Twelve Reasons to Die II

Twelve Reasons to Die II
Studio album by Ghostface Killah
Released	July 10, 2015
Recorded	2014-2015
Genre	Hip hop
Length	31:46
Label	Linear Labs
Producer	Adrian Younge
Ghostface Killah chronology
Sour Soul (2015) Twelve Reasons to Die II (2015)
Wu-Tang Clan solo chronology
CZARFACE (Inspectah Deck and 7L & Esoteric): Every Hero Needs a Villain (2015) Twelve Reasons to Die II (2015) Method Man: The Meth Lab (2015)

Twelve Reasons to Die II is the twelfth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah. It is the sequel to his critically acclaimed 2013 album Twelve Reasons to Die. The album was released on July 10, 2015, by Linear Labs. The album features guest appearances from Raekwon, RZA, Scarub, Vince Staples, Lyrics Born, Chino XL and Bilal.^[1][2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	72/100[3]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Consequence of Sound	B-[5]
Exclaim!	7/10[6]
The Guardian	[7]
HipHopDX	[8]
NME	8/10[9]
Now	[10]
Pitchfork Media	7.2/10[11]
PopMatters	[12]
Spin	6/10[13]

Upon its release, Twelve Reasons to Die II received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 72 based on 17 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".^[3] David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Like the films Superman 2 and Aliens, the concept LP Twelve Reasons to Die II meets, and for action junkies exceeds, the high standard set by its predecessor."^[4] Dan Caffrey of Consequence of Sound said, "If we’re only judging Twelve Reasons to Die II on this kind of story-driven criteria, then it’s a knockout. As with its predecessor, the narrative is a marriage of exploitation horror and urban street drama, an elaboration on the kind of grit-meets-gimmick composition that the various members of Wu-Tang Clan have been pulling off for over two decades."^[5]

Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork Media said, "If Twelve Reasons to Die is a comic, then its sequel is the cinematic adaptation or a reboot of the franchise; the source material is the same, but the execution is tightened in places. It has a bigger-budget feel—stronger guests, better pacing, and a more careful consideration for its audience."^[11] Kevin Ritchie of Now said, "What it lacks is an interesting emotional – and thus truly cinematic – dimension. The vast majority of lyrics are either narrative exposition or revelling in the primordial thrill of gangsterism, and Ghostface rarely delves beneath the violent macho facade. When he does, it’s only during the climactic and clichéd moment of rebirth."^[10] Jesse Fairfax of HipHopDX said, "The majority of Twelve Reasons To Die II is Adrian Younge’s mere reinterpretation of Ghostface Killah’s beloved crime tales. “Black Out” comes close to a vintage feel, but the tracks ultimately distract from the album’s plot. Narrated by RZA, the surprise ending sets up an inevitable yet unnecessary third part to come down the line."^[8]

Track listing

• All songs are produced by Adrian Younge.

Charts

References