by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
To the ever-expanding Wu-Tang family comes the Sunz of Man, comprised of Hell Razah, 60 Second Assassin, Prodigal Sunn, and Killah Priest, the only member with a full-fledged solo career. Like many latter-day Wu projects, there's a certain familiarity about the album that works against it -- though each member has his own distinct lyrical style, the music itself becomes a little similar. Sunz of Man realize that this is a problem and have hired outside producers like Wyclef Jean to add a different dimension to their sound. It works to a certain extent, but The Last Shall Be First doesn't quite offer a new dimension to the Wu formula. Of course, that doesn't mean it's a bad album. The Wu family remains the most consistent and adventurous outfit in all of hip-hop, and there are certainly a number of rhymes and sonic textures that are quite intriguing, but The Last Shall Be First isn't essential for anyone outside hardcore Wu fans.