22. Ghostface, Ironman
A few signature themes found in all of the Wu-Tang Clan’s lore are kung fu, killer bees, street culture, and comic books. These are threaded not just throughout the music that they produce, but also in The Clan member’s rap monikers and fashion sensibility. For Ghostface Killah, his second alias is Tony Starks based on the legendary Marvel Comics superhero. Starks is the real name of the fictional character, Ironman (hence the name of this legendary album). What made the cover so fire is that in addition to featuring Ghost, Raekwon the Chef, and Cappadonna on the cover, the art director chose another star to prominently highlight: Them Wallies.
Brightly decked out in primary colors, the cover shows this rap trinity surrounded by the NY fly guy’s alternative to the Timberland, a shoe called Wallabee Clarks. Once considered an old man’s shoe, Ghost’s affinity for them comes from the Jamaican hustle culture that saturated the North East in the 90s. Ironman’s cover said it without saying it, this record is made for a supreme clientele.