As reviewed by Jesse Hughey at the Dallas Observer. photo courtesy of Kevin Todora
(Friday, December 10th) The night started with Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) interspersed with Raekwon and GZA solo material, but frequently returned to the obvious crowd favorite 36 Chambers material. They even did "Method Man" in Method's absence, and the crowd didn't seem fazed.
Another highlight was a cameo by Erykah Badu, who stepped on stage long enough to soak in the roar of approval from the crowd but sadly didn't touch the mic. Still, the moment was enough to add to the love-fest, family reunion vibe. As did the appearance from Young Dirty Bastard, son of the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, who led the group through verses of "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and "Baby I Got Your Money" in tribute to his father. Which might be why the group's sorta-sincere cover of the O'Jays "Family Reunion" went over so well.
Closing the set with 36 Chambers classics "C.R.E.A.M." and "Protect Ya Neck," the Wu departed in a swarm, leaving some random MCs on the stage to lead the crowd through chants of "Wu! Tang!" until the shouts gradually and awkwardly died down as the realization set in that yup, that was it.
Killah PriestThe 3 Day Theory on Man Bites Dog Records entirely produced by Kount Fif in-stores and online July 6.
via press release June 11th, 2010- Man Bites Dog Records announced today the release of the new Killah Priest album The 3 Day Theory. This LP has been 100% produced by Kount Fif (Man Bites Dog Records) who had worked with Killah Priest in the past on the track “Gun for Gun” with Nas which was featured on the Killah Priest album The Offering.
The world was first introduced to the magnificent of force of Killah Priest on GZA’s Liquid Swords album. Making his presence known on “4th Chamber” and then stealing the show with his classic solo song “B.I.B.L.E” (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth). His impressive debut on GZA’s album was enough to gain the attention of Geffen Records who released his first album “Heavy Mental” which quickly became a fan favorite and garnered Killah Priest new found success. Priest would later go on to release several solo albums as well as work on Gravediggaz album and become a founding member of Sunz of Man.
The 3 Day Theory finds Killah Priest again in a rare form, narrating the listener through stories of the dark and light (Good and Evil) in human nature. Tracks like “Psalm of Satan” were Priest offers up two twisted verses from the Fallen Angel Lucifer’s perspective, showing the true incredible prowess of this gifted MC. Sabac Red and Ill Bill (La Coka Nostra) also contribute two very unique and potent verses to the track.
Killah Priest is always showing the audience more than one side, is able to show his impressive story telling abilities on “Priest History” which explains his involvement with Wu Tang and his eventual solo rise in the music industry. Killah Priest who also always embraces change sharpens his lyrical swords and works with punch line/ battle rap MC’s Copywrite and Jakki da Moto Mouth on “Fire Reign”. Killah Priest on this track proves that he can hold his own, even with the most creative and witty of modern day ryhmers.
The backdrop and the driving force behind Killah Priest’s renewed spirit and aggressive energy is producer Kount Fif. Blessed with an exceptional ear for sound and rhythm, Kount Fif found the perfect complements for the darker atmosphere that Killah Priest was coming from on this record. Drawing from the darker side of 70’s soul and funk, Fif was able to carefully balance hard hitting beats with touches of the finer details making this album one of the most skillfully produced Killah Priest records in this last decade. The combination of Kount Fif’s production mixed with the lyrical genius of Killah Priest is a dangerous concoction that is sure to make any avid fan or new comer a loyal listener.
Killah Priest 'The 3 Day Theory' tracklist below:
01. Look at Life 02. Shadows 03. Betrayal ft. Cappadonna 04 Brolic ft. Empuls 05. Priest History 06. Fire Reign ft. Copywrite and Jakki Da Moto Mouth 07. The Destroyer ft. Steven King, iCON The Mic King, Sonny Seeza and Empuls 08. Birds ft. Jay Notes and Redd Mudd 09. Democracy ft. Canibus 10. Outer Body Experience 11. Psalm of Satan ft. Sabac Red and Ill Bill 12. The Rose 13. Circles ft. Last Emperor and 2mex 14. Words of a Viking
This is a portion of Monday's press conference courtesy of Nerdlike. As it was announced, Rock The Bells 2010 will have a 'classic album' format.
