The eighth of nine core Wu-Tang members to get his own solo joint (leaving only Masta Killa out in the cold), U-God doesn’t have the personality appeal of Wu-Tang’s well-known names Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, or even Ghostface Killah. He also doesn’t have the rapping skills, though given the wealth of talent spread all over Wu-Tang, being the fourth or fifth best rapper in the crew is hardly the slam it may seem. His attempt at a trademark track, “Enter U-God,” leads off Golden Arms Redemption, and gets the full production treatment from the RZA. While the beats mine territory farther below terra firma than has ever been heard from RZA, U-God shows off his solid rhymes. If there’s a problem here though, it’s his utter lack of emotion. In fact, when Method Man, Inspectah Deck, and Leatha Face make welcome guest appearances on “Rumble,” the leap in energy is immediately recognizable. U-God’s entry in the Wu-Tang solo canon isn’t one of the best, but compared to much of the hip-hop being produced in the late ’90s, it’s a welcome addition. – John Bush