New Ghostface interview (calls the new Wu album wack, Yayo can suck a dick)

[Meho]

A decade ago, the Wu-Tang Clan and Ghostface dropping new music within a week of each other would have been cause for a national hip-hop holiday. Unfortunately, in 2007, it only heightens the tension within the Wu camp, regarding everything from compensation to the musical direction of the group’s upcoming album, 8 Diagrams. Rhapsody had a chance to sit down with Pretty Toney while he was promoting his seventh album, Big Doe Rehab. We got his thoughts on the inspiration for his ghetto stories, on G-Unit's Tony Yayo’s claims that Ghost may not be the author of Supreme Clientele, and on where things currently stand with the RZA and the Wu.

RHAPSODY: When you’re telling stories like “Maxine” or “Alex (Stolen Scripts),” are they inspired by real-life experiences?

Ghostface: When I hear a certain type of music, it brings certain things out. I’m an artist. I’m a real poet. Whatever the beat makes me see, I’ll go write. It might sound like a murder. It might sound like a real snowy day, or kids having fun in the snow. It might sound like “The Sun.” “Maxine” was a true story. It was based upon what happened with fiends in the projects. Crackheads is funny. They be doin’ all types of dumb s**t. You gotta watch ‘em. They sneak things from you.


What’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever seen a crackhead do?

Just anything. These m*th*rf*ck*rs dance for crack. Some of them do anything you tell ‘em to do. M*th*rf*ck*rs spin on their head on concrete for a f*ck*n’ rock.


So when you’re constructing a story like “Maxine,” how long does it take to write?

Sometimes it takes a long time. It depends on how much you keep going back to it. I might write a page and then don’t go back to it for like two weeks or three weeks. It just depends on what comes that day.


What was it like collaborating with Mobb Deep on classics like “Right Back at You”?

That was early days. I don’t remember none of that sh*t. We were just in the studio. I think they had that sh*t already done and we just came and tagged on it. I wasn’t there when [Big] Noyd finished it off. Also, somebody else was on it from Staten Island. N*gg*s cut ‘em off, and put me and Rae [Raekwon] on. It was my man. I don’t want to put him out there or blow him up, though. It was one of the dudes they were f*ck*n’ with at the time.


Did you have a relationship with Hav and P before that? There were a lot of Wu-Mobb collaborations early on in your careers.

No, it was just being cool. We heard that beat, liked that beat, and it was like, "Yo, let us get that space.”


In a recent interview Tony Yayo said Superb had written Supreme Clientele.

Yeah, I was in Europe when I heard that. That’s just nonsense. I still put mad sh*t out. ‘Perb was ‘Perb, Ghost was Ghost. ‘Perb is Rae’s man. He been in the studio a few times while we’re doing sh*t. He ain’t write sh*t. All ‘Perb contributed was a couple of lines that you could put in the air. When we write, we all do that. “Say this one right here” or “Put this one right here.” We all catch lines with each other ‘cause you in the studio. You got n*gg*s around you that write. Even if he did write a verse, he could never make an album of mine. He couldn’t make an album, you feel me? I made Supreme Clientele what it is. Those are my stories, based around whatever they’re based upon. It’s me. I can’t see what songs ‘Perb wrote. He ain’t write “Mighty Healthy” or “One” or “Apollo Kids” or “Cherchez LaGhost” or “Saturday Nite” or “Malcolm.” But, Yayo can suck a fat d*ck. Tell him I said that.


Do you still work with Superb?

Superb been in jail for rape for like four or five years. He started getting high and one day he tried to steal my DAT with all the songs from Bulletproof Wallets. N*gg*s f*ck*d him up. We knew he had it. He was being sneaky. I don’t know what he was trying to do with it, but he had it. That’s that, though. It’s like with Yayo, I don’t know what the f*ck he talkin’ about.


