As far as Hip-Hop groups go, it's hard to name a bigger and more impactful one than New York City's very own Wu-Tang Clan and for over thirty years the mighty ensemble has laid down their legacy as one of the best to ever exist. Billed as their last tour, The Final Chamber is celebrating the group and their remarkable role they played.
A headliner of such stature is surely worthy of a world-class opener and Run the Jewels served that exact purpose as the duo of Killer Mike and El-P put in their all to show respect to their brethren while also making sure anyone in crowd left under the impression that these two can also go respectively hard. Backed by DJ Trackstar, Mikey and Jamie ran through their explosive hits at a breakneck speed, feeding off one another's flow with impressive rhyme schemes and endless dexterity. For a while, Run the Jewels were one of the most in demand Hip-Hop acts at festivals around the world and served as the token Rap group at indie festivals, but after some time away from the stage, the pair are back and at the top of their games. On stage, they genuinely seem to be impressed with each other's flows and there's no doubt that the bond they've formed is as strong as ever. Rattling through banger after banger, the two trekked across the stage with El never standing still, bouncing in the air, on beat, to every track and throwing in some spin moves as well, while Mike acted as the enforcer.
When the lights went down and RZA appeared centerstage, the building erupted in a proper hometown cheer as the Wu's mastermind and de facto leader welcomed us to the show before launching into a set that spanned not just the group's numbers, but solo tracks, and other surprise tributes that turned this tour stop into a legendary hometown affair that will be remembered long after the tour comes to a close. "Bring Da Ruckus" kicked it off with a bang as one by one the members of Wu-Tang took to the stage to drop their verses for the legendary tracks that soundtracked the '90s. Raekwon, the Chef entering with a matching Gucci apron and bucket hat while Ghostface was decked out in a slick track suit showcased just part of the group's flavor and when Method Man rose from the floor donning a New York Liberty jacket, the night launched to a whole new level. As probably the most successful solo member of the group, Method took control of the crowd and surely received the biggest cheer from the night, so much so that he was the only one to have the building chanting his name at any point of the evening. As the crew fully formed on stage, they wasted no time laying into the anthems "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nothing to Fuck With," "Shame on a Nigga" and "Protect Ya Neck," timeless tunes that smacked like whiplash in a room that was deafeningly loud and full of some of the most devoted fans. As the members started to disperse and allow one another to drop their own classic solo tunes or scale back to just a few of them at a time, they started to weave guests into the set and slowly the night turned into a real celebration, not just of the Wu, but of Hip-Hop in general. Havoc from Mobb Depp had the building shaking at its core and the roof nearly popped off when Redman joined Method for "Release Ya Delf." Paying tribute to fallen brothers like Nate Dogg, Nipsey Hustle, and Biz Markie also made a move to the positive side when Big Daddy Kane dropped in for some real classic Hip-Hop only to be followed up by the one and only Slick Rick. Method paid respects to Notorious B.I.G. and got help from Lil Cease and Lil Kim, another stand-out moment from a night that really felt like a true victory lap. Of course while the guest spots were incredible surprises, getting to hear "Ice Cream," "Liquid Swords," and "All I Need" in addition to the plethora of the group's hits had the world's most famous arena cooking with people rapping along to every single word. When Method sang the hook for "C.R.E.A.M.," the entire crowd was on their feet with their hands in the air, bouncing that W gesture and yelling out "DOLLA DOLLA BILLS, Y'ALL" in full force. If this indeed is their final tour as they proclaim, the Wu-Tang made sure to have their last hometown stop be one for the ages.
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