Fishscale

Last updated
Fishscale
Fishscale-Ghostface.jpg
Studio album by
Ghostface Killah
ReleasedMarch 28, 2006 (2006-03-28)
Genre Hip hop
Length64:48
Label Def Jam
Producer
Ghostface Killah chronology
Put It on the Line
(2005)		Fishscale
(2006)		 More Fish
(2006)
Singles from Fishscale
  1. "Be Easy"
    Released: October 25, 2005
  2. "Back Like That"
    Released: February 28, 2006

Fishscale is the fifth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released March 28, 2006, on Def Jam in the United States. The album features guest appearances from every member of the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as Ghostface Killah's Theodore Unit. It also features production from several acclaimed producers, such as MF DOOM, Pete Rock, J Dilla, and Just Blaze, among others. The album follows an organized crime theme, and is named after a term for uncut cocaine.

Contents

Fishscale sold nearly 110,000 units in its first week of release, and debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, making it the highest charting Ghostface Killah album since his 1996 debut, Ironman . [1] The singles "Back Like That," and "Be Easy" entered the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, with the former peaking at the 14th position. [2] Upon its release, Fishscale received universal acclaim, with critics praising the album's cohesiveness, lyricism, and production. As of November 2009, the album had sold 332,000 copies. [3]

Background

In January 2006, a sampler was released containing full versions of "Be Easy," "Back Like That," and "Kilo," as well as shortened versions of "Big Girl" and "Charlie Brown". It also included an alternate version of "The Champ". "Charlie Brown," which was produced by MF Doom, contained a sample from Caetano Veloso's "Alfomega" that did not ultimately receive clearance, and the song did not appear on the final album. Similarly, "The Champ" was not cleared and an altered version found its way on to the album.

J Dilla created his two productions for Ghostface,[ citation needed ] but also used them on his instrumental album Donuts ; MF Doom's productions are taken from his Special Herbs series of albums.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 88/100 [4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [5]
The A.V. Club A [6]
Entertainment Weekly A− [7]
Los Angeles Times .Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [8]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Pitchfork 9.0/10 [10]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Spin A− [13]
The Village Voice A+ [14]

Upon its release, Fishscale received universal acclaim 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 88, based on 32 reviews. [4] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice called it a crack-trade "trend record that ranks with any Biggie or Wu CD". He found Ghostface Killah's stories to be as "vivid, brutal, and thought-out as any noir" and felt that the music features "a powerfully souled and sampled Clan-type groove" and a "screeching intensity" similar to Public Enemy's 1988 album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back . [14] Writing for Entertainment Weekly , Raymond Fiore said that "he may not be reinventing himself with Fishscale, but as a must-hear street storyteller, Ghostface Killah's still at the top of his game." [7] Matt Barone from XXL wrote that, "with a few forced collaborations being its only flaw, Fishscale is Ghost’s most addictive dosage post Supreme Clientele . Packed with vivid street tales, comic relief and straight spittin’, the album continues his standard of excellence." [15]

Steve Jones from USA Today wrote that "Ghostface takes a timeworn hip-hop theme — dealing cocaine, and creates a riveting listening experience. He doesn't so much deliver rhymes as narrate graphically detailed scenes, rife with violence, passion and a little humor." [16] AllMusic writer Andy Kellman wrote in his review "...Ghost responds by pouring all that he has, both lyrically and vocally, into every track on the album. The scenarios he recounts are as detailed and off-the-wall as ever, elaborate screenplays laid out with a vocal style that's ceaselessly fluid and never abrasive." [5] In Q , Ted Kessler wrote, "Rappers rarely improve with age, but Wu-Tang Clan veteran Ghostface is the exception… Whether Ghostface's explaining how to cook crack on 'Kilo', how he likes his hair cut on 'Barbershop', or how he came to swim with 'SpongeBob in a Bentley Coupe' on 'Underwater', he remains rap's finest storyteller." [11] In his review for The A.V. Club , Nathan Rabin wrote:

"In contrast to his aggressive delivery on The Pretty Toney Album , Ghostface is far more relaxed, confident, and eclectic here. One of rap's most cinematic and sophisticated storytellers, he fills his pulp narratives with so much novelistic detail that it's impossible to catch everything on the first listen. Thankfully, the kaleidoscopic, soul-drenched production by Doom, Pete Rock, Jay Dee, Just Blaze, and others make repeat listens seem tempting, even downright irresistible. Sure, Fishscale has its share of pointless skits. But that's what the fast-forward button is for, just as the play button seems to have been designed specifically to let people listen to Fishscale over and over again." [6]

