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More engaged than off the hook
REVIEW: GENIUS/GZA
Koko
THE prospect of watching music legends perform entire sets of their classic albums, unburdened by the dreaded “new material”, is an idle dream for most of us.
So when Wu Tang lynchpin The Genius (aka GZA, pictured), the man they say taught the RZA how to rap, promised to replay his seminal 1995 Liquid Swords album in full, the excitement of the capacity crowd at Koko on Sunday night was palpable.
The boos aimed at the support DJ turned out, on closer listen, to be cries of “Wu” – outstretched hands shaped into the letter W were everywhere, and when the Kung Fu movie sample opener blasted out the entire place went into meltdown.
As the blind delirium settled though, around Living in the World Today, it sounded less off the hook than off the back of a lorry. The GZA observed the poor sound quality in more colourful language, making an impassioned plea that no one kill the soundman, despite his apparent failings.
His caustic New York brogue, complemented by long term Wu-affiliate Killah Priest, still cut through the crowd but too often his lyrics were lost in the telling and his usually impeccable flow suffered, becoming sing-songy and porous. At times it felt like he was doing a karaoke version of his own songs.
The irreproachable 4th Chamber was brutally cut and the night – though illuminated by flashes of the old Wu Tang brilliance – descended into sermonising and audience chat, punctuated by the frequent message that Wu Tang was forever.
“Wu Tang is for the children,” added Killah Priest, without a trace of irony. For the rest of us, it seems, it is back to the future.
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