Wu-Tang Forever [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics]

As early as the first track proper prove the doubters wrong, 'Reunited' has the Gza fire an opening salvo on those artists who had been copying the Wu's style while they had been gone, "Reunited, double-LP, the world excited / struck a match to the underground / industry ignited / from metaphorical parables to fertilise the Earth / wicked ni**ers come try to burglarise my turf / scatting off soft a** beats them ni***rs rap happily / tragically, that style, deteriorates, rapidly." It's great opener, and one that reassures the listener that whatever they've read about this LP, the Wu-Tang mean business.

Released in 1997, this was the time when Rza was prepared to take a few risks with his production. On 'Cash Still Rules / Scary Hours', Ghostface Killah is tearing through a typically uncompromising verse when the music simply runs out leaving Ghost to finish his verse acapella. Equally, 'For Heaven's Sake' with its odd high-pitched warble effect is one of Rza's more innovative tracks.

The first disc concludes with 'It's Yourz' an attempt by the Wu to match some of their earlier anthems. It has Rza, in typically self-appreciating style, shout, "It's yours / the seed and the black woman / it's yours / double LP from Wu Tang Clan." If the first disc had been released alone, the listener could not have too many complaints. Strange then that the second disc contains just as many, if not more, classic Wu-Tang tracks.

The second disc kicks off with the single 'Triumph'. It's a dark affair, with the Wu positioning themselves as soldiers on a battleground ("War of the masses / the outcome disastrous / many of the victims families save their ashes / a million names on walls and graves and plaques / those who went back receive penalty for their acts."). Elsewhere on disc two, 'Impossible' has the Wu in preachy mood, Raekwon tells us, "The murder rate is increasing and we're decreasing / so at the same time that you play with guns... / that causes conflict against your own."

For the most part this is a group effort, but at certain points during disc two, the rappers break off into pairs to differing effect. 'The MGM' has Raekwon and Ghostface Killah trading the microphone line by line over a typically stark backing track. 'Dog S**t' is ODB and Method Man's chance to shine in the absence of the rest of the group. Frankly, the result is a juvenile, misogynistic track that somehow manages to be semi-entertaining. However, for those still in any doubt about the political correctness of the Wu the following track, 'Duck Seazon' is an entirely immature tirade about homosexuality.

Typically the album is highly cinematic. From the sleeve design to the b-movie snippets to the hilarious virtual tour of the Wu Mansion (a CD-ROM extra found on disc one), the album has a Hollywood feel to it.

I've always been of the opinion that the press were unduly savage on 'Forever'. It's not quite the equal of '36 Chambers' but it really isn't far away. Criticisms of it being overlong are not unfounded and perhaps one or two of the tracks would have been better left on the production room floor, but album with twenty-nine tracks will have one or two weak ones. 'Forever' should be an essential purchase for any hip hop fan.

Well the intro is not as nice as the cd2 intro and really they just babble for a bit..like the first kid said just skip it. 2/5

Reunited- An outstanding opening track, the voilin loop is just original excellence, RZA, ODB all come nice. 4/5

For Heavens Sake- this track is just great the sampled hook is fantastic and gives it that wu-tang rawness.4/5

Cash Still rules/Scary Hours- the loop in the background is so god dang ill, ghost comes nice as hell on the opening verse, one of the best tracks on cd1. 4.5/5

Visionz- I never liked the reverse loop at the intro of this track and the beat doesn't do it for me..meth doesn't relly open the verse with anything nice either but ghost comes nicely afterwards. 3/5

As high as Wu-tang get- ODB's grimeyness is so damn rugged and ill. he shines on this track. 3/5

Severe punishment- This is so dark and rugged again, U god opens nice and ghost comes real nice again. 4/5

Older Gods- pure dope, the beat, loop, everyhting...i could bump this track for eternal time. ghost shows why his uniqe style is so damn ill.(i like ghost, but you'll know why after you buy this cd)
5/5

Maria- very graphic didn't feel this too much, ODB's crude and blunt remarks just ain't funny at times, and i felt he was tryna hit on the area. this is a nice track all the same but ODB ruins it for me. 4/5

A better tomorrow- i love this track, the hook is just real nice and true, makes you look out at yourself and realise you shouldn't waste your life away. 4/5

Its yours- real nice outro from the first cd this track is a wu-classic 5/5

Cd2

Intro- real nice intro, and speaks werd of truth.

Triumph- Inspectah Deck probably dropped as known one of the best verses to be heard on the mic. incredible, another classic 5/5

Impossible- again nice needs to be listened to more than once though..it grows on you. 3/5

Little ghetto boys- this is real nice..so hard for me to like it as much as the original sampled version used by dre on the chronic...but sitll wu used it nicely. 4/5

Deadly melody- i need to listen to this more maybe but i didn't rate it. 3/5

The city- loved this track the hook is dope...rugged, raw..just excellence form the wu again 4/5

The projects- was an aight track.,..iono..3/5 from me though i need to listen to it more.

hellz wind staff- absoulutly amazing track, some real raw wu-tang slankg shaolin hooks and just plain ill 5/5

Heaterz- prolly the best track on the album, never have i heard such an ill beat..this track gives me the shivers from the infinite illness coming out of the speakers. unbelivable stuff...deseves top make the whole album a 5/5 oin its own.

this is something that if you remotly like wu-tang you have to buy...all you fans of rugged, raw...and unque style of emceeing you must take a peep.

deserve each start 10 times of any ludacris or nelly album.

The two discs are completely different albums and have different sampling and structure altogether, for example, Disc One features more electronic sounds with traditional beats ( killa track - "Its Yourz" ! )while in disc two The RZA seems to work back towards sampling japanese instruments and strings, this is why the second half of the album has more for me.Worth it for the lengthly second side alone

If you HATE crappy pop rap albums that repeat themselves BUY THIS S*** NOW, ITS SO DOPE THEY SHOULD LABEL IT ILLEGAL !