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The Pretty Toney Album

 
Album Review: The Pretty Toney Album

  • Artist: Ghostface Killah
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: April 20, 2004
  • Type: Contains explicit content
  • Genre: Rap

Review

Ghostface Killah fields questions from reporters on the intro to The Pretty Toney Album, the rapper's first under the just-Ghostface moniker and his first on Def Jam. According to the intro, the Wu-Tang are doing fine and waiting for the right moment to drop their next album, and it's none of your business why Pretty Toney took so long to come out. That's about all Ghostface wants to say about any of the drama surrounding the album. With tracks this good, who can blame him for the "let's get to it" attitude? The Pretty Toney Album has a lack of Wu-related references on it. It's Ghostface's album entirely and all the better for it. It's partly a party album like 2001's Bulletproof Wallets, but freer, more inspired, and tempered with pure street tracks that were missing last time round. Perhaps feeling the lack of hood interest for his last album, Ghostface puts a handful of Pretty Toney's hardest tracks at the beginning as if he's ready to prove something right away. The best of the lot, "Metal Lungies," could be the theme for any aspiring mack, but the rest are very good, suffering a bit from being laid out one after another. The sleazy "Bathtub (Skit)" has the repeat-play value of a porno movie, but it brings on the lighter and more rewarding part of the album. "Save Me Dear" is a bumpy and fun Ghostface production and another great singalong from the rapper. Don't expect a ton of chemistry between Ghostface and Missy Elliott, but their "Tush" is a hedonistic, club-aimed highlight with both in top form on their own. Jackie-O connects much better with the man on "Tooken Back," one of two great productions from Nottz and first of the three solid tracks that finish the album. The chaotic "Run" and the sentimental laundry list of beloveds on "Love" finish the album on a high note, but there's something missing. Rumor has it Def Jam wouldn't pony up the dough and clear samples for the tracks that didn't make the album. Songs the rapper has posted on his own website and mixtapes like DJ Kayslay's No Pork on My Fork, Vol. 1 or the MC's own Pretty Toney (The Lost Tracks) (released under his original Ghostface Killah moniker) tell the whole story. Get them all and you might be able to piece together a classic Ghostface album. Pretty Toney comes close, very close, and puts the man's solo career back on solid ground. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Intro Tommy Youngblood Ghostface Killah (2:28)
Biscuits Darrin Harris Ghostface Killah, Trife & Larceny Of The Snakes (3:24)
Kunta Fly Sh** Robert Diggs Ghostface Killah (1:00)
Beat the Clock Mark Richardson Ghostface Killah (2:49)
Metal Lungies (Lyrics) Ghostface Killah, Sheek Louch (3:07)
Bathtub (Skit) Ghostface Killah (1:35)
Save Me Dear (Lyrics) Kenny Gamble Ghostface Killah (3:02)
It's Over Ghostface Killah (4:10)
Keisha's House (Skit) Ghostface Killah (1:04)
Tush (Lyrics) D. Trotman, R. Lee Ghostface Killah, Missy Elliott (3:24)
Last Night (Skit) Ghostface Killah (2:31)
Holla (Lyrics) T.D. Bell Ghostface Killah (3:19)
Ghostface (Lyrics) K. Walker Ghostface Killah (2:38)
Be This Way (Lyrics) Ghostface Killah (4:09)
The Letter (Skit) Ghostface Killah (1:21)
Tooken Back Ghostface Killah, Jackie "O" (5:03)
Run (Lyrics) J.C. Phillips, Robert Diggs Ghostface Killah, Jadakiss (3:19)
Love Carvin "Ransum" Haggins, M. Soulchild Ghostface Killah, Musiq (Soulchild) (3:38)

