The Saga Continues ?... - A Wu-tang Review
The Wu-Tang Clan - by John Guiney (2015 spray paint, ink, vinyl, acrylic)
“Yo there’s a new Wu album!” well sort of…
After 17 years of waiting for another cohesive Wu-Tang album, I spent the last two days foaming like a rabid Pitbull for what I thought was a new Wu-Tang Clan album. I was ready. I’ve seen the Wu multiple times, with multiple iterations; the original Clan with ODB, the Coachella show with ODB’s son, multiple permutations of members, and countless shows by individual members. And though the last actual “Wu-tang Show”, Summerfest in Houston, was a sad shell of the original late 90’s early 00’s shows, complete with the absence of Method Man. I was front row VIP.
Full disclosure, since the beginning, I have gravitated toward some of the members over others, and beside the late great ODB, Method Man is my favorite. His jovial, playful flow, and witty stoner punchlines that seem to sweeten the deep lyrics of Raekwon, Ghost, and the GZA, and the sparse beats of the RZA. The Wu-Massacre, though not a Wu album, is reel-to-reel the best project since Forever.
I’ve read the Wu manual, and the Tao of the Wu, I’ve seen Coffee & Cigarettes, How High, and BOTH Man with the Iron Fists, but there is no project that excited me more that the potential of The Sage Continues.
Since I will never have Once Upon a Time in Shaolin money, and most original Wu members still contend that that was a Cilvaringz project and not an actual Wu-tang Clan album, I had resigned to never getting another real Wu-tang Clan album. Then I saw this crudely drawn album art pop up on multiple streaming services, and the RZA released the vinyl in his 36 Chambers Store. There was hope, I may had stumbled on the best kept surprise in Hip Hop, like the Kung-fu of the Shaolin Monks, the lost art may have been revived, and this time I was the
Though this album comes complete with grimy, stripped down beats and Shaw Brother’s Kung-Fu sound bites, at best it “sounds” like a Diet Wu-tang record.
It never seemed like these guys were on the same page, or in the same room. Technology has allowed for many great compilations done remotely, but in this case it didn't even seem like any members of the Wu heard the final cuts of these songs.
On Frozen, a song that relies heavily on the call and respond play between the three main lyricists, sounds especially disjointed, almost like no one told the rappers that they would be playing off of on another, instead Mathematics decided that each verse had a cool call and response line that he would just smash together, this leaves the song feeling like one more mix and some eq’ing were necessary.
RZA drops so many verses that the album feels like it had beats that no one wanted to rap on, but since RZA put his stamp on it, he felt obligated to give a Wu verse to every beat.
Finally, who is actually in the Wu-tang Clan anymore? I mean, I’ve been down with Redman and Def Squad since Whut? Thee Album, and to this day still think he has the coolest, realist Cribz. He is not a Wu-tang member, he is part of Red & Meth, and saying that his presence and impact has any impact on the history of the Wu is like saying that Shaq made the Fu-shnickens popular.
In summary, The Saga may have continued, but like many movies, the sequel is a far cry from the original. There are some interesting verses and some, … Unlike the original Bring the Ruckas sleeve, you can judge this album by its cover, while it is reminiscent of a Wu-tang clan album and does include members of The Clan, it falls short of the polish and style that Enter the 36 Chambers, Forever, and, even, The Black Flag.
Maybe Meth said it best:
You ain't my people, I don't care if you know RZA
- G’d Up
In short, The Saga is OVER!
The Wu-Tang has insipred John throughout his artistic career. To see more of John's Wu-Tang inspired work visit his website .