State Champ Radio wu-tang clan
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Bennett Raglin / Getty / Wu-Tang Clan
Word on the video game streets is that the upcoming Wu-Tang Clan video game is coming along and will feature an animation style from Sony’s animated Spider-Man films.
Spotted on Insider Gaming, two separate reports from WindowsCentral’s Jez Corden and VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb (via Game Mess), more details about “Project Shaolin” are emerging.
“Project Shaolin” first appeared on radars thanks to a 2021 NVIDIA leak that revealed a plethora of codenamed project titles in development.
Both Corden and Grubbs reports share details about the game and what gamers can expect from it.
Per Insider Gaming:
According to both reports, the game is a third-person melee-oriented RPG complete with four-player co-op. The game was also said to heavily involve the Wu-Tang Clan members themselves with the game’s soundtrack and would feature the likes of loot, weapons, and gear from defeated enemies. According to the reports, the game is in development at Brass Lion Entertainment, a new studio formed in 2019 by Manveer Heir.
Insider Gaming can corroborate these original reports and understands that the game is currently in its Alpha stage.
The gameplay evolves around fast-paced melee combat in third-person, with a strong focus on having both music and combat intertwined. Players can choose from four different weapons that all have different and unique playstyles (single swords, dual swords, etc.). It’s understood that the game features a massive catalog of the Wu-Tang Clan’s music, most of which has been re-imagined by producer and DJ Just Blaze for the game.
“Project Shaolin” Will Feature Playable Wu-Tang Clan Members
Insider Gaming also reports that all nine Wu-Tang Clan members will be playable characters and that each character will serve as “the player’s limited-time buff that will give you ultimate moves, increased health, and more.”
The website also says it did see gameplay footage of “Project Shaolin” under the condition that they don’t share it and that the animation is similar to Sony’s animated Spider-Verse films.
As for the Wu-Tang Clan, this is not the first time the iconic rap stable’s involvement in the video game space. The group’s love for martial arts and kung-fu flicks led to the development of PlayStation’s game Wu-Tang Shaolin Style in 1999.
The game didn’t feature the actual Staten Island-based rap group members, but they did lend their voices to characters based on their rap monikers.
The members of the Wu-Tang Clan also appear in other games, such as Def Jam: Vendetta and Def Jam: Fight For New York.
We can’t wait to finally see what Project Shaolin looks like when the first trailer arrives. Maybe Xbox might unveil it at its upcoming Xbox Showcase next month.
10 photos
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty
The RZA talked extensively about his meatless lifestyle in an interview, encouraging others to “let your natural body speak for you.”
The RZA has always been a reasoned mind on certain subjects, especially so when it comes to living a vegan lifestyle. The leader of the Wu-Tang Clan first started his meatless journey in the mid-1990s, dropping red meat as he recounted in his memoir The Tao of Wu: “I felt like an idiot — I would surely be able to come up with ideas of what to eat instead of dead meat? I thought to myself ‘I live, my flesh lives. Why would I want to eat something that’s dead?’ Starting from this day, I ate to live.” He would then cut out chicken and fish before dropping eggs and other dairy products from his diet. He spoke about that at length in a recent interview meant to encourage others to follow suit.
When asked about eliminating red meat in light of the current conversations about the environmental concerns about its production, The RZA replied: “For me, it was consciousness. It was just the awareness of life itself. It became almost illogical, almost unethical. Why does the animal have to die for me to live? And then learning that our digestive system really has a hard time digesting red meat. As I became more conscious, it started to make less and less and then no sense to eat a dead bird. To even eat a dead fish.”
Expounding further, The RZA stated that “We’ve been taught a lot of myths” when it comes to eating red meat. The 54-year-old artist also talked about the evolution of the Black community’s position. “For the Black community, health has been a struggle, from obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, all these different things that have plagued our community for some years,” he said. “I think as generations kept growing, you start seeing us drop certain things.
The RZA ended his interview with words of encouragement for those looking to take up a meatless lifestyle to help save the planet from the effects of climate change. “Start with one day a week at least. Moderate yourself. I didn’t go cold turkey. It took me years to get to veganism,” he said before adding, Let your natural body speak for you. But if you’re thinking about helping all of us, helping the world, at least knock out a couple of days a week.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
The National Cannabis Festival, now in its eighth year, makes its triumphant return to Washington, D.C. for the upcoming 420 weekend with a pair of major headliners. Celebrated bassist Thundercat and the legendary Wu-Tang Clan alongside Redman will rock the RFK Stadium Festival Ground stages later this spring.
