Twelve Reasons to Die II

Critical reception

Twelve Reasons to Die II received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 72 based on 18 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Like the films Superman 2 and Aliens, the concept LP Twelve Reasons to Die II meets, and for action junkies exceeds, the high standard set by its predecessor." Dan Caffrey of Consequence of Sound said, "If we’re only judging Twelve Reasons to Die II on this kind of story-driven criteria, then it’s a knockout. As with its predecessor, the narrative is a marriage of exploitation horror and urban street drama, an elaboration on the kind of grit-meets-gimmick composition that the various members of Wu-Tang Clan have been pulling off for over two decades."

Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork Media said, "If Twelve Reasons to Die is a comic, then its sequel is the cinematic adaptation or a reboot of the franchise; the source material is the same, but the execution is tightened in places. It has a bigger-budget feel—stronger guests, better pacing, and a more careful consideration for its audience." Kevin Ritchie of Now said, "What it lacks is an interesting emotional – and thus truly cinematic – dimension. The vast majority of lyrics are either narrative exposition or revelling in the primordial thrill of gangsterism, and Ghostface rarely delves beneath the violent macho facade. When he does, it’s only during the climactic and clichéd moment of rebirth." Jesse Fairfax of HipHopDX said, "The majority of Twelve Reasons To Die II is Adrian Younge’s mere reinterpretation of Ghostface Killah’s beloved crime tales. “Black Out” comes close to a vintage feel, but the tracks ultimately distract from the album’s plot. Narrated by RZA, the surprise ending sets up an inevitable yet unnecessary third part to come down the line."

Track listing