Wu-Tang Clan‘s Ghostface Killah has taken to Subreddit /r/hiphopheads to hunt for web, app and video game developers and many other kinds of skilled professionals to work for his company, Wu World Entertainment.
In an ad, which doubled as an AMA, Ghostface explained: “We are looking for highly qualified WIZARDS. We have services rendering from real estate, to products.”
The exact purpose of the roles, or even how many people they are hiring is unclear, but he goes into further detail about who he’s after:
“App Developers Web Developers Video Game Developers Cartoon Animators Comic Book Illustrators Web and App Coders Fashion Designers Brand Ambassadors Marketing Analysis Real Estate Brokers/Agents Computer Engineering Financial Advisers
I REPEAT, I’M LOOKING FOR ALL MY WU WIZARDS -DINI”
“We promote from within,” the ad promises. “Full & Part time, Fun, Flexible hours, start immediately. Weekends are a must.”
It looks like they’re planning to consider just about anybody – one Reddit user asked if a marketing position was available as well as development roles, to which Ghostface simply replied to send him an email.
If you’d like to apply and are 18 or older, shoot off an email to wuworldent@gmail.com.
Ghostface also took the moment to promote his Christmas Sweater:
Image: gfkliving.com
Go forth and apply, Wizards.
Image: Michelle Grace Hunder for Howl & Echoes
Like many of you, I wasn’t in that handful of people who can say they were the of the first few to listen to the Wu-Tang Clan. I wasn’t even born at the time the iconic Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was released and throughout my upbringing I had primarily spent my back firmly turned against hip-hop thanks to mainstream hits which were dominating airplay at the time.
It all changed at the bright age of 14, almost 20 years after the album was originally released. Having a selection of the Clan’s hits passed on to me, it was a rollercoaster ride into hip-hop and a peek into street life on Staten Island, a place which seemed a world away.
It was unlike anything I’d ever heard before – and was unlike anything at the time of its release too. While 1993 contributed some incredible hip-hop albums, Midnight Marauders, Buhloone Mindstate and Doggystyle to name a few, the mainstream was still firmly cemented in RnB, making Enter The Wu-Tang all the more impactful. In that year, the Billboard top single was I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston, to give you an idea.
Nothing musically represented the crack era as much as Enter The Wu-Tang. Rough, gritty, raw and eerie, telling the untold tales of these young black teens. No-one had even heard a crew this large on record before, bringing their own slang, their own sound and wrapping it all up in kung fu imagery and samples from old martial arts movies. To put it simply, it was revolutionary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR9F8t39Az4
As you enter the 36th Chamber, you’re first greeted by Bring Da Ruckus, a shock to the system to say the least. Brutally raw, boom-bap instrumentals showed off RZA’s skill to the fullest. Joined by some of the clan’s finest in Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck and GZA, it’s not long until you recognise that every single emcee has their own unique style, flavour, and approach to their rapping – a chemistry many crews can only dream of achieving.
Going on to redefine emceeing on record entirely, Wu brought the live show directly to the record. Tracks like 7th Chamber, Protect Ya Neck and Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin Ta Fuck Wit’ play through like live cyphers, with one of the most pivotal being Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’. Seven of the nine original emcees feature, including a crucial showcasing of less prominent members Masta Killa and U-God. Backed by a revolutionary video which pulled you right into the crew’s kung fu universe, it’s a melting pot of styles which can only be described as insanity.
Protect Ya Neck shares this same vibe, but was even more revolutionary as the Clan’s first ever single to be released. Funded by $100 payments from each member, Wu pressed their own records and generated their own street buzz, a pivotal move which inevitably lead them to being signed to label Loud Records. With eight emcees all taking aim at the businessmen in the music industry, it’s ironic, but this brutal track is nothing short of a classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpQmFfdYFzY
Something that stands out on 36 Chambers is the sheer complexity of each track, and how different each one is to the next. From the vicious and energetic Bring Da Ruckus, setting the bar high in terms of gritty production and slamming lyrics, tracks like Shame On A N***a and Can It Be All So Simple peer through the cracks, boasting a cleaner, slicker sound.
