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.
Tony for Mayor
Here’s ‘Triumph’, with the Wu amusing themselves by doing impressions of RZA at the end. For an incisive verse-by-verse analysis of ‘Triumph’, head here.
Wu-Tang Clan and El Michaels Affair – ‘Triumph’
And also a version of Raekwon’s ‘Criminology’, with GZA dropping his incredible 'Illusory Protection' verse from Grandmasters.
Wu-Tang Clan and El Michaels Affair – ‘Criminology’
Buy Wu-Tang Clan and El Michaels Affair Live at XM Radio
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