Accolades

Fishscale was ranked as one of the best albums of the year.[ citation needed ] It also appeared on several lists for best albums of the decade, with Stylus Magazine ranking it number eleven. [17] Uncut ranked it number 62 on their 150 Best Albums of the 2000s,[ citation needed ] while Pitchfork ranked it number 75 on their Top 200 Albums of the 2000s, stating "History will remember Fishscale as Ghostface's Magical Mystery Tour : an artist convinced of his own genius empties every chamber on a batshit, pseudo-conceptual headtrip." [18] In 2009, Rhapsody ranked the album at number nine on its "Hip-Hop’s Best Albums of the Decade" list. [19] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [20] In 2022, the album was ranked 131st on Rolling Stone 's list of the 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time. [21]

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. [22]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The Return of Clyde Smith" (skit)  1:04
2."Shakey Dog"
 Lewis Parker 3:44
3."Kilo" (featuring Raekwon)
 MoSS 4:00
4."The Champ"
 Just Blaze 4:09
5."Major Operation" (skit)  0:06
6."9 Milli Bros." (performed by the Wu-Tang Clan)
 MF DOOM 4:14
7."Beauty Jackson"
 J Dilla 1:32
8."Heart Street Directions" (skit)  0:54
9."Columbus Exchange (skit) / Crack Spot"
  • Coles
  • Lakeywen Brown
  • Art Posey
  • Josef Powell
Crack Val2:21
10."R.A.G.U." (featuring Raekwon)
 Pete Rock 2:39
11."Bad Mouth Kid" (skit)  1:10
12."Whip You With a Strap"
  • Coles
  • Yancey
  • Johnny Baylor
  • Luther Ingram
  • Johnny Northern
  • Randall Stewart
J Dilla2:51
13."Back Like That" (featuring Ne-Yo)
Xtreme4:02
14."Be Easy" (featuring Trife)
Pete Rock3:19
15."Clipse of Doom" (featuring Trife)
MF DOOM3:09
16."Jellyfish" (featuring Cappadonna, Shawn Wigs and Trife)
MF DOOM3:50
17."Dogs of War" (featuring Raekwon, Cappadonna, Sun God and Trife)
Pete Rock4:04
18."Barbershop"
  • Coles
  • Steve Wallace
  • John Fowlkes
  • Roger Genger
Studio Steve1:56
19."Ms. Sweetwater" (skit)  0:14
20."Big Girl"
  • Coles
  • Lamar Bryant
  • Robert Douglas
Ghostface Killah3:35
21."Underwater"
MF DOOM2:03
22."The Ironman Takeover" (skit)  0:05
23."Momma" (featuring Megan Rochell)
 Sean C & LV 4:49
24."Three Bricks" (bonus track) (featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Raekwon)
4:58
Total length:64:48
Sample credits

Personnel

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghostface Killah</span> American rapper

Dennis David Coles, better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success. Ghostface Killah debuted his solo career with Ironman, which was well-received by music critics, in 1996. He has enjoyed continued success in the years that have followed, releasing critically acclaimed albums such as Supreme Clientele (2000) and Fishscale (2006). His stage name was taken from one of the characters in the 1979 kung fu film The Mystery of Chess Boxing. He is the founder of his own record label, Starks Enterprises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MF Doom</span> British-American rapper (1971–2020)

Daniel Dumile, also known by his stage name MF Doom or simply Doom, was a British-American rapper and record producer. Noted for his intricate wordplay, signature metal mask, and "supervillain" stage persona, Dumile became a major figure of underground hip hop and alternative hip hop in the 2000s. After his death, Variety described him as one of the scene's "most celebrated, unpredictable and enigmatic figures".

<i>Madvillainy</i> 2004 studio album by Madvillain

Madvillainy is the only studio album by American hip hop duo Madvillain, consisting of British-American rapper MF Doom and American record producer Madlib. It was released on March 23, 2004, on Stones Throw Records.

<i>Bulletproof Wallets</i> 2001 studio album by Ghostface Killah

Bulletproof Wallets is the third studio album by Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah. The album was released on November 13, 2001, by Epic Records and SME Records. The album features the singles "Never Be the Same Again" and "Ghost Showers".

<i>The Pretty Toney Album</i> 2004 studio album by Ghostface

The Pretty Toney Album is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Ghostface. The album was released on April 20, 2004, by Def Jam. It is the only album from the artist to be released solely under the title of "Ghostface", and is the first of his albums not to feature any other members of the Wu-Tang Clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laffy Taffy (song)</span> 2005 single by D4L

"Laffy Taffy" is a 2005 song by Atlanta-based hip hop group D4L which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2006. The song's success on the charts was largely due to its enormous online sales. The music video version of the song samples and interpolates elements of "Candy Girl" by New Edition, whereas the CD single version of the song excludes the sampling. The song was produced by Born Immaculate, Broderick Thompson Smith and "K-Rab", and the music video was directed by Thomas Forbes.