Can It Be All So Simple in that respect separates itself from the pack. Bookended by 7th Chamber and Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta Fuck Wit, rather than have violent, in-your-face rhymes, Raekwon and Ghostface deliver thought-provoking bars into this narrative based track, reflecting on their past and evaluating what is really important to them.
Wu-Tang’s game changing single C.R.E.A.M. gets its success in this vein too. With its classic chopped soul sample, down to earth, raw and genuine sound and lyrical content, C.R.E.A.M. doesn’t shy away from telling the truth in any way. Many have since tried to voice their own struggles, but few can deliver a narrative quite as vivid as Rae and the Rebel INS.
In comparison, for an album known for it’s grittiness, Shame on a N***a makes an impact as the cleanest track on the LP. Instead of an eerie or dark sample, this instead showcases a smooth, trumpet driven beat, brilliantly contrasted by rough and tough lyricism from the likes of Method Man, Raekwon and the late great Ol’ Dirty Bastard, a favourite of the clan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBwAxmrE194
Named after the emcee himself, Method Man is the track which ended up catapulting his career and bringing him to the forefront of Wu. As one of two tracks which showcase just a single emcee, Method Man’s unique rhyming style bodied the track, going on to referencing popular culture and music all while he pieced his bars together with immense precision.
On the topic of Wu classics, you can’t get much further without mentioning Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nothin Ta Fuck Wit. Arguably the roughest and hardest track of the album, RZA, Inspectah Deck and Method Man all come together to make one of the most energetic East Coast releases to date. Banging drums snapping over this terrifying ensemble, it’s almost a war cry in some senses.
As the album comes to a fierce close, Tearz and 7th Chamber, Pt.2 complete the album with as much energy as it started with. One of the most saddening and evocative tracks, Tearz is driven by a classic Stax soul sample and sees RZA and Ghost reminisce on the good times which soon turned bad. Where on the other hand the second half of 7th Chamber closes the curtains with a head shuddering beat, driven by gritty bass synths and organ stabs, topped off by the last back to back verses from only the Clan’s finest.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEnwXYJcSZc
Few groups in musical history have created as much of a stir with their debut album, yet alone bringing forth an entirely new style. The Wu-Tang Clan paved the way for the likes of Nas, Jay-Z and even The Notorious B.I.G., Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) has transcended the status of an album and, thanks to RZA’s master plan, every member of the crew have reached a worldwide status which is now untouchable.
Wu-Tang forever!
Image: Daniel Hastings
Martin Shkreli and Donald Trump are two of the most despicable Americans on the planet. Shkreli, who you may remember from such headlines as, “Pharmaceutical Monster Raises Cost of AIDS Medication by 5000%,” “Pharma Bro Buys Wu-Tang Clan Album for $2 million” and “Ghostface Killah Threatens Pharma-Psycho, “I’ll Break You Heart in Four Days”” has now lived up to his promise and released the Wu-Tang Clan album, Once Upon A Time in Shaolin.
At the end of last month Shkreli tweeted that he would release never-before-heard music from The Beatles, Nirvana and Wu-Tang Clan if Trump wins the election:
If Trump wins, my entire unreleased music collection, including unheard Nirvana, Beatles, and of course, Wu-Tang, comes out, for free.
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) October 27, 2016
Unfortunately, this happened yesterday.
So Shkreli once again took to Twitter elaborating on his collection to include Jimi Hendrix, Tupac, Radiohead, Brand new, The Smiths, Elliot Smith and The Ramones. Which is pretty ridiculous if true, by the way. He asked his followers what they wanted to hear first:
Ok so I have unreleased wu, Beatles, 2pac, nirvana, radiohead, Hendrix, brand new, smiths, Elliot smith, Ramones… What do you want first?
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) November 9, 2016
It seems as though he began attempting to leak music on apps including Periscope, Youtube and Twitch but was quickly blocked by these services:
It would be nice if @Twitch @TwitchSupport or @YouTube @YouTubeGaming could unban me so I could stream some music. Just saying!
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) November 9, 2016
But eventually he did leak parts of at least two songs, some of which was captured below. In the video he talks about how he’s signed a contract which stipulates he cannot share the music, although he feels that the group do want it to be heard publicy. “There’s about 30, 35 tracks,” he says. “I actually have a contract with the Wu-Tang Clan where I’m not allowed to do this. Obviously I own the music and I bought it and I paid a lot of money for it. In many ways, the contract shouldn’t matter that much. But I am a man of my word, I had to play a little bit of it. I also have to keep my word to them, too. I think they want the music to come out.”
