Shortly after Supernatural did his annual freestyle announcement of the Rock the Bells line up, GZA and RZA spoke to HipHopDX about the forthcoming Hip Hop festival. As we reported yesterday, this year’s RTB will feature Slick Rick, KRS-One, Rakim and The Wu-Tang Clan performing classic albums in their entirety. The plan was a challenge to emcees but one that was taken with excitement. For RZA and GZA, the two will join the other members of the Clan to perform their debut as a crew, Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers.
RZA told HipHopDX that he welcomed the challenge to perform the classic in its entirety, something rarely done in the genre. However, he said he’s confident that it will be a great experience.
“For this Rock the Bells, we’re doing a theme with the 36 Chambers. To me, that’s a better challenge. Well, first of all, it’s a challenge. Second of all, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do creatively. So, for them to give us some money just to do a regular Wu-Tang show? Eh, we did that already. But, to have a challenge and then get a chance to go back and relive this album entirely in front of an audience? It’s never been done by us! Even if we mess up…I don’t know if we’re going to rock it or mess up because it’s new. But, it’s still going to be a great experience. I’m really looking forward to it.”
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GZA is also curious to see how the whole thing will be in the end.
“I would like to see how it’ll turn out. It’s a good thing, man. 36 Chambers! It’ll be great to see how that flows live. It’ll be a good thing,” he added.
The other albums that will be performed are The Great Adventures of Slick Rick by Ricky D, Paid in Full by Rakim and Criminal Minded by KRS-One. All of these albums hold a place in history but they also helped inspire GZA and RZA.
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“Look, you’ve got the [Great] Adventures of Slick Rick. He made everybody write their stories better. He’s the best story telling lyricist of all time, actually. If you want to get better, you gotta study him. Rakim is considered the best solo rapper of all time. You want to get better, you gotta study him,” he noted. “At one time, there was argument in New York. I’ma tell you the argument. It was, ‘Who’s better? Rakim, KRS-One, Kool G. Rap or Slick Rick? Here it is, on Rock the Bells. You get three of the four right there.”
Aside from these acts and albums, fans can expect much more, as we reported yesterday. Although rumors of Lauryn Hill’s presence were dispatched, many others were confirmed. Street Sweeper Social Club, Murs and 9th Wonder, Wiz Khalifa, Clipse, Immortal Technique, Jedi Mind Tricks, Brother Ali, DJ Muggs and Ill Bill, Big Sean and Yelawolf will be present on the bill. The tour will begin in San Bernardino’s NOS Events Center on August 21, followed by San Francisco’s Shoreline Amphitheatre on August 22. New York will get their show on August 28 at Governer’s Island and the tour will end in Washington DC on the 29th at the Merriweather Post Pavillion.