This year’s National Cannabis Festival lineup is the usual mix of internationally renowned stars along with local acts, while also serving as a hub of information for cannabis enthusiasts, advocates, patients, and the like. Hip-Hop Wired has attended the NCF in times past, and this is the first year that the festival will take place over two days, coupled with weeklong programming to support the NCF’s wider efforts of education and advocacy
“We’re really excited to elevate the National Cannabis Festival experience this year with our brand-new two-day format. Our core values of empowerment and education remain at the forefront, and in 2024, we’re taking things higher with an expanded lineup of exhibitors, educators, and passionate advocates championing the rights of cannabis patients and enthusiasts across the nation,” said Caroline Phillips, NCF Founder, and Executive Producer. “This year, attendees won’t just have an amazing time celebrating with the iconic Wu-Tang Clan and the incomparable Thundercat; they’ll also have the chance to dive deeper into the ever-evolving world of cannabis.”
As Phillips noted, the Festival Grounds will be packed with thousands of attendees from all walks of life, with some coming from far away to soak in the good vibes, energy, and information. The NCF team once more put together a lineup that will thrill a wide swath of listeners.
Joining the aforementioned Thundercat and Wu-Tang Clan will be local talents such as Black Alley, one of the most talented bands across any genre. Cumbia Heights, a neo-cumbia band, will also grace the stages. Noochie Live From The Front Porch, who is rising in the ranks, is on the bill, along with the talented Dior Ashley Brown & The Filthy Animals.
No cannabis festival is complete without some true culture vibes and Proverbs Reggae Band will be on hand to provide the backdrop. Local Go-Go music legends Backyard Band will be joined onstage by Devin The Dude. DJs Black Rave Culture and DJ Farrah Flosscett will provide sounds for the festival as well.
Beyond music, the festival will once more host education pavilions, six in total, which will cover the topics of Wellness, Policy, Culture, Culinary, Grower’s World, and Psychedelics. Discussions will be hosted at each pavilion to educate attendees on the medicinal uses of cannabis, news on the legal front, and speak with insiders who grow and refine the product for the masses, along with much more.
Keeping with the theme of true inclusion, the NCF will also play host to The LGBTQIA+ Lounge, the Seniors Lounge, and the Veterans Pavilion, making certain that all segments of cannabis consumers are covered, supported, and made to feel comfortable among old friends and new connections made on the grounds.
Tickets for the National Cannabis Festival start at $85 for the two-day general admission level. For Saturday (April 20) only, tickets are being sold for $55. Two-day VIP tickets start at $599 and include a gift box and entrance to NCF-connected events for the year. For VIP one-day tickets, the cost is $420.
Learn more about the festival, which also includes 420 Week, the Ultimate Weed Wedding by clicking here.
The two-day festival kicks off on April 19, 2024.
—
Photo: Getty/National Cannabis Festival/NCF
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
The Wu-Tang Clan is about to form like Voltron. Staten Island’s finest have announced a residency in Las Vegas.
Vulture is reporting that the legendary Hip-Hop group will be taking their talents to Sin City. On Dec. 12, the New York Times announced that the residency will kick off Super Bowl weekend on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10 at the Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The Clan will return to the town March 22 and March 23 during the height of NCAA Division I basketball tournament. In an exclusive statement to the periodical, RZA expressed his enthusiasm. “I’m in that spirit of loving where there’s a hub of art and then loving that I — in my talent and the Wu-Tang brothers — can add to that hub and of course eventually invite more hip-hop artists to come and play in this sandbox with us,” he said.
2023 found the Wu-Tang Clan back on the road with the second run of the N.Y. State of Mind Tour. The nine man team brought their unique sound overseas to New Zealand, Europe, Canada and 14 cities throughout the United States. The pre-sale for the aforementioned dates begins Dec. 13 at 12 p.m. PST, with the pre-sale code: CREAM. Tickets officially go on sale at 10 a.m. PST on Friday, Dec. 15. You can purchase tickets for the Las Vegas residency here.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
The Wu-Tang Clan will now have their own official day in New York City in honor of its contributions to Hip-Hop and popular culture.
On Wednesday (November 8), New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a proclamation that Thursday (November 9) will officially be Wu-Tang Clan Day. The proclamation coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Staten Island group’s iconic debut album, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). The members of the Clan will also be on hand at the Empire State Building as it will be lit in black and yellow as night falls.
In addition to the proclamation, Legacy Recordings announced that they would be releasing a special edition 7-inch box set version of Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in collaboration with GetOnDown at noon EST on their website. The box set includes the full debut album of the Wu-Tang Clan on six split black & yellow vinyl, a 60-page book titled “The Shaolinothology” containing liner notes, rare photos, and interviews with the RZA along with trading cards commemorating the anniversary.
