Supreme Clientele

Supreme Clientele
Studio album by Ghostface Killah
Released	January 25, 2000
Recorded	1998−1999; New York City, New York Miami, Florida
Genre	Hip hop
Length	64:10
Label	Epic Records, Sony, Razor Sharp
Producer	Black Moes-Art, The Blaquesmiths, Carlos Bess, Carlos Broady, Choo the Specializt, Hassan, Inspectah Deck, Ju-Ju, Mathematics, RZA
Ghostface Killah chronology
Ironman (1996) Supreme Clientele (2000) Bulletproof Wallets (2001)
Wu-Tang Clan solo chronology
Raekwon: Immobilarity (1999) Supreme Clientele (2000) Wu-Tang Clan: The W (2000)
Singles from Supreme Clientele
"Apollo Kids" Released: July 10, 1999 "Cherchez La Ghost" Released: February 28, 2000

Supreme Clientele is the second studio album of American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released February 8, 2000 on Epic Records. The album showcases Ghostface's signature up-tempo, stream-of-consciousness rhyme style, and features guest appearances from Cappadonna, GZA, Masta Killa, Method Man, Raekwon, Redman, RZA, U-God, and others. If features members of what would become affiliates Theodore Unit and T.M.F. Supreme Clientele contains a large amount of production from group member RZA, who also re-worked and remixed beats from other producers involved, as a means to create a unified and cohesive sound for the album.^[1]

Supreme Clientele debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 chart and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, while selling 134,000 copies in its first week.^[2] On March 8, 2000, it was certified Gold in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[3] The album featured the singles "Apollo Kids" and "Cherchez La Ghost", which, despite receiving limited airplay, went on to achieve notable chart success. Supreme Clientele gained strong reviews from critics, despite its contrasting sound and style to that of his previous critically successful album Ironman.

Supreme Clientele became the most acclaimed out of all second generation Wu-Tang projects, and featured the most contributions from RZA during this era. It was praised and noted for Ghostface Killah's obscure and creative lyrics, and for the cohesive format of production.^[1] Along with Ironman (1996) and FishScale (2006), it is often ranked as Ghostface Killah's best work. It has also been regarded as one of the best solo Wu-Tang albums,^[4] and has received accolades for being one of the best albums of the 2000s decade.^[5] A sequel entitled Supreme Clientele Presents... Blue & Cream: The Wally Era is to follow.^[6]

Background and recording

After the release of Wu-Tang Clan's sophomore album Wu-Tang Forever, group leader RZA assigned the members to work primarily with affiliates on their up-coming solo projects, while he "called dibbs" on Ghostface Killah.^[7] RZA also instructed the members to keep Wu-Tang guest appearances to a minimum, as he saw their earlier solo albums as "giving away Wu-Tang to labels who had only signed one member".^[1] Although RZA would work occasionally with other group members and affiliates during this time, Supreme Clientele would be the Wu-Tang related project he was most involved in since Wu-Tang Forever.^[8]

Recording for the album began in 1998, and took place at several studios in New York and Florida.^[4] These sessions, however, would be interrupted due to Ghostface Killah serving a prison sentence at Riker's Island for a 1995 charge he caught at the Palladium nightclub in New York.^[9] Although Ghostface was in prison for six months, he still had a weapons charge that was pending when he and RZA got back to finishing the remainder of the album.^[4]

Lyrics

In late 1997, Ghostface Killah and producer RZA took a several month long trip to Africa, where a large portion of Supreme Clientele's lyrics would be written.^[4] While in Africa, the culture had an effect on Ghostface's lyrics.^[4] Un-like his acclaimed lyricism on his debut Ironman, and Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... album, Ghostface Killah rarely makes references to crime and materialism on Supreme Clientele.^[4] He explained "Fuck all this Tommy Hilfiger, Polo, all that shit. They don't give a fuck about none of that in Africa. Everything is the same. But over here, everybody wanna be better than the next one. Nah, it's not like that over there. They might be fucked-up money wise, but trust me, them muthafuckas is happy. They got each other".^[4] One of the earliest lyrics Ghostface wrote while in Africa was "Nutmeg", a song with a rhythmic, off-beat cadence.^[4] Regarding the song's form, he stated "That's a wild song. That shit's one of the illest styles I ever came up with, because I had no music to write to".^[4]

Controversy

The album contains an insult toward then-up-and-coming rapper 50 Cent. In the "Clyde Smith" skit, Wu-tang member Raekwon, with the use of voice distortion, plays the role of a man named Clyde Smith. Clyde Smith addresses 50 Cent and his 1999 song "How to Rob", in which 50 Cent rhymed about how he would rob many popular music artists, including several Wu-Tang members. The skit drew a response from 50 Cent, who later replied in an underground mixtape, and later in the song "Too Hot".

