Raekwon
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
1995
If you thought that rap about Colombian drug lords, guns and organized crime was pedestrian, think again. Hailed as one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time, Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx paints a vivid picture of gritty New York street life that is cinematic in its scope. Wu-Tang Clan members Raekwon and RZA complement each other like De Niro and Scorsese, with Raekwon as the director and the RZA as the composer. Rae's lyrics are so descriptive that one moment he could be analyzing the slightest facial expression and the next counting all the diamond rings on a dealer's hand. RZA's production style shows a divergence from the stripped-down beats he used on Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), as this time he layers soul samples on top of strings and hard-hitting drums to create a vivid backdrop to Rae's screenplay. With all of its Scarface and gangster film sound bytes and descriptive lyrics, OB4CL pioneered a revolutionary style of Mafioso rap that has influenced a generation.
-Matt Newberg
