Post a Comment Assemble your crews! This should be a perfect way to end CMJ week - RSVP here for a free live performance by Wu-Tang Clan (Raekwon, GZA Inspechtah Deck & U-God) on Sat Nov 4th @ BB Kings. Scion usually throws good parties so hopefully this won't be a clusterfuck at the door like the Ghostface show at Avalon a few weeks ago.
There's a reason why when Wu dropped 36 Chambers back in in '93 they picked Ghostface Killah as the very first MC to set it on the first track. Ghost is a master MC and the most charismatic, dynamic lyricist since Kool G Rap - one of the few remaining direct connections to the Golden Age of Hip-Hop. His rhyme style and the beats he chooses show a true understanding of the power, soul, and history of the art & amazingly he seems to just be getting better. He has by far the most quotable lines of any MC and is unbelievably prolific (he's been on at least three albums a year since '94!).
This was my third Ghostface show and live he truly lives up to his Ironman nickname. You'd think for an industry party he'd do a few joints and bounce, but no - he did like 15 songs!! The Fader crowd of hipsters and industry types just completely lost it as Ghost ripped through classics like "Cherchez La Ghost", "Mighty Healthy" & a ridiculously ill acapella version of "Wildflower" that Ghost dedicated "to the ladies". Then fired-up girls from the crowd bumrushed the tiny stage and shook their Texan asses as Ghost tore through a few new joints including his newest hit "Back Like That". It was clear Ghost was vibing off the crowd's energy and could have kept going all night. When he said a final peace and strolled off stage the crowd screamed and pounded their feet for more. So he came back out and dropped the megaton bomb "the Watch". Good lord - few rappers are better live than on CD but Ghost is the Don - you gotta see him.
Also notable is how Ghost's crew the Theodore Unit is actually really ill (listen to the "Put it on the line" album and tell me Trife doesn't just KILL it). On the real - it's scary how NYC hip-hop is falling off and the only way to take it back is if the MCs at the highest level spend less time on being greedy moguls and shit and more time taking the youth under their wing and schooling them on basic skills.
... Ghostface keeps Killin’ it! (props to the Fader mag for the amazing party)
I'm still trying to wrap my aching head around everything that went down at South by Southwest '06. There was so much music & endless free booze that while I was down there I felt like I was slacking but I actually wound up seeing alot of great bands (31 in three days!). My camera got stolen at this crazy party Saturday night but one of my friends down there loaned me a backup and I powered on. Wu Tang killed it as always but this time with a live band Roots style (people forget but Wu's an indie band); Editors looked unstoppable - definitely future stars; Voxtrot were the most consistent (it seemed like they were at every party), We Are Wolves made alot of new fans rocking the late night VIP parties, Silversun Pickups we're my favorite new discovery (amazing!) and DMBQ completely blew everyone's minds - it was the stuff of legend. They ended their insane set by throwing their drum kit into the middle of the crowd at this mexican roadhouse and the smashing it to pieces with a cinder block!! It was even more nuts than it sounds. So despite some setbacks and bad weather I had a blast and met a lot of cool people. Austin is great and you should all try to make it down next year.
Cheers to all my friends & thanks for your continued love & support,
- FWYB
(and bumps to Stolen Transmission, Fixed NYC, Todd P, Fader, Vice, Spaceland, Southpaw, Diesel, Adult Swim, Glurp & Little Radio for throwing the best parties of the week)
I normally try to stay impartial when I do this photo blog stuff but I won’t bother with Wu Tang Clan, Wu is my very favorite group ever. Why? Their sound combines elements from the entire Diaspora of contemporary black music and adds completely unique modern touches to form a brand of hip-hop that is really it’s own genre that exists parallel to say, Southern Rap, or Gansta Rap, or East Coast Rap. When you hear a Wu song, you know its Wu. Listen closely and you’ll hear elements of Jazz, Soul, Blues, Funk, Rock, Doo Op, Reggae and R&B. Combine that with a stream-of-consciousness, cinematic, lyrical style that constantly pushes the art of rap to higher, sharper levels. It’s a level of originality, individuality, and ingenuity all artists should strive for.
For years, only the Roots have been more dynamic or consistent live Hip-Hop group than Wu. So for this show the GZA, U-God, Inspector Deck, and Raekwon snatched a page out of the Philly band’s play book by dropping their classics backed by the El Michaels Affair. It came off much better than either band must have expected as the live set up gave the MCs flexibility to quickly rework and rearrange their songs on the spot to suit the moment. The band was clearly having fun watching the packed Austin crowd go bananas as they weaved through ten years of solo & group hits. “Protect Ya Neck”, “Liquid Swords”, “It’s Yours”, “Pinky Ring” all had the packed Austin crowd going bananas.
Even though it was only four of the remaining 8 original members they rocked the crowd with one classic banger after another. At one point GZA paused and ask the crowd to pay a silent moment of respect to the late Old Dirty Bastard. After a short pause a few twinkling piano keys dropped and he busted into OLB’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”. A packed crowd of lucky hipp-hoppers screamed along to the heavens “Oooh baby I like it Raaaaaw!”. It was classic Wu. Hopefully Dirty could hear ‘em.
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