Twelve Reasons To Die

Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge - Twelve Reasons To Die
Critic Score
Based on 24 reviews
2013 Ratings: #307 / 1115
User Score
Based on 214 ratings
2013 Rank: #174
Liked by 21 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

91
A.V. Club

In an era where it increasingly seems like rap albums are being rendered obsolete by mixtapes, this tightly focused, wildly entertaining collaboration between two master craftsmen is a testament to how powerful the form can still be.

90
Tiny Mix Tapes

Twelve Reasons to Die delivers spectacularly on its promise. Ghostface and Younge’s filmic vision comes together with great aplomb, and yields one of the bloodiest, most ambitious, and straight-up funnest hip-hop albums of 2013. 

80
The Needle Drop
On Ghostface Killah's latest project, he's working with composer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Younge. Together, they create a fantastically conceptual album that's loaded with all the b-movie thrills a Wu-Tang fan could ask for.
80
XXL

12 Reasons to Die is a pitch-perfect pairing of Adrian Younge’s soulful production and Ghostface’s invigorated rhymes. Despite some misguided narratorial instincts, the album is a testament to Ghost and Younge’s passion for stripped down instrumentation and raw talents.

80
AllMusic

It's short and limited, but it's well crafted and strong, and a worthy alternative to RZA's Man with the Iron Fists soundtrack done with some wild, Wallabee Kingpin spin.

79
Beats Per Minute

As a pure entertainment piece, Twelve Reasons To Die appeals directly to the brain’s pleasure center.

75
Pretty Much Amazing

While the LP rarely rarely transcends its concept album world, I can’t point to a bad song on the record. 

74
Pitchfork

Like a lot of what Ghost has done in the past few years ... Twelve Reasons to Die basically feels like a victim of haste. Ghostface has kept up a fiendish pace even this late into his career, but at this stage, his dogged clip is hurting his output.

70
FACT Magazine

Though Younge’s production may be the star here, Twelve Reasons To Die is the work of a rap game veteran who in the autumn of his career still has plenty to offer.

70
SPIN

This might all come across as critical nit-pickery on what's mostly a very good album, but the concept betrays the end listening experience, leaving the unshakable feeling that it could've been a six-track EP, not an over-padded full album. 

70
NME

Ghostface calls upon most of the remaining Clan members, switches the formula occasionally and hey presto, yet another minor Wu-Tang classic 20 years on from their debut.

70
PopMatters

As a total project, Twelve Reasons to Die may be just about the most Wu-Tang thing that’s ever happened, despite the nagging suspicion that Adrian Younge is playing finders keepers with the spotlight.

60
Consequence of Sound

The 12-track album is plagued by a slew of personal shortcomings, miring what could be a truly heroic effort.

Rollo_P
81

Love, betrayal, and revenge presented in the form of a cinematic tale told by one of hip hop's greatest storytellers ever. The humor here is mostly nonexistent (outside of a kid or two being pushed from a plane), Ghost, Adrian and co. really wanted to present this narrative with a straight face. Honestly? Reminds me more of a stage-play then a film, there's something about how narrators, transitions, and obviously how the characters interact with one another here that you can't help but admire ... read more

Burst644
85

One of the best and most cohesive concept albums in hip-hop. It's a full on movie from start to finish with a running mafioso theme, drama, love, betrayal, multiple characters, and a a hard main character, not to mention dope narration, smooth transitions from song to song, and even elements of opera. It's honestly amazing how ghostface was able to chuck out an album this fresh and creative 20 years after his debut with the rest of the wu. It took me a bit to get used to the beats, as it has a ... read more

LZGray
70

An enjoyable little mafia/revenge flick with cinematic production, bloody lyrics, and DRAMA. Now the second half content-wise becomes a little repetitive, with Tony killing all the people that wronged him, and some of the choral embellishments are a little corny, but on the whole this is a fun time that shows the best of Wu Tang and their storytelling.

Burst644
85

One of the best and most cohesive concept albums in hip-hop. It's a full on movie from start to finish with a running mafioso theme, drama, love, betrayal, multiple characters, and a a hard main character, not to mention dope narration, smooth transitions from song to song, and even elements of opera. It's honestly amazing how ghostface was able to chuck out an album this fresh and creative 20 years after his debut with the rest of the wu. It took me a bit to get used to the beats, as it has a ... read more

80

Super interesting jazzy beats. Cool story telling focus.

FunkyBlood9696
84

Kind of a self-indulgent release for Ghostface Killah, but he still manages to come through with an incredible series of tracks that have a pretty conceptual twist to them, as well as partnering up with Adrian Younge so that he could rap on top of these mesmerizing and gritty jazz instrumentals
The production bangs, the jazz instrumentals are very well played and arranged, and Ghostface is still an incredible MC on the mic, even if all I could think about is how much he sounds alike Action ... read more

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Added on: April 8, 2013