Late last year, Wizkid liberated his fourth studio LP Made In Lagos, which saw 14 tracks with additional features from Burna Boy, Skepta, Damian Marley, H.E.R., Ella Mai, and more. Last month, Made In Lagos received a deluxe upgrade with four new songs, including a remix of the Tems-assisted hit single “Essence,” thanks to a polarizing contribution from Justin Bieber.
Last week (Sept. 1), Wu-Tang Clan members Ghostface Killah and Raekwon decided to add their own flavor to “Essence.” Titled “Purple Essence,” the updated version of the P2J and Legendury Beatz-produced number sees Ghost and Rae rapping vividly about their respective love interests:
“Cool in the palace in Trinidad, cuddled in a 100K bed, about to bust your queen, bag me, garments tough, gangsta stuff, you, negligees on, got my J’s on, jewelry clinkin’ in your face, Sade’s on…”
This past weekend, Wizkid surprised the attendees of this year’s Made In America Festival, taking to the Philadelphia event’s stage to perform “Essence” alongside Bieber. This November and December, Wizkid will head to London’s O2 Arena for his own 3-date concert series — unfortunately (or fortunately, for him), each date managed to sell-out within minutes of being listed.
It’s been a couple of years since Ghostface dropped his thirteenth studio LP Ghostface Killahs, a 14-track offering that saw assists from Method Man, Cappadonna, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Sun God, Eamon, and more. Meanwhile, Raekwon revealed his last full-length body of work, The Wild, back in 2017, a slightly higher profile affair with collaborations alongside Lil Wayne, CeeLo Green, Andra Day, and G-Eazy. As a whole, the Wu-Tang Clan released their last LP, The Saga Continues, some months after. Reportedly, Rae and Ghost are said to be working on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. III and Supreme Clientele 2, respectively.
Press play on Wizkid, Ghostface Killah, and Raekwon’s “Purple Essence” below.