Nostalgia seems to be pervading pop's psyche of late; everything old is being updated, repackaged and presented as new. So it's no surprise that the most popular form of contemporary music is also reveling in retro madness. From trendy teeny-hip hoppers donning colorful, 80s-inspired getups, to 80s babies scuffing at the genre's lack of creativity and reminiscing over those oh-so-sweet 90s. That being said, the timing may seem ideal for the return of the uber-imaginative super-group, Wu-Tang Clan, to drop their fifth album, 8 Diagrams. However, satisfying rap's gatekeepers of popular opinion may also exclude you from the gatekeepers of album sales: those crazy kids who like their music the same way they like their bathing apes -- colorful.
In a sense, the Wu has always made colorful music, but of a darker hue than that of today's ringtone records. So instead of baffling generation ADD with their staple kung fu and 5 Percent Nation mysticism, this time around, the Clan minimizes their coded couplets and satisfies the public's penchant for punchlines. As displayed by Raekwon on "Weak Spot," with witty one-liners like, "Black hood moving through the hood like Batman, but you still pussy like Catwoman." Fans' perpetual pleasure for hedonistic hood-tales also plays right into the Wu's hands, and audiences will be eating from the palms of those hands on mean streets epics like "Thug World" and "They Want To Stick Me for My Riches." The album reaches its emotional apex on "Life Changes," a heartfelt dedication to deceased clansman ODB, as the remaining Wu brethren recount pensive memories of the troubled enfant terrible.
While lyrically evolved, 8 Diagrams is sonically setback; RZA's productions sound like they're straight from the cutting room floor of previous Wu classics like Enter The 36 Chambers and Wu-Tang Forever: lo-fi minimalisms of movie-score keyboards and ominous violins. Saccharine samples from George Clinton on "Wolves," and The Beatles on "The Heart Gently Weeps," would make even sample-slut Kanye West jealous. Though the Wu-tang Clan has spawned several successful solo careers, there still isn't anything that matches the enthrallment of hearing the unique unison of the group. Hip-hop may be dead but, at least, Wu Tang is forever.
Features Slim (of 112): Hi Haters What else do you want from Slim? His prolific group 112 has sold over 20 million records worldwide, and with a bevy ... full story
Editorials & Columns Scouting Report: Bambu You can refer to Bambu with various terms: rebel, revolutionist, Filipino, thug, artist. From the outside looking in, ... full story
Beyond Hip-Hop Game Review: Far Cry 2 Gone are Jack Carver, his Hawaiian shirt, and the trigens from the first installment of "Far Cry," but in comes spine ... full story
Video Bambu: Like Us (Music Video) We recently featured Filipino rapper, Bambu, in our Scouting Report column, and now, he's just dropped a new video. ... full story
Digg It
Del.icio.us
