On Wednesday night I was fortunate enough to plant myself front and center for the RZA show at Emo's. If you know me, that does paint a somewhat conspicuous picture, but you know I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Austin was the second U.S. stop on the promo tour for the new Bobby Digital album, Digi Snacks, which will be released on June 24th. The cover art alone (above) demands some attention.

I personally love the RZA (to the point of a mini-crush). I mean, he is the goofy, endearing, organizational mastermind behind the Wu Collaboration, but I was a little nervous the show might turn out to be a rocky showcase. Thankfully, it was definitely a positive experience. There were some slight technical difficulties on stage, but I had the benefit of proximity, which granted us some ridiculous allowances that ultimately compensated for any rough spots. Yes, Margaret and I did gank a bottle of champagne from stage after RZA sprayed the crowd and dropped it right in front of our faces. We were passed herbal refreshments from stage, and the RZA himself held onto both of our hands, which he insisted be in the air at all times throughout his performance.



Stone Mecca, a funky, soul-fueled ensemble, backed the RZA with a smooth energetic, humbling counterbalance to the overwhelming presence of our host and the Wu Affiliates that accompanied him on stage. To my taste, the opening acts of Solomon Childs, Black Knights and DJ Notion weren't consistently entertaining, but when Stone Mecca took over the stage, I was mesmerized. There were at least six members of Stone Mecca for this particular showcase: three songstresses who switch off on lead vocals, two guitarists, a keyboardist or two, a drummer, I lost count. I was too busy dancing. At one point their keyboardist nudged me with a copy of their new self-titled debut album, and I almost didn't avert my attention. Luckily I did and promptly packed it back in my bag at the first ease of the crowd. Seriously, I saw Rock The Bells, I know what can happen when people get excited. And there was definitely reason to get excited. RZA catered to the crowd with old Wu-Tang and Gravediggaz favorites, then peppered the mix with some new Digi Snacks. Tasty, indeed.

See Also:
In which the RZA is one with his top tracks
RZA, hit me with that shit one time

From Jim Jarmusch's 'Coffee and Cigarettes.'



One of the most amazing screen combinations imaginable

. . . And the likely result of my new job slinging caffeine and throwing 'em back for free.

About a month ago I came across Wu's new track, "Heart Gently Weeps." As a huge Beatles fan, I instantly fell in love the crossover. The shit caught me off guard and basically blew my mind. In addition to a new take on an old riff from, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," the track features Erykah Badu, one of my favorite songstresses of all time. The version I had was rough and was tainted by the "this is a loud.com exclusive" sponsorship repeated throughout, which is the main reason I haven't posted about this previously and/or offered a download for the track. Thankfully, the wait paid off. It was in fact a demo and the album version, which is much more dynamic and polished has been leaked. Enjoy:

While the Wu-Tang conglomeration is typically overwhelming and I am usually turned off by overexposure, I have a soft spot for Wu-Tang, another reflection of my east coast roots. Back in high school, I'm pretty sure I played 36 Chambers until the cassette tape wore out. I'll always associate that album directly with my adolescence, learning to drive and experiencing that initial taste of self-sufficiency and freedom. I'll admit the picture of me driving around New Paltz's country roads in my old Camry bumping Wu-Tang is laughable, but I've always been smitten by creative lyricism and they bring it. Furthermore, I appreciate the way they use explicit language. They don't use it as a crutch to prove their edge, but rather as an accessory to help illustrate their rhymes. That's important when considering censorship issues and freedom of speech. I think Wu-Tang represent the intersection for street and conscious rappers.

I found this interview with RZA, who seems to be the puppet master of the group when it comes to logistics. I appreciate the insight, not only to the concept of the song, but especially the collaboration with Dhani Harrison (son of George) and the surprising bond between the two artists.


The representation RZA speaks of between the guitar and veins is a compelling metaphor, even though when watching his casual interview it's somewhat hard to take him completely seriously.

There's no doubt both Wu-Tang and The Beatles have had their issues with drugs especially in the context of their rock n' roll lifestyle. I recently found this video of John Lennon performing Cold Turkey, which feels appropriate to share here. The song is about his own struggle with heroin and the pains of detox.



Personally, I think Wu-Tang consistently keeps it tight. They always flow and pass the mic with highly amusing and often intellectual rhymes. Even with their street-life emphasis, they maintain a focus on reaching a higher level of awareness. From what I've heard, read and anticipate, 8 Diagrams is really going to hone in on that. I've read some really harsh reviews, but people need to realize that things change, artists grow and try new things. That's fucking real. Get over it. If you wanna hear old Wu listen to Forever or 36 Chambers. Right?