There were more than 8,300 people in a packed Place Bell for the N.Y. State of Mind tour, which has been running for more than a year. Rumor has it that this is the best show from these artists who have never been as convincing on stage as they are on record. We confirm that fifty suits them well, because the performance they delivered was far superior to any seen in the past – we attended around ten Wu-Tang concerts and three Nas concerts.
For nearly two and a half hours, the Staten Island collective and the child prodigy from Queensbridge drew from their vast repertoires to offer pieces that still sound as good despite the years. The alternation on stage between the group of 10 MCs and the solo rapper made it possible to maintain a good rhythm and give everyone the chance to shine.
A little after 8:30 p.m., RZA, leader of the clan, joined the Stone Mecca musicians on stage to open their version of Bang Bang, by Nancy Sinatra. He then introduced each member, who, in turn, performed individual pieces. GZA/Genius, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna, Raekwon, U-God, Young Dirty Bastard – son of the late Ol’Dirty Bastard –, Masta Killa and Ghostface Killah followed. But no trace of Method Man… Several spectators wearing yellow Ws seemed disappointed, but the notes of Da Mystery of Chessboxin’ and Bring Da Ruckus quickly consoled them.
“Through the lights, cameras, and action, glamor, glitters, and gold. » The first transition between Wu-Tang and Nas couldn’t have been better executed. The first verse of Verbal Intercourse rapped by Nas is pure poetry. Seeing Raekwon and Ghostface recite theirs to perform the song in full is our highlight in an evening where there were many of them.
A visibly happy Nasir Jones followed with The Message, Hate Me Now, Got Ur Self a Gun and then a few songs from his two recent trilogies, King’s Disease and Magic. He ended his first appearance on stage with an irresistible medley of pieces taken from Illmatic, his first album generally considered the best in the history of the genre.
Another superb transition between Nas and Raekwon with Eye for an Eye to mark the return of Wu-Tang. Criminology, Daytona 500, Ice Cream, Cappadonna’s marathon verse on Winter Warz then Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F’Wit… with Method Man who made the crowd explode with joy by emerging from backstage. He continued with his homonymous piece then All I Need, giving no respite to the jubilant spectators. Great vintages from 36 Chambers, such as C. R. E. A. M. and Protect Ya Neck, kept up the pace.
The projections of music videos, scenes from films such as Scarface, the streets of New York and artificial intelligence animations created by Danny Hastings skillfully contributed to the 1990s atmosphere of the evening. Also note the good sound quality.
Nas returned to perform a more diverse mix, but delivered with the same enthusiasm. Made You Look dragged on somewhat, but ending with If I Ruled the World was a brilliant idea; this chorus is sung very well.
RZA then joined Nas, as the melody of Come Together, by The Beatles, began to resonate. The Abbot recalled the unifying power of music and invited his compatriots to return to the stage for Reunited, a few songs by ODB, including Got Your Money – which has always seemed very popular to us in Quebec –, and the masterful Triumph. For the first time, we were able to see the 10 verses of this song lasting more than five minutes without a chorus performed by all its authors. This memory will remain forever engraved in our memory.
Nas concluded this hip-hop communion on Quebec soil with One Mic. We’ve seen grander shows, but Wu-Tang Clan and Nas’ unrivaled repertoires combined with the mastery of their delivery made this show the greatest rap moment we’ve ever witnessed.
DJ Scratch kicked off the evening with a succession of classics from the 1980s to 2000s. The crowd, which was still small at the start, was delighted to hear Shook Ones, Pt. II, Ante Up, Oh Boy, Ten Cracks Commandments and other timeless hits.
De La Soul, who were a trio before Trugoy the Dove’s death last February, followed with a festive and effective performance. Talib Kweli came to lend a hand to Posdnuos and Maseo. He also performed Get By, his 2003 hit produced by Kanye West.
With the IAM concert with the OSM at the Maison symphonique on Tuesday evening, then The Pharcyde at the National on Wednesday, it’s good to be a hip-hop fan in Montreal this week.
