Dennis Coles a.k.a. Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles, born on May 9, 1970, and widely known as Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a key member of the Wu-Tang Clan. Following the group’s rise to fame in the early to mid-1990s, Ghostface Killah, like other Wu-Tang members, embarked on a solo career. His stage name is inspired by a character from the 1979 kung fu film Mystery of Chessboxing. Ghostface was raised in the Stapleton Housing Projects in Staten Island, New York.
In his autobiographical track “All That I Got Is You,” Ghostface reflects on his upbringing. He describes growing up in a cramped three-bedroom apartment after his father left when he was just six years old. His lyrics paint a vivid picture of poverty, including hardships such as “plucking roaches out of the cereal box.”
Ghostface Killah first made his mark with the Wu-Tang Clan on their acclaimed debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), released in 1993. As a close associate of Wu-Tang founder The RZA, Ghostface played a crucial role in uniting the group’s eight members and took on the role of executive producer for all Wu-Tang Clan releases.
In 1995, Ghostface featured prominently on Raekwon’s debut album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, making appearances on nearly every track. He also contributed to the soundtracks for Sunset Park and Don’t Be A Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood, with these contributions eventually making their way onto his debut solo album, Ironman, released in 1996. The album, which peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200, showcased a distinctive soul influence, especially from the 1970s, a trend that would define Ghostface’s subsequent work.
Ghostface Killah gained recognition for his rapid, often complex stream-of-consciousness rapping style and, as his career progressed, for his emotionally intense lyrics and smooth, steady delivery. In 1996, he was diagnosed with diabetes, a condition that significantly impacted his health. In the 2007 track “Trials of Life,” featuring Prodigy, Ghostface revealed that he initially thought his symptoms were due to a sexually transmitted disease, driven by his rapid weight loss and a history of unprotected encounters.
In 2000, Ghostface released Supreme Clientele, the follow-up to his debut album Ironman. The single “Cherchez LaGhost” achieved moderate success in clubs, while the nostalgic track “Child’s Play” drew comparisons to the storytelling style of Slick Rick.
Ghostface Killah swiftly followed up Supreme Clientele with Bulletproof Wallets, an album with a strong R&B influence released a year later. Although the single “Flowers,” featuring Method Man and Raekwon, gained some traction in clubs, the album itself received lukewarm reviews and poor sales.
The singles “Run,” featuring Jadakiss, and “Tush,” with Missy Elliott, built anticipation for his debut on Def Jam and his rebranded stage name, Ghostface. The resulting album, The Pretty Toney Album, debuted in April 2004.
In the 1995 skit “Shark *****z (Biters)” from Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, Ghostface and Raekwon made veiled references to The Notorious B.I.G., criticizing Bad Boy Records for their use of cover art similar to Nas’ debut album. This tension is also mentioned by Nas in his track “Last Real ***** Alive” from God’s Son (2002). Despite this, Biggie was known to be a fan of the Wu-Tang Clan, collaborating with Method Man and The RZA and performing with Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Method Man has suggested in interviews that Ghostface and Raekwon were known for their strong opinions, but Ghostface later expressed admiration for Biggie in his music. On “Ghost Deini” from Supreme Clientele, he sings, “Tupac, Biggie / ohh how we miss you so / We want y’all both to know / We really love you so,” and a bonus track on Fishscale (2006) features Biggie. In the Wu-Tang Clan’s track “I Can’t Go to Sleep,” Ghostface also pays tribute to Biggie along with Tupac, Big L, and Big Pun.
Following Fishscale and More Fish (2006), and the 718 album from Theodore Unit, Ghostface released The Big Doe Rehab in December 2007. The release date was adjusted to avoid clashing with Wu-Tang’s 8 Diagrams. In 2008, he put out two compilations, The Wallabee Champ and GhostDeini the Great. His 2009 album, Ghostdini the Wizard of Poetry, marked a shift towards R&B. The more traditional Apollo Kids followed in 2010, featuring guests like Redman and Busta Rhymes. In early 2013, Ghostface explored the Italian giallo film genre with Twelve Reasons to Die, a collaborative project with composer Adrian Younge.
Recent works include 36 Seasons (2014), Twelve Reasons to Die II (2015), and the experimental album Sour Soul (2015), a collaboration with BadBadNotGood.
Credit photo: “Ghostface killah” by LianaAn is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
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