Here’s where anyone who thought Ghost was an indistinguishablethug
learns a thing or two. Offering to make up a plate of cheese and
crackers for a pregnant woman, noticing “your neck smell good,” and
imploring his baby mama to give his own big belly a rub, he confirms
that no one in rap has a finer eye for details. What we didn’t know was
how tender he could be: In the X-rated “Stapleton Sex,” he uses the
word “love” almost as many times as “shut your mouth like you under
arrest.” Billing Ghostdini as his R&B album was more than a
cheeky way to acknowledge taking Auto-Tune commissions. It’s a backdrop
for his new theatrics, catching cheaters in his guest house (and
treating them far kinder than he did on 1995’s “Wildflower”), and
casting Estelle of last year’s “American Boy” fame as the
aforementioned mother-to-be, wishing her well as she turns him down to
rendezvous with her husband. Giggle ironically at the ridiculoid cover
or album title at your peril: This 39-year-old is a wizard,
transcending his Wu-biquity for a solo identity more funny, visceral
and thoughtful than anyone else in the game. And he’ll charm —
not steal — your woman. — Dan Weiss
This article appears in Oct 7-13, 2009.
