The main problem I have with this album is the title. Wu-Tang Clan (members) made a song called A Better Tomorrow in 1997. Making a new one that seems to have nothing to do with the original and titling a new album after it, or vice versa, is conceptually outlandish. Surely they could’ve thought of a different name for this project. I guess Rza is the one to blame. He’s not only the leader but also my favorite member. As an MC, he’s generally underrated in comparison to the more critically acclaimed ones like Method Man, Ghostface and Raekwon. Not that he has many chances to rap. Wu-Tang Clan is a group of nine; Cappadonna seems to have unofficially taken the place of Ol Dirty Bastard; and Rza’s busy making beats.

That mix of raw eclectic hip-hop is more elaborate but usually less fulfilling than his earlier simpler stuff. It does, however, represent the best parts of an album with raps that are rarely better than decent and hooks you don’t want to hear more than once. Crushed Egos, Hold The Heater, Ruckus In B Minor; all fall victim to banal breaks. Miracle, the chorus of which sounds laughably out of place on a Wu album, needs a Disney disclaimer. Felt, a disaster in wordplay à la KRS-One’s Hold, is stupid. Forget the lack of chemistry between rappers; the monologues consist of old Dirty Bastard clips; the album is basically another 8 Diagrams. That means I’ll play the one or two songs I like and just hope they do better next time.

my rating : 3 of 5

2014