Raekwon - The Wild

Raekwon
The Wild
2017
Spotify


The Wu-Tang Clan brought us something so original and something so new that it took the world completely off guard. Chief among those efforts was Raekwon, one fo the most talented lyricists in the group and a powerhouse of energy and savage disses. Seven solo records under his belt The Wild arrives at a different time for Raekwon due to the fact that 2015's Fly International Luxurious Art was a major disappointment. It was a surprise because the record had super modern production, massive features yet it still felt stilted and forced. The words were not spilling out of Raekwon's mouth as close to stream of consciousness as He is known for, in a word it sucked. This new record however finds the perfect balance between a modern beat and Raekwon's fierce delivery. the record has a darker twinge which slides it closer to Tech N9ne than it does Future, but that suits Raekwon just right. It even gives us another side of Lil Wayne that we haven't heard in years. Instead of his feature being an auto-tune extravaganza of spilling lean and smoking weed, Weezy comes in full voice and actually turns on the attack. Raekwon manages to get more anger out of each one of his features on this record, pulling them into his world rather than trying to fit into theirs. It is Raekwon's voice who reigns supreme on this record however, with his lines as vivid and cutting as they have ever been.

Andra Day does her best Sia impression on "Visiting Hour" making you pine for the real thing just a bit. The beat on this track is so lush with just the right amount of vinyl fuzz reminding you of Raekwon's beginnings but never leaning on them. The two skits are graciously short, but still keep the streak of skits not being funny alive for another record. The Wild is also nearly perfect in terms of pace. There is no drag, nothing is overused and Raekwon just keeps pushing and pushing the album forward. He never lands on the most basic rhyme, instead He always adds something new or fun to make you go "wow". G-Eazy however does not have the same ability, his feature sticks out as the worst on the record, on arguably the worst song on the record. Where the rest feels unified, one fist forward, this track is airy yet twitchy and never really comes together let alone G-Eazy stinking up the joint. It can't take away from just how stellar this record is. While Raekwon may have taken an L in 2015 He is back in force for the throne in 2017. Don't miss this one.

8.4 out of 10