Shkreli spends a great deal of time accosting commenters on the app he originally streamed it on, but you can skip ahead to 4:58 to hear one verse of the second track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ4Tl894L6g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2Zrk9MZWyQ
There’s no official word from Wu-Tang yet and it doesn’t seem like Shkreli has released any more music for now. Frankly, it kind of makes sense that the Clan will want the album out, in direct contrast to the whole one-of-a-kind thing and the contract deeming it to be kept private for 88 years. RZA did once state that Shaolin can be released for free by the owner, so we’ll see.
Word to the wise, don’t go looking through his offensive, aggressive pro-Trump tweets unless you’re realllllly in the mood to get angry at something.
Image: Reuters
It’s sad to think that the biggest piece of Wu-Tang Clan news in recent memory is the ridiculous shit-storm that was that whole Martin Shkreli debacle. With the lone copy of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin in his seedy little hands, there was understandable concern among fans of the Wu that we wouldn’t be hearing much from the Clan for quite a while. Today though, we can breathe easy, with Ghostface Killah announcing that the next reunion is in his hands.
In an interview with HipHopDx, Ghostface stated “RZA put the ball in my hand. He said ‘Yo, I want you to do it’, and I been wanting to do it, and that’s a big test for me right there.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfa_IT_LUYE
In the same interview he also addressed the direction he hopes that album to take, continuing “you got to always go back to the foundation … It’s not what you do it’s how you do it. But it has to be done right. If it don’t fit then we can’t do it. It’ll just have to be done nice. That’s it. People can’t talk about it unless it’s good.”
As for features? At the moment it looks like it’ll be kept largely in the family. – “I mean when we do this, we don’t got to bring nobody in. Unless there’s somebody that’s already out with a strong name or a good voice that would be good. I learned to not be selfish. People know us. We got 10 people in the goddamn group.”
Wu-Tang’s last reunion in 2014, A Better Tomorrow, produced by RZA, got some really mixed reviews, and didn’t really feel like everything it could’ve been. While there’s no doubt RZA does amazing work, he’s leaving the next album in some of hip-hop’s most capable hands in those of Ghostface. Twelve Reasons to Die I & II, and Sour Soul, a collaborative album with BadBadNotGood, are all some of his best work to date and came in the space of two years. Ghostface has shown that even well into his 40s, he’s still one of hip hop’s best, and we can’t wait to see where he takes the Clan next.
Image: XXL Magazine
Milan Fashion Week is in full swing and already we have seen Gucci bum-bags, Fenti bucket hats and gold medallions, all styles we could see rappers from Charlie Threads to Earl Sweatshirt sporting. But what are the rappers wearing these days? Would they be interested in Fenti hats?
I always consider Adidas the first hip-hop clothing range; going all the way back to when hip-hop royalty Run DMC signed a million dollar deal with the company. They were the first non-athletes to obtain a sneaker deal and potentially pave the way for others in the hip-hop game to either start their own clothing ranges or get similar sponsorships.
Since then, it almost seems as if almost every rapper has had their own clothing line. So does Jay-Z only wear Rocawear? And Tyga only wear Last Kings? Or is everyone taking the Biggie Smalls route and still rocking Versace everything?
I have never worn anything that has been featured in a fashion show, one quick look at my beaten up brown leather jacket will prove I have no diversity in that department, but I have worn my fair share of clothes from the world of hip-hop fashion (although it has been some time since I rocked a fresh Sean John tracksuit with my Phat Farm polo to a basketball game). Hip-hop and fashion are so intertwined now that some of the biggest names with their own clothing lines even have their own fashion shows (well maybe just Kanye’s and his Yeezy line of couture.
