TomTalks #28: Wu-Tang Clan & Nas-N.Y. State Of Mind Tour, The 02 Arena, London (Classic Hip-Hop at It's Finest)

 

Last week is an event that I had been eagerly anticipating. It's been a while since we uploaded on this page, so we had to come back big. Wu-Tang Clan and Nas are Hip-Hop folklore at this point and are widely regarded as two of the biggest acts in the history of the genre. Their debut albums 'Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' and 'Illmatic' are seen as some of the best the genre has ever produced. Despite the high price point, this was a concert I needed to see.

This was my first trip to the 02 since I saw Gorillaz back in 2017 and it remains a great venue with plenty of room, good sound quality, and top-notch lightning. The Arena itself is effectively a mall now and the security checks were quick and efficient. After purchasing a few VERY EXPENSIVE drinks and some merch, fans waited for a couple of hours with some classic beats in the background.

At 8:35 RZA came to the stage over a cover of Nancy Sinatra's 'Bang Bang' introducing each member one by one. This included GZA's iconic 'Liquid Swords', Raekwon's 'Incarcerated Scarfaces', and the classic 'Da Mystery of Chessboxin''. The live band backing them added edge to fiery and top-class spitting, with the crowd going wild. 30 years after they broke onto the scene, the crew was as hungry and full of fire as they were back then.

After their opening set, they left the stage, and in came Brooklyn's finest, Nasir Jones alongside DJ Green Lantern. He was equally still the dexterous lyricist he is known for and performed at a high level. The audience was equally energetic as he rapped classics like 'The Message' and 'Got Ur Self A Gun', alongside newer material like Hit-Boy collab '40-16 Building'.

What really got the crowd going was the tunes from his iconic debut LP. Tracks like 'It Ain't Hard to Tell', 'Represent', and of course the classic 'N.Y. State Of Mind' had me animated and full of joy. Seeing these historical songs in the flesh did not disappoint and showed why they are so beloved. He also started and ended the set with Wu-Tang members, closing things out alongside Raekwon as they rapped the iconic Mobb Deep track 'Eye for an Eye'.

Nas, Raekwon & Ghostface Killah

Nas then left and the Clan came back on as Raekwon performed 'Criminology' and 'Ice Cream' from the quintessential 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...'. These alongside definitive tunes like 'Protect Ya Neck' and of course 'C.R.E.A.M.' had the fans going crazy. Members knew how to get the people animated and you could tell those in attendance were hardcore supporters of the Wu. 

Then it was round two from Nasir Jones, with his newer material like 'Rare'  highlighting that he is still in his bag. Outside of the amazing 'The World Is Yours', he brought the fire and the hands bobbing up and down with 'Nas Is Like' and 'Shootouts' amongst the material that showed his everlasting legacy post-1994. He closed proceedings with '30', which celebrates his time in the game, and the anthem 'If I Ruled The World'. People had been rapping along all night to bars like "I never sleep, cus sleep is the cousin of death," but that Lauryn Hill chorus had everyone in the Arena chanting. It was the perfect way to close his time on stage.

We then saw the Clan for one final time as they spat their biggest hit in the U.K. 'Gravel Pit' which is indeed a bop. This was before paying tribute to the legendary member of the Wu, Ol' Dirty Bastard with 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya' and the noughties anthem 'Got Your Money'. After it appeared the show was over, Nas came out one last time to close with 'One Mic'.

 

Wu-Tang Clan

This show delivered on every front, and despite the high cost, it was worth every penny. To see these legends on stage was excellent enough, but to see them perform at such a high level almost 30 years on was amazing. Some legendary acts you see are good, but you can tell they are no longer at their peak. Nas and Wu-Tang Clan proved they still have the drive and the desire, performing these songs like they were fresh out of the gate. It showed their passion for the music and the fans certainly appreciated it. What a night! It is one I will never forget and I'm sure that will be the case for those in attendance.

Score: 5/5

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