Sean C and LV produced six songs off your new album including “We Celebrate.” What led to them doing so many tracks?
They worked on “Momma” off Fishscale. They had a lot of nice [beats]. I [had] said to myself I was going to go hard on my next one. ‘Cause you never know what the fans want. They trick you. Once you give ‘em this, they don’t want that because they looking for this. For me, I had a hard time selling records. So it’s like, “You know what, f*ck all this other sh*t. Let me just go for what these people know me for and go hard.”


Did you like the tracks they did on American Gangster?

American Gangster is cool. As a matter fact, I did have one of those beats on one of my [beats] CDs, but I never used it. I think it might have been the Marvin Gaye-sampled “American Dreamin’.” For whatever reasons, I ain’t pick it. Maybe I didn’t see the vision at that time. That’s what happens.


Shifting to the upcoming Wu album, how would you say the music on 8 Diagrams measures up to classics like “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’”?

Could never match up. You crazy?!


Raekwon recently had voiced his displeasure with 8 Diagrams’ musical direction. Are you happy with how the album came out?

That s**t is wack. I heard RZA was changing some of the beats around the last minute. I didn’t hear that. I don’t know what y’all listening to out there. I never heard it. I’m with Raekwon.


Both you and Rae had spoken about being owed money by the Wu hierarchy. RZA stated in an interview with Tim Westwood that he doesn’t owe anyone money.

I just won my court case from them n*gg*s. The suit been in there for three years. So put that out there. They just lost their f*ck*n’ case. So who don’t owe who money? Let’s get it straight, RZA. That’s all I’m sayin’, baby. It was a loss, they lost. L-O-S-T. That’s really it.


How you and RZA’s relationship now?

I don’t see RZA, man. That n*gg*’s real sneaky. I love him, though. Ain’t no bad blood. Ain’t nobody doing no bad to him. It’s just that you can’t get money with a n*gg*.


http://blog.rhapsody.com/2007/11/exclusive-ghost.html

[MANBEARPIG.]

good read.

I'm glad he isnt goin off on Yayo or anything, it would be such a waste of his talent.

I cant wait for big doe I love Ghost's story telling esp. on songs like Alex and The Mask.

[NotoriousTDA]

Doesnt really sound like there is a wu-tang anymore. Everyones fuckin beefing man

[NotoriousTDA]

and from what ive heard:


8 diagrams productuion > Ghost face's new album's production

[Styles1]

shit man.. I guess after a period of time you just get tired of being around each other. The Wu dudes should just go their seperate ways...

[Blood$]

I thoght the new Wu album was good, as was Ghost' new album

[Tay]

shit man.. I guess after a period of time you just get tired of being around each other. The Wu dudes should just go their seperate ways...

Pretty much..They can only keep trying to pull it together for so long, it's not going to work out. Think about all the bands or groups that broke up with just 2 or 3 people, Wu has 8. It's tough to keep them all on the same page when they all have their solo projects, different styles, etc. Hopefully the album is better than what the other members are saying, but it doesn't look good.

[Meho]

SOHH Exclusive: Ghostface "Isn't Co-Signing" New Wu-Tang CD, "It Ain't Come Out Right"
Friday - November 30, 2007 by Anthony Roberts
Ghostface Killah

Veteran rhyme slinger Ghostface Killah has once again re-emerged and is ready to drop more jewels with his latest effort, The Big Doe Rehab. In his usually colorful form, Tony Starks chopped it up with SOHH about how Wu-Tang Clan's comeback disc almost came out the same day as his new album, the Clan's beef with Rza and taking his family to rehab.

After dropping More Fish last December, Ghost went back to the lab and cooked up his 7th solo disc, The Big Doe Rehab, an album that he says took it's own turn and detoured a bit from his original vision.

"It was supposed to be, more or less, it's me again," Ghost explained to SOHH. "I was gonna do the album by myself but as time went on, I started to hear Rae[kwon] on a few of the tracks and ni**as wanted to get on. They wanted to be a part of it. Then I started to go back and see where I could fit everybody in. I started to think, like, where I could put Meth[od Man], where I could put U-God. I already knew where I wanted Rae to be so, it just kinda worked like that."

