36 Seasons - Ghostface Killah @ Bboysounds

Ghostface Killah’s “36 Seasons” just dropped and it’s 100% dope.

I know we raved about “12 Reasons to Die” last year, and with good reason, but “36 Seasons” is in a class of its own. Dig the album sampler mixed by 7L:

Following up on the format of “12 Reasons”, Ghostface (@ghostfacekillah) plays the protagonist in a violent struggle against the bad guys, overcoming near-defeat and ultimately crushing the forces aligned against him. And in the style of “12 Reasons”, there is a single producer, in this case Brooklyn’s The Revelations (@the_revelations) who, according to their Facebook page:

…embody the raw essence of classic southern soul, with a sharp modern edge.

And we must agree. The beats (and instrumentals included with the album) are insane, and two of The Revelations’ purely Soul tracks on the line-up, “It’s a Thin Line Between Love and Hate” and “I Love You for All Seasons” are just the funkiest, fitting in with Ghostface like a puzzle piece.

Dig the preview:

As on “12 Reasons”, the album follows a chronological order that presents the story alongside a mental picture to match the graphic illustrations that come with the album, and the creativity of the project places it in a class of its own among modern albums, and might even warrant its own sub-genre.

With thematic and storyline-based albums a rarity in modern Hip-Hop, “36 Seasons” is another gem in the crown of Ghostface Killah, a personal favorite of mine from the legendary WTC.

Honestly, we’re hoping to one day see a modern ballet based on Ghostface’s latest albums, with Bboys and Bgirls replacing traditional dancers and of course, the full line-up of legendary MCs providing the vocals from the stage, with the DJ in the conductor’s spot.

In the meantime, for the Bboys, Bgirls, and Hip-Hop fanatics, “Emergency Procedure” is a beat to put your feet on the street, with none other than Pharoahe Monch himself playing the mysterious Dr. X, who saves Ghost’s life by creating a mask that allows him to breathe.

And that’s one of the reasons this album, as well as “12 Reasons”, is just so dope: Ghostface’s new concepts have allowed some of the dopest lyricists, i.e. AZ (@quietazmoney), Kool G Rap (@therealkoolgrap), and the all-stars of Wu-Tang Clan, to take on characters, in some cases appearing on multiple tracks, as if you’re listening to the recording of a modern opera featuring your favorite MCs.

At every moment, the music is driven by straight-up-and-down Bboy breaks, in the usual style of Ghostface’s music, with a perfect example in “Blood in the Streets” with AZ:

And with no less than 20 years on the clock, Ghostface (and the whole Wu-Tang Clan) have been dropping Hip-Hop essentials for the universe, a tradition that Ghostface has mastered and through which he continues to surprise.