With that in mind, I decided to take a look at what rappers are really wearing, or what they think we should be wearing. Here are the ten best hip-hop clothing lines of all time. In no particular order:
Image: Ernie Paniccioli from Free Stylin’
Naughty Gear
Naughty Gear was one of the very first rapper clothing lines, put out by the boys from Naughty By Nature. With an awesome group name like that, you’re almost destined to sell at least a million t-shirts just by putting your own logo on it. They did a lot more than sell a few shirts too, they had their own clothing shop in Newark, New Jersey back in the day which also sold other street brands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_XFdU3n7m4
Wu Wear
My affinity for everything Wu-Tang Clan certainly didn’t stop at their music. I always wanted to be a member of the Clan and did my best to emulate their dress style. It was pretty easy because Oli “Power” Grant, the Clan’s executive producer, had been putting out Wu Wear since the early ‘90s. I still have one Wu Wear jacket left, although my housemate thinks it’s her ‘dog-walking jacket’, almost criminally having no idea of the rarity of such a garment.
Some of the Wu-Tang members even toyed with the idea of their own Wu Wear side branches. “I’m going to bring out Dirty Wear,” Ol’ Dirty Bastard once said. “A set of ready-worn clothes: ‘Dirty Wear, for the girl who likes to wear her panties three days in a row.’” (your move, ladies)
Rihanna wearing a pink Sean John tracksuit.
Sean John
Wearing warm-up tracksuits from Sean John on the outdoor basketball courts in the early 2000s was the epitome of style and ‘cash’. Among all the Russell Athletics, Adidas, Nike, tracksuits rolling up to the courts, I always felt way fresher and got more comments on my sand-coloured velour tracksuit. However, it seemed as the brand gained popularity, or Puff Daddy got too snobby, the price and the style of the clothing skyrocketed up and over mere teenagers shooting hoops. I never replaced that tracksuit, and have never felt as fresh.
Image: swaggerareus.com
Billionaire Boys Club
In 2005 Pharrell Williams was named Best Dressed Man by Esquire, coincidentally or not the same year he launched Billionaire Boys Club. Best Dressed Man is a hell of a resume for someone looking to start their clothing line, but Pharrell didn’t just use this to launch and line and have his name attached to it for a quick pay check. He is one of the most dedicated CEOs in the game and he has been able to keep Billionaire Boys Club relevant with current street trends.
Image: highsnobiety.com
I have to put Kanye on this list, if not for the simple fact that I just don’t get it. The shoes look like socks, and his fashion show looks like it was from a runway in Tatooine. Whether or not Kanye is responsible for men being able to wear skinny jeans or not though, I fail to understand the hype behind this line. I know it sounds like I am being negative but perhaps being unable to afford soled socks might be the reason.
Many people question the frankly ludicrous price of Yeezy shoes, all that money for something that would barely even be eye-catching without his name attached to it. You could possibly chalk it up to graffiti culture, something also intertwined with hip-hop since its beginnings, is responsible for ‘basic’ athletic shoes coming into style, Kanye picking up on that ‘basic’ element and running all the way to the bank with it..
Image: XXL
G-Unit
An absolute crowd favourite on free dress days at school was anything and everything with G-Unit on it. The brand first became a force to be reckoned with when a top-of-his-game 50 Cent teamed up with Marc Ecko, founder of Ecko Unlimited, to create some decent clothing.
The down fall of this range was definitely the G-Unit part, Ecko was already one of the better street wear brands out there but the G-Unit range always felt like rip off Ecko gear. I’m not exactly sure about how well the brand did here in Australia as it was always one of the more rackable clothing ranges out there. It seemed like everyone who wore G-Unit stole it from Myers Chadstone.
Image: hypebeast
Play Cloths
The inspiration for Pusha T’s Play Cloths were the clothes that kids are allowed to wear when they get home from school and were granted permission to play outside, especially with the brand’s bright colours on black and white. Much of the clothing I owned that has long been eaten away by moths had this feel to them.
Pusha T probably has a lot on his plate now that he is president of G.O.O.D. Music, but I imagine his brand will continue to grow along with his influence in G.O.O.D. Music.
Image: Getty Images
Phat Farm
While Russell Simmons isn’t a ‘rapper’, he is very much responsible for a lot of hip-hop music. He is the co-founder of Def Jam Records and his brother is Reverend Run of the aforementioned Run DMC. I had a few Phat Farm polos back in the day, but what I really wanted my whole life was a Phat Farm bomber jacket. I had forgotten this dream, but it has been reunited with my hip pocket and I will hopefully have one by the time this article is published. ‘Nuff said.