In addition to his Wu brethren making guest appearances on the set, Ghostdini also linked up with New York staple, DJ Kid Capri, on the disc's lead single, "Celebrate." The single has been gaining momentum leading up to the CD's December 4 release date, the same date that Wu-Tang's album 8 Diagrams was originally slated to hit shelves, before moving to the following Tuesday (December 11). Seeming to be a conflict of interest, Ghost explained that he was not budging on the date, no matter who was dropping.

"I've had that date since like last June and the Clan album was supposed to been came out," Ghost said of the possible showdown. "It was supposed to drop in August, then October and I guess it wasn't making the deadlines or whatever, and it was like, what the @#*$ are ya'll doing? I kinda felt like I was being sabotaged."

"Rza and Divine didn't want me to drop this year," Ghost added. "They wanted it to be all about the Wu and it seemed like a lot of funny sh*t was going on. They were trying to act like it was going to hurt me [to drop on the same day.] I'm like, c'mon man, I'm comfortable with my project. I don't give a @#*$ when my album drops. Whenever it drops, it's going to be solid."

The Wally Champ also took time to shed some light on the Clan's seemingly ongoing beef with crew leader RZA.

"Rza ain't listening," Ghost revealed. "He wanted to make [8 Diagrams] how he wanted it and it ain't come out right. He wanna always do the whole thing himself, produce the whole album. We're like, let's bring in some other producers too. Bring in Kanye, bring in Pharell. You ain't gotta do the whole thing yourself. He wanna make his own instruments and @#!* and it sounded real horrible."

"So now it's like when fans come up to me like, 'Ghost, why you let them put that out,' it's like nah, we ain't taking the blame for that," Ghost continued. "That's what Rae was saying. We ain't co-signing that. It's like, the game is different. It's not how it was 10 years ago. We're trying to tell him, you can't just put a Wu-Tang album out and just think it's gonna sell just because. We been gone for what, six years? It's hard to win new ni**as. A lot of the fans now was in @#*$ing diapers when we first started doing this. That's why a ni**a like me drop every year. I stay relevant."

Ghostface's The Big Doe Rehab hits shelves on December 4 via Def Jam Recordings.

[StevenQBosell]

"Rza ain't listening," Ghost revealed. "He wanted to make [8 Diagrams] how he wanted it and it ain't come out right. He wanna always do the whole thing himself, produce the whole album. We're like, let's bring in some other producers too. Bring in Kanye, bring in Pharell.

Ghost are you trippin? Pharell production on a wu tang album? 

[Styles1]

You mean you don't want to hear the Wu/Pharrell classic song: When the Wu is in the house, drop it like it's hot

[Piffmeister2008]

good shit, Yayo is a fag

[Chamillitary Click]

8 diagrams>>ghost album.

but i wonder if ghost is just sayin that for his album sales. naww mean? lik he seys wu is wack, so people think his shit is gunna be like old skool, dope ass wu-like shit. **Just A Thought**, so dont attack me on that loll.

as for yayo, he needs to put a dick in his mouth or summin. if 50 wasnt his boy...well there would just not be a tony yayo lol

[Hatesrats™]

Ghost is nuts.
RZA sound is WU, that's what makes it Wu.

[.:Hercy Buggz:.]

Im a Wu Tang Fan...and I thought the new album was kind of boring...i dont know i was expecting some next level shit..

[jeromechickenbone]

I love Ghost, love Rae, but they need to shut the fuck up here.  Get Kanye and Pharell on a Wu album?  Jesus fucking christ, thats some of the dumbest shit I ever heard.  RZA is a musical genius and if you ever listen to his interviews it's obvious that he's a very intelligent dude.  Ghost and Rae need to play their fucking positions.

But like Styles said, I think it's just more of these dudes been around each other forever and they obviously get on each others nerves. 

Still can't wait to hear this album...