Album Eddits: Reimagining Wu-Tang Forever

I’ve been a big critic of today’s overly long albums, but let’s be real – it’s a problem that has persisted long before the streaming era. In Album Eddits, I challenge a Soul In Stereo fan to join me in trimming down a massive double-album release into a lean, mean 12-track release.

First up, my boy Justin Bajan joins me to tackle the Wu-Tang Clan’s celebrated sophomore double LP, Wu-Tang Forever. It’s a great album on its own but let’s see if we can make it even better.

Disc 1

1. “Wu-Revolution” (Featuring Popa Wu and Uncle Pete)

Justin: Just imagine paying $18 for this CD, in 1997, jumping into your older friend’s car and listening to this comprehensive, yet plodding intro to 5% Nation theology. I feel weird saying anything bad about this as a white Christian, but it is just so long. It’s gotta go.

Edd: I’m a little more forgiving of this one than Justin, mainly because I’ve always had a soft spot for ol’ Popa Wu. But as much as I appreciate his OG wisdom and Pete screaming MAL-COLM X! MAL-COLM X! MAL-COLM X! over and over, this 7 minute soliloquy certainly isn’t essential.

Justin say CUT, Edd says CUT

2. “Reunited”

Justin: Now THIS is the proper way to start off this album. GZA even sets up the moment with “Reunited, double LP, world excited. Struck a match to the underground, industry ignited.” Yes, you’re darn right Genius. Stays.

Edd: The best part of the Wu dynamic is how they can retain their uniqueness while maintaining symmetry. Listen to how GZA weaves phrases together like your grandma’s crochet club while ODB jumps in immediately after to ramble about smoke n’ drank. “Reunited” is exactly what it advertises – a Wu family reunion. A VERY underrated banger. This one stays as my album opener.

Justin says STAY, Edd says STAY

3. “For Heavens Sake”

Justin: Starts with the #1 track first verse destroyer, Inspectah Deck, check. An insane beat check. Masta Killa and Cappadonna blacking out for way longer than 16 bars? Absolutely stays. 

Edd: I’ve been in love with that “For heaven’s saaaaaake” loop for 20 years now. And the production? You’ll snap a vertebrae nodding your head to this one. It’s going nowhere.

Justin says STAY, Edd says STAY

4. “Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours (Still Don’t Nothing Move but the Money)”

Justin: Look, this song is dope. It’s just a little more cool than a banger to me. Would be great on one of those b-sides/unreleased Wu compilations. CUT.

Edd: Remember the Wu-Massacre album with Ghostface, Raekwon and Meth? I wanted the whole album to sound like this track. This is the first tough decision – it’s not essentially essential, but it’s strong enough to survive.

Justin says CUT, Edd says STAY

5. “Visionz”

Justin: Same comment as above. A little uninspired production-wise, a little sleepy. Sorry. CUT.

Edd: You call it sleepy, but I call it intimidating. “Visionz” sounds like Vincent Price telling spooky tales in the traphouse. Wu over haunting keys is always a plus for me. I’m rolling with it.

Justin says CUT, Edd says STAY

6. “As High As Wu-Tang Get”

Justin: Incredible. GZA crushes it. ODB’s chorus is super memorable. Meth continues his slow, chill flow he showed us in “Shadowboxin’” (also with the GZA). This stays. Hard.

Edd: Meth and GZA are an underrated duo – peep “Shodowboxin'” as Justin mentioned. But I’m sorry, ODB’s hook always annoyed me. I don’t need it.

Justin says STAY, Edd says CUT

7. “Severe Punishment”

Justin: Everybody goes off on this. A simple, yet deadly loop. Foreboding. Vintage Wu. Stays.

Edd: It’s pretty telling that I totally forgot about this song until relistening for this post. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a dope track (reminder: 1997 Wu was very, VERY good) but not very consequential. A regretful cut.

Justin says STAY, Edd says CUT

8. “Older Gods”

Justin: Classic Rae and Ghost. GZA comes through at the end to solidify it. Gotta stay.

Edd: It’s always good to hear Ghost and Rae doing their thing together but there are better examples of that later on – we’ll get to that one later. Good song, but I gotta let it go for better tracks down the road.

