While walking along Lake Shore Blvd. through stifled traffic and people carrying large stuffed toys on their shoulders, the area around Budweiser Stage is alive. The Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto’s two-week carnival is in its last weekend and is generating extra energy of fun and excitement around the venue. Amongst the flowing crowds are several shirts and hoodies dawning the Yellow W of the Killer Bees, better known as the Wu-Tang Clan. Staten Island, Shaolin as its also referred is the home of the dynamic crew who played a role in the 90s, the most influential decade in the Hip Hop genre.
The tour known as the N.Y State of Mind brings the Wu and Grammy Award winner, Nas to the city, and going by the crowds already screaming lyrics en route, it’s going to be a memorable evening. The tour is about celebrating New York, the home of Hip Hop and its artists, and with that, a collective set. No headliner, just a rotation of the MCs going toe for toe with both artists’ catalogues spanning three decades.
RZA, the mastermind and founding member of the Wu walks out on stage, a huge smile on his face, and introduces each active touring member individually. Due to touring conflicts, some members did not make the trip but that didn’t stop the sold-out crowd from spitting lyrics all set long. The night gets elevated when Nas hits the stage. With my 90s being relived right in front of my eyes, this is history for me. I spent the whole set walking the venue and taking in as much of the nostalgia happening all around me.
The significance of this night is beyond words for me. The memories of Standing in line at the mall on a Tuesday morning in 1993 and 1994 to purchase both artists’ Debut albums, in cassette format were special. Both releases are iconic in the genre and music as a whole and seeing songs performed from both “Illmatic” and “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” is something I’ve been waiting many years to experience. In my opinion, this was the perfect way to enjoy the final long weekend of the summer.
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Be sure to check out Live Nation Ontario to see all of the other great acts that they will be bringing to Toronto this year.
