Why Ghostface Killah is Rap Royalty

Ghostface Killah is widely regarded as one of the best rappers and hip-hop artists of all time.

It doesn’t matter if you look at this career on an individual level or as a member of the Wu-Tang Clan, his ability and influence can be seen across the world of rap.

What makes him so good though? Why is there at least one song of his on everyone’s playlist? Here are the reasons why Ghostface Killah is one of the best rappers to ever live.

Supreme Clientele was released by Ghostface back in 2000. Not only is it still regarded as his best-ever album, but it is also regarded as one of the best Hip Hop albums of all time, and some even say it is the best.

Supreme Clientele was also the album that many experts at the time said was the album that let Ghostface shine on his own.

It was an album that showed his rap writing skill, rapping ability, as well as creativity, all while being diverse and showing every aspect of his skill in front of a mic.

There are a few songs where he collaborates with fellow Wu members RZA, GZA, Red Man and Method Man, and while these men are all legends in their own right, the fact that Ghostface is still able to stand out and be the leading voice is testament to his talent.

Even outside of music the album receives high praise. Comedian Chris Rock has stated numerous times that it is his favourite album, with Stroke of Death being his favourite track. Rolling Stone also ranked it 403rd in its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

American rapper, Ghostface Killah

Wu-Tang Clan as a whole is famous for their creativity and their lyricism. It is hard to think of a song that they have made off the top of your head that is jam-packed with meaningless bars like many rap songs we hear today.

Ghostface is, without a doubt, one of the most creative rappers in the history of the genre. Whether it’s the contents of the verse, the rhyming scheme, the flow, it is all very unique to him to the point where you can hear rappers nowadays trying to copy him.

Yes, even the greatest artists, no matter their field, have a few duds in their library of work, Ghostface is no different. There are a few songs across his albums, and some verses in a few Wu albums that he may regret, however, it is his consistency that is incredible.

There are very, very few rappers that have had the same consistency as Ghostface. Considering the level at which he is respected, any drop in form in an album will be very quickly pointed out and he will be lambasted for it, think of Eminem’s Revival for instance.

Wu-Tang Clan

You can’t talk about Ghostface Killah without talking about Wu-Tang Clan, and you can’t talk about Wu without talking about Ghostface. The man is a leading member of the group and can be seen as a major player in their success.

Wu-Tang Clan are widely regarded as the best and the greatest hip hop group of all time. As a unit and as individuals, they have broken barriers and lifted rap to whole new levels all on their own.

Rolling Stone has ranked them as the greatest rap group of all time, NME also praised them as one of the most influential groups of all time. While Wu can be credited with launching the career of Ghostface, it is difficult to say that they would have reached the same heights without him.

Wider Influence

The influence that Ghostface has had on the rap world as a whole can’t be denied either. His ability to transform that life he had on the streets of New York into hard-hitting, well-thought out bars is almost unmatched.

Many older rappers believe that newer rappers just rap about the same things, money, cars, women and all that. Whereas the older generation, Ghostface in particular, was capable of taking unpalatable situations and life stories and turning them into incredible songs that many people still listen to and love to this day.

He is obviously still an active member of the Wu-Tang Clan too, and continues to help extend their legacy as all time greats. Supreme Clientele 2 is also in the works, a possible sequel to his incredible album from 2000.

Ghostface Killah is probably still, in a way, very underrated, as the influence, he has had on the rap and music industry as a whole can’t be quantified. Even looking at individual aspects of his ability is mindblowing to those that understand what he does and what he has done.

There have been very few rappers with his lyric writing ability and flow, and in a way, it is slightly sad to think that he might be a once in a generation type talent and that we will need to wait a while before the next Ghostface makes their presence known.