Justin says STAY, Edd says CUT

9. “Maria” (Featuring CappaDonna)

Justin: Alright, I’ll admit the beat is good. I’ll admit everyone flows like crazy on it. I just have a thing against overt sex raps. Not my thing. It goes.

Edd: During my first runthrough of the album for this post, “Maria” made the final cut. I mean, you’ve gotta have a thirsty Wu song, right? But I just couldn’t justify keeping it in the long run. By the way, ODB’s verse is … something else. “I like it muddy and swampy” Aight yo.

Justin says CUT, Edd says CUT

10. “A Better Tomorrow”

Justin: A little preachy. A little bit of a downer. But this was mad impactful back in the day. I probably wouldn’t come back to it time and time again, but it’s a solid blend of street consciousness. Hard to do well, but Wu could pull that off. Stays.

Edd: Sure it’s preachy, but in a good way. Y’all know how much I complain about the lack of diversity in modern music – it’s because I was spoiled by albums like Wu-Tang Forever. Street bangers, drunken goofy songs, and thoughtful, introspective cuts like this one make it an experience. Absolutely stays.

Justin says STAY, Edd says STAY

11. “It’s Yourz”

Justin: The beat. The video. Raekwon going crazy right off the top. RZA brings us back to his GraveDiggaz days, with his ultra hype delivery. Stays with no question.

Edd: One of my favorite Wu tracks of all time. Y’all ain’t taking it from me. STAYS STAYS STAYS.

Justin says STAY, Edd says STAY

Disc 2!

1.”Intro”

Justin: An intro for the second disc. Kinda proves this album’s a little too bloated. I do love every word RZA says, and maybe this could have been the proper intro to the actual beginning of the album, but with 27 tracks, we gotta be a little more choosy. Goes.

Edd: RZA ranting about the watering down of hip-hop back way back in 97 sure feels prophetic in 2021. You’re preaching to the choir, playa. Interesting, but unnecessary. Bye bye.

Justin says CUT, Edd says CUT

2. “Triumph” (Featuring CappaDonna)

Justin: No debate. Stays forever.

Edd: This is a no-brainer. Inspecktah Deck drops one of the greatest opening verses in rap history and it has set the standard for posse cuts. Obviously stays. Anyone who disagrees is GETTIN CUT.

Justin says STAY, Edd says STAY

3. “Impossible” (Featuring Tekitha)

Justin: This song starts OK, gets slightly better than becomes one of the most memorable tracks on this due to Ghost’s 1997 version of Slick Rick. Storytelling at its finest. Emotional, vivid. Perfect. Stays.

Edd: Here’s one I went back and forth on. Anytime we can get Tekitha on the hook I’m a happy man – she constantly sounds like she’s auditioning for a Bond song. Justin’s right, the song starts out fine but really picks up steam by the end. Let’s keep it.

Justin says STAY, Edd says STAY

4. “Little Ghetto Boys” (Featuring CappaDonna)

Justin: Good, not great. We need every track to count. Cut.

Edd: Man, nobody can tell a story like Raekwon, the rap griot. Nice flip of the Donny sample as well. Expert storytelling and an incredible beat? I can’t let this one go.

Justin says CUT, Edd says STAY

5. “Deadly Melody” (Featuring Street Life)

Justin: 10 verses. U-God coming in with the bully bars. GZA with the dopest two line verse ever. You can feel RZA masterfully sequencing this whole thing, keeping the energy going. No group can compete with this. Stays.

Edd: I’m happy that U-God and Masta Killa get a bit more shine here – both are way better than they get credit for – but overall the track is not on the level of the better songs here. A tough cut.

Justin says STAY, Edd says CUT

6. “The City”

Justin: This is a tweener for me. Love Deck. His rhymes are always on point, but can he carry a song on his own? He’s way more lethal when he’s trading bars with another Clansman to me. Probably cut.

Edd: This is a cool showcase for Deck but we gotta trim the fat so it goes. Sadly.

Justin says CUT, Edd says CUT

7. “The Projects”

Justin: Great beat. Love Rae and Meth on this. But Ghost’s verse is so gross to me. Another tweener. 

Edd: Another solid but ultimately skippable track.

Justin says CUT, Edd says CUT

8. “Bells Of War”

Justin: Love this song. Always had a “last track on album” kind of vibe. With the interludes halfway through, and the authority every spits with. Stays.

