If you’re still snoozing on Welcome To The 37th Chamber, find a way to score a retail copy. After countless entries Read the rest of this entry »

Words By Jesse H.

And what a journey it was.

While I may be in the minority in proclaiming that the RZA has a slight edge over Premo as the best producer of all time, the impact of the Wu debut is a monstrosity that we’re finally beginning to fully understand the magnitude of. Especially from a production standpoint, it’s remarkable to reflect on the 36 Chambers revolution in sound. With a dense, layered and inconceivably dark sound, RZA progressed from the gentle skipping of four-measure Hip-Hop loops to an uncertain, iron-booted journey down a corridor of horrors. A dimly lit hallway bubbling with uncertainty and squawking with warnings of potential danger. Lyrically, the record obviously speaks for itself as well, but with respect due to all the dense metaphors and advanced wordplay, the RZA’s boardwork is the reason the album is still talked about so fervently today.

What’s my evidence? Well, check the El Michel’s Affair’s new tribute to the RZA, Enter The 37th Chamber. With the disc, the nine-piece live band presents a bold new re-imagining of RZA’s unique vision, recutting several Wu-classics in a live band format. Read the rest of this entry »