The golden age of hip-hop has produced a host of contemporary legends, and the Wu Tang Clan have been hailed as amongst the most important acts of the past two decades. Individually and collectively, their sound and production skills are instantly recognizable.

 In 1993, during a period when West coast rap seemed to be dominating the hip-hop landscape, the East Coast’s response was the emergence of the Wu-Tang Clan, made up of nine New York-based emcees (RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Inspectah Deck and MastaKilla). Their critically acclaimed debut album ‘Enter the Wu- Tang (36 Chambers)’, and subsequent solo projects saw them well and truly take reign and switch up the game. 

Their eagerly awaited reunion tour, including shows in Glasgow, Manchester and finally on to London’s 02 Brixton Academy, had fans queuing around the block in the hope of hearing anthems such as ‘Gravel Pit’, ‘Protect Ya Neck’ and ‘C.R.E.A.M’, the track which truly propelled them to fame. 

The crowd in attendance reflected the diverse influences that make up the Clan, as well as the many generations touched by their music, from hardcore hip-hop heads to those just getting acquainted with the game.

As a packed Brixton Academy awaited the mighty Wu to take to the stage, BBC Radio 1Xtra's MistaJam was on the wheels of steel in preparation for the main event spinning a host of hip hop classics, causing the crowd to reminisce courtesy of Pete Rock and CL Smooth's 'T.R.O.Y'.

At 10pm, one by one RZA, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Mastakilla, Inspectah Deck, GZA, U-God and DJ Mathematics (who famously created the distinctive Wu-Tang W) emerged. The absence of Method Man, whilst being disappointing noted, didn't appear to deter the audience from making the most of this rare occasion to see Wu-Tang (almost in full effect) together on one stage.

When I caught up with the Wu after the show, they said of the experience that, “it’s a blessing; the most fun we have is when we’re just kicking it, talking shit to each other. The business part of it is a whole different entirety, but it’s beautiful, I love seeing all my brothers and everybody getting down”. 

And get down they did, performing as many of their collective discography as possible in the hour or so in which they were on stage. It was certainly a celebration, with the odd bottle of Lauren Perrier being sprayed Formula One-style from the stage. Highlights included of course 'C.R.E.A.M' which they changed to 'P.R.E.A.M' (pounds rule everything around me) and a Wu-style tribute to ODB who passed away in 2004, just days before what would have been his thirty-sixth birthday. As Mathematics dropped  the unmistakable intro to “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”, the academy went wild - proving London likes it raw, which might explain why London is hailed as being one of the Wu’s favourite places in the UK and Europe – period.

Photo:Bruno Nguyen