Wu-Tang Clan Brings Out Redman, Lil Kim, Big Daddy Kane & More at Star-Studded Final NYC Show

Several times throughout the evening, the Wu-Tang Clan’s longtime leader and producer RZA told the crowd that this show was not just a celebration of the Staten Island pioneering hip-hop group — nearing the end of its final tour, playing its last-ever show in New York City at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night (July 16) — but that it was a celebration of hip-hop as a whole, in all its half-century-old glory.

And throughout the night, 32 years after the release of the group’s iconic debut album Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, the eight surviving members and related affiliates made that repeated declaration a reality, with a star-studded list of guest performers that were a testament to long-running friendships, classic songs and the sheer amount of genius that has emerged from the Five Boroughs as the hip-hop genre and culture has grown and evolved over the years.

After a first segment (of four on the night) in which the Wu-Tang Clan emerged one by one to perform the majority of the tracks off Enter the Wu-Tang, the group — RZA, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa and, finally, Method Man, with an assist from the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s son Young Dirty Bastard — began inviting New York hip-hop royalty to the stage. The LOX (Jadakiss, Styles P and Sheek Louch) and Havoc of Mobb Deep joined Ghostface and Raekwon during their own dedicated segment; Method Man brought out Redman, then Lil Cease to perform Meth’s duet with The Notorious B.I.G., “The What”; and Lil Kim, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick — who emerged from a trap door in the floor — and SWV all came out, with the collected guests performing hits and street anthems such as “Money Power Respect,” “Shook Ones Pt. II,” “Children’s Story,” “Quiet Storm (Remix),” “Da Rockwilder,” “Warm It Up Kane,” “Anything” and more.

Kicking off with “Bring da Ruckus,” the crew kept the party going for two hours, going through tracks from its group albums and solo projects, several of which are classics on their own — “Incarcerated Scarfaces,” “Ice Cream,” “Bring the Pain,” “You’re All I Need to Get By,” “Liquid Swords” and more. RZA also took time to honor several hip-hop icons who had passed away, including Nate Dogg, Nipsey Hussle, Guru of Gang Starr, Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest, Biz Markie (singing “Just a Friend” with the crowd) and, toward the end, the late ODB, who died in 2004, with a tribute that included YDB leading the crowd through “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” and “Got Your Money.” 

Over the years it had been at times difficult to get all eight remaining members, plus honorary inductee Cappadonna, together on one stage, with conflicting schedules and interpersonal difficulties sometimes coming to the fore. But in recent times, the unity of the Clan has shown through more clearly, and that was on full display at the Garden, with camaraderie and love the themes, both explicitly from RZA’s interjections and implicitly from the support each member showed each other. Now, on the Final Chamber farewell tour with Run the Jewels opening, there are only two more shows left, with the purported last-ever Wu-Tang Clan performance set for Friday (July 18) in Philadelphia.

After Method Man, Raekwon and Inspectah Deck brought everything to a climax with “C.R.E.A.M.,” RZA once again took the mic. “Hip-hop has been inspiring the entire f–king world for over 50 years, y’all!” he yelled, before leading the crowd in a “Wu-Tang Forever” chant. Fittingly, the final song of the evening was off that same-titled sophomore group album, released in 1997: “Triumph.” That’s one of many words that could be used to sum up such a memorable night.