In 2004, Lord Superb, formerly of Raekwon's American Cream Team and a collaborator of Ghostface's, made claims that he had "ghostwritten" the entire album of Supreme Clientele.^[10] Tony Yayo of G-Unit would later bring the topic back to the surface in 2006.^[11] However, in an interview with Rhapsody Music, Ghostface responded with "Yeah, I was in Europe when I heard Tony Yayo say that. That’s just nonsense. I still put mad shit out. 'Perb (Superb) is Rae’s (Raekwon) man. He been in the studio a few times while we’re doing shit. He ain’t write shit. All ‘Perb contributed was a couple of lines that you could put in the air. When we write, we all do that. “Say this one right here” or “Put this one right here.” We all catch lines with each other ‘cause you in the studio. You got niggas around you that write. Even if he did write a verse, he could never make an album of mine. He couldn’t make an album, you feel me? I made Supreme Clientele what it is. Those are my stories, based around what they’re based upon. It’s me. I can’t see what songs ‘Perb wrote. He ain’t write "Mighty Healthy" or "One" or "Apollo Kids" or "Cherchez LaGhost" or "Saturday Nite" or "Malcolm".^[12]

Production

In the mid-1990s, Producer RZA had a flood in his basement studio, which resulted in the loss of recording equipment and several hundred beats, many of which were un-finished.^[1] As a result, he would have to use new equipment, and start over from scratch for production contributions. In a later interview, he stated "The jewel of the whole shit is that I lost mad shit in that flood. I got it again. It took me about two years, but I got now at least 200-300 beats. I studied the music, I studied the books and I said 'fuck that. Hip-hop is gonna be able to be played in Carnegie Hall. Not with a DAT, but with a 10-piece orchestra, and have a turntable in it, and Bobby Digital right there in the middle'.^[1] "

Although a number of producers, such as JuJu from The Beatnuts, Hassan of the U.M.C.'s, The Hitmen, and several Wu-Tang affiliates are credited for production, RZA and Ghostface Killah did the majority of the production and mixing for the album, as they "re-compiled" and "re-worked" the album's beats.^[1] In regards to this, RZA explained "Usually a producer comes in, makes a beat, mixes it, and gives the direction for it. But not with this album. That's why you get that special sound. I just needle and threaded the beats all together."^[1] This approach would later result in critical praise and recognition for its fluidity and cohesiveness.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[13]
Alternative Press	[14]
Robert Christgau	A−[15]
Entertainment Weekly	C[16]
Los Angeles Times	[17]
PopMatters	9/10[18]
Rolling Stone	[14]
The Source	[14]
USA Today	[19]
Vibe	(favorable)[20]

Upon release, Supreme Clientele received positive reviews from most music critics, with many lauding it as the greatest solo Wu-Tang album of its era. Blockspot from Vibe stated "Mixed reviews of recent solo offerings from Clan members have some doubters whispering their speculation of Wu's demise. Fortunately, Ghost saves the day with the naysayer-silencing Supreme Clientele. Championing the cause of Wu dominance, Supreme Clientele exemplifies Ghost's lyrical dexterity. While his thunderous light-speed delivery hasn't changed much, his jagged wordplay is at its zenith."^[20] Allmusic's M.F. DiBella wrote in his review "Most of the members of rap's Roman Empire, the Wu-Tang Clan, experienced sophomore slumps with their second solo releases, whether artistically or commercially. The second offerings featured some of the old Wu magic, but not enough to warrant a claim to their once total mastery of the rap game. Just as the Wu empire appeared to be crumbling, along came the second installment from the Clan's spitfire element, Ghostface Killah. Every bit as good as his first release, Supreme Clientele proves Ghost's worthiness of the Ironman moniker by deftly overcoming trendiness to produce an authentic sound in hip-hop's age of bland parity ... While the album is complete and characteristically Wu-sounding, each track is distinctive lyrically, thematically, and sonically. Ghostface's Supreme Clientele is a step toward the Wu-Tang Clan's ascent from the ashes of their fallen kingdom. The once slumbering Wu-Tang strikes again."^[13] Mike Pace from PopMatters commented "The (Wu-Tang) Clan has taken its share of blows from critics and fans alike who claim that the magic of the first few Wu releases has yet to be recaptured. However, the hype surrounding Ghostface’s latest Supreme Clientele is well deserved, seeing as that the majority of the tracks deliver like the Mailman Karl Malone doesn’t on Sunday. Aside from the occasional aggravating skit that drones on for too long, the album is chockfull of spit-polished Wu-isms and catchy-as-hell beats."^[18]

In contrast, Craig Seymour from Entertainment Weekly gave the album a C rating and wrote negatively of its skits and long length.^[16] In his review for USA Today, Steve Jones described Supreme Clientele as a "brooding mix of lyrically dense and sonically diverse tracks."^[19] Alternative Press, however, gave it five stars, and commented "From the opening minutes of this all-uptempo, all-sorta-dissonant wild ride, it shows and proves a minutely detailed, if largely abstract, document of a unique black artist's emotional life."^[14] The Source magazine called it "An A+ record in Wu fashion" and wrote "Arguably as entertaining as his debut Ironman. With appearances by just about every important Wu figure, the album is a Wu album in the Wu-est sense."^[14]

Track listing

• Note: Although various producers are credited for production in the album's liner notes, producer RZA re-worked and re-mixed every track on Supreme Clientele.^[1]

• Original version of "Ghost Deini" contained a sample which was refused clearance. This version found its way onto an album sampler. The beat was used earlier on the track "Bastards" Ruthless Bastards which can be found on the album Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm. The U.S. version of "Ghost Deini" was produced by The Blaqesmiths, while the international version was produced by RZA.

• The song "Wise (In the Rain)", which during recording had Ghostface crying because of the emotional lyrics, was left off entirely from the album.

Personnel

Performers

Production

Charts

Accolades

• The information regarding accolades is adapted from acclaimedmusic.net,^[5]except for lists with additional sources.
• (*) signifies unordered lists

References

External links

• Supreme Clientele at Discogs
• Article at Spin
• Album review at RapReviews
• Accolades at acclaimedmusic.net