For the past few years, the Wu-Tang Clan has stood on its last limbs, stringing its remaining fans along between releases, with listeners hoping that each of these albums would be the one that would return the Clan to it’s throne. While recent albums from solo members like Raekwon, Cappadonna, and Inspectah Deck have not lived up to the series of first generation Wu-Tang classics, one person who has weathered the storm has been Ghostface Killah. His stellar debut Ironman helped keep the Wu-Tang Clan’s plan for domination in place, while it’s follow-up, Supreme Clientele virtually saved them from falling completely off the map.

While The W was the first record to follow Supreme Clientele, it also turned out to be another disappointment, dragging their once flawless name through the mud again. As the only artist to release a solo album since The W (or Supreme Clientele, for that matter), Ghostface Killah once again attempts to be the Wu-Tang’s savior with Bulletproof Wallets.

The verdict? Bulletproof Wallets is the strongest release we have seen from the Wu since Supreme Clientele, but with Ghost having to live up to the reps of that album, and every other Wu-Tang album deemed a classic by the masses, the weight is heavy on his shoulders. The album begins with Raekwon and Ghostface drowning their sorrows over the fact that “nigga’s ain’t even play our shit no more”, yet everyone has followed trends set by the Clan over the last decade.

Unfortunately, now it’s the Wu-Tang Clan that has to follow the trends set by other artists. It’s evident that things will “Never Be The Same Again” , when Ghostface Killah starts making slow jams for his first single, with the equally sappy “Ghost Showers” soon to follow. Even worse is the watered down attempt at recreating “Chez Chez LaGhost”, this time built upon a foundation of outdated formulaic nonsense that Puffy stopped using three years ago. Even “Flowers”, which was propelled in raw Wu-Tang fashion with its original Bob James sample (check the 12″ version), has turned into an otherwise sappy reuse of “Mardi Gras”, completely robbed of its original energy.

While RZA has completely stepped aside, lending the production duties to others, for the most part Ghostface doesn’t disappoint. Classic Wu-Tang storytelling is abound on both “Maxine” and “The Hilton”, and Ghost even takes it up another level on the blunted “The Forest”, animating a cartoon caper. And it’s still entertaining listening to Ghost brag on his dick, or talking his usual mush mouth gibberish when the production is this dope.

Still, this album remains sporadic, with several skits and shorter songs cut off a little bit too early. If this is the direction the Wu-Tang is following, there is still hope left, provided they tighten things up, and abandon the attempts at making commercial records. Who knows, judging from the hook on the Wu’s latest single “Pinky Ring”, perhaps “the Wu is back”. We’ll know for certain after December 19th, 2001.