While this was billed in the media by NPR and Rolling Stone as an historic event for a hip-hop act to headline “The Mother Church of Country Music”, Trigger at Saving Country Music.com reminds us not only that a few hip-hop acts HAVE previously graced this stage (albeit not as headliners) [J Dilla and Slum Village opened for Floetry in 2002, Nelly played a benefit in 2013, and Lauryn Hill and Janelle Monae have headlined in recent years*], but also how “the media portrayed the event, once again looking to characterize country music as a white-only, racist, exclusionary institution that took until 2019 to have hip-hop act play its Mother Church, and skewing the historical record to do so in a way that excluded the contributions of other African American and hip-hop performers to the Ryman’s legacy.”
I would implore you to read Trigger’s full article On The Wu-Tang Clan Playing The Ryman Auditorium as well as his other recent article regarding Lil Nas X, The Media Echo Chamber, & Shane Morris’s Vile Past.
My addition to that conversation is this documentation of the full Wu-Tang Clan, operating as a unit, as they embraced that sociocultural media narrative and used this night and performance as a chance to celebrate hip-hop and it’s ability to break down barriers of exclusion and racial tension.
* If we’re pointing out these media omissions, I have to add Erykah Badu‘s St. Patrick’s Day 2004 performance at the Ryman that still goes down as one of my top 5 shows of all time.
Wu-Tang Clan
June 9, 2019 – Nashville, TN @ The Ryman Auditorium
Part 1 of 2: Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber, Da Mystery of Chessboxin’, Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta Fuck Wit
Wu-Tang Clan
June 9, 2019 – Nashville, TN @ The Ryman Auditorium
Part 2 of 2: Method Man, Tearz, Reunited, Duel of the Iron Mic [GZA] (ending only), Mary Jane [Rick James] > Ice Cream [Raekwon]
Wu-Tang Clan
June 9, 2019
Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium – 36 Chambers 25th Anniversary Celebration
AUDIO DOWNLOAD: FLAC TORRENT
Shure MV88 > iPhone 7 > Motiv Audio App > 16/44 WAV > CD Wave Editor (tracking) > FLAC
01. Cut Throat City trailer
02. Intro
03. Bring Da Ruckus
04. Shame On A Nigga
05. Killa Beez On The Swarm
06. Clan In Da Front
07. Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber
08. Run [Cappadonna]
09. Can It Be All So Simple
10. Da Mystery of Chessboxin’
11. Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta Fuck Wit
12. C.R.E.A.M.
13. Method Man
14. Tearz
15. Protect Ya Neck
16. Come Together [The Beatles] >
17. Reunited
18. Severe Punishment
19. Duel of the Iron Mic [GZA]
20. Mary Jane [Rick James] >
21. Ice Cream [Raekwon]
22. ??? (with unknown MC)
23. Bring The Pain [Method Man]
24. Allah Mathematics Solo
25. 4th Chamber [GZA]
26. Shimmy Shimmy Ya [Ol’ Dirty Bastard] >
27. Got Your Money [Ol’ Dirty Bastard]
28. Gravel Pit
29. Duel To The Death Intro > Triumph
30. Cherchez LaGhost [Ghostface Killah]
RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, Cappadonna & Young Dirty Bastard with DJ Allah Mathematics.