Urbanbuzzmag.com
By Stephanie Woods
Wu-Tang’s 36 Chambers Discussion
Torae and Bonsu Thompson of Hard 2 Earn Podcast continue to give insightful thoughts, commendations and personal opinions on relevant music, but this particular discussion held at the ‘legendary’ Billie Holiday Theater based in Brooklyn dated November 27, 2023, has a place in hip hop history, this discussion was based on the 30th. album release of The Wu-Tang’s 36 Chambers. On deck for a personal discussion around the group dynamic and relationships amongst the Clan was Matty C. the legendary music executive producer and former hip hop journalist. Matty C was open and honest as he described each member’s personality and noted they were so hard core that most hip-hop heads appreciated something new for the culture and each member demanded respect and each member was treated individually and personally based on their temperament and disposition. Jokingly Matty confirmed everything the audience heard about Russell Tyrone Jones aka “ODB”-Old Dirty Bastard, Dirt McGirt, Ason, Old Dirty and the name list goes on, but all is true and listening to any Wu-Tang album still gives him ‘goosebumps’. According to Matty C, the Wu-Tang lead member and founder, Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, aka ‘The RZA’ was given much respect for forming his own group without a record label. RZA was free to do as he pleased with the group, and this allotted creative freedom and RZA demanded respect.
The venue setting was a perfect arrangement and surprising to most, The Billie Holiday Theater has a close relationship to the ‘Shaolin’ group from Staten Island. The Clan recorded some of their famous tracks at the theater. The playhouse remains a revised cultural institution which has been home for many artists since it opened in 1972 and has been graced by artistic power houses such as Lena Horne; Ben Vereen; and hip-hop royals such as Yasiin Bey aka ‘Mos Def’ and Jay Z to name a few. Torae and Bonsu went through each track on the album and rated 1-10, at times they were not in agreement with each other’s ratings but listening to their views was just as entertaining as hearing the album-36 Chambers cut by The Wu’s original DJ Ronald Marice Bean aka DJ Mathematics. Throughout their discussion, they mostly gave each track on the album 9-10 scores but the first record on the album “Bring Da Ruckus”, scored an 8.5 by Bonsu, it was on after that rating! A notable conversation in a historic venue in Brooklyn, the perfect place to discuss anything Wu-Tang, check for the Hard 2 Earn Podcast.
