the better for it. "Flame boy to his brains, hangin' out his onion! (Onion! Onion!!)"
4. Beat the Clock (prod. Minnesota)
Minnesota brings easily one of the best beats on this LP to the table, and Ghost wastes no time in getting to the rhymes, as his "brain" commands at the beginning. The pulsating instrumental on here is truly excellent, and Ghost's verses here are something wonderful, showing off his undeniable charisma and lyrical prowess that made him one of the best in the game back in the mid 2000s (a position he held for the best part of 25 years, on and off). The concept of this song is also pretty damn funny, something that most rappers fail to pull off on such endeavours. This is a great cut.
5. Metal Lungies (feat. Sheek Louch & Styles P.) (prod. No ID)
The first of two songs to feature heavy involvement from members of The LOX, and it's another excellent song. The instrumental (that uses the same sample as 50 Cent's later track "I Don't Need 'Em") is pretty bloody excellent, and keeps the track both intense and soulful, like "Biscuits" but not quite as heavenly. Ghost has the best verse on here in my opinion, but Sheek and Styles don't disappoint either, coming with excellent verses definitely worth sticking around for. The hook is short and sweet as well. Great stuff right here.
6. Bathtub (Skit) (no producer credited)
Literally nothing about this skit was necessary or enjoyable. Like, at least try to be funny, rather than record a two minute inaudible conversation between two people in the bloody bath. I could not stand this bullshit.
7. Save Me Dear (prod. Ghostface)
8. It's Over (prod. K Def)
K Def (no, me neither) seems to entirely remake the instrumental to The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Who Shot Ya?" for this cautionary cut that warns listeners to never relax too much, even if it seems that all is well. In the first verse, Ghost tells of when he was riding the high of his appearances on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... and making bags off of his cocaine, but then one of his crewmembers was sadly killed (not that Ghost's feelings for the man seem to be expressed here) while he was dealing his drugs, and a load of his stash was taken too. Then, he seemed to be getting things back under control, only for the police to raid the spot and for him to get arrested. The second verse tells a fictional story of when one of his girls found out she was cheating on him with his "main bat", and so she went to their hotel, shot it up, and then managed to screw him out of most of his possessions. Good times. This song is pretty engaging, with Ghost's storytelling being difficult to work out at first, but transitioning to the listener over a couple of plays. The instrumental and sample work on here is also excellently done. I really like this one.
9. Keisha's House (Skit) (no producer listed)
Thank God, this is actually just one verse over a pretty nice instrumental - I don't think I could handle another skit like the last one. Ghost's storytelling here is pretty bloody funny (especially the detailed description of his taking a shit), and the instrumental here is really nice. Great track.
10. Tush (feat. Missy Elliott) (prod. D. Trotman & Dub Dot Z)
11. Last Night (Skit) (no producer credited)
Kind of reminds me of "The Grain", only the lyrical content once again mainly focuses on the female species of this world, something every song since the "Bathtub" skit has done to an extent (besides the first verse of "It's Over"). This is yet another one verse wonder labelled as a "skit", which I definitely applaud, even if the random voice message excerpts get a bit annoying.
12. Holla (prod. Ghostface)
One of the more well-known tracks on this album, and it is certainly one of the most cinematic, with Allah Real's uncredited hook being incredibly catchy, and the self-produced instrumental being once again incredibly soulful. Ghost's lyrics aren't exactly riveting, but there's definitely something to be said for the man's passionate delivery, a trait you'll really notice throughout the listening of this album - an activity you'll want to partake in- shit, gave away the ending!
13. Ghostface (prod. Digga)
Incredibly cheap and tacky compared to the rest of this thing. Sure, Ghost's boasts-n-bullshit aren't to be sniffed at, and are made extra potent by their uniqueness amongst the rest of this album, but the hook isn't great, and the production is incredibly dated, sounding like a cheap Swizz Beatz rip off made exclusively for a 2008 club setting. You could say that it's ahead of its time, but then you could also say that music moved backwards in quality between '04 and '08, so there. Anyway, I digress...
14. Be This Way (prod. Nottz)
The intense Nottz beat would lead you to believe this song was more profound than it actually was, as would the hook, that insinuates things are going to "always be this way". Ghost apparently forgot to listen to his backing before writing his verses, as he spits more boasts-n-bullshit that don't appear to relate to the music at all. Sure, there are some memorable lines here, but I think it's important we acknowledge how important it is that the music and lyrics match - can you imagine "Shook Ones Pt. II" spit over the beat to "Be (Intro)"? That's two incredible tracks, but together they would be far less impactful. Just thought I'd bring that up - anyway, this is OK, but that standout issue takes away from it.
15. The Letter (Skit) (no producer credited)
Sadly not another verse moonlighting as a skit, instead this is an actual skit (insert sad face). Still, the beautiful acoustic part in the middle helps it go down easier.
16. Tooken Back (feat. Jackie-O) (prod. Nottz)
The previous skit leads directly into this track, which is an unapologetic love rap where the pair fall in and out of love at a rate to rival Lil Wayne and Juvenile (in the early 2000s, that is). This song is fairly well produced, and the rapping is pretty good, but I'd be lying if I said this was as entertaining as most of the other songs here. Maybe it's just too damned long, I don't know.
17. Run (feat. Jadakiss) (prod. RZA)
18. Love (feat. Musiq & K. Fox) (prod. No ID)
The final song of the night, and it's such a snoozefest that you'll have to make sure to immediately delete it from your running playlist, as it might just cause you to fall on the floor and start snoring away on the path. Yes, the sentiment is nice, and I appreciate the love for Bulletproof Wallets thrown in there, but this song really does feel a bit phoned in. No I.D.'s beat is terribly underwhelming too. A shame.
Surprisingly, The Pretty Toney Album lands as one of the best albums in Ghostface Killah's stacked catalogue, despite the small inconsistencies that are presented during the second half. This album is just so passionate, with Ghost's delivery and lyrics on these tracks being astonishingly personal, creative and exuding pure joy. Ghost clearly loves this music shit, and, with the exception of the final track, every verse he drops here is pure gold, with some (like those on "Run", "Keisha's House" and "Beat the Clock") standing with the best he ever spit. Production wise, this thing was almost a masterpiece too. The beats are incredibly varied, ranging from hardcore to soulful to jazzy to funky, and even weird, beepy club banger with "Ghostface". Yes, a couple of the beats here aren't entirely engaging (see "Tooken Back" and "Love"), and one is downright horrible (that would be "Ghostface"), but for the most part they are excellent, and allow this project to be one of the most diverse and yet consistent projects of the 2000s. The beats that are excellent, such as "Biscuits", "Run" and "Beat the Clock", are some of the best I've heard from this era. Even the hooks on this album are good - most are sampled, but the attempts at original singing here are a lot better than what Ghost attempted on Supreme Clientele and Bulletproof Wallets. And while the intro and "Bathtub" skits are insufferable, there aren't any others that grate on the nerves, so that's a positive, and two have actual verses!! Overall, this is probably the best album that Ghostface could have made as his Def Jam debut - a project that simultaneously reinvents his style, yet stays true to the elements that made him great as a rapper in the first place. Yes, there are a couple of weaker moments in the second half, but I would still argue that this might be a top 3 Ghost effort, and is easily worth your time. Don't be fooled by the goofy title - this is a Wu-Tang classic.
Best Tracks: Biscuits, Beat the Clock, Metal Lungies, Save Me Dear, It's Over, Keisha's House (Skit), Holla, Run
Worst Tracks: Ghostface, Love
Want to read some more about Ghostface Killah, when he actually went by that full title? Well, take a look here.
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