Ghostface, as most know, adopted the mantle of Marvel Comics Iron Man, and his alter-ego Tony Stark(with an "s" for added flavor) to set the groundwork for one of rap's most colorful mcs, personas, and lyricists all the way up to the current day. For the brass and polish of Iron Man and Ghost, I see at the other end of an imaginary spectrum(based on character traits and appearance), Masta Killa and another character from the House of Ideas.

Masta Killa aligns to me with Black Bolt. To the uninitiated, Black Bolt, is an Inhuman, a member of an alien race with customary superpowers that defy the mind. What makes Black Bolt so unique is that as history tells it, he can't talk as humans(and his fellow Inhumans) do. His powers are so grand, that if he utters his voice, he will unleash sheer physical, hellish destruction in his wake because of the ungodly power behind it. The sound of his voice shatters mountains, invokes fiery storms, and unsettles even the calmest of earth's waters. So when he does open his mouth, all ears are intently listening, and will know its natural wrath. Masta Killa has long to me been the silent man of the Wu-Tang Clan. He was the last member I was made aware of. To this day, heads wonder perhaps if it was a master plan with which the true hardcore fans would intently make way to hear the track-by-track slaughter he was bound to provide.

While on point with his booming voice in classics like "Triumph," "Older Gods," and various other Wu-Bangers, he's seemingly had the least exposure of the unit. So it's with his scribe-like speech and flow, and thunderous voice, that I prepare to engage in the contents of "No Said Date," his first and only solo album release. The album's title is so very appropriate, as the concept and promise of a solo album is synonymous with membership in a modern day rap collective. But, Masta, through his unique trials, has left fans and casual listeners with no clear idea of when his release would arrive. But his voice and his words haunted and took aback ears within hindsight, perhaps like no other long-awaited solo-project artist in hip-hop.

Perhaps to sum it up, I'll use the popular metaphor found in rhyme. So-and-so is like E.F. Hutton. When I talk, n*#!#S listen. Because MK has spoken so little outside of the occasional guest appearance and Wu group album, people who like him follow him that much more intently than they would, say an Ol' Dirty Bastard(Rest in Peace) or a Method Man or a RZA(especially with the high profile work on "Ghost Dog" and the first volume of "Kill Bill"). For 48 minutes and 9 seconds of this release, Masta has the floor, and there are listeners like myself in the audience who have awaited this moment.

As some token Wu-Fam releases have shown, there's a great throwback feel in the introductory element of a sample from a kung-fu movie. Masta sets his album off in that way, with "Born Chamber Intro" bearing an excerpt that makes you feel like it's 1993 all over again. One other thing that should be mentioned is that the resident 9th Chamber master of the Clan, at the time of this release, has all of the 8 members appearing on this album. "Grab the Microphone" is a very subtle jam, and Masta seems to be on a low key intensity in the piece, which fits the rather minimalist beat orchestrated over it. Next, the album's title track gets a central idea rolling rather early. Obviously, he presents himself as aware of the great span of time with which he has kept fans feening to hear some solo work from him. The title is very appropriate, as that's probably what folks were getting teased with at Camelot or Sam Goody while asking in vain for the release of this album, say before 2003. Once again, the beat here is rather quiet, which fits in with the slow momentum of the overall energy with which the album is flowing. Next up, comes "Last Drink," which works its way into familiar sonic territory. True to many Wu-Tang classics, the song is pompous and brass with lively horns, and has a chopping beat which adds a rather Asiatic feel to its melody. It's wrapped around another movie excerpt, and MK waxes nicely with various Iron Mic references, making a note of GZA's famous "Liquid Swords" concept. The song itself and GZA's articulation aside, the title would've been lost on me with that movie excerpt explaining the title. At the end of it comes another validation, in the brief snippet of the famous theme song to the show "Cheers." The fade out technique is well used, I might add, as the song's vocal leaves you in the haunting manner with which it came some 15 years after its inception.

