Background

Early career

Hunter was born July 6, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York, but grew up in Staten Island. Hunter routinely mentions the Park Hill Projects in Clifton, Staten Island, where he grew up and went to school with the future Method Man, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah. Coming from a musical family, his father died when he was six years old, and seeing his mother support the family contributed to his laid-back, quiet mentality; this led to his stage name, as he decided to play a low-key counterbalance to the antics of Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and RZA. This is also referenced by Method Man at the end of the track "Can it Be All So Simple?" on Wu-Tang's debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) :

“

Inspectah Deck, he's like that dude that'll sit back and watch you play yourself and all that right? And see you sit there and know you lyin; and he'll take you to court after that, cuz he the Inspectah.

”

Despite this inconspicuous persona, Inspectah Deck maintained a relatively high profile, as he was the second most featured member on the album, and provided highly acclaimed verses for the singles "C.R.E.A.M.," "Protect Ya Neck," "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta Fuck Wit," and "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'." In the years following, Hunter would appear on several Wu members' solo projects, including Method Man's Tical (1994), Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995), GZA's Liquid Swords (1995), and Ghostface Killah's Ironman (1996). On Wu-Tang's second group album, Wu-Tang Forever (1997), Deck produced the track "Visionz" and contributed a solo track, "The City", as well as writing one of the most critically acclaimed verses in hip-hop on the group's hit single "Triumph". He would also provide production for some of his Wu cohorts, including "Elements" and "Spazzola" for Method Man's Tical 2000: Judgement Day (1998), "Kiss of a Black Widow" for RZA's RZA as Bobby Digital in Stereo (1998), and the title track for GZA's Beneath the Surface (1999).

Solo career

Inspectah Deck's debut album Uncontrolled Substance was initially set for a late 1997 release, however, this experienced several delays due to a flood in producer RZA's basement studio, which destroyed over one hundred beats, including those made for the album. Wu-Tang affiliate Cilvaringz stated in a 2010 interview "Recently Deck pulled out some disks from the flood and they worked again and he used one for his upcoming album on Koch." In September 1999, Uncontrolled Substance was released, and featured more of Deck's own production, and appearances from several lesser known affiliates. The album received generally favorable reviews from music critics, but failed to garner the reception attained by earlier Wu-Tang solo projects. Shortly after this release, Deck returned to the Wu-Tang fold for the group albums The W (2000), and Iron Flag (2001).

In 2003, Inspectah Deck released his second studio album, The Movement (which he would later state did not live up to his expectations), and in 2006, he released The Resident Patient, intended as a precursor to The Movement. In 2007, the rapper reconvened with the Wu-Tang Clan to record the group album 8 Diagrams. Along with Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck partook in the controversy, sparked when several group members disparaged RZA's tight artistic control of the album, championing Ghost's album The Big Doe Rehab. In regards to these disagreements, Deck stated in an interview:

“

I feel like we have to give them a newer, better album such as the new Ghost album. I’m not saying that’s the truth either. I’m just saying that his album sounds like what a Wu-Tang album should sound like, but it’s him by himself.

”

Around this time the rapper announced two projects: a collaborative album called Czarface with Boston's 7L & Esoteric featuring the legendary DJ Premier and his up-coming solo album The Rebellion, confirming production from RZA and the Wu-Elements; it is now set to come after The Resident Patient II, and will reportedly be his final album as a solo artist.

On March 23, 2010, Inspectah Deck released his third solo album Manifesto, which features guest-appearances from Raekwon, Cormega, Termanology, Planet Asia, Cappadonna, Kurupt, and M.O.P.'s Billy Danze. In 2008, a mixtape entitled The Resident Patient II was leaked on to the internet; this features some original material, as well as freestyles over other artists' songs. Inspectah Deck stated in an interview that The Manifesto was meant to be the originally announced full-length sequel, Resident Patient II.

Since early 2010, Inspectah Deck has begun work on Czarface and The Rebellion, and has expressed his interest in working with several Wu-Tang members, as well as Snoop Dogg, E-40, Nas & Jadakiss on the album. He had mentioned in an interview with Conspiracy Radio that he will only retire from solo albums if the fans don't show support for The Manifesto and The Rebellion. He has also mentioned his plans to release an instrumental album of his own production, entitled The Bodyrock Volume 1, which is inspired by the instrumental albums released by Alchemist, Ayatollah, and Pete Rock. On February 11, 2013, in an interview with HipHopDX, Inspectah Deck stated that he also has an upcoming album with producer Agallah in the works. He recently confirmed via Twitter that he has changed the name of his final album to "Uncontrolled Substance II," a sequel to his debut album; that will be produced primarily by RZA.

