Twelve Reasons to Die: Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge - "The Sure Shot" (Parts 1-2)
Ghostface Killah is a sharp-tongued, seasoned emcee who came up with Wu-Tang Clan during the height of 1990's Gambino Rap. Even when I first heard Wu-Tang Clan @ 12 after my cousins introduced me to the group, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Ghostface, and Raekwon were instant favourites. The 8 surviving members generally re-form about ever 3-5 years and are supposedly recording an album's-worth of new material, as we speak. RZA has become an increasingly sought-after director/actor since Man with The Iron Fists, already signing onto projects like Gang Related, Happy!, Genghis Khan, and No Man's Land. RZA's own Soul Temple Records imprint will unleash Ghostface Killah's Crime/Horror concept album - Twelve Reasons to Die, which was created alongside Black Dynamite (2009) producer/composer, Adrian Younge this upcoming April 16th. Younge recently spearheaded a Delfonics reunion with founding member William Hart, following the [salty] break-up of Philly's premier chart-topping Sweet-Soul band, which went down nearly 40 years ago.
Soul Temple leaked a third pre-release sample of Twelve Reasons to Die, "Enemies All Around Me," late Tuesday afternoon; Adrian Younge recruited William Hart to lay down some buttery smooth vocals on the hook, who previously sang on "After The Smoke Is Clear" from Ironman (1996). On "The Rise of The Ghostface Killah," RZA details the sheer genesis of Twelve Reasons to Die, "The Delucas pressed Tony [Stark]'s remains into 12 vinyl records. One for each member of the family. But little did they know - He would return..." Although, I have to say, my personal favourite of the 3 Bandcamp-hosted downloads has gotta be "The Sure Shot" (Parts 1-2). No, sadly it's not a Beastie Boys cover... Just a FAN-fucking-TASTIC cymbal crash-led Funky-ass jam! Roughly mid-way through, "The Sure Shot" seamlessly morphs into a 60's Rock "N" Roll-infused Hip-Hop track, if that's even a thing ha. Adrian Younge must be one Hell of a multi-instrumentalist, because these tracks come off sounding so smooth, Funky, and effortless. Soul Temple Records' Bandcamp is currently hosting a number of pre-order packages ranging from $8-55 and including a wide array of various formats: mp3, cassette, CD, vinyl, Deluxe 2-CD, Instrumental LP, T-shirt, limited edition comic book, etc.