Ghostface Killah’s Ironman is widely regarded as one of the best albums from Wu-Tang Clan’s blitzkrieg in the early to mid ‘90s.
Released in October 1996, Tony Starks’ solo debut peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 — the Wu’s highest-charting release at the time — while earning a four-mic review from The Source thanks to standout tracks such as “All That I Got Is You,” “Daytona 500” and “Motherless Child.”
But in news that might surprise some fans, Ghostface Killah doesn’t hold Ironman in the same regard.
During his and Raekwon’s Drink Champs interview with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN that debuted on Saturday (November 20), Ghost Deini admitted he doesn’t look back on his debut album fondly.
“Ironman is so dark to me; Rae’s shit is lit. I’d pick out the best beats that I could take from RZA at that time, and to this day, that’s my first joint, but I don’t really feel it like that,” he admitted. “It’s not in my soul.”
Despite Raekwon and N.O.R.E.’s protests that Ironman is a classic, Ghost continued his confession by saying, “If I was in my right fucking state of mind, bruh? I didn’t rhyme on them fucking records because I couldn’t! But I had to get the record done!”
Ghostface Killah delved deeper into his ambivalence towards Ironman during a recent interview with Billboard for the album’s 25th anniversary, revealing a prolonged period of depression dampened the making of the record.
“When n-ggas appreciate [my] shit, I’m not going to shoot it down … but a n-gga was in a depressed state at the time,” he said. “People never understood what was going on at that time, and I didn’t really tell anybody.”
He continued, “The covor is colorful, but as far as the music, there was something going on there — it was wrong. That’s why I didn’t get on a few of the records, like ‘Assassination Day’ or ‘Fasta Blade.’ I couldn’t write to those records.
“I had Nas right there coming out at the same time [with It Was Written]. And it’s like, ‘Damn, I wanted to come out and compete with these n-ggas, because these n-ggas are my peers. But I couldn’t get it up there like that.”
Ghostface Killah Wants To Make An Album With Silk Sonic Duo Anderson .Paak & Bruno Mars
Ghostface Killah isn’t alone. After catching his Drink Champs comments on Twitter, The Roots’ drummer and Hip Hop historian Questlove echoed Tony Starks’ thoughts on Ironman.
“*whew* so it wasn’t just me,” he wrote on Sunday (November 21). “Don’t get me wrong the Tical-[Liquid] Swords streak is some Bulls Championship magic but I do remember (after the high of Cuban [Linx…]) feeling like it was just ‘solid.’
“[Supreme] Clientele & the ORIGINAL Bulletproof [Wallets] tho???!! made him Jordan to me back then.”
To coincide with its 25th anniversary on October 29, Ghostface Killah reissued Ironman on vinyl complete with a clutch of rare remixes, radio edits and instrumentals that were previously unavailable on streaming services.
Looking ahead, Pretty Toney is currently working on Supreme Clientele 2, which he’s tapped Kanye West and Mike Dean to executive produce. If the Staten Island icon has his way, there’ll also be a joint project with Silk Sonic duo Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars in the pipeline.
“Those are my beats right there,” he told HipHopDX earlier this month. “I wish I could get to them and talk to them and be like, ‘Yo let’s do shit. Let’s do a six-song project just for the fuck of it.’ It’s music now. Let’s just do it. I’m ready for it.’”
Watch Ghostface Killah and Raekwon’s full Drink Champs interview below.
I guess Ghost feels the same way Redman feels about Dare Iz A Darkside. Some of the greatest arts comes from depressed artists
Yup. Also Method Man once said he does not like any of his lyrics on Tical album like at all. But this,,, Ghost you break my heart with this. Ironman is my shhh
“Ghostface Killah delved deeper into his ambulance towards Ironman during a recent interview with Billboard for the album’s 25th anniversary”
Please get a new editor.
I figured out it’s supposed to be “ambivalence” but just shrugged it off. Mistakes are made. Don’t know a single person who doesn’t make them.
Surprising, but I can understand now that I’m older as well. What we display on the exterior could be completely different that what’s going on in our interior.
Bulletproof Wallets = very underrated
Ironman is a straight up classic. It is my 4th favorite album from the Wu. 1. Liquid Swords…2. OB4CL…3. Enter the Wu…4 Ironman.
I always considered OB4CL and Ironman as joint Raekwon and Ghostface albums. They have two of the four best albums to ever come out of Wu Tang.
EPMD can do it. They can pull out K-Solo. DASEFX, and the best part? Both sides can pull out Redman.
EPMD vs Rae and Ghost. The best part besides pulling out K-solo and DAS EFX, they both can pull out Redman
Ironman was the first album I bought at age 13. Had a walkman and walked the streets of Brooklyn listening to Fish.
IronMan< Supreme Clientele
C’mon Ghost…IRONMAN is CLASSIC…real Wu hedz know this
Word! Ghost has blown through a ton of albums since Iron Man….its not un usual to look back at something that long ago and oppose it or not feel like you did it to the best of capabilities. Having worked with as many talents and legends ghosts experience and thus expectations in the game is far higher than 90%…..Every album…. you are striving to be better than the last as well as everyone elses….10 albums later….and you was superstar status before the first album….you are the most critical and unforgiving for anything not polished….i think of 260 off the Iron man album and im reachen for fire extinguishers…every album after that was supposed to be better…BUT whats better than the ice breaking, hungry ass chew a hole through the crowd and spit it back at em? Notice how “all that i got is you” is at the end of that album? Because it wasnt the energy comen out the gate…but it WAS real….and heart felt…..because who doesnt wanna give release, to what it took to get there…or endurred during the times it took to get there??? First time i played Ikari Warriors i blew off all my grenades and missles….cried about it in the end…but it was a sick ass raw ass entrance! Blew it up…made ill waves amongst the rest of the arcade like i had been doing it all along….i look back and im like shit…i could have strategized that a little better….but could have i?
Am i not still riden in on the waves that befun me Johnny Utah???? Point Break bitch…check mate…every decision and energy brings you to now…and had you not put that iron man album out or liquid swords….or ticals…..you still be with the pick the sickle the shovel diggen ya own grave….
Fuck all that noise. IRONMAN is a classic, Top 20 Album of all time. One of my favorite WU realeses ever. Not one skips whatsoever!