Method Man, Ghostface & Raekwon

Ever since word leaked of this project featuring the Wu-Tang Clan's most independently successful MCs, anticipation has been high and the ridiculously dope comic book art accompanying the project has done little to dampen the excitement. Predictably and unfortunately, Wu Massacre doesn't live up to its advance billing. The rumours suggesting this album was rushed out to capitalize on Raekwon's success with Only Built For Cuban Linx... Pt. II gain traction with the fact that many tracks aren't shy about liberally referencing past Wu glories. "Criminology 2.5" takes its title and slightly modified beat from Raekwon's original Cuban Linx debut. "Meth vs. Chef 2" is a follow-up to the original track on Method Man's 1994 debut, Tical, and even one of the skits recalls a dozen sessions from Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). That being said, the tracks that feature Meth, Rae and Ghost contain the witty, wicked wordplay Wu-aficionados have come to know and love. The only problem is that only a handful of the 12 tracks, including skits, feature the trio. Method Man does an admirable job with a menacing verse on "Gunshowers" and Ghostface delivers his usually vivid narrative on "Smooth Sailing (Remix)," but the verve quickly evaporates when neither is on the mic. Toss in a pointlessly misogynistic skit from Tracy Morgan and you are left with a patchy project that given some time and attentive conceptual execution could have been more than the sum of its parts.