2013 marks the twentieth year of Ghostface Killah’s tenure in the rap industry. Along with his legendary hip hop super-group Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah has been a pioneering force throughout the hip hop world. But after 20 years, how can Ghostface keep things fresh?
Ghostface has continuously released solid solo efforts, but has not progressed much as a rapper lately. So, is he just another ‘90s pioneer whose time to hang up the microphone is fast approaching? It’s a question that colours any listenining of Twelve Reasons to Die, an entirely new musical approach by Ghostface Killah, produced by Adrian Younge.
Twelve Reasons to Die is set in 1960s Italy. The album starts off with one of the many alter egos of Ghostface Killah, as we are taken into the mind of Tony Starks, notorious gangster and drug dealer, a main character in Ghostface Killah’s debut solo album Ironman.
Starks is a member of the DeLuca crime family. He brags about his money, power, and fame, a sort of untouchable man who would “walk down the streets strapped with two nines.” But as the story progresses Tony has a falling out with the DeLucas, so he starts a family (or Wu-Tang clan) of his own, with guest rappers adding to the storyline.
Cappadonna makes an appearance on “The Center of Attraction”, one of the softer pieces of the album. Younge adds ferocity to the production, which coincides perfectly with the growing intensity of the lyrics. Cappadonna warns Starks about his new lover Logan (first introduced as Carmela) whom Cappadonna is convinced belongs to the crime family and is a set-up chick sent to bring Tony to his demise. Tony does not heed Cappadonna’s warning and while he contemplates his advice, thinking “it’s mind boggling, the heart wants it, the mind rejects it,” in the end, he chooses to stay with her.
On “An Unexpected Call (The Set Up)” Starks’ greatest fear is realized: Logan was a set-up chick, and the DeLucas kill him. They melt Starks’ body into twelve vinyl records, and as executive producer RZA states on “The Rise of the Ghostface Killah”, when the records are played, Tony Starks returns as Ghostface Killah, who now thirsts for revenge against the DeLuca family that killed him.
While most of the album has Ghostface attempting a slower flow, on “The Rise of the Ghostface Killah” he goes back to the fast delivery that is his signature, carefully crafting his lyrics to instrumentals laced with a fast drum beat, repeating guitar strings and strong trumpets. Younge adds to the beat by sampling the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard, adding some scratching on the hook, building up the old Ghostface vibe on what is, arguably, the best track of the album.
Ghostface Killah goes through the rest of the album seeking revenge on the family, in songs such as “Murder Spree” in which Ghostface, along with featured guests U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck & Killa Sin describes gruesome murders of members of the DeLuca Family.
Besides the fast-paced delivery, Ghostface Killah is known as a great storyteller. With Twelve Reasons to Die he takes it one step further, never straying from the well-structured plot of the album. The production of Adrian Younge intelligently compliments the lyrics and overall story of the album, giving it a theatrical feel.
The 12 tracks come together to create what is Ghostface Killah’s best album since Fishscale. It is not the type of album where only a few tracks make it to your iPod; you must allot 40 minutes every time you let the record spin, or else you are just cheating yourself.
