On this day in 1996, Ghostface Killah’s highly anticipated debut album, Ironman, was certified gold by the RIAA. With exclusive in-house Wu production from True Master and the RZA coupled with Raekwon The Chef appearing on almost every song on the album, this album is one of the best concept albums completed by the nine-man conglomerate to date.
The 16-track album featured several hits that bolstered the Wu-Tang Clan’s status as the best rap collective in the game, including the haunting street saga “Motherless Child”, “All That I Got Is You” featuring Mary J. Blige, and the late Popa Wu and “WInter Warz”, which appeared on the Don’t Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood soundtrack.
This album proceeded with Ghost’s abstract lyrical content as witnessed on 2000’s Supreme Clientele LP, but its storytelling premise keeps listeners glued to the cadence and rhyme style of Mr. Coles equally as much as they are attracted to RZA’s production.
Ironman finally reached platinum status in 2004, which still proves to be Ghost’s most successful album. The WTC would follow up with albums that attempt to mirror the conceptual preciseness of Ironman. However, none of the Clan’s solo projects can be compared in its totality to that of Tony Starks.