For The RZA, he describes being “very excited” along with the rest of the Clan in an interview with the New York Daily News. “I will say some of these accolades that’s coming this year, this lighting for instance. I’m telling you, me and the crew have been looking at each other like, ‘Hmm, we’re living out the words that we said: Wu-Tang Forever.’ And that’s the aspiration and I’m thankful. There’s nothing better than leaving a footprint for someone else to figure out this path.”
The honor for the Wu-Tang Clan also comes as its members are deep into their own endeavors. The RZA is concluding his three-night series at the Gramercy Theatre which features Enter The Wu-Tang being performed with an orchestra. There will also be a pop-up activation run by RZA’s 36 Chambers companies in the East Village where RZA will be signing copies of his graphic novel, Bobby Digital and The Pit Of Snakes. Other Wu-related items will also be available for purchase at the shop. Lastly, a new Ghostface Killah action figure has been released by Super7, and a new podcast, ODB: A Son Unique chronicling the life of the late Ol Dirty Bastard was released this week with the first three episodes now streaming.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: AMAZON MUSIC / Amazon Music
Hip-Hop fans are in for a treat. Amazon is set to livestream a show from Nas and Wu-Tang Clan’s N.Y. State of Mind Tour.
Hip Hop N More is reporting that the streaming platform is giving the culture an opportunity to attend one of the most anticipated concerts of the year virtually. In an effort to further honor the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, Amazon will telecast their respective sets from the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. This is a special date as De La Soul will join the bill as special guests.
Originally announced in February of 2022 the N.Y. State of Mind Tour brings two of the most iconic brands in Rap music together for their first ever co-headlining effort. The outing proved to be a major success; so much so the concert series was extended into 2023 with international dates. Produced by Live Nation this year’s run kicked off on Tuesday, May 9th in Auckland, New Zealand at Spark Arena. It has since traveled to New Zealand, Europe, and came back to the United States back in September.
Amazon Music will stream the N.Y. State of Mind Tour on Wednesday, October 18 at 8PM PST.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Dustin Bradford / Getty / Coach Prime
Coach Prime and his Colorado Buffaloes are the hottest ticket in College Football and bring out all the stars to see them play.
This past weekend in Boulder, Colorado, all eyes were on a College Football rivalry matchup that generally wouldn’t even register on any sports fan’s radars.
If you needed more proof that Coach Prime and his newly revamped Colorado Buffaloes are that team, you had to look no further than what went down at Folsom Field.
Before the game kicked off, ESPN’s College Gameday was on site for the matchup between Colorado and Colorado St. that already had enough fireworks leading into the night thanks to some comments from Colorado State’s head coach.
Along with the College Gameday crew, former WWE Superstar turned Hollywood actor The Rock was on hand to support his “brother” and get the crowd even more excited for the rivalry matchup.
Once the sun set, it was time to hit the field, and Coach Prime and his team were led out on the field by Lil Wayne, who also performed his song “Ride For My N****z.”
Before the game, Coach Prime blessed Weezy with his own Buffaloes jersey during the tailgate celebration.
Other Notable Guests In The Building
Weezy and The Rock were not the only big names in the building. Fresh off his marathon stream with Kai Cenat, Offset was on hand. Rapper-turned-sports commentator Cam’ron also returned to Colorado to enjoy the game.
Even Kawhi Leonard, who many were saying jokingly doesn’t attend Los Angeles Clippers games, had to see what the big deal about the Colorado Buffaloes football under Coach Prime’s leadership is all about.
The Colorado Buffaloes are currently 3-0 after defeating Colorado St. in overtime, led by Coach Prime’s son, Shedeur Stephens. A stark difference from their 1-8 record last year. The team is currently ranked 19th in the nation.
We expect to see more big names at Colorado Buffaloes home games for the rest of the season because they have become must-see television.
—
Photo: Dustin Bradford / Getty
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: JOHNNY NUNEZ / Johnny Nunez
The Wu-Tan Clan’s debut album is about to be brought to life in historic fashion. RZA has announced a series of 36 Chambers 30th anniversary shows.
As spotted on Hypebeast The Abbot will be treating Wu fans to some distinct celebrations at an iconic venue in New York City. Slated for November 7, November 8 and November 9 the “Tragedy” rapper will be hosting a concert that is slotted to take ticket holders “deeper into the iconic 36 Chambers featuring a live orchestration”. The three date series follows his 36 Chambers of Shaolin and A Ballet Through Mud live production previously done in Denver earlier this year. This set though featured a live orchestra and a ballet.
“With the group’s classic 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), RZA established their widely imitated core sound, consisting of stark, booming beats and chilling samples (heavily drawing from vintage soul records as well as Kung Fu movies), setting the backdrop for the crew’s gritty, violent narratives” a formal press release reads.
The presale for The RZA shows started today. You buy tickets here.
