Review Summary: The first really GOOD record this man has ever put out, let's give him a hand.
Inspectah Deck comes back for his first official studio album release in seven years (the absurdly awful
The Resident Patient was a mixtape, thank god), and on
The Manifesto, he sounds better than he has in a long time. While, like most Wu-Tangers not named Ghostface, GZA, or Raekwon, he barely has enough own personality in his actual rapping, rather ripping the beat to shreds with internal rhymes and quick flows rather than making you think about anything. His rapping, while un-charismatic and generally unconvincing, is precise and murderous, like the Wu-Tang Clan rappers should.
The Manifesto wants to be
Only Built For Cuban Linx II, and while the production does have a certain theatric touch that makes Deck’s rapping all the more entertaining, it’s a bit more odd and not quite as quality as the record mentioned. When Deck’s production choices take a short break for grand imitation, sometimes the highlights show themselves, like “The Big Game”, which at first sounds like a weak attempt at radio play, but sizzling synthesizers and click clack drums create a fizzling backdrop for Raekwon and Inspectah to spit some gloriously over-the-top cash talk.
Overall, the chances
The Manifesto takes makes it sound as if it should be awful, and it’s imitating is no laughing matter, but somehow, this seems to have made Inspectah Deck his own mini-mafioso classic. While nowhere near as good as Rae’s or even Ghost’s latest albums, this is clearly the best Inspectah Deck record out there, and the production is far beyond that of what is usually put on his records. At this point, I guess it’s good to say that every Wu-Tang member has put out a good album or two now.
