Ghostface Killah - Bulletproof Wallets

As the only Wu-Tang MC (outside of the GZA) to not record a lackluster solo release, Ghosface's third album comes with sky-high expectations. Ghostface continues to flow out of a sense of urgency, his cadence dripping with emotion on hot RZA-produced numbers like "Maxine." Ghost's exceptional storytelling abilities are intact; on "Never Be the Same" he confronts a former lover with Carl Thomas crooning on the hook. Likewise, on the awesome Alchemist-produced "The Forest" he builds a rhyme around popular fairy-tale characters. While sloppy hooks plague tracks like "Theodore" and "The Jucks" (pop your collar, huh?), it's the inane interlude skits and wildly uneven production that bogs down this release. By album's end you get the vintage Wu sound on "The Hilton"--grimy beats matched by Ghost's intense flow--and "Street Chemistry" boasts a remarkable piano loop mixed in with a sampled female voice, but it all comes a little too late. --Dalton Higgins Amazon.com

Ghostface is on a roll

Since Ghostface came out, you could rely on him to put out a tight album. This album was panned by a lot of people so it ended up being his most overlooked work. Never Be The Same Again feat Carl Thomas and Raekwon is a story of how some girl did Ghostface wrong. The Forest is a hilarious story of using cartoon characters as a premise. Ghost Showers and The Hilton feat Raekwon is that classic Ghostface sound. Ruff Endz show up on Love Session which samples Case's Faded Pictures. Complaints: I never liked Strawberry feat Killah Sin and the Jealousy skit sounded like something that was put on the album to take up space. Plus the album is a little too short(47 minutes???). Other than that there is nothing stopping from recommending this album to Ghostface fans. Lyrically everything is still intact and the production is good as always. Chalk this one as another slept-on album. Standouts: FLOWERS, NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN, THEODORE, GHOST SHOWERS, THE FOREST, THE JUX and THE HILTON. March 2, 2008

Solid album number three

In 2001, when Ghostface dropped this album, I was suprised, because the excellent Supreme Clientele album, I didn't expect Ghost to release another one just one year later. I've heard many opinions about this album, so now I get to through my views in as well.

Rating System
***** Awesome material, worthy of repeated listening
**** Pure excellence
*** Decent
** Ok, but nothing special
* Poor, no redeeming qualities

Maxine ****
Flowers ***
Never Be The Same Again **
Theodore ***
Ghost Showers ****
Strawberry **
The Forest *****
The Juks ****
Walking Through The Darkness ***
The Hilton ****
Love Session **
Street Chemistry ***** (This rating is high mainly because of the beat.)

The Alchemist, RZA, Carlos Broady, among others handled production well, especially Alchemist, as I think this was the first time that Ghost worked with Alchemist. Overall, not better than Supreme Clientele, but still worthy of owning. The skits, as in most albums depending on the material, hampering this rating, but that doesn't distract from this album. Solid recommendation. You won't be disappointed.



December 26, 2007

bw

good not as good as i know he can do but i like 90% of all the tracks so i give it 4 1/2 stars September 14, 2007

Ghostface Killah - Bulletproof Wallets

Only a year after Ghostface Killah dropped his second solo album, "Supreme Clientele," he returns with "Bulletproof Wallets." Never before (as far as I know) has any Wu-Tang Clan member ever dropped two albums within a two year time period but Ghost is the first to break that up. After two great solo albums can Ghost hold it down for three in a row?

1. Intro - No Rating

2. Maxine (Featuring Raekwon) - 4.5/5

3. Flowers (Featuring Raekwon, Method Man & Superb) - 4.5/5

4. Never Be the Same Again (Featuring Carl Thomas & Raekwon) - 5/5

5. Teddy (Skit) - No Rating

6. Theodore (Featuring Trife Da God & Twiz) - 4.5/5

7. Ghost Showers - 4/5

8. Strawberry (Featuring Killah Sin) - 4/5

9. The Forest - 4/5

10. The Juks (Featuring Trife Da God & Superb) - 4/5

11. Walking Through the Darkness (Featuring Tekitha) - 4.5/5

12. Jealousy (Skit) - No Rating

13. The Hilton (Featuring Raekwon) - 4.5/5

14. Interlude - Too Short - No Rating

15. Love Session (Featuring Ruff Endz) - 4/5

16. Street Chemistry (Featuring Trife Da God & Solomon Childs) - Too Short - No Rating

Overall:

47.5/55

4.5 Stars

Another very nice album from Ghostface. Not as good as "Ironman" or "Supreme Clientle" but it is indeed up there with them. Mostly every track is solid, none are wack or not listenable and Ghost's lyrics never fail to impress you. This is arugably one of Ghost's weakest albums in the eyes of many people but it truely isn't as bad as people say. Check it out if your a fan of true hip hop. November 15, 2006

Ghost

This is an average album. there are some decent songs and the production is okay. Probably for die hard ghost fans.
rating C+ September 24, 2006

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