Getting Ghostface Killah to sit down and give a proper interview is no easy feat. The folks at Red Bull Music Academy succeeded though, getting him to sit through their Fireside Chat series. The Staten Island, New York MC gets incredibly open about his youth, poverty, and the famed Stapleton Houses where he and Cappadonna grew up.

What makes these chats especially cool is that while Ghost’ talks through the past, the music is mixed chronologically to color the way—from Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers to Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, which ‘Face co-starred on, into the stellar trifecta of Ironman, Supreme Clientele, and Bulletproof Wallets. Along the way, Ghost recalls he and Raekwon going O-T to make the Purple Tape, as one of the happiest times. The Theodore Unit founder expounds on working with producers such as The Beatnuts’ JuJu in his solo sets, and what he likes in beats, generally speaking.

The commentary from Ghost is incredibly insightful, presumably the product of great questioning. The MC expounds on whether the Clan’s solo efforts detracted from 1997’s Wu-Tang Forever double-album. The heralded lyricist opens up about his recent works, and his plans for each release.

Something you can work out to (given the carefully curated music) and learn from (with the ever-open Starks), this is one of the most insightful things in Hip-Hop to hit the web this week, and completely worth the time.

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