Think Differently, an indie off-shoot of the Wu empire, recently released the 2005 gig that half the Wu-Tang Clan (GZA, Raekwon, Deck, U-God) played with live funk band the El Michaels Affair.
It’s one of the very few noteworthy live hip hop albums, and is worth tracking down for the Staxed-up succession of Clan classics and solo tracks (even the cut from U-God’s
Golden Arms: Redemption works out), but also for the between-song banter. In particular, Raekwon reveals himself as the temperance arm of the Wu, needling U-God for knocking back too much “apple cider”, and suggesting that his fellow rappers are “drinking cups like it’s the Gulf War.” He also suggests that the El Michaels Affair are “on some Scooby-Doo shit”, and that the Wu will soon be wearing silk, playing Vegas, and generally being “the Tony Bennetts of rap.” Cider, the Wu-Tang Clan and Tony Bennett are three of
GMS’ favourite things. I can’t comment on Vegas, but my buddy Double S went there for his honeymoon, and said it was “fine as fuck”, or something along those lines.
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