Ruckus in B Minor – A Review by Savazhe

Ruckus in B Minor – A Review by Savazhe

Sometimes, it’s all right there in the title.  At first listen, I thought the recently-released single from the upcoming album A Better Tomorrow, by Wu-Tang Clan, was noisy and overdone.  After several more listens, I still think it’s noisy and overdone, but now I understand why.  Finding out from the track information that this is the first song on the album might remind you of “Bring Da Ruckus,” (the first song on Wu-Tang’s first album) but the title is also reminiscent of a symphony, and that’s the driving force behind this song.  The time RZA spent composing scores for film is on full display here, as he lays a common theme through the track that connects seemingly-random (at first) beat and tempo changes in a way that results in the hip-hop version of a symphonic opus.  After RZA’s spoken intro, the song features some opening hype by the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard (decide for yourself how you feel about that), and then progresses through a number of musical movements as each MC does his thing.  From Inspectah Deck’s opening verse, to the closing “bonus” Raekwon verse (musically representing the Reprise) it’s an innovative and ambitious sonic composition.  The Clan isn’t doing anything here lyrically that you haven’t heard before, but that’s not a problem because the excitement of hearing them together and still breaking ground should be enough to get any Wu fan amped.  I’d give it a “B” for being an overdone song, but what symphony isn’t overdone?

Grade: A-