Reader Review: Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele (Canadian Version) (January 25, 2000)

(Here's something completely different. Instead of re-reviewing Ghostface Killah's sophomore opus Supreme Clientele, Greg tracked down the rare Canadian version (rare outside of Canada, I assume) of the album, which features an altered tracklisting, rare songs, and other bizarre traits that will probably lead you to purchase the slightly more accessible U.S. version. But you should read his review anyway.)

As most diehard Wu-Tang fans will no doubt be aware, Ghostface Killah's sophomore release, Supreme Clientele, was delayed numerous times and went through several incarnations before finally debuting in January of 2000. Early track listings included such songs as "Cobra Clutch," a Mathematics-produced track that wound up on 1998's Wu-Tang Killa Bees Present The Swarm, and "Iron Vacation," a Wu-Tang tribute song that was recorded in anticipation of Ghostface's upcoming prison sentence for attempted robbery (gee, I wonder why this album was delayed). At any rate, the album was released in two versions: one for the U.S. and Europe, and in an odd turn, a separate, alternate release for Canada.

There is evidence to suggest that the Canadian release is actually an earlier version of the album, as it contains two songs that were lost in the sample wars. Or perhaps Ghostface has a soft spot for Canucks. Whatever the case, the Goateed Spock version of Supreme Clientele is an interesting listen.

Let's begin!

1. NUTMEG (FEAT RZA)
Yes, you read correctly. All of the Iron Man cartoon interludes are absent from this version of Supreme Clientele, meaning that you can listen to Ghost and Rza destroy this track without having to sit through the obligatory rap album intro. Nice.

2. ONE
An early tracklisting for this album listed this song as the introductory song, which may explain why Ghost yells, "Yo! New Ghostface!" and such in the beginning. This track is unchanged from the U.S. version, meaning it's still awesome.

3. SATURDAY NIGHT
Here's where things get kooky. At the end of "Saturday Night," the program is interrupted to bring the listener "one of the illest verses of all time." The song then jumps to Ghost's verse from Wu-Tang Forever's "Impossible." (Heaven forbid we forget that Ghost snagged a Hip Hop Quotable in The Source.) After this verse, we get a slightly longer, slightly more militant version of the "Iron's Theme" intermission, bringing the track time to about five minutes.

4. IN THE RAIN (WISE) (FEAT THE DRAMATICS)
The song that was replaced by "The Grain" on the U.S. version. Ghost takes The Dramatics song "In The Rain," and more or less raps over the whole song, a habit that would come to a head on The Pretty Toney Album. Given this song's subject matter, the preceding "Impossible" verse makes more sense, but that still doesn't make this song as satisfying as Ghost and Rza killing a breakbeat.

5. MIGHTY HEALTHY
Sounds like this was mixed differently than the U.S. version. Other than that, it's still "Mighty Healthy," so it still demands your undivided attention.

6. APOLLO KIDS (FEAT RAEKWON)
Ghost and Chef attack the track, as per usual (rather, it was usual, before Raekwon decided to shoot up before each studio session). The song morphs right into the "Clyde Smith" (Curtis Jackson-baiting) skit, so we get a lot of Raekwon on track six.

7. BUCK 50 (FEAT METHOD MAN, CAPPADONNA, & REDMAN)
The centerpiece of the album. This track lasts nine minutes on the Canadian version because it is immediately followed by "Stroke of Death” (featuring Solomon Childs and The Rza). Although it's a shame that one can't skip right to this ear-splittingly awesome track, no one in his right mind would want to skip "Buck 50" anyway, so I guess it works out. Following "Stroke of Death" is the second marathon skit, "Woodrow the Basehead," which sucks.

8. STAY TRUE (FEAT 60 SECOND ASSASSIN)
After the nine minute suite that is the Canadian "Buck 50" is "Stay True" (also known as “Deck's Beat”, for reasons that will become clear in the next sentence), which is 1:39 long. Crazy sequencing aside, Ghost takes Inspectah Deck's "Elevation" beat and actually does something with it.

9. GHOST DEINI (G-DINI) (FEAT SUPERB)
Featuring the original beat (which was also used for “Bastards” by former Wu-affiliates Ruthless Bastards), which, while simpler than the U.S. version, kicks more ass.

10. MALCOLM
Same as the U.S. version. Not bad for a "message" song.

11. WE MADE IT (FEAT SUPERB, CHIP BANKS, & HELL RAZAH)
I always thought Rza should have given Carlos "6 July" Brody some credit on Digital Bullet's "Show You Love," which is essentially a more basic, digitized version of this beat. Both songs are pretty good. After this song we are treated with another lengthy skit, "Who Would You Fuck?", which, like all of the skits on this album, sucks.

12. CHILD'S PLAY
Unlike the U.S. Version, the Canadian version of “Child's Play” features no beat change, making this one of the more grating songs on the album. On top of that, it's a full minute longer than the U.S. version, featuring more of Ghostface reminiscing at the end of the track.

13. CHERCHEZ LA GHOST (FEAT U-GOD & MADAM MAJESTIC)
The main problem with "Cherchez La Ghost" and every subsequent radio-friendly Ghostface song is that they only create frustration. The Ghostface fans who buy his albums for songs like "Mighty Healthy" and "Stroke of Death" get frustrated by the poppy diversions, and the people out there who actually buy the albums for the radio-ready singles (those people exist?) get frustrated by every other song. In the context of the album, this song sticks out like a green hat with an orange bill. The only thing it has going for it is that it adds to the overall weirdness of an already strange album.

14. WU-BANGA 101 (FEAT GZA/GENIUS, RAEKWON, CAPPADONNA, & MASTA KILLA)
Pretty good closer. This version is missing Ghostface's second verse, fading out after Masta Killa. The track then fades into "Iron's Theme (Conclusion)", which raps up the album.

FINAL THOUGHTS: With different sequencing, alternate songs, seven fewer tracks, and a slightly longer running time, the Canadian version of Supreme Clientele is a peculiar listen, but it's still more or less the same album. This is, of course, a good thing, as Ghost's sophomore effort is better than any of his fellow clansmen (except the Gza's, technically, but we'd all like to forget Words from the Genius. Why has no one remixed that album?)

BUY OR BURN? If you don't have the regular version of Supreme Clientele, go buy it now and worry about this later. This version is strictly for the curious, but if you happen across it, you may as well buy this one, too.

BEST TRACKS: “One”; “Mighty Healthy”; “Stroke Of Death” (hidden track); “Ghost Deini (G-Dini)”; “Buck 50”

- Greg

(Questions? Comments? Leave them in the space below. And here's a link to my original write up for (the U.S. Version of) Supreme Clientele. Read it for the introductory paragraphs alone.)