Ghostface Killah & RZA – “On That Sht Again”
Of Mics And Men, Showtime’s new four-part documentary about the history of the Wu-Tang Clan, is absolutely magical television, and it effectively makes the totally accurate case that the Wu-Tang Clan’s ascent is one of the great miracles in the history of American popular music. (At one point, Jim Jarmusch refers to Wu-Tang as “warriors of the imagination,” and I’ve never heard anyone put it better.) Of Mics And Men is great for reasons large and small, and one of those small things is Ghostface Killah getting mad. Because when Ghostface gets mad, he gets so mad. And as often as not, when Ghost gets mad, he gets mad for reasons related to the decisions of the RZA, the man who put Wu-Tang together. But even as Ghost holds nothing back, it’s clear that he and RZA love and depend on each other. And they’re still sharing space on the same new track today.
Yesterday, Wu-Tang announced that they’ve got a new EP coming very soon. Of Mics And Men, a sort of companion piece to the documentary, is coming out on Friday. And today, Wu-Tang have shared the first song from that EP. It’s called “On That Sht Again,” and it features only two rappers, Ghostface and RZA.
The song doesn’t have the same unstable, dangerous energy as early Wu-Tang, but it would be ridiculous to expect that. The beat is a little smoother and more featureless than what you might hope for from these guys. But the song is still worthwhile. Ghost sounds focused and vengeful. He’s jumping out of big shit with Benetton pajamas on, and he should’ve been Italian the way he’s getting that parmesan. RZA rhymes “Tyrannasaurus Rex” with “I turn ya fuckin’ face to Jonah Hex.” Listen to it below.
The Of Mics And Men EP is out 5/17 on Mass Appeal.