Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2008 > March > 16 > Entry
SXSW review: GZA
First an admission; the supposed brilliance of “Liquid Swords” is lost on me. Sure it’s a competent, frequently engaging record and one of the better from a Wu-Tang Clan solo member, but it’s in no way worthy of standing with East Coast legends like Jay-Z or Nas.
But when there was a rumor circulating around Austin than GZA/Genius would perform the record in its entirety Saturday, maybe this was the presentation that would make it click and as soon as the MC opened his mouth the lyrics would rise above the beats I’ve always felt overshadowed them.
It didn’t start off in that direction, with Genius walking on stage in a brown leather jacket and polo shirt and black jeans — pretty much as nondescript and uninspired as a Wu-Tang member could be — and his flow and delivery didn’t get much more inspiring. He still managed lots of cheers from the several hundred fans gathered at Stubb’s, but the loudest response and chant-alongs came from a segment of “Clan in the Front,” which is from “36 Chambers,” the Clan’s debut record.
Best that can be said is GZA’s rhymes lock in from so many different angles and make so many unexpected connections, that songs like “4th Chamber” and “Those That’s Bout It” bear hearing in as many different settings and perspectives as possible.
Unfortunately a set that barely passed the 35 minute mark didn’t do much to accomplish that and as GZA headed off with barely a “So long, Austin” to mark the end of the performance at least one crowd member (you’re reading him now) remained unclear as to what all the fuss is about.
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By grdigits
March 16, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this
i guess you’re from the mtv hip-hop era. to you, hip-hop didn’t exist before jay-z. jay-z always shys away when asked about when gza used to beat him in battle raps in brooklyn before either of them had a record deal. this album is monumental. you down south guys will never get lyrics. you guys got to quit sipping on your syrup.
By Chez
March 16, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this
I 2nd that. you do not know what the hell you are writing about. You are stale
By phil
March 17, 2008 9:45 PM | Link to this
I was at this show and it was soooo damn dissappointing… no energy… barely any movement on stage… he FREAKIN CHECKED HIS BLACK BERRY MULTIPLE times during songs showing how much he truely cared to be on stage there… i love liquid swords, will never see GZA again in concert