The 3 Songs That Would’ve Given Ghostface Killah 3 Classics in a Row
‘Bulletproof Wallets’ is good but a series of unfortunate events stopped it from being great
Bulletproof Wallets turns 20 this year. Now that you’ve come to after the shock of realizing just how old you are, it’s important to remember the context for Ghostface Killah’s third album. Coming off the roaring success of Supreme Clientele just one year earlier, anticipation was high for Dennis Coles’ third-at-bat.
He put the shine back on the Wu emblem and made himself a bit of a star in the process. The fact the album featured Raekwon spoke to the glory days of Only Built for Cuban Linx and possibly a portend of dope things to come.
But something funny happened between Ghost giving the album to his label and the label giving it to the fans.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Industry Rule #4080 reared its ugly head for the umpteenth time. Samples changed, features disappeared, and a couple of songs fans expected to hear based on leaks and official tracklists were nowhere to be found. Some, like Kim Osorio of The Source, heard the original album and showered it with nothing but love.
Actually, the entire tracklist was off as the final product changed sequencing and added a blatant crossover attempt with Ruff Endz. Remember those cats? Me neither. But they’re here in all their early 2000s glory.
The three big omissions from Bulletproof Wallets are “The Sun”, the original version of “Flowers”, and “The Watch.” And before those fingers start tweeting, I’m fully aware of “Good Times.” It’s a nice song but it’s omission isn’t noticed as much as the other three. Sue me.
1. ‘Flowers’ Feat. Raekwon, Method Man, & Superb
Not getting the original sample cleared manages to be a travesty, a sham, and a mockery of all at once. The verses are the same but the energy is completely different. Especially once Meth’s verse kicks in. RZA did what he does best which is find a leftover part of a record no one thought to sample and pulled a rabbit out of his hat. Instead of this, we got something clearly aiming for dance floors but missing the mark damn near entirely.
This is the version on my copy of the album meaning I haven’t listened to the “official” track in about 20 years.
2. ‘The Sun’ Feat. Raekwon, Slick Rick, & RZA
According to Ghost, RZA is to blame for Slick Rick not being on a Ghostface Killah album. The peaceful track served as the perfect opening salvo for Ghost’s third offering. At least it would’ve. “The Sun” is an ode to, you guessed it, the sun. Ghost’s bars are, as always, eccentric and unique to him.
Yo, the sun could never be pussy, he always come out
He’ll sit right there, even if you pull your gun out
He can never run out, when the lights go out
It’s Japan’s turn now, the earth has spun around
I see Yellow and Green, it’s a beautiful thing
The sky’s blue, ‘cos the sun hit the water like “BING”
Yeah, Slick Rick is just on the hook but still. The song serves as a sign RZA shouldn’t do drugs.
3. ‘The Watch’ Feat. Raekwon
The Barry White Sample. Ghost and Rae doing a concept song. Ghost interrogating his status in the game at the time. Oh and Rae is rapping as Ghost’s brand new watch, poking and prodding him. It’s not a long track but it shows Ghost’s level of creativity and penchant for thinking outside of the box.
He kinda sorta revisited this concept on The Pretty Toney Album but it wasn’t quite the same.
Plus there’s this exchange between Ghost as Ghost and Rae as…his watch:
Yo, Ghost, you’se a funny nigga
Turn on the radio, all you hear is X and Jigga
Haha, you vexed, nigga?
No airplay (bet my gat spray) Yeah, that’s hearsay
You spray hairspray and up North, nigga, you ain’t gettin’ jailplay
(How you know?) Yo, it’s obvious, clear as day
Ghost set his sights high. He wanted the throne and this album was his attempt for the crown. Scoring a hat trick would be a great argument for Ghost’s royalty. He was close, really close, but it just goes to show how unpredictable the rap game was and still is.
As it stands, Bulletproof Wallets is good. Sometimes it’s really good. But at that point in his career, fans demanded greatness from Tony Starks. And we were this close to getting what we asked for.
How do you feel about it, Still Crew faithful? Tell me why I’m right or why I’m wrong.
Marcus Benjamin is a danger to the public, an alum of American University, St. John’s University, a screenwriter, and has an intense relationship with words. Witness his tomfoolery on Twitter (@AbstractPo3tic) Cageside Seats, and at Bloody Disgusting.
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