Twelve Reasons to Die

Ghostface Killah (of Wu Tang Clan fame) gets the starring role here, but this album is really the brainchild of musician and composer (and according to Wikipedia, entertainment law professor) Adrian Younge. Check out the interview with him on NPR's Fresh Air earlier this year, but the story goes like this..."Twelve Reasons to Die" is actually the soundtrack to a movie that doesn't (yet) exist. In it, Tony Starks (Ghostface Killah's stage alter-ego) is a black man working for the DeLuca's, an Italian mob family. Starks aspires to criminal greatness, but is held back because of his race and decides to take over the mafia clan. Unfortunately, he falls for a femme fatale who ends up betraying him by arrangement of the DeLucas and he's murdered, melted in acetone, and pressed into 12 different vinyl records which are doled out to each member of the DeLuca clan. But each time one of the records is played, Starks rises from the dead, resurrected as Ghostface Killah, and exacts bloody revenge down to the last man.So, the rap lyrics throughout the album -- written by Ghostface, with all of the mafia references and tales of gun-fueled betrayal and revenge -- are really telling the story of Younge's screenplay, which is kind of a tongue-in-cheek tribute to and parody of old Italian horror films. Musically, Younge integrates a wall of different sonic textures as backdrop, merging the iconic spaghetti Western film score sound of Ennio Morricone with all of its guitar riffs, bells, and whistles (literally -- think Fistful of Dollars) along with a haunting young opera soprano's voice and the warm, fat, electronic, vinyl sound of 1960's and 70's American soul music featuring thick bass lines, an R&B drum kit, and an organ, similar to what Younge explored on  Adrian Younge Presents the Delfonics  (with Delfonics lead singer William Hart's eerie vocals returning for a guest appearance here on track 6). On top of that, he adds the occasional jazz riff (Younge himself on keyboards and other instruments) and the Wu Tang Clan stylings of rappers Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, and Inspecta Deck featured prominently as lead voices. The raps are clever, free-flowing, and all the while part parody given the backstory. That comic mafia-xploitation nod never allows the rapping itself to be taken too seriously, and that's not a slam -- on the contrary, it really adds to the enjoyment of the lyrics.Younge's conception here was to imagine how the RZA (who serves as executive producer) would have created the soundtrack to an Italian horror movie-blaxploitation tribute flick, the likes of which you might find Tarantino directing (heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Tarantino and/or the RZA *does* direct Younge's movie!) and that is a perfect description of what's here. Only, this is really Younge's trademark sound -- one that he started with the  Black Dynamite (Original Motion Picture Score)  and continued on the Delfonics album, and which really gels here with the integration of Ghostface and others from Wu Tang Clan. It's a little short in duration by today's album standards at less than 40 minutes, but this is really an old-school record that should be played as an integrated album -- all the way through, from start to finish (though certainly the title number -- probably the strongest track -- can and will function as a stand-alone single). Shout-out to Terry Gross for helping to widen the audience of this great piece of music.

Twelve Reasons to Die is Ghost’s 10th album. While his earlier albums charted high on Billboard, he has been slogging through the music industry for years releasing albums that have been earning a moderate to high amount of critical acclaim, and a moderate to middling amount of sales. Ghost sometimes goes his own way, but this effort has a substantial Wu presence. RZA functions as the narrator; additionally Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa and Cappadonna show up for guest appearances. The thing that makes this album special, however, is producer Adrien Younge. I had never heard of Younge before, but a Wikipedia entry indicates that he is “an entertainment law professor and edits and scores film”.The word:The album is full of violent imagery, but do not fear that this is more of the same gangsta rap/Mafioso stuff that you have heard a 100 times before. This concept album achieves greater heights of storytelling by allowing a story to develop across the entire album and by moving the action out of the usual locations like Compton, Brooklyn, or the Bronx. Wikipedia sums up the storyline thusly, “in 1960s Italy…Tony Starks…is an enforcer for the DeLuca crime family, who is murdered by his former employers after striking out on his own and falling in love with the kingpin's daughter. His remains are melted in vinyl and pressed into a dozen LPs that, when played, resurrect him as the Ghostface Killah, a force for revenge incarnate.” While the narrative is not on the same level as Shakespeare, the novel (for rap) location, cinematic storyline, supernatural elements, and disregard for the topics normally favored by rap artists make this a worthwhile listen.The music:This album features some of the absolute best production I have heard on a hip hop album in a LONG time. The short summary of the production is that Younge has created a soundtrack that is a stew that includes RZA & Ennio Morricone as main ingredients. A serious dose of operatic and cinematic vocals and a dash of Portishead-style trip hop also serve to make the flavor in this stew assault the taste buds. Certainly many hip hop producers have been influenced by the same source material that has influenced Younge. The difference is, Younge brings these elements together to create a cinematic tone so perfect that you sometimes feel like a stylish Italian B-movie is trapped in (and in the process of escaping from) the album.

