RZA has followed a career path which would vex Schoedinger. While his work with the Wu-Tang Clan and previous solo album have been inordinately successful both creatively and commercially, he has simulataneously faced almost ceaseless criticism that he has fallen off, sold out or just plain lost it. So how you feel about this album will depend very much on how you observe it. From a purist perspective, it’s a patchy attempt to take his unique style in a different direction. Through a fan’s eye it’s sometimes heavy-going, with occasionally brilliant production flourishes and inspired verses. And from a mainstream, chart-oriented point of view, it’s ultimately inessential.
