Ghostface Killah (born Dennis Coles, May 9, 1970) is a rapper and member of the hip-hop collective, Wu-Tang Clan. After Wu-Tang Clan achieved breakthrough commercial success in the early 1990s, Ghostface, like his clan-mates, began a solo career, which turned out to be one of the most critically and commercially successful solo careers of the group members. It is rumored that early in his career, when he would wear a mask during performances and photoshoots, Ghostface was wanted by the police and did not publicly remove it until his name was cleared.
Biography
Ghostface Killah, who is named after the villain from the martial arts film Ninja Checkmate (aka The Mystery of Chess Boxing) first appeared with the Wu-Tang on Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). He then showed up on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (with clan-mate Raekwon, 1995, see 1995 in music), then on the soundtracks to Sunset Park and Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood. His first solo LP was Ironman in 1996 (see 1996 in music), which was successful in hip hop circles and debuted at #2 on the pop charts. It had more of a pronounced soul influence (particularly 1970s soul) than previous Wu-Tang solo releases, and Ghostface's future albums would continue this stylistic trait.
Ghostface became well-known for both his uptempo, seemingly indecipherable stream-of-consciousness raps and, later in his career, for his very emotionally charged delivery (first seen on the Wu-Tang Clan track "Impossible"). His follow-up to Ironman was Supreme Clientele in 2000 (see 2000 in music), which was critically acclaimed by both mainstream critics and hip hop enthusiasts. "Cherchez LaGhost", a single off the album, became a minor club hit, and the sentimental "Child's Play" brought Ghostface numerous comparisons with Slick Rick.
Ghostface wasted little time in recording his next album, the heavily R&B-influenced Bulletproof Wallets which was released a year after Supreme Clientele. He had another minor club hit with "Flowers" (meaning rappers, people who "flow" lyrically, rather than a reference to horticulture) which featured guest vocals from fellow Wu-Tang members Method Man and Raekwon.
In April of 2004, The Pretty Toney Album was released on Def Jam; it featured collaborations with Missy Elliott and Jadakiss and was Ghostface's first (and so far, only) album to be credited to "Ghostface" rather than "Ghostface Killah". "Tush" and "Run", two singles taken from The Pretty Toney Album, achieved moderate success in the clubs and the charts. The album was named 9th Best Album of the Year on Pitchfork Media's end of the year list. Ghostface also appeared on the track "On My Knees" by UK R&B group The 411 which became a hit in the UK and Australia, and released an album titled 718 with a group of his proteges, calling themselves The Theodore Unit. In November 2005, along with Trife Da God they released the joint project Put It On The Line. Also in 2005, Ghostface teamed up with underground favorite MF Doom for an upcoming collaborative release. MF Doom also produced several songs for Ghostface's latest album Fishscale, released under his original moniker "Ghostface Killah". Ghostface is also due to release an action figure of himself in the near future (see external links).
Aliases
Discography
Albums
- 1996 Ironman (Certified: Platinum)
- 2000 Supreme Clientele (Certified: Gold)
- 2001 Bulletproof Wallets
- 2003 Shaolin's Finest (a best-of collection)
- 2004 The Pretty Toney Album
- 2005 718 (with Theodore Unit)
- 2005 Put It On The Line (with Trife Da God)
- 2006 Fishscale
According to http://www.riaa.com Ghostface Killah has earned his first Platinum album for his 1996 solo debut.
