Wu-Tang Clan: 'The Heart Gently Weeps'

The Wu-Tang Clan used to sound like the most dangerous rap group in the world. Their debut LP Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was a ferocious blend of hip-hop and samurai sword fight skits, and they basically sounded like nine nasty bleeders you wouldn't want to mess with. But what's happened since? A plethora of successful solo projects, a series of under-whelming follow-ups and the tragic loss of ODB, their most famous member. Now, on their new single, they've sampled the Beatles' 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. It all begs the question - are the New York collective going soft on us?

Well, possibly, but hip-hop has always flourished when using the most unusual samples, and there's enough talk of "gats", "dope" and "murders" to dismiss any notions that GZA, RZA and co. might be staging some kind of John Lennon-style bed-in. Mixing their usual uncompromising lyrics with Erykah Badu's sweet vocal harmonies is a curious, strangely alluring combo, but one that's not entirely successful. Likewise, the Beatles sample is an interesting enough curiosity, but, after you've got over the novelty value, there's little to lift this track above mediocrity.