Wu-Tang Clan's new game blends anime with Afro-surrealism
According to The Washington Post , the group looked for a studio that can develop a game that can tie in with Ghostface Killah and RZA's upcoming film, the supernatural thriller Angel of Dust . That's when the members found out that Brass Lion's director of music and culture was American record producer Just Blaze.
Bryna Dabby Smith, Brass Lion's co-founder and CEO, said Wu-Tang loved the concepts their company presented for the game. "The script is in the horror genre, but it really worked from an interactive perspective," the executive told The Post . Brass Lion was co-founded by Manveer Heir ( Wolfenstein and Mass Effect 3 ), Rashad Redic ( Fallout 3 , The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ) and Smith ( The Bourne Conspiracy , Sleeping Dogs ). Heir previously said that the studio will focus on telling authentic underrepresented stories not just relating to race, but also to age, religion and sexuality.
Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceive r will feature classic Wu-Tang tunes alongside new material, as overseen by Just Blaze. It doesn't have a release date yet, but you can watch a teaser below and look at some screenshots on its official Steam page. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so.
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USA Today
20 hours ago
- USA Today
As Trump eyes Diddy pardon, a look back at hip-hop's complicated past with the president
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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Wu-Tang Clan Bid Farewell to New York in Majestic Fashion
Near the end of what's purported to be Wu-Tang Clan's final Madison Square Garden set, Raekwon gave the crowd an affirmation about the legendary group: 'One of one!' The most derivative rappers in the world will tell you they are too; the Clan actually embody the term. At times, mainstream rap these days feels like a gentrified city where the spaces that once harbored unforgettable memories have been converted into yet another Starbucks. Lyricism as the default measure of talent feels like a distant memory. But even those cities have indelible, immovable monuments. In this metaphorical megapolis, the Wu-Tang Clan are a bronze 'W' at the town square, sculpted with forever in mind. The nine-man crew wasn't just lightning in a bottle; RZA captured it all in an Ace Trumpet-size container. No other act in music boasted nine inimitable personalities, with disparate styles and sharp lyricism, who all called a single New York borough, Staten Island, home. On Wednesday night, they celebrated their legacy a ferry ride from where it all began, with a cadre of fellow rap legends at 'the world's most famous arena.' More from Rolling Stone RZA Spent His Birthday Jamming Out to Phish Mary J. Blige Dazzles in 2024 Rock Hall Performance Method Man Is Learning to Appreciate 'The Little Things' Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber is the group's farewell tour. There may be more residencies and tours featuring three or four members, but this has been billed as the last time that all eight living members will be on the road. The magnitude was evident as soon as I got near Seventh Avenue, as a swarm of fans were clad in Wu-Tang Nike Dunks and black and yellow Wu shirts. Fans ranged from what appeared to be late twenties to middle age, with a few children attending alongside their parents. It was undoubtedly a grown and grimey crowd that descended upon MSG for the show. The night began with a set from openers Run the Jewels, who delivered a spirited set featuring El-P 'river dancing' and Killer Mike saluting his partner after a spirited rendition of 'Early.' Though they gave a solid set, the then-80 percent-filled room was saving its energy for the main event. The closing set started soon after, with RZA coming from below the stage with a freestyle that embodies the essence of the Wu: He acknowledged the plight of Latinos at the hands of ICE but also referenced 'babies born with microchips behind their ear.' The music commenced with 'Bring Da Ruckus,' featuring Raekwon clad in a red Gucci chef apron. The other members gradually came out, with Method Man noticeably absent before coming onstage around the fourth song, delivering his verse on 'Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin ta F' Wit' and then performing 'M.E.T.H.O.D. Man.' Unfortunately, their next song, 'Shame on A …' exemplified one of the night's few flaws: the audio levels. I couldn't hear the song's buoyant horns. And later, a violinist was muffled while he played the main melody of 'Reunited.' There were also times when the guys' vocals were a little too muffled; the locked-in crowd knew every word, but it would have been nice to hear them clearly from the performers. RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, and Method Man were the night's strongest consistent performers, though no one was an outright liability. The Wu left the stage when they finished the first act, and after a trailer for RZA's satirical thriller One Spoon of Chocolate, the following act began with Raekwon and Ghostface Killah. The duo are revered for symbolizing the group's street element, which