I am a day late but yesterday (August 1st) was the 28th anniversary of the release Raekwon‘s classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (aka The Purple Tape). This is an easy choice for Song of the Week as all I have to do is pick my favorite track from that album: “Can It Be All So Simple (Remix)”. Her are some thoughts:
The remix of “Can It Be All So Simple” is easily better than the original.
But, the original has that super dope and iconic Hype Williams music video.
The intro on “Can It Be All So Simple (Remix)” is great and all but it’s gets irritating when it’s on a playlist. I have a version without the intro that I made a while back just like I did with Biggie’s “Kick In The Door”.
Speaking of the intro, is it true that it a recreation of when Ghostface Killah actually got shot? (I still have yet to watch Wu-Tang: An American Saga)
“Dedicated to babies who came feet first” is still a wild line for a chorus. I still love it.
RZA (of course) produced this song. I totally understand why RZA doesn’t produce much music these days; he truly left everything on the field with those early Wu-Tang group and solo albums.
Speaking again on the production side: When I think about “Can It Be All So Simple (Remix)”, I always think about the Gladys Knight & the Pips sample and never the “Anus of Uranus” sample.
The end of Ghost’s verse? Legendary:
Emergency trauma, black teen headed for surgery
Can it be an out of state nigga tried to murder me?
I should’ve stayed in Job Corp, and now I’m a outlaw
Ray Catena, carry a four-four, nigga
Speaking of that verse? Ray Catena? I always thought it was “Rae, continue to carry a four-four, nigga”. I guess the former makes more sense.
Check out the Song of the Week below. Dedicated to man who build pyramids.