Eric B. & Rakim performing Paid In Full Slick Rick performing The Great Adventures of Slick Rick KRS-One performing Criminal Minded Wu-Tang Clan performing Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers
...and for those who are lucky enough to attend this will be a once in a lifetime event for sure.
Artists confirmed for the ROCK THE BELLS 2010 FESTIVAL SERIES as follows: Wu-Tang Clan Rakim KRS-One Slick Rick Street Sweeper Social Club Murs and 9th Wonder Wiz Khalifa Clipse Immortal Technique Jedi Mind Tricks Brother Ali DJ Muggs and Ill Bill Big Sean Yelawolf
One of the most legendary albums in hip-hop is about to get a sequel. Wu-Tang Clan's GZA has announced that he is working on Liquid Swords II, a follow-up to his seminal 1995 solo LP.
Hip-hop fans have reason to get excited. While Wu-Tang members have issued a lot of half-baked releases over the last decade, they have been careful not to besmirch their own legacy. Unlike Jay-Z and his inconsistent Blueprint albums, Ghostface Killah never risked calling a second LP Supreme Clientele, nor did we see an Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) part deux. Arguably the only Wu classic to be revisited was Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx … Pt II, which was released last year. But here's the thing: Raekwon's sequel was outstanding.
Little is known about Liquid Swords II. It's due in the autumn, according to the Wu-Tang member's Twitter. It's a GZA affair (not a group album). It might be called Liquid Sword: the Second Edition, but it's not a reissue. And, most excitingly, it will be produced by the RZA, who recorded the original album.
The last we heard of GZA was that he was working on music with psych-folk singer Devendra Banhart. It's not clear whether those sessions – including collaborations with King Khan, Fucked Up and the Black Lips – will have any bearing on Liquid Swords II. To be perfectly frank: WE BLOODY WELL HOPE NOT.
Thursday night (March 18) at Mohawk, the GZA, was not that man. And I’m pretty sure almost nobody in the crowd cared.
Taking the stage about 40 minutes late at 20 to 1 a.m., the GZA, one of the Wu-Tang Clan’s legendary M.C.s seemed….rickety? Overly relaxed? Barely able to stand up? One of those.
Let me put it this way: He had a hype man, he had a DJ and he had a dude who was essentially a spotter. This gentleman at one point literally put his hand on GZA’s back, perhaps to keep him from tipping over.
GZA stood very still for much of the set and at one point took out a Blackberry (smartphone?) and started texting. To his credit, he didn’t stop rapping. But he also decided to check some messages while on stage performing. Think about that. That’s considered rude when you’re ordering food at McDonald’s.
But again, it was unclear if anyone at Mohawk minded. SXSW crowds are more forgiving that you might think. After midnight, after a hard day of partying, people, to a certain extent, are just happy to still be awake. Mohawk was one of the night’s hotter tickets and as long as the GZA hit highlights from the Wu-Tang catalog (which he did) and rapped a whole bunch of verses from his brilliant debut “Liquid Swords” (ditto) people were going to be happy with it.
(A hype man also yelled, “Bill Murray is in the building,” but ol’ Bill was accused of being about four places at the same time, according to Twitter. Anyone know where he actually was? Are there fake Murrays running around?)
BallerStatus.com: Why is ODB and GZA the only members of the Wu featured in the Victory or Death art piece?
RZA: Two reasons. One: the pioneers of the Wu-Tang sound is RZA, GZA and Old Dirty. We started as teenagers, and we were the first foundation of the group, and everyone else was, in one way or another, students of ours. So, we brought the three masters, the three elders together for the piece. Ask the other Wu-Tang members and they'll tell you that RZA, GZA and Old Dirty are the teachers. Ghost said "I learned from the best." That means RZA, GZA and Old Dirty. Everybody will tell you that we are the ones who inspired them. So that's the main reason why we said "let's use them, that'll be enough." We did talk about using the whole Clan at one point because we thought it would make a great album cover, but Wu-Tang is so scattered in ideas and scattered in business right now, we didn't wanna get a business jamboree going on. Even though I do have the rights to do it, I didn't want to go through the headache of arguing over my own rights.
