Just last week, Ed Sheeran battled a heinous copyright trial that essentially hinged on the fact that the singer had mixed his track, “Thinking Out Loud”, into Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” at a concert once. Over The Beatles’ unmistakable concoction of dreamily distorted guitar, shaking tambourines, and tender drums, RZA revelled in the timeless track. The group also performs The Beatles’ “Come Together”, the entire crowd singing the chorus at Wu-Tang’s request. An extended bit later finds the crowd bellowing at the group to highlight the decade they were born in (judging by the reaction, there are people from the ‘70s right up to some Noughties kids inside Spark Arena), which also serves to highlight the enduring popularity of East Coast hip hop. “Ol’ Dirty Bastard loved women… where are all the women at?” one member shouts with a laugh, paying odd homage to their former member who passed away in 2004. Wu-Tang Clan don’t have as many serious moments, but they make up for it with an abundance of effortless energy, keeping the crowd involved. Midway through the show, the music suddenly ceases, the crowd obediently falls silent, and it’s just Nas and his preternatural spitting, the king holding court.
He performs classics from Illmatic – his debut album that turns 30 next year – as if he’s just dreamed up their powerful lyrics on the spot. If they ever mould a Mount Rushmore of Hip Hop, the Brooklynite would have a stronger claim than most to have his face carved on it. Champagne is gleefully sprayed at the crowd multiple times fulsome hugs are exchanged in between almost every track Wu-Tang Clan bond again and again with their fans through powerful shouts of, “Wu-Tang Forever!”Ī post shared by Tony Starks – Wu Tang – anyone worrying that this tour was an exercise in nostalgia, they need only witness Nas’ performance. “We’re in an Auckland state of mind,” Nas says happily at one point, and it’s clear just how much fun everyone on stage is having. They shout out to their hometown several times, always remembering where the music came from even as the NY State of Mind tour has taken them to numerous continents over the past year. Big screens behind the rappers constantly show visuals of NYC, from instantly iconic skyline views to clips of the city’s grimy subway. The history of Wu-Tang Clan and Nas is the history of hip hop, but it’s also the history of New York City. They also proudly remind the crowd that this year marks the 50th anniversary of hip hop, and it’s impressive just how much of that time both Wu-Tang Clan and Nas have been involved in the genre to be at the forefront of an artform for 30 of its 50 years is a staggering achievement. The Auckland show coincides with Ghostface Killah’s birthday, and a massive cake with a microphone and the Wu-Tang emblem on it is wheeled out as the show comes to a close. They dovetail wonderfully onstage, as if Nas is the long-lost 11th member of Wu-Tang, finally reunited with his rightful group.Īnd as the members of Wu-Tang Clan make clear throughout the night, there’s a lot to celebrate.
There’s a reason the co-headlining NY State of Mind tour was nominated for Pollstar’s 2022 Hip Hop Tour of the Year: Wu-Tang Clan and Nas have collated a truly joyous show, an infectious celebration of their packed discographies. Watching most of the crowd last night, warm with adulation for Wu-Tang Clan and Nas, it was obvious that an even heavier thunderstorm wouldn’t have stopped them making it to this one. Fans only found out a handful of hours before that the hip hop legend’s show was going ahead, but a remarkably healthy number still made it to Spark Arena.
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