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Wu-Tang founding MC Inspectah Deck and veteran duo 7L & Esoteric are back with their sophomore album 'Every Hero Needs A Villain' featuring MF Doom, Method Man, GZA, R.A The Rugged Man, JuJu (The Beatnuts), Large Professor and Meyhem Lauren!
In 2013, the trio appeared relatively unassumingly with their self-titled debut, which was chiefly produced by DJ 7L and included guests ranging from Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna to Vinnie Paz, Action Bronson and Roc Marciano. The soon-to-be acclaimed group found out quickly that there was a groundswell of hip-hop fanatics thirsting for the lunchpail, lyrics-above-all-else rap they fell in love with in the '90s. Several pressings of the album on CD, 2-LP and even cassette later, they are back and ready to up the ante.
This time around the group is the same, but it's fair to say that all three men have stepped up their game. "We knew how we felt about the last album, but weren't sure how it would be received by listeners," explains MC Esoteric. "But people really responded to it, even more than we had hoped. That gave us the confidence to really spread our wings and let loose on this one. The chemistry is even tighter this time around. We know exactly what lanes we are cruising in and what weight class we are fighting in for Round 2."
Inspectah Deck adds, "Czarface is like the Danger Room for the X-Men, I can use all my weapons on there. When I'm in Wu-Tang, I have to come a certain way because we have a certain style of fan, when I'm here doing the Czarface projects, it allows me to actually be an MC, it allows me to actually just spit...I love that. I love when i can just spit freely and just be an MC."
The fighting analogy – whether drawn from pugilism or '80s wrestling, both which figure into Every Hero Needs A Villain – is an apt one, considering the unrelenting lyrical attacks that Deck and Esoteric unleash on track after track, each trying to one-up the previous verse. Best of all, it is friendly camaraderie, based around a loose theme of renegade mutant MC talents running wild. DJ 7L explains, "All three of us are influenced by comics, sci-fi movies, TV, wrestling. Czarface encompasses all of that, and it helps with the visuals as well."
On the production side, 7L shows yet again – as he did with the group's debut – that he remains a formidable yet underappreciated musical force, constantly providing hard, funky and alternatingly ominous backdrops for the assembled MCs to use as lyrical luge paths.
If that wasn't enough, it's all iced with a ridiculously intricate and beefy 70-plus page, hardcover CD casebook with lyrics and extensive artwork by Gilberto Aguirre Mata (El Ultimo Codice) and L'amour Supreme, and with "Death & Abduction," a comic written by Esoteric; and an explosive, comic-book-inspired cover by L'amour Supreme (Mishka NYC). The release will also be available as a Double LP on Clear vinyl which includes the full comic book.
Condition:NEW. Brand New Factory Sealed
TRACK LISTINGS
1. Don The Armor (Intro) Producers: 7L; Spada4
2. Czartacus Producers: 7L; Spada4
3. Lumberjack Match Producers: 7L; Spada4
4. Nightcrawler featuring Method Man (of Wu-Tang Clan) Producers: 7L; Spada4
5. World Premier featuring Large Professor Producers: 7L; Spada4
6. The Great (Czar Guitar) Producers: 7L; Spada4
7. Red Alert Producers: 7L; Spada4
8. Junkyard Dogs featuring Juju (of The Beatnuts) Producers: 7L; Spada4
9. Sgt. Slaughter Producers: 7L; Spada4
10. When Gods Go Mad featuring GZA (of Wu-Tang Clan) Producers: 7L; Spada4
11. Ka-Bang! featuring M.F. DOOM Producers: 7L; Spada4
12. Deadly Class featuring Meyhem Lauren Producers: 7L; Spada4
13. Escape From Czarkham Asylum Producers: 7L; Spada4
14. Sinister Producers: 7L; Spada4
15. Good Villains Go Last featuring R.A. The Rugged Man Producers: 7L; Spada4
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