Hear Ghostface Killah’s Ominous New Track ‘The Battlefield’
Ghostface Killah has shared “The Battlefield,” the brooding opener from his upcoming “hip-hop superhero concept album,” 36 Seasons.
The track establishes the album’s basic story, with the narrator returning to Staten Island, searching for retribution and surveying the urban decay (“crackheads on every corner,” “kids in the schoolyard smokin’ marijuana”) and police corruption plaguing his community. Singer Tre Williams adds a soulful chorus over droning blues guitars and crackling drums, while New York City hip-hop veterans Kool G Rap and AZ each contribute powerful verses. Listen to the track below.
The Wu-Tang member announced his solo LP last week, and he teased the album by sharing the breezy romantic betrayal “Love Don’t Live Here No More.” 36 Seasons was produced by Brooklyn-based soul band/production team The Revelations, with assorted contributions from The 45 King, Fizzy Womack (M.O.P), Angela Johnson and Malik Abdul-Rahmaan.
The album’s CD and vinyl editions, now available for pre-order, will come packaged with a 20-page booklet of illustrations from various comic book artists. The visual project was produced by Matthew Rosenberg, who previously collaborated with Ghostface Killah for the comics connected to his 2013 LP, Twelve Reasons to Die.
36 Seasons will hit shelves on December 9th via Salvation/Tommy Boy. One week prior, Wu-Tang’s long-awaited comeback album, A Better Tomorrow, will be released through Warner Bros. The hip-hop legends – who are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year – faced a temporary setback when rapper Raekown went on strike, but the entire group reunited in August on The Daily Show.