Simply put, hip hop would not be where it is today if these guys never existed. The Wu Tang Clan came out in the early to mid 90s and not only redefined the sound of hip hop, they redefined the way hip hop artists could deal with record labels. As a young hip hop listener I was totally inspired by and swept up in the Wu Tang experience. It influenced the way I wrote rhymes and made beats. To this day, RZA’s work is a huge part of the foundation of producers today who make beats for artists to buy online or live in the flesh.
The video above had me transfixed for basically the whole performance. The influence of the Clan is clear when pretty much a whole generation, black, white and every colour in between, can sing along verbatim with their records. It took me back to a time when Hip Hop had an infectious energy and listening to new releases took your troubles away. Who hasn’t felt the rush of anticipation when removing the plastic wrap from that new tape or CD (yea I said tape, deal with it!).
Hip Hop of this era simply inspired me to do 2 things: write rhymes and make rap beats. To those of you inspired to write rhymes, whether by the standouts of today like Odd Future, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole or by classic veteran acts like Wu Tang, Blackstar and A Tribe Called Quest, one thing you have going for you now is the ease with which you can buy hot rap beats online, make a solid record and start promoting. Don’t waste your opportunities. Make the veterans like Wu Tang proud by carrying on the legacy of real hip hop correctly.
