As one of the original members of the seminal '90s
rap crew the Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah (aka Tony Starks) made
an impact before he released his debut album, Ironman, late in
1996. Like all members of the Wu-Tang Clan, the rapper used the
group as a launching pad for a solo career, which was assisted
greatly by other members of the Clan, particularly producer RZA.
Ghostface Killah had rapped on Wu-Tang's 1993 debut, Enter the
Wu-Tang, but he didn't distinguish himself until 1995, when he was
showcased on fellow Wu member Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.
Ghostface received good reviews for his appearance on the record,
and his contribution to the soundtracks for Sunset Park and Don't
Be a Menace to South Central While You're Drinking Your Juice in
the Hood also were well-received. All of these guest appearances
and soundtrack contributions set the stage for Ghostface Killah's
solo debut, Ironman, in late 1996. Like all Wu-Tang projects, it
was produced by RZA and was quite successful in the large
hip-hop/rap underground, debuting at number two on the pop charts
upon its release. Ironman was also the first album to be released
on Razor Sharp Records, RZA's record label on Epic Records.
Work with the Wu-Tang and their various members kept Ghostface
Killah busy until solo singles started appearing at the end of 1999
followed by his sophomore full-length, Supreme Clientele, in early
2000. Supreme Clientele was a success, but it was followed a year
later by Bulletproof Wallets, an album that didn't sell well and
had fans declaring the Ironman had gone soft. Once again it was
back to the Wu for a couple years before the rapper would be
appearing solo again. Epic issued the compilation Shaolin's Finest
in April of 2003, and by the end of the year two new Ghostface
tracks had started to appear on mixtapes. The chaotic "Run" with
Jadakiss and the more commercial "Tush" with Missy Elliott raised
the anticipation for the rapper's first album for Def Jam and his
first under the simpler moniker Ghostface. The Pretty Toney Album
hit the streets in April of 2004. The Top Ten hit Fishscale, along
with More Fish, followed in 2006, but not before 718 -- an album
from his Theodore Unit. Always prolific, the rapper put out The Big
Doe Rehab -- whose release date had originally coincided with
Wu-Tang's long-awaited fifth full-length, 8 Diagrams, which RZA
agreed to push back a week so as to not coincide with Ghost's
effort -- in early December 2007. Ghostface returned in 2008 with a
pair of compilations: The Wallabee Champ (rarities and B-sides) and
GhostDeini the Great (including remixes, alternate versions, and
career highlights).
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