Twenty years (October 29, 1996), Ghostface Killah released a seminal solo debut album in the form of Ironman. To that point, four Wu-Tang Clansmen (GZA, Method Man, O.D.B., and Raekwon) had all stepped to the front with solo efforts, spreading their creative darts across Rap’s board. As the flagship act signed to RZA’s Razor Sharp imprint through Epic/Sony, Killah waited patiently for his turn to strike. For much of 1996, the “W” was in the lab mapping Wu-Tang Forever, plotting the expansion of their enterprise. G.F.K. would be the only Wu member to drop during that calendar. He had a rare clear runway for landing during one of Rap’s most pivotal years. It was a transitional period for the Clan too, a time when Ghost’ could still get an entire plate of RZA beats from his mentor and brother-in-law, and go for broke in the booth—seemingly free from label pressures or commercial expectations. Whether that feat was achieved because of Starks signing to Razor Sharp, or it was a testament to the visionary bond between the band-mates, it yielded cohesive product that played like uncut dope on a 14 karat gold plated spoon.