"Love Spell" shows Masta working in some hood balladry and bathtub based innuendo with his ladyfriend, but it's downsized by the cookie cutter hook done by the R&B singer on the hook, who's a tad separate of the melody. However, the background beat is funky and weird, laced with a wah-wah guitar sound, and stays within the dark domain of the album, not going for bubbly crossover potential. Another skit, "The Future," comes afterward, and while I'm struggling to figure where the rhymes came from(songs or freestyles), the little kids who are performing them in the cipher really make it stand out. It shows to me perhaps Masta's view of Wu-Tang longevity in the minds of the younger generations who adore this hip-hop. "D.T.D" comes next, and has a escalating brass section in addition to the stutter-style beat. The Clan's odd couple, Ghostface and Raekwon, do a nice job on the cut, but it's not the best combination on the album though(that's coming). By the time "Whatever" rears its head, the overall energy and tempo of the album have risen rather significantly, and Masta Killa, while never off of beat lyrically, sounds a lot better adjusted and confident with his presence. "Whatever" features an excellent sample, and two of the Wu's extended family young guns, Streetlife and Prodigal Sun, really show and prove alongside the Killa. Perhaps their "No Said Date" will end soon, and they'll follow in MK's footsteps with a core of hardcore fans happy to see it in circulation. The second half of the album plays moreso with melody, even in the samples, as "Secret Rivals" shows. The song has a mix of a harpsichord strum, a poignant piano and a bass/snare drum. Again, the energy picks up, perhaps due in part to the appearance of the ever-sharp and charismatic Method Man and the lyrical ferocity of Killah Priest. Another "Skit" follows, and is about 26 seconds. The brevity of it makes for a good segue into "Digi Warfare," which is a lively tune to say the least. First off, Masta Killa really gets into the old school vibe, and gives a shootout to Djs past and present. The beat changes a few times through the song, it overall has a great block party feel and chorus selection, as Masta goes from "Shaolin Style" to "Wild Style" in admirable fashion. The beat itself is a mix of an 80's rap throwback and electronic, included with a great vocal snippet. The warping sounds and other standard synthesizer blips give it a very 80's feel.

"Old Man" is a standout track in what seems to be a ceaseless string in the second half of "No Said Date," for the humor and sample. First off, it's sampled from one of the greatest mainstream contributions of music legend Quincy Jones, in the theme song to the show "Sanford & Son." The beat tempo is wisely picked up, and perhaps the breakout element here is the humor, which can be attested to by its guest, the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. He hums to the theme's song melody and makes up a fast food like only he can with extreme hilarity. Also, by capping his diatribe with "Big Dummy," he's giving props to a famous phrase from the TV classic. "Queen" sports a fantastic sample, and while I'm not if it was recorded before "Love Spell," but it strikes as an improvement upon it, in both its melody and sonic and conceptual refinery. The piano loop works very well, and adds a haunting feel to what turns out to be a very enchanting ballad. This result is also do to Masta's excellent wordplay, and the inspired interaction between him and the vocal sample, whose "Didn't I blow your mind" really stands out to me. The song recalls a lot of the Wu's finer ballads as with Deck's "Lovin' You" and even other urban style odes as with Dead Prez' "Mind Sex." A snippet from the show "Good Times" leads into the next track, "School" which sports a great percussion-heavy beat. As the table banging is mentioned in the intro rhyme, the rather artificial beat has the rhythm of a legion of fists pounding wood panels in raw unison. Again, another great beat change is found in this song, and a hip-hop masterpiece is recalled also. RZA, who guests on the track, sounds very much like KRS-One in the BDP record, "You Must Learn," as he waxes unrelenting on historical figures and the popular inaccuracies associated with them.

Again, the Wu's lineage and appeal is made as a message via another snippet. After "School"(no pun intended), a 2Pac interview is excerpted, where he's giving props to the Wu-Tang Clan in their hip-hop realism. "Silverbacks" follows, and this is where can one find perhaps the grouping that rivals even the Odd Couple. As the smooth, lush guitar makes its stride, we hear three of the Wu's strongest lyrical guns go at it in a memorable union. Inspectah Deck is at his finest, in a 3-man unit that echoes the setup of "Hollow Bones," a timeless banger from "The W." Masta and the GZA compile the remainder of this cipher of top notch, and underrated lyricists. The last track, "Masta Killa," finds its host in a very sagacious state of mind. In an album with a myriad of well chosen vocal samples, perhaps the best one is saved for this final track. For any Bruce Lee fans like myself, the famous black-and-white TV interview where he discusses water in relation to perfect being is spliced to perfection. "You are watching a master at work" is a proper addition to give extra voice to this closer. With the flute effect, and strong woodwind, the song has a very epic, harmonic, and Asiatic feel to it, somewhat like the best Lee movies. It's a beautiful song, and having Lee's comments end the album("Be water, my friend") adds the chilling touch to a foray into the corridors of what has proven to be the most well concealed chamber of the 36 most infamous.

Unlike this written piece, "No Said Date" is a short work, which averts the addition of any distracting filler. It reminds me a good deal of Cam'ron's "Purple Haze," in which the brevity of most of the tracks(3 minutes on the regular) makes the overall listen that much easier to handle. The Black Bolt of the Wu said it best on the title track—"Thought premeditated, well calculated." He's left this listener quite satisfied with a well conceived album, and the wait was well worth it. Perhaps the quality has struck a chord with other chamber visitors as well. The hollow, booming voice leaves quite an impression, and it's made this journey that much more worthwhile.