The Come Up

Is Hell Hath No Fury really a new classic?

Empty gun in your hand, sayin', "Let me see that clip."

He’s a founding member of the foundering Wu-Tang Clan, but he’s quietly put together one of the highest-quality solo portfolios in hip-hop history. In the face of slumping sales, shifting trends and a bad case of writer’s block, the inimitable Ghostface continues to astound. Go in, Tony!

Y’all muh’afukkas better run to the post office and get a job, muh’afukkas. Or starve, muh’fukkas.

Lookin’ at the calendar, it’s about that time—for XXL’s highly rated, much-debated 10 Most Anticipated Hip-Hop Albums list. Here are 2006’s most valuable players and the blueprints (tentative as always) for their upcoming LPs. They can speak their piece now, we’ll have our say later.

Issue 75