explained their star-studded set alongside some of New York's grimiest. After a prolonged, powerful rendition of the 'Rainy Dayz' intro by singer Blue Raspberry, Ghostface and Raekwon delved into 'Criminology' and 'Incarcerated Scarfaces.' They were joined by Cappadonna, the group's 10th member, who performed his '97 Mentality' single. Afterward, Technician the DJ came onstage to hand the duo two green championship belts, certifying them as rap's tag-team champions. Technician is Ghost and Rae's tour DJ, but he's also the Lox's DJ (who spearheaded their Verzuz victory). Soon after, Sheek Louch, Styles P, and Jadakiss came onstage, performing 'We Gon Make It,' and 'Niggas Done Started Something' with Ghost rapping his 'Ice Water' verse over the latter song. Mobb Deep's Havoc then came out, joining Rae and Ghost for 'Eye for an Eye,' before performing all of 'Shook Ones Pt. 2,' taking over for his late partner, Prodigy. This part of the set was the most invigorating of the night, with fans rapping every word to bona fide classics while eagerly awaiting the next guest. (One other guest worth noting, though he didn't come onstage: New York Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, who was in attendance.) There were plenty more cameos during the group's hometown set: Redman came out to perform with Method Man after he previously lied to the crowd that his New Jersey brethren was 'overseas.' The Clan then paid homage to some of rap's fallen acts, bringing out artists who affiliated with them. While saluting Biz Markie, RZA brought out his Juice Crew comrade Big Daddy Kane, impeccably dressed in a white-and-pink ensemble. Lil Cease and Lil Kim came out in tribute to Biggie. And Slick Rick performed (most of) 'Children's Story.' The rash of guest appearances made the night feel like a throwback concert in a good way, though a look at Phoenix's Final Chamber set list shows that the Wu omitted some of their solo classics to accommodate them. It made sense that Rae and Ghost, Method Man, then RZA, GZA, and Inspectah Deck would be the anchors of separate acts. At the end of the night, the whole Clan returned to the stage, offering a tribute to the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, helmed by his son, Young Dirty Bastard. While YDB did a solid job of mimicking his father's madcap energy, and various Wu members encouraged their 'nephew' during his two-song moment, there were some kinks in his performance. During his rendition of 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya,' the set's triumvirate of giant screens showed him standing silent for a bit too long during the song. And after finishing 'Got Your Money,' he chided the crowd, letting them know that he wouldn't be going anywhere. Perhaps he was responding to social media feedback, but it felt like he was on the verge of derailing the set and making the moment about him. Things got reeled back to the source with 'Triumph,' the Wu's majestic five-minute single where every Wu member has a signature moment. After their set-closing song, PAs came onstage and gave each member a plaque to commemorate the tour. RZA then began a speech about what New York meant to the group, though he didn't explicitly reference the possibility that this would be their final time performing in New York together. (Maybe he was overwhelmed by the moment, but it felt like a missed opportunity.) During his speech, RZA brought Havoc back out and suggested a joint tour between him and Raekwon, but then Ghostface urged the crowd to chant for the Lox to be added. And toward the end of RZA's monologue, after bringing out industry legend Steve Rifkind, who signed them to Loud Records, Method Man told RZA to wrap it up soon because he was 'tired.' These were funny moments, but they also suggested just how difficult it can be to keep nine men on one accord. The Wu have gotten in a good amount of road time over the past several years after a prolonged absence from Clan endeavors, but this might be their last collective saga. If that is the case, they went out in New York with a spectacular showcase worthy of their legacy. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Raekwon Chefs Up Some Raw Classic New York Rap On ‘The Emperor's New Clothes'
Hip-hop is no longer solely youth culture; it's just culture, with cross-generational scenes full of artists intent on capturing their era's zeitgeist. But Raekwon The Chef's latest solo album, The Emperor's New Clothes, was unquestionably tailored for the 35-and-up hip-hop heads who descended upon Madison Square Garden to see the Wu-Tang Clan's possible final hometown show last week. There are no stunt features or out-of-touch Gen Z reaches here, just a 17-track dose of raw, New York City hip-hop. As I noted in my show review, Raekwon was one of the strongest pieces on the Wu's chessboard during their MSG farewell concert, sustaining his energy throughout the show and cutting clearly through the crowd with his husky baritone — his performance bode well for the album he namechecked multiple times that night. He was also fresh in more than one way, spending the first half of the show wearing a red Gucci apron, which was so stylish it should end up in a hip-hop fashion exhibit one day. The piece, alongside