New Rory & MAL: Checking In With Ghostface Killah

Podcast: New Rory & MAL
Date: December 18, 2025
Episode: Checking In With Ghostface Killah
Recorded live at the Mass Appeal Pop-Up on Canal

Episode Overview

This episode is a lively, in-depth conversation between Rory, Mal, and the legendary Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah. Set at the Mass Appeal pop-up in New York, the discussion traverses Ghostface’s career, the influence of his style and music, his creative processes, and personal stories that shaped his artistry. The episode is both nostalgic and humorous, full of candid reflections on legacy, fashion, hip-hop culture, and even soul music. Fans get rare insights into Ghost’s creative decision-making, collaborations, and profound love of old-school R&B.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Cultural Impact & Style Origins

• Wallabies and Fashion Influence

  • Ghostface speaks on wallabies as an iconic New York staple. He reveals the brand never gave him a fair deal, despite his influence skyrocketing their sales. He recalls:

    "They was trying to, you know, treat me like a crackhead. So it’s like it just didn’t work." (05:03, Ghostface Killah)

  • Wallabies' popularity in New York originated with Jamaicans in the 1980s.

    • “The Jamaicans was going crazy...85, 86. Sharkskin, big truck jewelry, wallabies.” (05:47, Ghostface Killah)

2. The Mass Appeal & Legacy Series Collaboration

• How the Deal Happened

  • Explains persistence from Peter (Mass Appeal) and emphasizes the importance of timing and his friendship with Nas:

    "God is the master of all time...it’s never on my time, it’s on his time." (07:37, Ghostface Killah)
    "Nas, first of all, is my favorite rapper. That’s my brother." (08:05, Ghostface Killah)

  • Details about negotiating albums “Set the Tone” and “Supreme Clientele 2.”

3. Creative Process & Making "Supreme Clientele 2"

• Pressure for Sequels

  • Ghostface and hosts discuss the curse/blessing of sequels:

    "I just had to be careful, you know what I’m saying?...I’m not really into part twos." (09:22, Ghostface Killah)

• Beat Selection & Legacy Studio Stories

  • Admits few modern producers capture the original vibe he seeks; many only send generic trap beats.
  • Reveals several tracks on the album are 15-20 years old, pulled from his vault.
    • "I got songs there from 20 years ago." (10:55, Ghostface Killah)
    • "Some of these joints Ghost recorded a few years ago." (11:02, Mal)

• Intentional Vault Practices

  "By the time it comes, you pull it back out and see if it fit." (11:58, Ghostface Killah)

4. The "Pause" Phenomenon and Street Linguistics

• Humorous conversation about the origination of the “pause” phrase, with Mall revealing his brother invented it. Ghostface finds the trend has gone too far and reflects on old-school prison lingo vs. contemporary street jokes (12:22–15:01).

  "It’s going too far, I think...We can’t even talk no more." (13:12–13:17, Ghostface Killah)

5. Stories from the Vault

• Lost Material and Iconic Tracks

  • Mall asks about the song "Winter Wars" missing from streaming platforms—Ghost isn't sure but suggests RZA would know (17:42).
  • Ghost admits he rarely listens to his old albums due to creative regrets, especially around rushed projects (18:16–18:58).

• Writing Process & Emotional Lyrical Content

  • Discusses how reflective storytelling comes from the beat itself:

    "Sometimes the beat speaks to you. It speaks...and it made me just pour my life out on that." (31:22, Ghostface Killah)

  • Shares vulnerability about writing “All That I Got Is You”:

    "Sometimes it can make me sad...I got people from all over...they can relate." (31:53, Ghostface Killah)

6. Wu-Tang, Influence, and Legacy

• Wu-Tang's Influence

  • Hosts struggle to name Wu-Tang’s “children” in hip-hop, highlighting the group’s uniqueness. They compare Wu’s hard-to-replicate style to others with clearer protégés.

