Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II cover

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II

Released

In one sense, this is only a sequel to Raekwon’s magnum opus in name: the three-years-gone J Dilla gets more beats (three) than RZA (two), the guest-verse roster spans far further outside the Wu than the original’s sole nod to Nas, and the production appears to sacrifice a cohesive sound for a Dream Team of sample-slayer icons like Pete Rock, Marley Marl, The Alchemist, Erick Sermon, and Dr. Dre. In another, more important sense, this is the much-needed return to form that arrived after a late ’90s/early ’00s run of neglectful, half-formed solo enterprises — the don reclaiming his turf with consigliere Ghostface at his side. As franchise continuations go, it’s like the difference between the tension-and-horror dynamic of Ridley Scott’s suspenseful Alien and the explosive action-flick bombast of James Cameron’s sequel.

Nate Patrin

Suggestions
Special Reserve cover

Special Reserve

Obie Trice, MoSS
Overcast! cover

Overcast!

Atmosphere
Organized Konfusion cover

Organized Konfusion

Organized Konfusion
Rhyme Pays cover

Rhyme Pays

Maffew Ragazino
Marcberg cover

Marcberg

Roc Marciano
Wu Block cover

Wu Block

Ghostface Killah, Sheek Louch, Wu-Block