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B/Hip-Hop | US Hot 100 | US Hot RAP tracks | US Hot RAP Singles | |||
| 1996 | "Daytona 500" (feat. Raekwon & Cappadonna) | - | - | - Chart did not exsist | - | Ironman |
| 1996 | "All That I Got Is You" (feat. Mary J. Blige) | - | - | - Chart did not exsist | - | Ironman |
| 2000 | "Apollo Kids" | - | - | Chart did not exsist | #32 | Supreme Clientele |
| 2000 | "Cherchez LaGhost" (feat. U-God) | 42 | 98 | Chart did not exsist | #3 | Supreme Clientele |
| 2001 | "Never Be the Same Again" (feat. Carl Thomas & Raekwon) | - | - | - | - | Bulletproof Wallets |
| 2001 | "Flowers" (feat. Raekwon & Method Man) | - | - | - | - | Bulletproof Wallets |
| 2003 | "Guerilla Hood" | - | - | - | - | 718 |
| 2004 | "Tush" (feat. Missy Elliott) | - | - | - | - | The Pretty Toney Album |
| 2004 | "Run" (feat. Jadakiss) | - | - | - | - | The Pretty Toney Album |
| 2006 | "Be Easy" | #91 | - | - | No longer exsist | Fishscale |
| 2006 | "Back Like That (feat. Ne-Yo)" | #21 | TC | #20 | No longer exsist | Fishscale |
Appears On
- 1993 Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
- 1995 "Brooklyn Zoo II" (from the Ol' Dirty Bastard album Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version)
- 1995 Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (album by Raekwon)
- 1995 "Investigative Reports" & "4th Chamber" (from the GZA album Liquid Swords)
- 1995 "Right Back At You" (from the Mobb Deep album The Infamous)
- 1997 Wu-Tang Forever (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
- 1998 "'97 Mentality" (from the Cappadonna album ""The Pillage"")
- 1998 "Oh Donna" (from the Cappadonna album The Pillage)
- 1998 "Wu Blood-Kin" (from the La the Darkman album Heist Of The Century)
- 1998 "Spanish Fly" & "Holocaust (Silkworm)" (from the RZA album Bobby Digital In Stereo)
- 1999 "Run 4 Cover" (from the Method Man & Redman album Blackout!)
- 1999 "The Game" (from the Pete Rock album Soul Survivor)
- 1999 "Da Connection" (from the Beatminerz album Brace 4 Impak)
- 2000 "Your Child (Kiyamma Griffin Uptempo Mix)" (from the Mary J. Blige EP Your Child: The Mixes
- 2000 "The Heist" (from the Busta Rhymes album Anarchy)
- 2000 The W (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
- 2001 "Super Model" (from the Cappadonna album The Yin & The Yang)
- 2001 Iron Flag (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
- 2002 "Saviorz Day" (from the Sunz Of Man album Saviorz Day)
- 2002 "Silent" (from the GZA album Legend of the Liquid Sword)
- 2002 "Thrilla" (from the Cassius album Au Rêve)
- 2002 "Special Delivery Remix" (from the Bad Boy Records album P Diddy & Bad Boy Records Present: We Invented the Remix
- 2003 "Fast Cars" (from the RZA album Birth Of A Prince)
- 2003 "Missing Watch" & "Clientele Kids" (from the Raekwon album The Lex Diamonds Story)
- 2004 "Afterparty" (from the Method Man album Tical 0: The Prequel)
- 2004 "On My Knees" (single from the 411 album Between the Sheets)
- 2004 "D.T.D." (from the Masta Killa album No Said Date)
- 2004 "Tony/Montana" (from the Cormega album Legal Hustle Vol. 1)
- 2004 "He Comes" (from the De La Soul album The Grind Date)
- 2004 Disciples of the 36 Chambers: Chapter 1 (album by the Wu-Tang Clan)
- 2004 "Live From The PJ's" (from the X-Ecutioners album Revolutions))
- 2005 "Milk 'Em" (from the Symbolic One and Illmind album "The Art of One Mind")
- 2005 "Hideyaface" (from the Prefuse 73 album Surrounded By Silence)
- 2005 "The Mask" (from the Dangerdoom album The Mouse & The Mask)
- 2005 "Strawberries & Cream", "Real Nillaz" and "U.S.A" (from the Mathematics album The Problem)
- 2005 "New York" (from the AZ album A.W.O.L)