One of
Wu-Tang Clan's lower-profile members, rapper and producer
Inspectah Deck earned the first part of his nickname as the group's quiet, watchful figure in the corner. That reputation has translated to
Deck's recordings in and apart from
Wu-Tang, typified by complex, metaphor-packed rhymes delivered with understated skill. A crucial voice on
Wu-Tang classics such as "Protect Ya Neck" and "Triumph,"
Deck has also built a substantial solo discography with albums including the Top 20 debut
Uncontrolled Substance (1999) and Chamber No. 9 (2019), and has recorded extensively as a member of
Czarface (with
7L & Esoteric). An accomplished if under-recognized beatmaker, he has contributed to numerous
Wu-Tang and related projects.
Born Jason Hunter,
Inspectah Deck -- also known as Rollie Fingers, Fifth Brother, and Rebel INS, the latter a graffiti name he used as a youngster -- is originally from the Bronx. He grew up on Staten Island and attended school with future
Wu-Tang Clan members
Raekwon,
Ghostface Killah, and
Method Man. He was heard on most of the key tracks from the group's groundbreaking 1993 debut,
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), including "Protect Ya Neck" and the Top Ten Billboard Hot Rap Singles hit "C.R.E.A.M." He made guest appearances on most of the ensuing
Wu-Tang solo projects, with particularly attention-grabbing work on
Raekwon's
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and
GZA's
Liquid Swords, and both produced and fronted "Let Me at Them,"
Wu-Tang's addition to the
Tales from the Hood soundtrack. However, the release of his own solo debut -- rumored to have been completed in 1995, the same year these albums reached retail outlets -- was postponed indefinitely.
Deck was an overlooked presence on
Wu-Tang Clan's Billboard 200-topping return, 1997's
Wu-Tang Forever. He took the first verse on the Top Ten rap single "Triumph," produced the track "Visionz," and contributed the essentially solo "The City." A couple years later, he finally released his debut solo album through Loud/RCA;
Uncontrolled Substance featured a number of less-exposed
Wu-Tang affiliates as guests, and boasted contributions from
RZA and
Pete Rock among several
Deck-produced tracks. The LP climbed into the Top Five of the R&B/Hip-Hop chart and entered the Billboard 200 at number 19.
Deck remained in the
Wu-Tang fold for full-lengths
The W and Iron Flag, and continued as a solo headliner with
The Movement, which materialized in 2003 with production delegated to the likes of
Ayatollah and Phantom of the Beats.
Deck's subsequent solo projects over the next few years, specifically the 2006 mixtape The Resident Patient and the 2010 album Manifesto, continued in a similar underground vein with the headliner still showcasing other producers.
Early in the previous decade,
Deck was featured on
7L & Esoteric's "Speaking Real Words," and in 2010, he and the Boston duo conceived
Czarface, a group concept that debuted on the
7L & Esoteric album 1212. The majority of
Deck's output throughout the decade was with
Czarface, who released several full-lengths, including extensive collaborations with
MF Doom and
Ghostface Killah. All the while,
Deck was also committed to all things
Wu-Tang as the group continued to record and took part in the
Sacha Jenkins-created documentary Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men. Just after the 2019 premier of that series,
Deck released another solo album, Chamber No. 9, upholding the
Wu legacy as ever with "Russell Jones," a tribute to late partner
Ol' Dirty Bastard. ~ Andy Kellman & Steve Huey