Asif Khan Inc.

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx – Raekwon

Of the varied genres of hip hop which we hear booming out of stereo boxes these days, one form which has stood its ground over the years has been the type which speaks in overtones about mega drug deals and life in the mafia underground. And no single album would have had as much influence in the creation of this genre as Raekwon’s “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx”. Riding high on the success of “36 Chambers”, Raekwon teamed up with some members of the Wu-Tang to come out with an ensemble of verbose lyricism. Popularly known as the Chef within the clan, Raekwon possessed the ubiquitous talent as the master story teller. Thus, the songs on the album mostly confine themselves to a tough life on the streets, making and breaking deals, and on the run from the law – all of it within the loose perimeter of an interwoven plot. The sound featured a heavy use of keys and a horn section, which was not witnessed on their earlier work. RZA put his production skills to the fullest use, and produced a sound which was much slicker than “36 Chambers”. After all, the sound had to be slick considering this dealt with smooth gang operations. In fact, the overall production quality of the album is what held together the album in a cohesively bound package, and provided artistes in subsequent years with the inspiration to create something similar. The tone of the album is universally dark, and the lyrics trudge along varying emotions of despair, paranoia, betrayal, and the usual feelings which accompany anyone living life in the dangerous by-lanes. The multi-layering of themes and musical notations are such that they may not really unwind them all in the first listen, making this the kind of album which opens up new aspects of itself for the first few times you listen to it. Influences would continue to be heard in following works of Nas and Mobb Deep, and even the occasional debut (remember “Reasonable Doubt” by Jay-Z). Whatever it maybe though, not many albums claim spawning as much content as its progeny.