BallerStatus.com: What did you think of the piece once it was finished? Was there anything you would've changed?
RZA: No, I think it came out good. It wasn't a predestined thing to do, so the results are the results. That's one thing about true art. It's something that's spontaneous, that's done, that you can't change. That's what made some of the Wu-Tang stuff so raw too. I didn't fix a lot of sh**. You hear all the "yo's" and the "check one twos." I was like "Let that sh** stay." That's the rawness of it, the realness of it. Now with Pro Tools, we edit everything and we adlib and sh**, but my most successful work has been the spontaneous things that I've done.
BallerStatus.com: Initially, was a project like this something you ever thought about doing?
RZA: I've been to Paris many times in my life. I even had a villa 25 miles outside of Paris. But honestly, I had never really seen the city, paid attention to the city. It wasn't until the spring of 2009 that I had two weeks in Paris and I went to their museums and went to the Eiffel Tower and went more like a tourist and absorbed the city, and that's when I really appreciated Paris and the whole French culture. I also got a great appreciation for art. It's funny how when you're young, you don't see the beauty in things. I remember I was in San Francisco at the Museum of Abstract Art, and I took my son and my wife there, and we were looking around, and I kind of caught the vibe of what they were doing. Two years ago or five years ago, I wouldn't have caught it. I think as we grow and become more refined, more cultured, our tastes become stronger. We have more of an understanding of things. So, if I can inspire somebody to say "let me go over here and check this museum" and see the artistic nature of the mind, the consciousness that art derives from, and how it comes into the consciousness, I think that it'll help people. It's a good thing for culture.
BallerStatus.com: Have you done any art yourself in your spare time?
RZA: I'm an artist, so my life is art. Most of my artistic nature has been given over to my daughter, who draws something every day. She has hundreds of drawings that one day I may use for some kind of comic book line or art direction for a movie or something.
How did you end up collaborating with The Black Lips and King Khan?
Originally, it came about through my manager Heathcliff [Berru]. The bands were fans of Wu-Tang and I and we decided to perform together. It worked out well; they’re good musicians and we have a mutual admiration and love. The thing is, they were already connecting with me in some way first. I’d never heard their music before, but I was feeling it and when I saw both of those groups perform live, I knew I could work with them. The vibe was there.
Much of current hip-hop -- particularly the more mainstream iteration -- is characterized by glossy shiny-sounding production. Did some of your desire to work with the Black Lips and King Khan stem from the similarity of their lo-fi aesthetic to the beats you came up rhyming on?
That’s my problem with the stuff today -- it doesn’t sound raw and uncut. When the Black Lips sent a track over to me, I thought it sounded like a Beastie Boys track, the way the singer was singing and flowing on it. He was right in the pocket. You don’t get hip-hop that sounds that gritty anymore, you get some Auto-tune, ping-pong computer-made and Casio stuff.
And the collaboration with Devendra Banhart?
GZA: I met Devendra at Coachella. I watched him and Gang Gang Dance perform and thought they both put on really great performances. I was like ‘who is this guy,’ because he was rocking, and it turned out that he was a big fan. When I met him, he told me what an honor it was and how much he loved “Liquid Swords” and Wu-Tang. So it was a beautiful connection.
A lot of rappers have tried to chase whatever trend was hot, whether it’s Auto-tune or getting the hottest R&B hookman on a track, but you’ve carved out a different path.
I think it’s about being original and creative. You’ve got to be comfortable with yourself. There’s no set way to do anything. Sometimes you have to go outside the box, sometimes you can do things the standard way. Like you don’t have to have a beat to write a song, sometimes you can write lyrics without the music. A lot of artists think that to be current, you have to follow what’s out there and do something that’s so unlike what you normally do. It can work but it doesn’t if you chase it.
What’s the current status of your next album with the indie-rock collaborations? Also, what’s going on with the Wu-Tang? Are there plans to do another album?
I’ve got some songs done for my own album, but I’m still writing and recording. There’s been talks about doing another Wu-Tang album and going out on the road to promote it. We’ve just all got to get together and do it. (source)
