Wu-Tang Clan: Tiny Desk Concert

GZA & The Soul Rebels - Tiny Desk Performance

GZA's performance at the Tiny Desk was a rare appearance for the legendary Wu-Tang Clan emcee, in part because he's notoriously introverted, and because he brought along The Soul Rebels, an eight-piece New Orleans brass ensemble. Once they stepped behind the desk they got right down to business, opening with the sparkling "Living In The World Today," from GZA's 1995 solo album Liquid Swords. These 23-year old lyrics and metaphors felt timeless.

GZA continued his onslaught of poetic precision with another beauty from Liquid Swords, "Duel of the Iron Mic." "I ain't particular," he spat, starting to break into a sweat behind the desk. "I bang like vehicular/Homicides on July 4th in Bed-Stuy." At one point, GZA even channeled his cousin, the late great Ol' Dirty Bastard, who provided the hook on the original version of the track.

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U-God's Memoir 'Raw' Tells The Story Of The Wu-Tang Clan on NPR Music

David Greene talks to Lamont Hawkins, aka "U-God" a founding member of the pioneering rap group Wu-Tang Clan. Hawkins' memoir talks about how rap music was a ticket out of a gritty housing project.

[via NPR Music]