  • Ghostface agrees Griselda might be closest in spirit but emphasizes the challenge of coordinating the Wu’s nine personalities:

    "It’s hard to get on the same page. It's hard, bro." (26:01, Ghostface Killah)

• The Infamous RZA Flood

  • Talks about the infamous flood at RZA’s studio, which wiped out many classic beats and material:

    "To get to the next level, a lot of times you got to go through hell or come out right...You gotta have a loss or something." (26:15, Ghostface Killah)

7. Legendary Stories & Memorable Appearances

• Delphonics & Studio Shootout

  • Relays legendary tale of the Delphonics being caught in a shootout and still recording (27:23–28:43):

    “They got to be cool...I felt bad, yo, man, you done these old men...But they was like, nah, don’t worry about that, man.” (27:29, Ghostface Killah)

• Slick Rick’s Jewelry and the Beyonce Garden Show

  • Returns to the "Fade to Black" show moment where Slick Rick loaded him up with jewelry before Ghost performed with Beyoncé, leading to one of his greatest solo performance memories (41:01–44:07):

    "He just started throwing them shits on me...I just got heavier and heavier." (42:32, Ghostface Killah)
    "I was scared. I was tremendously scared just to go up on that stage." (47:39, Ghostface Killah)

8. Collabs, Unreleased Tracks, and R&B Love

• Unreleased and Sampled Tracks

  • Bulletproof Wallets suffered from sample clearance, losing three major songs, including one with Slick Rick (39:34–40:41).

• R&B, Soul, and Favorite Samples

  • Ghostface discusses his upbringing and everlasting love for soul music, and how it deeply influences his music:

    "Music makes me see." (20:55, Ghostface Killah)

  • Names acts like Jackson 5, Curtis Mayfield, New Birth, and talks about wanting to sample Stevie Wonder and more classic 70s tracks (51:32–52:38).

  • Emphasizes R&B and real instruments’ emotional power over today’s digital sound:

    "Back then, you had to play them instruments. You could feel the sweat dripping off the instruments." (55:08, Ghostface Killah)

• Modern R&B and Future Collabs

  • Expresses excitement at possibly working with Leon Thomas, Ty Dolla $ign, and Lauryn Hill (56:12–57:35).

    "I want to work with him. Lauryn Hill. Work with Lauryn too." (57:28, Ghostface Killah)

9. Additional Audience Q&A

• Eagle Bracelet Story

  • Confirms he still has the iconic eagle bracelet, designed by Jason from Beverly Hills, who also does NBA and Super Bowl rings (50:08–51:09).

• Favorite Song

  • Can’t pick just one ("You got Jackson 5, Curtis Mayfield, New Birth…”), but his love for classic soul shines through (52:10-52:46).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “They was trying to…treat me like a crackhead. It just didn’t work.” (05:03, Ghostface Killah, re: Wallabies)
• “God is the master of all time. It’s never on my time, it’s on his time.” (07:37, Ghostface Killah)
• “I’m like a Scorsese, you know what I mean? …I write like that, to where it’s like a movie.” (20:11, Ghostface Killah)
• “Sometimes the beat speaks to you… it made me just pour my life out… Sometimes it can make me sad.” (31:22–31:55, Ghostface Killah)
• “Back then, you had to play them instruments. You could feel the sweat dripping off the instruments.” (55:08, Ghostface Killah)

Key Timestamps

• 03:01 – Show kicks off, live audience, Mass Appeal Pop-Up
• 05:03 – Wallabies and the (lack of) brand partnership
• 07:37 – How the Mass Appeal/Nas collaboration started
• 09:22 – Sequels, being careful with “Supreme Clientele 2”
• 10:55 – Ghost on using old unreleased tracks
• 13:12–15:01 – "Pause" origin and language evolution
• 17:42 – “Winter Wars” missing from DSPs
• 26:01 – The challenge of organizing Wu-Tang
• 26:15 – The legendary RZA flood
• 27:29 – Delphonics shootout studio story
• 31:22 – The making of “All That I Got Is You”
• 41:01–44:07 – Slick Rick’s jewelry and the Beyoncé show
• 51:32–52:38 – Favorite songs/samples and soul roots
• 56:12–57:35 – Prospects of working with Leon Thomas, Ty Dolla $ign, Lauryn Hill

Closing Thoughts

This episode is a must-listen for hip-hop heads and Ghostface fans alike. Between Ghost’s candor, colorful stories, and genuine love for music and culture, listeners get a heartfelt portrait of an artist both steeped in—and loyal to—the roots of his craft. His humor, wisdom, and openness about struggle and legacy provide a rich, poignant journey through the mind and memory of an icon.