I've been a WU HEAD since day one and to me............THIS IS ONE OF THE TOP 2 GHOSFACE ALBUMS EVER!!! RESPECT TO SUPREME CLIENTELE BUT THIS ALBUM IS OFFICALLY FIRE! I'M FROM PHILLY AND MOST OF US ARE WU-TANG FANS! ADRIAN YOUNGE DID A MASTERFUL JOB ON THE BEATS AND SCHEMATIC DETAILS OF THIS ALBUM! EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS ALBUM A FEW MONTHS AGO THIS IS ALL THAT I CONTINUE TO PLAY! I CAN'T ENOUGH AND I'M LIKE 14 ALL OVER AGAIN! IF THIS IS THE DIRECTION MY BROTHAS FROM SHAOLIN ARE TAKING....THEN THE WU IS BACK FOR ANOTHER 23 YEARS! JUST KEEP IT REAL WU AND NOT ALL THIS OTHER GARBAGE OF NOT MAKING ALBUMS TOGETHER ANYMORE!!...THAT'S WHAT STARTED THE DOWNFALL OF THE CLAN!!!...PLEASE FOR ALLAH SAKE DON'T TRY TO MAKE TRASH ALBUMS LIKE THE DOWN SOUTH RAPPERS AND MICKY MOUSE BULLS*** MADE NOWADAYS BY CORPORATE AMERICA AND THESE NO TALENT ASS HAS-BEENS! I CAN'T STAND THIS CRAP I HAVE TO LISTEN TOO DOWN HERE IN TENNESSEE! THESE CLOWNS ALWAYS KNOW WHEN I'M COMING BECAUSE THEY HEAR REAL HIP-HOP AND NOT THE NONSENSE THEY LISTEN TO(RAP AND BS AS RZA WOULD SAY!) WU-TANG FOREVER!!

This is a soundtrack to a fictional movie with a crazy plot which I probably wouldn't care for otherwise, but as an album by the charismatic Ghostface Killah it is a thoroughly enjoyable thrill ride. He may be effectively reading from a script but that's a good thing here. Producer Adrian Younge has brought out the best in Ghost, and also his co-stars who are all members or affiliates of the legendary Wu tang clan. It would have been nice if the album had been longer than 40 minutes, but on the plus side there are really no skippable tracks. Definitely one of the best latter day Wu tang albums.

Got this for a steal and it’s a great project.

MUCH HAPPIER WITH THIS VERSION OF THE ALBUM, APOLLO BROWN BROUGHT MORE SOUL AND VARIETY INTO THE PRODUCTION, SONGS 1,2,4,7,8,9,11 ARE REALLY NICE AND GHOSTFACE NEVER LETS ME DOWN I CANT BELIEVE HOW HUNGRY HE STILL SOUNDS AFTER 20 YRS IN THE GAME!!!

Brilliant album from the Ghostface Killah - a must have for any fan. He keeps on delivering on all levels with some serious rhymes and this is an awesome collaboration with Adrian Younge.

Haunting beats produced to perfection coupled with trademark Ghostface spitting and the boss collaborations that are obligatory for any WU related record. Everything about this album oozes class, even the artwork. BUY IT- regardless of whether or not you're a hip hop fan. Anyone who appreciates art will appreciate this. I can't recommend it highly enough.