Photo: JOHNNY NUNEZ
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Taylor Hill / Getty
More than a decade ago, Jackass series superstar, Steve-O found himself at the mercy of the Wu-Tang Clan when he went complete fool and exposed himself during an Ol’ Dirty Bastard tribute at a Wu-Tang Clan performance.
Now in never-before-seen footage of the incident, we get a better picture of how things went down at the 2006 Rock The Bells festival as Steve-O himself narrates the incident. Taking to Facebook to share the newfound footage of the incident, Steve gave us a little backstory about his love for Ol’ Dirty Bastard explaining that in 2002 he ended up in the same jail cell in LA that previously held ODB and was more than honored to have been in the presence of ODB’s jail cell.
What really struck him though, was when he witnessed an Ol’ Dirty Bastard performance in which Dirt McGirt was “on stage with his pants down, d*ck out, smoking a huge blunt of PCP.” After ODB ultimately fell asleep, Steve revealed that he thought “That’s my hero.” Years later, Steve actually befriended Method Man and ran an idea across Meth and RZA in which he’d come out during ODB’s tribute at their Rock The Bells set, strip down to his birthday clothes, flip his “balls back” before doing a “perfect back flip and land with a standing mangina.”
For whatever reason, he got the green light. But when it came time to take to the stage, Method told Steve to nix the idea as he might get beat up, but Steve-O responded by saying “Dirty would love that!” He probably would’ve too, but still, it was a horrible idea. Still, Steve-O tried it. Unfortunately for him, ODB’s mother was brought onto the stage before his stunt and that only made matters worse.
After Steve-O was given the microphone to profess his love for Big Baby Jesus, the Jackass star “pulled out” much to the dismay of the Wu-Tang Clan, the crowd, and of course, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s mother, and Raekwon immediately jumped into action. In the footage shared by Steve-O, we see a visibly angry Raekwon getting in Steve-O’s face saying, ‘I didn’t appreciate that, and I’ma tell you right now in front of all these people, you gonna apologize or I’ma knock you out in front of all these people. I’m not playing, straight up, that was disrespectful. I’m ready to f*ck you up, so you better apologize right now. And I’m going to jail, straight up.”
Apologize he did, as he quickly acknowledged his mistake saying “I honestly did not mean any disrespect. I came here because I love Dirty.” Continuing to reflect on the moment, Steve admitted “I’ve never considered myself a tough guy, but even I was surprised by what a b*tch I was in that moment.” No one wants to get stomped out by the Wu-Tang Clan. This was 2006, so y’all know they all had Timbs on too. That’s nine pairs of Timberlands not including their entourage.
Humbled by that wild experience, Steve says that he’s since tried to make things right with Method and RZA, but Raekwon on the other hand, that might be a little trickier.
“I’ve reached out to Raekwon to try to make it right with him as well, but Raekwon is not interested in talking to me about it. If I ever get the chance to meet Raekwon, I hope that we can be cool, but if he makes me apologize again, I absolutely will, very quickly.”
He ain’t talking to you no more, b.
Check out the video below and let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Roberto Ricciuti / Getty
HOT 97 has announced a new star-studded concert in honor of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, which will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
On Monday (June 12), the iconic radio network announced the Hip-Hop Forever concert to celebrate the anniversary of the culture. The show is organized in partnership with WBLS. The one-day event will be curated by veteran DJ Funk Flex with the Wu-Tang Clan as the headliners. Other artists set to perform are Mary J. Blige, EPMD, Tyrese and Sean Paul. Mariah Carey and Maxwell are also on the bill as special guests, but there is no word yet on if they’ll be performing as well. The Wu-Tang Clan will begin the North American leg of their N.Y. State of Mind Tour with Nas and De La Soul the next evening.
The show is notable as the Wu-Tang Clan and HOT 97 have repaired a once highly-publicized rift that began in 1997 over the group being asked to headline Summer Jam for free. As detailed in the 2019 documentary series Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mice and Men, they were also asked to come to the event without the network paying for it. Ghostface Killah took the stage at that Summer Jam concert, shouting “F**k 97!!” and prompting fans to repeat the message, which resulted in the station banning their music being played for a number of years. Funk Flex also personally apologized to the group, posting a message on his Instagram account earlier this year.
HOT 97’s show marks yet another activation in honor of the birthday of Hip-Hop culture, Aug. 11, 1973. The events include the Hip-Hop 50 Live concert by MassAppeal, which will take place on the actual date at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The concert will feature Run DMC in their final concert appearance ever, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, T.I., Lupe Fiasco and others. The concert will be held at Madison Square Garden on Friday, Sept. 15th Pre-sale tickets are through Ticketmaster at this link on Thursday (June 15). The general public will be able to obtain tickets on Friday (June 16).
HipHopWired Radio
Our staff has picked their favorite stations, take a listen…
