Wu-Tang Clan at CFG Bank Arena

The RZA. The GZA. Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Inspectah Deck. Raekwon the Chef. U-God. Ghostface Killah. Masta Killa. And the Method Man.
Back in 1992, these nine luminaries formed the Wu-Tang Clan, the legendary hip-hop group out of Staten Island, New York, and changed the game forever.
Their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), is arguably the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. When it dropped in ’93, it was revolutionary — introducing a completely new sound that blended complex lyrics and gritty street narratives with kung fu imagery.
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and their 1997 follow-up album, Wu-Tang Forever, are platinum-certified smash hits which enabled the Killa Bees to swarm the music scene. To date, they’ve sold more than 40 million albums worldwide.
More than three decades later, all surviving members — along with honorary member Cappadonna and Young Dirty Bastard, the son of Ol’ Dirty Bastard — reunited for their final tour, “Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber” at CFG Bank Arena. As luck would have it, Charm City was the first stop for the iconic group, as they set out on a 27-city North American tour, alongside Run The Jewels.
There was definitely a buzz, pun intended, as the lights dimmed in the immediate moments before the group hit the stage. The volume continued to rise as images of bees swarming a hive and silhouettes of individuals practicing martial arts flashed on the screen. Those visuals were replaced by the iconic Wu-Tang logo, as the men of the hour strutted onto the stage and kicked into “Bring da Ruckus.” And with that, we were officially underway.
As loud as Baltimore was from the jump, the crowd managed to get even louder during “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’” when Young Dirty Bastard hit the stage in honor of his late father. Knowing Russell Jones died in 2004 made it a bit surreal seeing his son completely nail every minor detail as he bounced and flailed around the stage. The braids. The looks. The sound. The charisma. It was all on full display as the second generation of Dirty Bastard showed that talent continues to run deep in their household.
Baltimore was treated to a healthy dose of “tiger style” as RZA and friends reaffirmed that “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F’ Wit.” Once again, the decibel level soared as Method Man finally joined the party on stage for his verse, and then followed it up with the self-titled track “Method Man.”
Up next, “Shame on a N****” brought Y.D.B. back to the stage, this time rocking a yellow Scrooge McDuck inspired sweatsuit. With nine performers on the stage, not to mention the band backing them, Young Dirty Bastard continually found a way to keep all eyes on him.
Mercifully, the second set slowed things down, allowing audience members time to catch their breath and pace themselves for the long evening. The talented Blue Raspberry joined the fun and added a little soul to the evening during tracks like “Can It Be All So Simple” and “Rainy Dayz.” She even filled in admirably for the one, the only Mary J. Blige during “All I Need” with Method Man. As the second act ended and the crowd continued to shower the performers with love and support, Method Man felt obliged to return the favor, yelling, “Baltimore, I love you!” as he jogged off stage.
One of the coolest aspects of the evening was that time was purposely carved out for each member to shine, which is no small feat when game planning for nine individuals.
The cerebral GZA was lethal during “Liquid Swords.” With violins providing the backing, RZA killed his verse on “Reunited.” Young Dirty Bastard was at his very best during “Shimmy Shimmy Ya.” Method Man didn’t hesitate to “Bring The Pain.” Raekwon’s well-earned reputation as a streetwise storyteller was on full display during “Incarcerated Scarfaces.” The intense Ghostface Killah served it up on “Ice Cream.” Inspectah Deck, the underrated technician, did his thing on “Hollow Bones.” Like your favorite bartender, and with his own beverage in hand, U-God delivered his verse on “Triumph.” Lyricist Masta Killa commanded all attention during “For Heavens Sake.”
For two full hours, Shaolin’s Finest treated their extended family to a celebration of 30 years of music. Their innovative approach to music is what set them apart over multiple decades and nights like this further cement their place as the most influential hip-hop group of all time.
The say greatness is forever, which is why Wu-Tang is forever.







