Ghostface Killah

美國東海岸硬核說唱歌手Ghostface Killah最初為歌迷所知是因為他是美國著名的說唱樂團the Wu-Tang Clan的成員之一。Ghostface Killah原名Dennis Coles，曾用名Tony Starks。Ghostface Killah第一次加入the Wu-Tang Clan樂團錄制唱片是在1993年，當時Ghostface Killah首先參加了the Wu-Tang Clan樂團專輯《Enter the Wu-Tang》的錄制工作，并且由于他的出彩表現(xiàn)而在說唱樂界嶄露頭角。在成功的擠身the Wu-Tang Clan樂團之后，Ghostface Killah又在1995年的時候參加了the Wu-Tang Clan樂團另一名成員Raekwon的個人專輯《Only Built 4 Cuban Linx》的錄制，他在Raekwon的這張個人專輯中的客串表演獲得了相當部分業(yè)內人士的好評，因此，Ghostface Killah自己的首張個人專輯錄制計劃也開始實施。
經過了在1996年1月的電影《Don't Be a Menace to South Central While You're Drinking Your Juice in the Hood》的原聲大碟中貢獻了開篇單曲《Winter Warz》，以及在同年4月的電影《Sunset Park》的原聲碟中制作了單曲《Motherless Child》之后，1996年深秋，Ghostface Killah的首張個人成就《Ironman》正式通過Razor Sharp Records唱片公司發(fā)行。這張個人專輯由Ghostface Killah在the Wu-Tang Clan樂團的另一同伙RZA擔任制作人，而發(fā)行公司Razor Sharp Records唱片公司也正是RZA個人經營的唱片公司，一個隸屬于Epic Records唱片公司的子公司，而這張專輯也是Razor Sharp Records唱片公司成立之后發(fā)行的首張唱片。憑借著在the Wu-Tang Clan樂團積累的聲望以及在此前的單曲取得的成功，Ghostface Killah的這張個人處女作專輯在發(fā)行之后首周就成為了Billboard 200排行榜的亞軍。
在首張個人專輯取得了巨大成功之后，Ghostface Killah并沒有立即擴展自己的個人音樂事業(yè)，此后長達四年的時間他一直致力于參加the Wu-Tang Clan樂團的專輯錄制，而這一個時期也正是the Wu-Tang Clan樂團最為鼎盛的時候，他們的專輯先后成為了排行榜的冠軍。
1999年底，Ghostface Killah終于又重新開始為他的第二張專輯開始工作，2000年新年伊始，Ghostface Killah的第二張個人專輯《Supreme Clientele》就正式發(fā)行，這張專輯在商業(yè)上并沒有取得和首張專輯一樣的巨大成功，此后Ghostface Killah又立即馬不停蹄的開始下一張個人專輯的制作，一張相對不那么強硬的專輯《Bulletproof Wallets》在2001年正式發(fā)行，這張專輯不僅在內容上軟了，而且在商業(yè)銷量上同樣軟了下來，雖然得到了一些評論界的好評，但是他并沒有能夠得到歌迷們的支持。商業(yè)上遭到失敗的Ghostface Killah又再次回到了the Wu-Tang Clan樂團工作，其間只在2003年的4月份發(fā)行了一張加了兩首新歌的精選專輯《Shaolin's Finest》。
臨近2004年，Ghostface Killah又重新開始了個人音樂事業(yè)的發(fā)展。2004年4月20日，Ghostface Killah的第四張個人專輯《The Pretty Toney Album》正式發(fā)行，在這張專輯中，Ghostface Killah把自己的名字簡寫為Ghostface，而這張作品也是他在Def Jam唱片公司的首張專輯
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
As one of the original members of the seminal 90s rap crew the Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah (aka Tony Starks) made an impact before he released his debut album, Ironman, late in 1996. Like all members of the Wu-Tang Clan, the rapper used the group as a launching pad for a solo career, which was assisted greatly by other members of the Clan, particularly producer RZA. Ghostface Killah had rapped on Wu-Tangs 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang, but he didnt distinguish himself until 1995, when he was showcased on fellow Wu member Raekwons Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. Ghostface received good reviews for his appearance on the record, and his contribution to the soundtracks for Sunset Park and Dont Be a Menace to South Central While Youre Drinking Your Juice in the Hood also were well-received. All of these guest appearances and soundtrack contributions set the stage for Ghostface Killahs solo debut, Ironman, in late 1996. Like all Wu-Tang projects, it was produced by RZA and was quite successful in the large hip-hop/rap underground, debuting at number two on the pop charts upon its release. Ironman was also the first album to be released on Razor Sharp Records, RZAs record label on Epic Records.
Work with the Wu-Tang and their various members kept Ghostface Killah busy until solo singles started appearing at the end of 1999 followed by his sophomore full-length, Supreme Clientele, in early 2000. Supreme Clientele was a success, but it was followed a year later by Bulletproof Wallets, an album that didnt sell well and had fans declaring the Ironman had gone soft. Once again it was back to the Wu for a couple years before the rapper would be appearing solo again. Epic issued the compilation Shaolins Finest in April of 2003, and by the end of the year two new Ghostface tracks had started to appear on mixtapes. The chaotic Run with Jadakiss and the more commercial Tush with Missy Elliott raised the anticipation for the rappers first album for Def Jam and his first under the simpler moniker Ghostface. The Pretty Toney Album hit the streets in April of 2004. The Top Ten hit Fishscale, along with More Fish, followed in 2006, but not before 718 — an album from his Theodore Unit. Always prolific, the rapper put out The Big Doe Rehab — whose release date had originally coincided with Wu-Tangs long-awaited fifth full-length, 8 Diagrams, which RZA agreed to push back a week so as to not coincide with Ghosts effort — in early December 2007.