Edd: I love the creeping production on this one. It gives the MCs enough room to spit but keeps the atmosphere from being totally dead. However, I still wouldn’t consider this an essential cut.

Justin says STAY, Edd says CUT

9. “The M.G.M.”

Justin: Another Rae and Ghost back and forth jam. Loved this back in the day. Like it today.

Edd: Remember earlier when I said we HAVE to have a track with Rae & Ghost tag teaming the beat like Hall and Nash? Well, this is the one.

Justin says CUT, Edd says STAY

10. “Dog S***”

Justin: Probably one of my favorite choruses ever. But this is so extreme it’s definitely not a frequent repeat listen. Cut.

Edd: This is the most ODB track you’d ever hear. Three in a half minutes about Dunkin Donuts and welfare cheese and women who wear their bras too tight. I was pretty indecisive about this one for awhile but let’s go for it – nothing wrong with adding a little levity to the LP.

Justin says CUT, Edd says STAY

11. “Duck Seazon”

Justin: Nasty. Dark. Classic. Stays.

Edd: Yet another track that I like but don’t necessarily love. We can live without it.

Justin says STAY, Edd says CUT

12. “Hellz Wind Staff” (Featuring Street Life)

Justin: Great track. Flow-ers just flowing like crazy. Feels a little like a b-side to me. Going to cut it, but a close one.

Edd: I wish someone named their album Hellz Wind Staff, it’s still one of the dopes titles ever. Between that and Ghostface calling people slue-footed penguins, I have a lot of love for this track. HOWEVER, we’re getting down to the nitty-gritty, so I have to put nostalgia aside. I really hate to cut this one but I have no choice.

Justin says CUT, Edd says CUT

13. “Heaterz” (Featuring CappaDonna)

Justin: Good, not incredible. Getting tough towards the end here. Cut but feel bad about it.

Edd: Nah playa, I can’t let this one go. “Heaterz” feels like an EVENT, soulful and threatening all at the same time. I let “Hellz Wind Staff” down but “Heaterz” won’t slip through my fingers.

Justin says CUT, Edd says STAY

14. “Black Shampoo”

Justin: I’m happy U-God got his shine. But this is just not working for me. No. Cut.

Edd: Absolutely love the beat on this one but it feels a bit too much like Great Value “Camay.” Sorry, U-God.

Justin says CUT, Edd says CUT

15. “Second Coming” (Featuring Tekitha)

Justin: Never understood what was happening here. NO. Cut. 

Edd: More Tekitha! Look, I love this but I can’t in good conscience keep it above some of the others here. Definitely feels like they were padding out the album as we wind things up.

Justin says CUT, Edd says CUT

16. “The Closing”

Justin: Sorry, filler again. Cut.

Edd: Just Rae being Rae talking about Rae stuff. Don’t need it at all.

Justin says CUT, Edd says CUT

The Eddits:

Justin: Here’s how I would sequence the album. Start out strong, mix the bangers with the serious joints. End on a song with some finality to it so there’s some closure.

1. “Reunited”

2. “For Heavens Sake” (Featuring CappaDonna)

3. “As High As Wu-Tang Get”

4. “Triumph” (Featuring CappaDonna)

5. “Older Gods”

6. “It’s Yourz”

7. “Duck Seazon”

8. “Impossible” (Featuring Tekitha)

9. “Severe Punishment”

10. “A Better Tomorrow”

11. “Deadly Melody” (Featuring Street Life)

12. “Bells Of War”

Edd: As I mentioned before, I think Wu-Tang Forever is one of the better double-disc albums in rap history. Still, if you eliminate some of the less consequential tracks, keep the big singles and retain some of the Wu tropes (a strong storytelling cut, a introspective joint, Rae and Ghost’s tag team, ODB being a weirdo) you get an even stronger release.

1. “Reunited”

2. “Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours”

3. “Triumph”

4. “For Heavens Sake”

5. “Little Ghetto Boys”

6. “The M.G.M.”

7. “Impossible”

8. “Visionz”

9. “Heaterz”

10. “Dog S***”

11. “A Better Tomorrow”

12. “It’s Yourz”

Who has the stronger EDDited LP, Justin or Edd? Check out our playlists below and share yours in the comments.