Image: CSS Design Awards
Rocawear
Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella practically owned every aspect of the game in the early 2000s, so it was only natural that he and co-conspirator Dame Dash should have their own clothing range to try and conquer the fashion world as well. Much of it might look positively outlandish by today’s standards (Rocawear selling like hotcakes in a time when baggy was always better) but so many kids I played basketball with ran Rocawear apparel, especially the jeans. I wasn’t much of a jeans man back then so I never copped a pair.
Rocawear has fallen off a little since its halcyon days, but they teamed with Pharrell’s Billionaire Boys Club back in 2011 and continue to be a multi-million dollar venture even today.
Nsync rocking FUBU – Image: 29secrets
FUBU
“For Us By Us” if you were wondering. I was far too young for this brand, it had come and gone before I even knew of the concept of pocket money, but it was one of the hugest selling hip-hop brands for a long, long time. FUBU was hounded by Daymond John, J. Alexander Martin, Keith Perrin and Carlton Brown who had a line of hats made in John’s house in Queens. According to CNBC, “During his off hours, John would hit music video sets and try to coax rappers to wear FUBU apparel in the shoot.”
Of those rappers donning the brand, Brand Nubian wore FUBU in one of their videos, Ol’ Dirty Bastard famously wore it in a Mariah Carey video, Busta Rhymes wore it on one of his videos too, and LL Cool J wore FUBU in the Hey Lover video. All this exposure made FUBU one of the most sought after hip-hop brands of the period. LL eventually became the ambassador for FUBU and with the help of John was even able to wear a FUBU hat during a Gap commercial – unbeknownst to the executives at Gap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3L04ry7a4o
These are just some of history’s best rapper clothing lines, and while the early 2000s was its zenith, there are so many more. With artists now all but forced to think outside the box and beyond selling just their music in the digital era, we will probably continue to see hip-hop clothing on the shelves (or ripped off at Vic Markets and the like).
Maybe next year in Milan we might finally see a rapper-designed outfit at Fashion Week. Surely Kanye’s not the only one who can crack the high fashion market?
Image: Prime Source Productions
Yeah, you read that headline correctly. Now that you’ve recovered from the initial shock (that’s a lie, I don’t think anyone was a. prepared or will b. ever recover), here are the details in all their glory.
Two musical creators in the United States have decided that the world needs a musical based on everyone’s least favourite person, Martin Shkreli – aka, Pharma Boy. Yep, an IndieGoGo campaign has launched, seeking funding for the music to be titled Martin Shkreli’s Game: How Bill Murray Joined the Wu-Tang Clan.
Billed as a music caper comedy, the musical was created by Lauren Gundrum and Joel Esher who are hoping they’ll have debut at New York’s Midtown International Theatre Festival this summer. The premise of the musical is based in part, around an entirely untrue but entertaining rumour that Wu-Tang were able to steal back their one off Once Upon A Time in Shaolin album with the aide of one Bill Murray.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-clgk4CvOc
The show is actually already going ahead at the festival, but the campaign aims to fund the expenses of the show which include paying the actors, getting props, etc. If you feel so inclined, they’re actually still holding auditions for the roles of Murray, ZA, GZA, Ghostface Killah and Ol’ Dirty Bastard (who is apparently still alive in this interpretation of events?) and if you’re really feeling like getting your hands dirty and playing the villain of the piece, they’re still looking to cast Skhreli, too. Oh, and just in case in the wake of all this, you’ve forgotten about the Wu-Tang x Murray connection and are having a bit of a “wtf” moment here’s a reminder:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6EZkIaJcCI
Image: Fact Mag
The anticipation and excitement in the air at Brisbane’s picturesque Riverstage are absolutely palpable tonight. It marks the first time seminal rap crew the Wu-Tang Clan have touched down to play shows in Australia in almost five years. Their status, as per usual, has been up and down and in the air since then, apparent disconnect between key members stalled and stuttered the release of A Better Tomorrow; their half-comeback half-commemoration album that arrived in late 2014 to mixed reviews.
They sold their lone copy of Once Upon A Time In Shaolin to pharma-fuckface Martin Shkreli in that time also, publicly beefing with him ever since. True to the turbulence and tumult that has long surrounded the Staten Island collective, even after the tour was announced there had been some doubt as to whether it would happen and who would show, the final lineup performing tonight not announced until just a few weeks ago.
