Search - Theodore Unit :: 718

More from the Pretty Toney Album

Scott D. Gribble | Baltimore MD | 01/14/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is not so much a complete album as it is a collection of tracks. The best thing about this album is that it has some of the missing tracks from the Pretty Tony Album. You've heard by now that Def Jam didn't want to pay up all the royalties for the samples that Ghost was using... so they cut some tracks from the final album. It's really unfortunate because they were sitting on a classic. This album (not sure if it's a bootleg or how they're even allowed to release this in stores) brings to light some tracks that few have had a chance to hear.



"Guerilla Hood", "The Drummer", "Smith Brothers", "Paychecks" & "Wicked With Lead" all should be included on the Pretty Toney album and while there are still more not included here, there tacks alone could push Pretty Toney to the next level. "Guerilla Hood" is a powerful cinematic track with almost a full booming orchestra backing up the Ghost. He even begins the track singing before ripping it up in typical fashion. "The Drummer" is the posse track that was mysteriously missing from the Pretty Toney Album. The production consists of a basic drumbeat that is accompanied by some menacing piano and a high-pitched soul sample in the background. Ghost, Trife, Streetlife & Method Man pretty much trade lines every 8 bars or so. This is a classic Wu track (Meth: "Ya'll n**** shoot guns like Shaq shootin a free-throw"). My only complaint is that it sounds like this track was downloaded, but whatever. The production on "Smith Brothers" is incredible and Ghost just flows perfectly over it. The chorus brings down a perfect track though with Ghost singing "We will, we will rock you". "Paychecks" uses some sick piano and horn samples (and of course a soul sample in the background). "Wicked With Lead" is another excellent track, stepping away from the soul samples and sounds more like a beat from 90-91'. All these tracks are at least excellent, they even sounds like they belong on the PTA. For me getting these tracks makes the album worth buying alone.



The other tracks on the album are merely there to showcase Ghost's crew. To be honest they are pretty good. Trife in my opinion is the best of the crew, and comes off nicely on "Punch In...", & "Right Back" "Pass the Mic" is another nice track, which features everyone. The rest of the tracks are pretty good, though nothing that really stands out. (Question, has Cappadona really fallen off that much that he's gone back to being a member of Ghost's "crew"?? Aparently)



One final treat is '88 Freestyle which uses Big Daddy Kane's "Set it Off" and has Ghost & Trife racing faster than I've ever heard from the Ghost! It's an incredible display of just pure skills.



If you're a fan of Ghostface and/or the Pretty Toney Album, this is worth getting. Pretty solid effort, especially for basically just being a mix-tape or collection of tracks. (7/10)"

Wu-Banga!

Genesis | California | 08/13/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Man the Wu-Tang is on a roll. After No Said Date from Masta Killa and Pretty Toney from Ghostface they come back with this. Theodore Unit is made up of some of Ghostface Killah's close friends that banded together. The unit consists of: Ghostface of course, Trife Da God, Shawn Wiggs, Du-Lilz, Kryme Life, Solomon Childs, and Cappadonna.



All of the members are tight on this LP but who really stands out is Trife Da God. Of course Ghostface is dope, being a Wu-Tang veteran. But Trife was a great suprise. He's honestly one of the tightest MC's i've heard in awhile, spitting hot verses on songs like "Punch in Punch Out", "Wicked Wit Lead" and "Pass the Mic". His flow is perfect and his voice is insanely tight.



The production on this album is definitely nice. It reminds me of the Pretty Toney Album. Sounds real old school with some nice samples, such as the Big Daddy Kane one on "88 Freestyle". There's also, following in the tradition of Pretty Toney, is alot of Soul samples. I love these songs especially like on tracks "The Drummer" and "Be My Girl".



All in all this is yet another dope cd for the Wu-Tang, definitely purchase this."

Maybe 4.5 stars from Ghost's clique

G$ | B-More, MD | 01/25/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ghostface went out and "recruited" a 5 man team to deliver a solid group album. Ghost is on 12 songs as is Trife Da God, Shawn Wigs is on 4 songs, Solomon Childs is on 5, Kryme Life is on 1, and Cappadonna steps in on 2 of the songs. Guests besides these are limited. A lot of the Unit is known to rap fans: Trife's been on a lot of Ghost albums and a few mixtapes, Solomon Childs has been on some Wu material and RZA albums, and Shawn Wigs was on Cappadonna's last album, and all should know Cappa's been around for about 10 years. Production is handled by a bunch of people, Anthony Acid (4 songs), Emile (2 songs), K-Def (2 songs) and the other 8 are by 8 different people. Lyrics are the highpoint of this album, and they all delivers solid lyrics. There is on classic, 1 great song, 3 average songs, 1 I skip and the other 10 are good. A must have for Ghostface fans.



#1 - 9 (ghost)

#2 - 9 (trife)

#3 - 8.5 (ghost & trife -- old school beat)

#4 - 7.5 (ghost, method man, street life, trife)

#5 - 8 (shawn wigs, ghost, solomon childs)

#6 - 8 (ghost, trife, bone crusher)

#7 - 7.5 (ghost & trife)

#8 - 7.5 (solomon childs -- deep song dedicated to his moms)

#9 - 8 (ghost & trife)

#10 - 9 (ghost & trife)

#11 - 9.5 (great song by shawn wigs -- good beat)

#12 - 9 (kryme life & trife)

#13 - 8 (shawn wigs, trife, cappadonna, solomon childs, ghostface)

#14 - 5 (solomon childs -- my least favorite on here)

#15 - 10 (classic -- shawn wigs, cappadonna, ghost)

#16 - 7.5 (solomon childs -- to a girl he wants -- relaxing beat)



THEODORE UNIT IS:

Ghostface Killah, Trife da God, Solomon Childs, Shawn Wigs, Cappadonna, and Kryme Life (Du-Lilz is listed but isn't on any songs)



check all my reviews"