After working with The Wu-Tang Clan on their sixth studio album A Better Tomorrow, he reunited with 7L & Esoteric for another Czarface album titled Every Hero Needs a Villain, which was released in June 2015.

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		US	US R&B	US Rap
Uncontrolled Substance	Released: October 5, 1999 Label: Relativity Records Formats: CD, LP, digital download	19	3	—
The Movement	Released: June 10, 2003 Label: Koch Records Formats: CD, digital download	137	29	—
Manifesto	Released: March 23, 2010 Label: Traffic Entertainment Formats: CD, digital download	—	69	—
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.

Collaborative albums

List of collaborative albums, with selected chart positions

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		US	US R&B	US Rap
Czarface (with 7L & Esoteric as CZARFACE)	Released: February 19, 2013 Label: Brick Records Formats: CD, cassette, LP, digital download	—	34	—
Every Hero Needs a Villain (with 7L & Esoteric as CZARFACE)	Released: June 16, 2015 Label: Brick Records Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download	—	15	—

Mixtapes

List of mixtapes, with year released

Title	Album details
The Resident Patient	Released: June 25, 2006 Label: Urban Icon Records Formats: CD, digital download

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name

Title	Year	Peak chart positions			Album
		US	US R&B	US Rap
"Let Me at Em" (with Wu-Tang Clan)	1995	—	—	—	Tales from the Hood
"Semi-Automatic Rap Full Metal Jacket" (featuring U-God and Streetlife)	1996	—	—	—	High School High
"REC Room"	1998	—	—	—	Uncontrolled Substance
"Forget Me Not"	1999	—	—	—
"Show N Prove (Power of God)"		—	—	—
"Word on the Street"		—	—	—
"Movas & Shakers"		—	—	—
"The Movement"	2003	—	—	—	The Movement
"City High"		—	—	—
"Bumpin' and Grindin'"		—	—	—
"Vendetta"		—	—	—
"Big City"		—	—	—
"He's a Rebel"		—	—	—	N/A
"The Champion"	2010	—	—	—	Manifesto
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name