<i>Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II</i> 2009 studio album by Raekwon

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II is the fourth studio album by American hip hop recording artist and Wu-Tang Clan-member Raekwon, released September 8, 2009, on Ice H2O/EMI Records in the United States. The album experienced numerous delays to its release due to Raekwon's approach of continual re-writing, as well as distribution issues with his record labels. Serving as the sequel to his critically acclaimed debut album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (1995), Pt. II maintains many of the themes covered on its predecessor, and features guest appearances from several Wu-Tang members, as well as Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss and Beanie Sigel.

<i>More Fish</i> 2006 studio album by Ghostface Killah

More Fish is the sixth studio album by rapper Ghostface Killah, released on December 12, 2006 through the Def Jam label. The album's name derives from Ghostface's earlier 2006 release, Fishscale. The track "Good", featuring Ghostface's fellow Theodore Unit member Trife Da God and Mr. Maygreen, and produced by Kool-Aid & Peanut, was the first single. It contains one track, "Josephine," which was originally featured on Hi-Tek's Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip, but all other tracks are made of previously unreleased material.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MF Doom discography</span>

British-American rapper and record producer Daniel Dumile, also known under several stage names, most notably MF DOOM, released six studio albums, two live albums, three compilation albums, 10 instrumental albums, seven collaborative albums, 14 singles, and 32 music videos in his career.

<i>The Big Doe Rehab</i> 2007 studio album by Ghostface Killah

The Big Doe Rehab is the seventh studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released on December 4, 2007 on Def Jam Recordings. The album features guest appearances from fellow Wu-Tang members Raekwon, Method Man, U-God, and Masta Killa as well as from Kid Capri, Cappadonna and members of Ghostface's Theodore Unit crew. The album features production from LV & Sean C. among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Be Easy (Ghostface Killah song)</span> 2005 single by Ghostface Killah featuring Trife da God

"Be Easy" is the first single by rapper Ghostface Killah from his critically acclaimed fifth solo album Fishscale. Initially released through mixtapes, it features Ghostface's Theodore Unit protégé Trife da God. The song contains a sample of "Stay Away From Me" as performed by The Sylvers. It was later included within the soundtrack to the action-drama film Waist Deep. The album Fishscale included an alternate version of the song with a verse from Ice Cube.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Back Like That</span> 2006 single by Ghostface Killah featuring Ne-Yo

Back Like That is the second single by American rapper Ghostface Killah from his critically acclaimed fifth solo album Fishscale (2006). The song features R&B singer Ne-Yo and has become Ghostface's highest charting solo single on the Billboard Hot 100 and his generally second highest charting song after Kendrick Lamar's Purple Hearts where Ghostface is featured on. It contains a sample of "Baby Come Home" as performed by Willie Hutch as well an interpolation of "Song Cry" as performed by Jay-Z. A remix featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo was produced and later included on Ghostface's sixth album More Fish. In 2009, Ghostface performed the song with Chrisette Michele at VH1's 6th Annual Hip Hop Honors ceremony.

<i>Born Like This</i> 2009 studio album by DOOM

Born Like This is the sixth and final solo studio album by British-American rapper/producer MF DOOM. It was released under the pseudonym "DOOM" on March 24, 2009 through Lex Records. It debuted at number 52 on the Billboard 200 chart, having sold 10,895 copies as of March 29, 2009. In addition to tracks produced by MF Doom, the album includes production by frequent collaborator Madlib, as well as J Dilla. The album title is borrowed from Charles Bukowski's poem "Dinosauria, We", which employs it as a cadence. The track "Cellz" opens with a sampled recording of Bukowski reading the poem.

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2006.

<i>Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City</i> 2009 studio album by Ghostface Killah

Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City is the eighth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan-member Ghostface Killah, released September 29, 2009 on Def Jam Recordings in the United States. He first announced the album in a May 2008 interview, describing it as an R&B-inspired album, similar to his previous work with such artists as Ne-Yo and Jodeci. The album spawned four singles; "Baby", a slow-tempo R&B song with auto-tune vocals by Raheem "Radio" DeVaughn, "Forever", "Let's Stop Playin'" featuring John Legend, and "Guest House", featuring Fabolous & Shareefa. Upon its release, Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City received generally positive reviews from music critics. As of December 12, 2009, the album has sold 64,000 copies in the United States.

