In a manner fitting for his rhyme style, the Genius has steadily and stealthily crafted one of the best discographies in hip-hop history. Despite this, the guy’s rarely mentioned in greatest rapper arguments and granted, while he’s probably a bit too dry to inhabit that rarefied air, he’s certainly not far off. Pro Tools is the GZA’s fifth album in the 13 years since he released his debut Liquid Swords, declared the 12th best album ever by blog group think. Accordingly, anything post-Liquid has been met with the Illmatic curse, in that people will forever compare his first effort to subsequent works. This, despite the fact that even Gary Grice’s worst album (Beneath the Surface) remains pretty good.
So, no, Pro Tools isn’t Liquid Swords 2. Obviously. But separated from the baggage, it’s a modest late-career triumph. There’s nothing flashy about it, it possesses no “4th Chamber” type stand-outs, it’s just good. I won’t give it the full-blown review treatment, Floodwatch already got Freudian on it and Nate Patrin wrote an excellent Pitchfork review, complete with slightly too-low Pitchforkian score. If you want specifics and details I suggest you head there. If you want broad generalizations, let’s just say that it’s as impressive as any Genius album in 2008 has a right to be.
It’s hard to pick a favorite cut on Pro Tools. Other than “0% Finance,” which shamelessly xeroxes the beat from Legend of the Liquid Sword’s “Stay In Line”, there aren’t any tracks I actively dislike, nor any that I enjoy significantly more than the others. But if pressed to pick, I’d opt for “Paper Plates,” Genius’ scathing attack on 50 Cent. In a rap world devoid of interesting beefs and fewer rappers capable of drawing blood, GZA essentially decapitates Curtis. In hindsight, the conflict seems almost Manichean, with the duo diametrically opposed, the avaricious, flashy hook machine vs. the understated, scholarly artisan. Headline-grabbing hubris against sturdy, quiet professionalism. Make no mistake, the GZA’s an assasin, but a silent one. And plus, I’m a sucker for anything that mocks Tony Yayo. I mean honestly, how is it possible that that guy is allowed to make money rapping?
Download:
MP3: Genius/GZA-“Paper Plates”
MP3: Genius/GZA ft. Masta Killa & Rza-“Pencil”
