With Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) approaching its twentieth anniversary later this year, fans are gearing up for what may be a Wu-Tang Clan revival in 2013. Now, in a recent interview with clothing designer Frank the Butcher for “The Butcher’s Block,” the Wu’s long-time executive producer Oliver “Power” Grant opens up about the crew’s legacy.
Power recalled the earliest days of the Wu-Tang Clan, saying that it wasn’t the group’s initial purpose to make the kind of impact that it did on Hip Hop culture. He also added that he believes it was RZA’s unique production that set the Clan apart from its musical peers.
“The reality of it is everybody was trying to get out the neighborhood. We were trying to get out of Park Hill, Staten Island, Stapleton, whatever,” he said. “The was no thought about being the greatest rap group, there was no thought about how rich we’re gonna get…for us, [RZA’s production] was our music; it was the norm. It’s just that as things progressed, it became our sound. But yes, it was a sound that was RZA’s sound. It was how he felt. You know, it had the eerie, gritty feelings…as time went by, it became ours.”
Power also discussed the Wu’s lasting legacy and the impact its brand made on the industry. He believes that the Wu’s popularity and successful side-ventures helped open doors for future generations of Hip Hop artists to explore other business opportunities outside of music.
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“36 Chambers twenty years later is probably one of the best flips I ever did…it is, in fact, the best flip that I ever did,” he said. “We’re a heritage brand, and did I think it would evolve? Of course I did. But everything has it’s own place in time, and all of this stuff for all of us…there was a time where a lot of these companies didn’t want to be associated with none of this stuff and none of the rappers and none of the things. Nowadays, all the walls are broken [for Hip Hop artists]. That’s what we were fighting for…this culture would be that much more further if there was a lot less blocking going on and a lot less hating on going [by corporate America].”
Check out the full interview below.
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