Iron Flag

Iron Flag is the fourth and last album of the Wu-Tang Clan, left the December 18th 2001.

Whereas it took four years for the Wu-Tang Clan for given one following their first album, less than one year was passed between The W and this fourth opus with meanwhile only two albums solos: DIGITAL Bullet of RZA and Bulletproof Wallets of Ghostface Killah. In comparison with the buzzs of the two preceding albums, the promotion of this album is rather discrete. Contrary to the majority of the albums of the time, this one contains only 12 songs (more one hidden) without interludes nor skit .

Absences

Ol' Dirty Bastard

The contribution of Ol' Dirty Bastard to the albums of Wu-Tang Clan continues to decrease after each album. After having been one of the main characters of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) , it was the least prolific of the members on the album Wu-Tang Forever . It appears only once that The W because of problems with justice, problems which worsened during the year separating The W and Iron Flag . So ODB does not appear at any time on this album.

Cappadonna

Another absence of mark: that of Cappadonna. After having been a simple guest on Wu-Tang Forever (these participations were credited " feat. Cappadonna"), it appears on The W as being a full member of the Clan (these participations were not more credited " feat. Cappadonna" and it was present on each promotional photograph of the group). However, the year preceding the exit by this album, it becomes dissatisfied with its adventure with the group (RZA will say of him which it is unhappy that the fans do not regard it as a full member of the group) and disputes with the other members on the fact that its manager, Michael Caruso, is old a indic' of police force. After this business, it does not appear any more on the album (except the hidden Chanson where one hears his voice). It is nevertheless strongly probable that it took part in the sessions of recordings of the album but that RZA removed it appropriations at the last minute. It had also posed for the small pocket of the album but will be thereafter unobtrusive (although one of its legs appears on the cover).

Collaborations

The presence of superstars external with the Clan like Busta Rhymes or Snoop Dogg on The W had caused the dissatisfaction with many people, as well at the fans as in criticisms. Nevertheless, Iron Flag also sees the participation of great names of the rap: Flava Flav of Public Enemy appears on the refrain of " Drunk person Power (Black Jungle) and " Back In The Game" sees the apparations of Trackmaster and the legend of the Soul Ronald Isley. Nick " Fury" Loftin produced the piece " One Off Days" Thesis; , samplant interpretation by Donny Hathaway of the song of Ray Charles " I Believe To My Soul" .

" Back In The Game" opens on same the sample (" yew what you say is true, the Shaolin and the Wu-Tang could Be dangerous! ") that " Bring Da Ruckus" in their first album, but with a consonance different from what front Wu did.

A certain number of criticism, like Ted Kessler of NME or Nathan Rabin of The Onion A.V Club , sees in the participation of Flava Flav a temporary way to fulfill the clownesque role of Ol' Dirty Bastard. It makes the refrain of " Drunk person Power (Black Power) " with U-God and has a long conversation about Long Island with Method Man in the last song.

Tracklisting

In The Hood (feat. Streetlife & Suga Bang Bang)
Rules (feat. Streetlife)
Chromium Wheels
Drunk Power (Black Jungle) (feat. Flava Flav)
Uzi (Pinky Boxing ring)
One Off Thesis Days
Y' all Been Warned
Babies (feat. Mrs D)
Radioactive (Furnace Assassins)
Back In The Range (feat. Ronald Isley)
Iron Flag
Dashing
" The W" Track