By Odeisel

The bar is set pretty high once you say you’re releasing the follow up to one of the greatest albums ever.  After many delays and false starts, it seems we are actually going to get Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Part II. That album’s legacy elicits great expectations from a Raekwon we haven’t heard regularly.

We’ve heard a couple leaked tracks leading up to this, some throwaways and a couple mouth-watering appetizers.  The latest track is a Wu extravaganza called “House of The Flying Daggers.”  Sticking to the Kung-Fu movie shtick that made them icons, the fearsome fivesome of Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspektah Deck, Methodman and the GZA get busy on a haunting track.  Does it hold water?

The GZA’s appearance is only token as he doesn’t spit a verse but delivers a modified chorus based  on his classic “Clan in Da Front” refrain. It’s a bit disappointing because we haven’t really heard him in a minute, but there’s enough firepower here for a Wu-banger.

The sound of the track is similar to the Wutang Forever era of Wu productions, with an orchestral looped style dominating the musical sound.  Relentlessly pounding drums topped with strings. The first rapper up to the plate is the Rebel INS and in my opinion it’s not one of his best verses.  The flow is pedestrian and nothing in particular really stands out. The hunger and presence that permeates most of his Wu collaboration verses is sorely lacking here. Not that it’s wack but nothing to write home about.

Following Deck is Rae, rhyming aggressively, in stark contrast to his laid back delivery on “Criminology Pt. 2.” That slang imperial style is in full effect here and it’s good to hear that energy from the chef again.

Ghost comes on and there is a noticeable rise in the energy level upon his entrance. There’s a certain flavor in his flow and delivery that is very contemporary yet different. It’s a typical Ghost verse with a few dope lines, a few head-scratching “huh?s”  and rapid fire slick talk. He’s the clear highlight of this track.

Batting cleanup is Method Man.  He’s always been a better emcee with a group than he is as a soloist and this verse is no exception.  He’s got enough presence to justify his batting cleanup on this, but it’s not one of his best verses flow wise.  Method has always been different in that you couldn’t always tell when he would go in or out of a line.  His flow and line structure was always very unconventional and this verse doesn’t incorporate that aspect of his emcee personality. It’s a very average flow, at least for him, in terms of construction.  Lyrically though, he doesn’t diminish himself. His section features a couple beat drops  and pauses to make it interesting and add weight to the verse.

This is not a single or a timeless song; it’s not “big” enough.  The beat could have had more movement considering it had that many distinct styles of rappers. It is an average Wu song, which is music to the ears of many but not groundbreaking.  It’s good enough for filler or mid album fodder but it doesn’t pack enough wallop for a knockout. What it does serve as is a reminder that the main course is coming soon and the principals still have enough gas left in the tank to live up to the promise of a bar they made almost impossibly high.

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