They made it though and that’s all that matters. A lot of people in the crowd are probably expecting a life-affirming set this evening and I’m eager to see if Wu-Tang deliver.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUG9PlysxlM
Taking the coveted support slot, one that sorely rankled one of his contemporaries, is Melbourne MC Ivan Ooze. He’s had a busy enough week already, releasing a brand new single and video, getting into the studio with none other than Ghostface Killah as well as supporting the Wu-Tang Clan at their prior stops in Sydney and Melbourne too. Say what you will about the man, he has the crowd going off early, playing the role of the hungry young up-and-comer to a tee, shrieking and blazing across every inch of the stage.
All indications are Ooze is on the up and he absolutely made the most of his opportunity tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkIPwtcKTAA
And then it’s time for the wolves, who bound onto the stage and drop Bring Da Ruckus without hesitation. Absent are Inspectah Deck, Method Man, U-God and Cappadonna, but the five members accounted for: RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Masta Killa and the aforementioned Ghostface, backed by DJ Mathematics, rip through their set in such harmony that you’d forget there were ever even whispers that they weren’t all on the same page.
People are losing their ever-loving shit and screaming every word even while they wait in line at the bar, the mosh at the front looks like a tornado of limbs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIPfQ-HtYeM
Reviews of their Sydney show bemoaned technical difficulties and initial sloppiness marring what finished up as a stellar set, but there’s none of it in Brisbane tonight, everything going off without a hitch. They’re not wasting any time on new material either, reaching for the top shelf of their back catalogue from the open and playing hit after hit; Clan In Da Front and Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin’ Ta Fuck Wit’ both played early to a raucous response.
It’s very clear how much this group means to people, the crowd here tonight; an eclectic mix of hipsters, gangstas, Gen-Xers, bogans and everything in between throwing up Ws and shouting every line back at the Clan with heartfelt honesty. Several of the dudes in front of me look like they’re having out-of-body experiences; eyes glazed over, rapt at the entire spectacle.
Wu-Tang play to that crowd remarkably, initiating call-and-response in every other song, imploring the crowd to raise their phones and lighters. C.R.E.A.M. and Can It All Be So Simple set highlights. They take a breather to allow Mathematics an extended solo run on the decks ‘taking it back to old-school hip-hop from the Bronx’ and it is nothing short of incredible. At one point he’s somehow scratching with his own foot and everyone loses it. GZA gets some time to lead, a menacing 4th Chamber off his Liquid Swords album another highlight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwM1keL3yOQ
There’s only one point in the set that feels out of place, where RZA admits they aren’t all about hip-hop and that they ‘like other music too’, before playing Come Together by The Beatles and Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana. It just feels like an unnecessary distraction even though the crowd largely gobble it up.
They pay tribute to the recently departed David Bowie and Earth, Wind And Fire‘s Maurice White, both receiving huge cheers, before redeeming themselves by paying tribute to their own departed in Ol’ Dirty Bastard and playing a medley of Shimmy Shimmy Ya and Got Your Money that are wildly received.
RZA laments the 10PM Riverstage curfew (thanks a lot, waspy riverfront residents of Brisbane) and states that they’ll be fined $10K for every minute they play over (‘Fuck the money, do it anyway!’ one person roars). He asks if we want to hear more songs and everyone obviously cheers, the rising brass of Gravel Pit heralding absolute bedlam in the moshpit.
I don’t expect to ever elucidate on what Ol’ Dirty said and shout ‘I’ll fuck yo’ ass up’ that loud again in my lifetime, but I’m glad to be doing it along with thousands of others here tonight. I’m involved in a head knock towards the end that has me seeing stars for a second but pure adrenaline means I’m barely even fazed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of-lpfsBR8U
The crowd are wild and braying for more. The Clan bring out the promoters responsible for getting them here, a process that must have been painstaking and full of uncertainty, and they take a rightful bow. The clock has struck 10 though and when Ghostface takes the mic again it isn’t to rip into another tune, it’s to tell us all to head to Oh Hello for the official after party, the crowd beyond disappointed.
