November will mark 30 years since the release of the Wu-Tang Clan‘s debut LP, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), an album that helped to bring New York’s grittier hip hop scene to the forefront of music. On Wednesday (Sept. 6), RZA took to social media to announce a group of shows that will take place in honor of his and the collective’s upcoming milestone.
As The Abbot wrote on Instagram, the events will take place Nov. 7-9 in New York City’s Gramercy Theatre. Tickets for what’s being described as a “live orchestra experience” go on sale Friday (Sept. 8).
Released in 1993, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) went on to earn a triple platinum certification in the United States. The project’s success led to solo deals for the group’s individual members, with Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, GZA, and Ghostface Killah signing with Def Jam, Elektra, Geffen, and Epic Records, respectively.
In 2022, Enter the Wu-Tang entered into the National Recording Registry, a selection of audio-based releases chosen annually by a special board within the Library of Congress. In an interview with the federal institution, RZA spoke on how they had battles amongst each other during the creation of the album.
“I would have either of the artists spit their lyrics, and then if they were a fit, I would have them go into the booth and do their part,” he explained to the library. “And some artists, I cut. They might have put down 20 bars, but then I kept just, maybe, four bars. The ones I kept were the most cohesive. It never got ugly, but it felt pretty competitive. Our second release off the album, ‘C.R.E.A.M.,’ started as a studio argument and, finally, I just said, ‘We’ll put it all on the record and then let the audience decide!'”