Rock’n’roll bands boast drums like thunder, snarling guitars and a singer with a voice that can travel for miles and miles. By way of contrast, hip-hop collectives are ordinarily made up of DJs and MCs. They’re usually suited to smaller venues. For all that, what the Clan lack in instruments, they make up for in numbers. And their opener 'Bring Da Ruckus' is stadium-rock loud. 

Live shows by US rappers generally suffer from a bad rep in the UK. I once saw Snoop Doggy Dogg 'perform' for 20 minutes at the Brixton Academy. A Bubba Sparxxx set I took in at the Astoria was even shorter. Big, Bad Bubba even had the temerity to leave mid-show. To go to the "bathroom" and then "not wipe his ass afterwards" as he charmingly informed us. His premature departure sparked a near-riot with heavy-handed security goons over-reacting to the crowd showering the stage with pint glasses. Plastic ones.

The Wu-Tang Clan, however, ensure their Californian disciples keep the faith by treating fans to 32 tracks. Presumably Snoop and Bubba use the digits of just the one hand to count with. Wu-Tang are a sharper outfit altogether. As the interviews with individual Clan members attest, the likes of Method Man and RZA's education extended beyond watching episodes of Sesame Street.

Wu-Tang worshippers will, no doubt, give praise to the fact they can watch their heroes perform favourites such as ‘C.R.E.A.M’, ‘Hood’ and ‘Bring The Pain’. Nevertheless, although they’re certainly no slouches on stage, I prefer the audio version. Stadium hip-hop remains a potential rather than actual development.
(3/5)

Disciples of the 36 Chambers, Chapter 2