<i>Apollo Kids</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Ghostface Killah

Apollo Kids is the ninth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan-member Ghostface Killah, released on December 21, 2010, by Def Jam Recordings. Guests on the album include several Wu-Tang members and affiliates, as well as Redman, Black Thought, Busta Rhymes, Joell Ortiz, and Game, among others.

<i>NehruvianDoom</i> 2014 studio album by NehruvianDOOM

NehruvianDoom is the collaborative studio album by American hip hop duo NehruvianDoom which consisted of MF DOOM and Bishop Nehru. The album was released on October 7, 2014, by Lex Records.

<i>Sour Soul</i> (album) 2015 studio album by BadBadNotGood and Ghostface Killah

Sour Soul is a collaborative studio album from Canadian jazz instrumental hip hop band BadBadNotGood and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah. It was released worldwide on February 24, 2015.

<i>Ironman</i> (Ghostface Killah album) 1996 studio album by Ghostface Killah

Ironman is the debut studio album by American rapper Ghostface Killah, released on October 29, 1996, by Epic Records. It was produced by fellow Wu-Tang Clan member RZA. The album's music draws prominently on blaxploitation films and soul samples. More so than on other solo debuts from the group's members, Ironman contains references to the Nation of Gods and Earths.

<i>Supreme Clientele</i> 2000 studio album by Ghostface Killah

Supreme Clientele is the second studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released on February 8, 2000, by 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. It features affiliates of what would become members of 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.

References

  1. ↑ Hasty, Katie (April 5, 2006). "T.I. Rules As 'King' Of Album Chart". Billboard . Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  2. ↑ Artist chart history for Ghostface Killah (singles), Billboard.com.
  3. ↑ "Long Player: XXL Presents Def Jam's Entire Rap Discography". XXL : 70–74. November 2009. Archived from the original on October 3, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  4. 1 2 "Reviews for Fishscale by Ghostface Killah". Metacritic . Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  5. 1 2 Kellman, Andy. "Fishscale – Ghostface Killah". AllMusic . Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  6. 1 2 Rabin, Nathan (April 11, 2006). "Ghostface Killah: Fishscale". The A.V. Club . Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  7. 1 2 Fiore, Raymond (March 27, 2006). "Fishscale". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on August 25, 2006. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  8. ↑ Baker, Soren (March 26, 2006). "Rapper tips the scales still further in his favor". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Ghostface Killah: Fishscale". Mojo (151): 104. June 2006.
  10. ↑ Dombal, Ryan (March 27, 2006). "Ghostface Killah: Fishscale". Pitchfork . Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  11. 1 2 Kessler, Ted (June 2006). "Ghostface Killah: Fishscale". Q (239): 115.
  12. ↑ Ringen, Jonathan (March 20, 2006). "Fishscale". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on April 22, 2006. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  13. ↑ Shepherd, Julianne (April 2006). "Ghostface Killah: Fishscale". Spin . 22 (4): 41–43. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  14. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (May 2, 2006). "Consumer Guide: Dear Mr. President". The Village Voice . New York. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  15. ↑ Barone, Matt (March 3, 2006). "Ghostface: Fishscale". XXL . Archived from the original on March 24, 2006. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  16. ↑ Jones, Steve (March 27, 2006). "Ghostface Killah slings uncut rap on 'Fishscale'". USA Today . Retrieved January 24, 2010.
  17. ↑ "The Stylus Decade Top Albums". Stylus Magazine . Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
  18. ↑ "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 100–51". Pitchfork . September 30, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
  19. ↑ Chennault, Sam (October 31, 2009). "Hip-Hop's Best Albums of the Decade". Rhapsody. Archived from the original on September 24, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  20. ↑ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (2014). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN   978-0-7893-2074-2.
  21. ↑ Weingarten, Charles Aaron,Mankaprr Conteh,Jon Dolan,Will Dukes,Dewayne Gage,Joe Gross,Kory Grow,Christian Hoard,Jeff Ihaza,Julyssa Lopez,Mosi Reeves,Yoh Phillips,Noah Shachtman,Rob Sheffield,Simon Vozick-Levinson,Christopher R.; Aaron, Charles; Conteh, Mankaprr; Dolan, Jon; Dukes, Will; Gage, Dewayne; Gross, Joe; Grow, Kory; Hoard, Christian; Ihaza, Jeff; Lopez, Julyssa; Reeves, Mosi; Phillips, Yoh; Shachtman, Noah; Sheffield, Rob; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Weingarten, Christopher R. (7 June 2022). "The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ↑ Fishscale (booklet). Def Jam. 2006.
  23. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Ghostface Killah – Fishscale". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Ghostface Killah – Fishscale". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Chart Log UK: Gina G – GZA". Zobbel.de. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Ghostface Killah Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Ghostface Killah Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Ghostface Killah Chart History (Top Rap Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.