Title	Year	Other artist(s)	Album
"Mr. Sandman"	1994	Method Man, RZA, Streetlife, Carlton Fisk, Blue Raspberry	Tical
"Cold World"	1995	GZA	Liquid Swords
"Duel of the Iron Mic"		GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard Masta Killa
"Guillotine (Swordz)"		Raekwon, GZA, Ghostface Killah	Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
"Assassination Day"	1996	Ghostface Killah, RZA, Raekwon, Masta Killa	Ironman
"Semi-Automatic Rap Full Metal Jacket"		U-God, Streetlife	High School High
"Wu-Tang Cream Team Line Up"	1998	Raekwon, Harlem Hoodz, Killa Sin, Method Man	60 Minutes of Funk Vol. III
"One More to Go (The Earthquake)		Deadly Venoms, GZA, Method Man, Streetlife, Cappadonna	Antidote
"Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy)"		Big Pun, Prodigy	Capital Punishment
"Cross My Heart"		Killah Priest, GZA	Heavy Mental
"Above the Clouds"		Gang Starr	Moment of Truth
"S.O.S."		Streetlife	Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm
"Tru Master"		Pete Rock, Kurupt	Soul Survivor
"Play IV Keeps"		Method Man, Hell Razah, Mobb Deep, Streetlife	Tical 2000: Judgement Day
"Spazzola"		Method Man, Masta Killa, Streetlife, Killa Sin, Raekwon
"Rumble"	1999	U-God, Method Man	Golden Arms Redemption
"Make Cents"		I.G.T.	N/A
"Forget Me Nots"		N/A
"The Authentic (Street)"	2000	Ruthless Bastards
"Verbal Slaughter"		The Dwellas	The Last Shall Be First
"Speaking Real Words"	2001	7L & Esoteric	The Soul Purpose
"X (Y'all Know the Name)"	2002	X-Ecutioners, Pharoahe Monch, Skillz, Xzibit	Built from Scratch
"Sparring Minds"		GZA	Legend of the Liquid Sword
"Killa Beez"		RZA, U-God, Suga Bang Bang, Blue Raspberry	Wu-Tang Killa Beez: The Sting
"Get Away From the Door"		Cappadonna	The Struggle
"Bump and Grind"		Fat Man Scoop	Party Breaks
"Always NY"		Mathematics	Love, Hell or Right
"Street Rap"	2004	Mareko	White Sunday
"Silverbacks"		Masta Killa, GZA	No Said Date
"A Star is Born"	2005	Streetlife	Street Education
"On a Mission"		YOR123 & Skandaali	Around the World
"A Ha (Remix)"		Mos Def	Tale #10
"Strawberries & Cream"		Mathematics, Ghostface Killah, RZA	The Problem
"Spot Lite"		Mathematics, Method Man, U-God, Cappadonna
"Move Unheard"	2006	Cappadonna, Joe Young	Cash & Grams
"Everything"		Method Man, Streetlife	4:21... The Day After
"9 Milli Bros."		Wu-Tang Clan	Fishscale
"Street Corner"		Masta Killa, GZA	Made in Brooklyn
"Piece of the Pie"	2007	Pop Shuvit	Freakshow Vol 1 : Tales of The Travelling Tunes
"I Don't Wanna Go Back"		Joe Young	Gorilla Street Gang
"Rap Burglars"		Raekwon	Wu-Tang Clan & Friends: Unreleased
"You Can't Stop Me Now"	2008	RZA	Digi Snacks
"You Already Know"	2009	Kool G Rap, Suga Bang Bang	The RZA Presents: Afro Samurai Resurrection OST
"Kill Too Hard"		U-God, Masta Ace	Wu-Tang Chamber Music
"Harbor Masters"		Ghostface Killah, AZ
"Sound the Horns"		Sadat X, U-God
"Symphonies"		Phil Anastasia	The Symphony
"On Tha Run"		D. Dermz	N/A
"House of Flying Daggers"		Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, GZA	Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II
"Black Mozart"		Raekwon
"Mean Streets"		Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Suga Bang Bang
"Kiss the Ring"		Raekwon, Masta Killa
"Rockstars"		Raekwon, GZA
"Gunshowers"	2010	Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Sun God	Wu-Massacre
"12th Chamber"		7L & Esoteric	1212
"Chop Chop Ninja"	2011	Raekwon	Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang
"Never Feel This Pain"		U-God, Tre Williams	Legendary Weapons
"The Road"		Masta Killa, Bronze Nazareth	School for the Blindman
"Put God First"		Cappadonna, Solomon Childs	The Pilgrimage
"Honey's Look Good"		Cappadonna
"How You Do That"	2012	Illmaculate, OnlyOne	Skrill Talk
"Chairmen of da Barz"		Two Tungs, Spleen	2000 and Now or Never
"Different Times Zones"		Ghostface Killah, Sheek Louch	Wu Block
"Bust Shots"
"Get live"	2013	Dynasty	Beyond measure
"Devotion to the Saints"		Killah Priest, Ghostface Killah	The Psychic World of Walter Reed
"Blood on the Cobblestones"		Ghostface Killah, U-God	Twelve Reasons to Die
"Murder Spree"		Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, U-God, Killa Sin
"An Unexpected Call (The Set Up)"		Ghostface Killah
"4 Horsemen"		Mathematics, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Raekwon	The Answer
"Mt. Everest"		U-God, eLZhi	The Keynote Speaker
"These Broken Wings"	2015	Shalé, DJ Revolution, Mike Smith, Jonathan Hay, King Tech	When Music Worlds Collide

Production credits

1995

Wu-Tang Clan - Tales from the Hood The Soundtrack

• "Let Me at Them"

1997

Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Forever

• "Visionz"

1998

Inspectah Deck (ft. Streetlife) - Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm

• "S.O.S."

Method Man - Tical 2000: Judgement Day

• "Spazzola"
• "Elements"

RZA - Bobby Digital in Stereo

• "Kiss of a Black Widow"

1999

GZA - Beneath The Surface

• "Beneath The Surface"

Inspectah Deck - Uncontrolled Substance

• "Femme Fatale"
• "Word on the Street"
• "Elevation"
• "Hyperdermix"
• "The Cause"

U-God - Golden Arms Redemption

• "Glide"

2000

Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele

• "Stay True"

2001

Cappadonna - The Yin and the Yang

• "Revenge"

2005

Streetlife - Street Education

• "A Star Is Born"

2006

Inspectah Deck - The Resident Patient

• "Get Ya Weight Up"
• "My Style"

2009

Fes Taylor - Flight 10304 (T-2 Fly)

• "Show Something"
• "CMG Salutes La Banga"

2010

Inspectah Deck - Manifesto

• "Luv Letter"
• "T.R.U.E."
• "We Get Down"
• "9th Chamber Part II"
• "Really Real"

2013

Masta Killa - Selling My Soul

• "R U Listening?"

[ Source: Wikipedia ]