Credits

Stephen Glicken (Engineer), Ken Fox (Vocals), RZA (Mixing), Tina Davis (Executive Producer), Keithshawn Williams (Vocals), Serban Ghenea (Mixing), RZA (Producer), Terese Joseph (Administration), Haji A. (Engineer), Tim Roberts (Assistant), Dawud West (Design), Jadakiss (Vocals), Tina Davis (A&R), Missy Elliott (Vocals), Wakena Rosado (Vocals), Deborah Mannis-Gardner (Sample Clearance), Patrick Viala (Mixing), Jadakiss (Guest Appearance), Carvin "Ransum" Haggins (Vocal Producer), No I.D (Mixing), Ken Fox (Guest Appearance), Groovey Lew (Stylist), Allah Real (Vocals), Monica Morrow (Stylist), Chris Gehringer (Mastering), Stephen Glicken (Mixing), Missy Elliott (Guest Appearance), No I.D (Producer), Jesus "Poobs" Fernandez (Engineer), Chris Kellam (Engineer), Trife (Guest Appearance), Leesa Brunson (A&R), D. Trotman (Producer), K-Def (Producer), Tara Podolsky (A&R), Kevin Liles (Executive Producer), Dawud West (Art Direction), Trife (Vocals), Sheek Louch (Guest Appearance), True Master (Producer), Jonathan Kaslow (A&R)
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Wikipedia: The Pretty Toney Album
Top
The Pretty Toney Album
Studio album by Ghostface
Released April 20, 2004
Recorded 2003-2004
Genre Hip hop
Label Def Jam
Producer Ghostface Killah, RZA, True Master, No I.D., Nottz
Professional reviews
Ghostface chronology
Bulletproof Wallets
(2001)
The Pretty Toney Album
(2004)
Fishscale
(2006)
Wu-Tang Clan solo chronology
Method Man:
Tical 0: The Prequel
(2004)
The Pretty Toney Album
(2004)
Masta Killa:
No Said Date
(2004)

The Pretty Toney Album is the fourth solo album by American hip hop artist Ghostface, a member of the Wu-Tang Clan.

It is the only album from the artist to be released solely under the title of "Ghostface", ("Killah" is entirely omitted in any reference to his name on the packaging); however, it is otherwise a normal Ghostface Killah release in line with the rest of his catalogue. The album has sold 228,000 copies to date. [1]


Reception

  • Spin (p. 63) - Ranked #39 in Spin's "40 Best Albums of the Year."
  • Mojo (p. 116) - 4 stars out of 5 - "Ghost reigns supreme, deliberately avoiding anything that could be considered mainstream."
  • Pitchfork Media - Ranked #37 released between 2000-2004, #154 of The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s"
  • Shortlist Music Prize - Nominated

Online music magazine Pitchfork placed The Pretty Toney Album' at number 154 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.[1]

Track listing

# Title Producer(s) Featured guest(s) Sample(s) Time
1 "Intro" Emile 2:28
2 "Biscuits" True Master
  • First Verse & Chorus: Ghostface Killah
  • Second Verse: Trife
  • "I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down" by Sam & Dave
3:24
3 "Kunta Fly Shit" RZA 1:00
4 "Beat The Clock" Minnesota 2:49
5 "Metal Lungies" No I.D.
  • "Nobody Knows" by Operation Breadbasket Orchestra and Choir
3:07
6 "Bathtub" (skit) 1:35
7 "Save Me Dear" Ghostface Killah 3:02
8 "It's Over" K-Def 4:10
9 "Keisha's House" (skit) 1:04
10 "Tush" D. Trotman & Dub Dot Z 3:24
11 "Last Night" (skit) 2:31
12 "Holla" Ghostface Killah
  • Chorus: Allah Real
3:19
13 "Ghostface" Digga 2:38
14 "Be This Way" Nottz 4:09
15 "The Letter" Skit
  • "Sunday" by Silvia Robinson
1:21
16 "Tooken Back" Nottz
  • First & Third Verse: Ghostface Killah
  • Second Verse: Jacki-O
5:03
17 "Run" RZA 3:19
18 "Love" No I.D. 3:38


References


 
 
Learn More
Theodore Unit (Rap Band, 2000s)
The Pretty Toney Album [Clean] (2004 Album by Ghostface)
Tical 0: The Prequel [Clean] (2004 Album by Method Man)

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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