Despite the early ending and despite any sentiment that they don’t have it together or they couldn’t recapture any of what they had 20 years ago, this was still a momentous occasion and one that will be remembered by those in attendance for years. Raucous, dirty, violent, cult-like and most of all fun, this may not have been quite the Wu-Tang Clan everyone grew up with (Method Man’s absence in particular felt like a significant hole) but there is no denying the members present tonight are still possessed of the same quick witted sharpness and engrossing showmanship they’ve always had, despite getting on in years.
They knew exactly what everyone wanted to hear and knew all the right nostalgia buttons to press. It’s impossible to determine definitively whether the camaraderie onstage was genuine or for show, but the vibe I got was certainly the former. If you were disappointed tonight overall then you might just be far too difficult to please, I thought they were tremendous and everyone around me seemed to agree.
Here’s to hoping tonight wasn’t the last time the Wu-Tang Clan bring their unique and intoxicating brand of ruckus to Brisbane.
(Photo by Michelle Grace Hunder for Howl & Echoes. See the full gallery here)
Doing more for the political debate than any of New South Wales’ politicians, Wu-Tang Clan has vowed to put an end to the lockout laws that are plaguing Sydney.
Taking to the stage at the Hordern Pavilion (because Allphones Arena was too remote for fans), Wu-Tang ensured that concertgoers were aware of the legendary rap group’s distaste for the restrictive legislation.
“We heard ya’ll got some new laws,” declared Wu-Tang frontman RZA. “We going to to get these laws changed for y’all.”
Declaring the laws “crazy”, RZA indicated that the after-party for the concert would be held in Bondi as a means of avoiding the madness.
For a group that is touring Australia for the first time in 5 years, it speaks to the ridiculousness of the lockout laws that Wu-Tang is so acutely aware of their presence.
Lockout laws have been thrust back into the spotlight in recent weeks, with ridiculous lockout legislation being enacted in Queensland (peep our epic reaction to the decision here), whilst 15,000 Sydneysiders have united in a bid to ‘Keep Sydney Open‘ (Peep our photos from the rally here).
It remains to be seen if Wu-Tang, RZA, Ghostface Killah and crew are going to have any influence on the legislation, but one can only imagine that with continued high profile support present within the live music scene, it is only a matter of time for politicians to take notice, and for changes to be made.
Make sure you check out our stellar gallery of photos from the Wu-Tang performance in Melbourne here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hH-Q6Wm_0s]
Image: Michelle Grace Hunder for Howl & Echoes
The mighty might Wu-Tang Clan touched down in Australia this week to perform their first string of local headline shows since 2011. The majority of the Clan were in town and on fine form at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena.
Promoter Beyond The Valley has today revealed that the highly anticipated (or so we thought) Wu-Tang Clan Sydney concert has undergone a location change from Allphones Arena to the Hordern Pavilion. The decision was announced via the following statement:
“After a stream of comments regarding the remoteness of the previous venue, the Wu-Tang Clan show in Sydney has moved to the more readily accessible and intimate Hordern Pavilion!”
Now unless fans were planning on travelling from the home of The Wu-Tang Clan, New York City, it is hard to envision any situation in which Allphones Arena, and Olympic Park in general for that matter, is too remote. It is an arena after all. Arenas are not typically something you find in the middle of a suburban street.
One would have to imagine that the move is actually in response to poor ticket sales, and while the Hordern Pavilion will undoubtedly provide a more intimate atmosphere, any decision to shift a performance to a venue that houses a mere quarter of the previous capacity is likely to garner some inquisitive looks.
It is surprising that even with Wu-Tang a constant fixture throughout the media since the release of their one-off album, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin, this has not translated to extra sales, and the very public spat with pharma bad boy Martin Shkreli has failed to garner any extra attention when it come to putting fans in seats.
At this stage no similar moves have been made to corresponding concerts in Melbourne and Brisbane, and Beyond The Valley has urged fans to snap up tickets now as they are soon to be exhausted. Tickets already purchased for the Allphones show will be honoured at the new venue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBwAxmrE194
You can catch Wu-Tang Clan at the following dates and venues:
Tuesday 23rd February
Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne
Wednesday 24th February
Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Friday 26th February
Riverstage, Brisbane
Image courtesy of Spin.