Pitchfork

Last Tuesday, word (which, after all, is bond) came down that Ghostface had taken some umbrage with the perpetually shifting release date for the Wu-Tang Clan's eagerly anticipated 8 Diagrams LP, which had made its most recent move to December 4, the same date as Ghost's Big Dough Rehab LP.

Troubled by the possibility of diminishing sales returns for his own disc in light of the first new Wu-Tang album in six years, Ghost spoke, and the RZA-- slicing through the tension much as his nickname might suggest, and perhaps feeling generous after his recent chess conquests-- has worked out a new date for 8 Diagrams: December 11. Ahhh, that feels better.

In a video interview with MTV-- while perched next to a very giddy looking Common-- RZA explained that he was largely unaware of Big Dough Rehab when the December 4 date was set for 8 Diagrams. He detailed the tribulations that've gone into getting 8 Diagrams out there at all, then (sweetly) added: "Ghost is my brother, you know what I mean? I love him to death." And, that in mind, RZA moved the date back (a gesture also confirmed by the Wu's publicist), ensuring "mad cream" for all at the close of 2007.

Again, for enumeration purposes: Ghostface's The Big Dough Rehab will be out December 4 from Def Jam. Wu-Tang Clan's 8 Diagrams drops exactly seven days later (to the day!) on Loud/Universal/SRC/Wu Music Group. Let's let that be that, all right, fellas? I just wanna hear these things.

Ghostface, as you know, is touring with some of his fellow heavy hitters: though, sadly, none of them are named U-God. His next show is at this coming weekend's Vegoose Festival.

Ghostface:

10-28 Las Vegas, NV - Vegoose Festival
10-29 Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues Sunset Strip ^
10-30 San Diego, CA - 4th & B ^
10-31 Long Beach, CA - The Vault ^
11-01 Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst ^
11-02 San Francisco, CA - The Mezzanine ^
11-03 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater ^
11-04 Seattle, WA - Showbox ^
11-05 Bellingham, WA - Nightlight %
11-07 Park City, UT - Harry O's ^
11-08 Denver, CO - Ogden Theater ^
11-09 Aspen, CO - Belly Up ^
11-10 Kansas City, MO - The Beaumont Theatre ^
11-11 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue ^
11-12 Chicago, IL - House of Blues ^
11-13 Bloomington, IN - Bluebird Theater ^
11-15 New Haven, CT - Toad's Place ^
11-16 New York, NY - Nokia Theater ^
11-17 Baltimore, MD - Sonar ^
11-18 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club ^
11-21 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero ^

* with Witchdoctor
% with Little Brother
^ with Rakim, Brother Ali, the Rhythm Roots Allstars