his Wu classics, symbolized his status as one of hip-hop's original luxury drug rap connoisseurs. Before Rick Ross, Roc Marciano, Clipse, and a slew of other artists beloved for Scorcesesque valorization of the drug trade, Rae and Ghost were United. More from Rolling Stone Travis Scott's 'Jackboys 2' Tops Albums Chart Wu-Tang Clan Bid Farewell to New York in Majestic Fashion Travis Scott Hangs Out With His Amazing Friends on 'Jackboys 2' Rae knows exactly what his place in rap history is on The Emperor's New Clothes, his eighth solo project, and first in eight years, following up 2017's The Wild. His previous LP was his first to feature no Wu members, and showed him (mostly) honing in on what made him great. The same is true here. He's a master swordsman, in recent years belying the energetic mic presence of his early work with a slower, more deliberate cadence that sounds like the audio embodiment of the 'can't speed him up, can't slow him down' observation bestowed on NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. On 'Bear Hill,' 'The Guy That Plans It,' and 'Da Heavies,' the three songs on the album where he appears solo, the production is disparate, but his presence feels the same. He has a knack for painting street landscapes in his rhymes, with a tinge of the flowery vocabulary shared by a generation of older East Coast scribes enraptured by films like Dolemite and Super Fly. 'The Guy That Plans It' is classic Raekwon, an abbreviated, vivid crime caper of a street tussle (though I wish he didn't need to say 'queer' to fill in his '-eer' rhyme scheme). His mic persona is unmistakably New York City; he's one of the few who can sell a phrase as fragmented and vague as 'a certain walk with a special bop' from 'Open Doors.' And throughout the project, the bars are delivered with a technical precision that could see him holding his own in a cipher of any age. Elsewhere on 'Open Doors' he rhymes, 'They call me Louis Gas Pipe, I'm like the mafia's worst kid/Bentley bicycles, ten pistols, a slick bid;' it's impossible not to want to know more about Mr. Gas Pipe in the land of 'Shattered dreams, lonely pharaohs/Who ridе across the Verrazano Narrows.' Hollywood should stop rebooting the same movies and pick a verse from this album to expand into a script. The album has a slew of features but unlike on junctures of his next-to-last solo FILA, which had oblong collaborations with ASAP Rocky and French Montana, the Emperor's New Clothes features fit the festivities. Several of Rae's Wu comrades are on the album. Inspectah Deck is technically precise, but sounds a step slow over the sinister beat on 'Pomogranite.' Ghostface Killah is solid on his three appearances, most notably '600 School,' where he, Raekwon and Method Man commandeer a Swizz Beats beat and show off the chemistry that made Wu-Massacre a memorable project from the Clan's later years. It's the kind of moment that reminds one of Junior Soprano talking to his nephew Tony about an old school crew of hitmen on the classic mob drama: 'They may be old, my little nephew, but those dogs can still hunt.' Nas impresses on 'The Omerta,' with a verse that ponders religion but has some questionable conclusions on the nature of the Dutch's relationship with the Lenape people. The verse's last third might spark some side-eyes, but the Mass Appeal co-founder (the company distributed this album) sounds hungry. Raekwon delivered with his own inspired verse demonstrating that he knew the stakes of matching their previous track record. Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, and Westside Gunn also feature on energetic standout 'Wild Corscians.' It's Westside Gunn's presence that exemplifies the one thing keeping The Emperor's New Clothes from reaching its full potential: the production. In 2022, Gunn expressed an interest in executive producing a Rae and Ghost album, and hip-hop heads have been clamoring for what that would sound like. On Rae's new album, only frequent collaborator Frank G shows up on the project with multiple production credits. It feels like a more streamlined beat selection process could have been the best move, and few would have been better than Gunn, who's credited with helping inject indie rap with golden era-quality sonics. While only 'Debra Night Wine,' a shaky interpolation of The Syncophonic Orchestra's 'Quasimodo's Marriage' (sampled by Just Blaze for Beanie Sigel's 'What Your Life Like Pt. 2'), is an outright misstep on the album, and there are some impressive beats, few of them stick after the initial listening. The beats do enough to keep your head nodding, but Rae's lyrical effort deserved some face-scrunching chops and soul loops you can't get out of your head. Still, it's a strong effort from a rap OG who embodies the 52-year-old Malice's recent assertion on aging in rap: 'Either you got the talent or you don't. You could be old, you could be young. If you ain't got it, then you don't have it.' At this point, the spectre of 40-plus year-old rappers isn't a new or distinct phenomenon. It's no longer a trackless frontier, but a bustling environment with defined thoroughfares. Any east coast artist looking to age gracefully can follow Rae's path. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
