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Forum nameThe Lesson
Topic subjectMy argument for GZA
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=2672264&mesg_id=2672965
2672965, My argument for GZA
Posted by L.E.S., Tue Mar-13-12 04:56 PM
since its clearly between GZA and Ghostface.

Ghostface's output is the virtue and the flaw of his career

and maybe GZA's lack of output is as well (although he could use another great solo).

Ghostface is obviously amazing and has been a favorite of dare I say "real"
Hip-Hop heads for last decade plus. Giving us quality shit during pretty lame times.
But I stopped keeping up when it seemed like quantity took away from the quality.

Now Ghost is Ghost, so even lukewarm Ghost is still pretty dope and usually fun.
But when a rapper keeps putting shit out it takes away from the magic of the
great stuff. I know this isn't about albums, its about MCing, but bare with me,
because this is the point of why ultimately I think GZA is the better MC.

We know GZA has one classic solo and then some pretty good to altogether boring
LP's. If only he had one more classic solo then the argument would be better
on his side. If you look at Liquid Swords & Ironman as equals, then GZA has
nothing to compete with Supreme Clientele, not to mention Fishscale or Pretty
Toney. But I digress!

If it comes down to verses on Wu-Tang albums I'd have to go with GZA.
He's one you're always waiting for, the closer, putting it all in perspective.
Every member has their role, and Ghost's is the most fiery , at times outrageous,
and memorable, but GZA is the one you go to when you find yourself asking
"Wait? What the hell is this song about?" He's an MC's MC. Lucid, confident,
intelligent and veracious. And, unlike Ghostface, he knows when to be sparse
for the betterment of a verse or a track. Maybe he only throws one pitch,
but its a damn good pitch.
To me he's like the Mariano Rivera of Wu-Tang,
and they ain't winning without him. Ghost is great, but he's better solo than
he is in the clan I think, although that's not easy to confess. And if there's
one knock on Ghost (this is only in the MC discussion) its questioning his
esoteric slang word conjunction. What I mean is- yes his word play,
while at times seems incoherent, is exactly what makes him his own
type of genius, IF YOU BUY IN! I buy it and I know that most of us buy it.
But GZA? dude is NA TU RALE MC (in my Bunk Morland Natural Police
accent). No translation guide necessary. No interpretation necessary.
Just natural neck breaking rap shit, straight up and crystal clear.
As far as the MC question goes, I think GZA can go with the best of 'em.
Now if the question is "Who is a better artist?" That's a whole different
way of judging, and Ghostface probably wins that bout. But again,
better MC? GZA