Recent

Music

Wu Tang: The Saga Continues

Mathematics sticks to the classic Wu-Tang aesthetic, beefing it up with modern techniques to create an enjoyably nostalgic experience, especially for old school fans.

Books

A Clash of Hip-Hop Legend, Pop-Culture Philosophizing, and one Incredible Story

What is the true value of music? Cyrus Bozorgmehr considers this question in his wild retelling of the story of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin; the Wu-Tang Clan's single-copy album project.

Music

8 Take Aways from the 2017 Governors Ball Music Festival

Brief bouts of rain didn't dampen the most vibrant Governors Ball yet. The fest had a lot to offer an all-ages audience. Most importantly: great performances.

Music

Surprise After Jaw-Dropping Surprise at the Roots Inaugural Picnic in New York City

It took a few days to reduce the frequency of declarations of affection towards the Roots Picnic that burst from my mouth to random passersbys.

Dominick Grillo

Music

Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge: Twelve Reasons to Die II

Much too short, but as solid as you'd expect given the name of the rapper, the name of the producer, and the names of the features.

Music

Raekwon: Fly International Luxurious Art

The world of top-40 rap proves to be to Raekwon what dry land is to Aquaman.

Music

decker - "O.D.B." (video) (Premiere)

Arizona singer-songwriter decker pays tribute to the Wu-Tang Clan founding member Ol' Dirty Bastard with his latest tune, the charming desert gospel of "O.D.B".

Music

Eastern Dragons Meet Western Tigers: Wu-Tang Clan's Debut Helped Asian Films Find a New Audience

Quentin Tarantino himself arguably wouldn’t have been so emboldened to make the Kill Bill films without that fire set forth by the Wu’s debut.

Christopher Smith

Music

Inspectah Deck: Wu-Tang’s Unsung Hero

Repeated listens to Enter the Wu-Tang reminds us that not one of the eight heads of this Voltron raps with more consistency, versatility, and power than Inspectah Deck.

Wilson McBee

Music

Counterbalance No. 150: Wu-Tang Clan's 'Enter the Wu-Tang'

Is the 150th most acclaimed album of all time a Gen-X milestone? Counterbalance discusses the 1993 hip-hop masterpiece that spawned a genre all its own.

Music

Drake: Nothing Was the Same (Take 1)

The problem with Drake, and a major flaw of Nothing Was the Same, is Aubrey Graham's continued failure to be convincing in his chosen role.

Music

Various Artists: Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap

Soundtrack makes for a pretty good listen, but doesn't live up to its audacious subtitle.

Music

The Pop Fan's Most-Anticipated Albums of 2012?

Here’s a look at what might be taking space in your CD collection or filling up your MP3 player this year.

Reviews

The Roots Picnic: 5 June 2010 - Philadelphia

The music at the Roots Picnic was loud, crisp, engaging and diverse. With the inclement weather holding off, all the elements successfully blended to create a great outing. The wide range of musicians demonstrated why the Roots are more than a crew but rather Philadelphia’s finest musical family.

Music

Wu-Tang Clan: Return of the Wu & Friends

Longtime Wu-Tang Clan collaborator DJ/Producer Mathematics goes into the vaults and pulls out some choice cuts for remix and reinterpretations on this loosely formatted Wu-related release.

Music

Method Man and Redman: Blackout! 2

Method and Red don't recapture lightning in a bottle, but Blackout! 2 gives their patient fans a solid disc of party anthems ten years later.

Music

El Michels Affair: Enter the 37th Chamber

Instrumental covers of Wu-Tang Clan classics: brilliantly postmodern in theory, staid and loungy in practice.

Reviews

Wu-Tang Clan

As the fanboy goosebumps receded, and the Wu-Tang Clan settled into their jobs, the excitement in the room began to dissipate slowly and steadily

Wilson McBee

Music

We Don't Die, We Multiply: Posse Tracks

Having more than one rapper on the scene enhances and galvanizes a song, as the central theme is strengthened with each successive verse. As the saying goes, there's strength in numbers.

Reviews

Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan

Lyrical brutality, dry, amazing beats, a colliding of nine of the best MCs to ever rock a mike (well, maybe not Masta Killa), and the best personalities in hip-hop.

Andrew Winistorfer

Music

We Don't Die, We Multiply: Hip-Hop Groups

Group identification creates interesting scenarios within hip-hop culture, from the formation and maintenance of group identity to the difficulties of promoting the lyrical skills of a group's various members.

Reviews

Bumbershoot feat. Joss Stone, John Legend, Wu-Tang Clan, the Shins, Fergie, and Panic! At the Disco

PopMatters' Steve Horowitz braves the Seattle sun (!?), bringing you the highlights of Bumbershoot 2007.

Reviews

Collapse Expand Reviews

Features

29 Black Music Documentaries for Black History Month 2020: #3 'The Weird World of Blowfly'

England's Postwar Paranoia Creeps in the Shadows of Three Film-Noirs

Perfect Harmony: An Interview with Legendary Vocal Group the Waters

Collapse Expand Features

PM Picks

Collapse Expand Pm Picks

Pop Ten

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 1: 100 - 81

The 25 Best Classic Progressive Rock Albums

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '90s - Part 1 (100 - 81)

Jackie Chan's 10 Best Films

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 5: 20 - 1

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 2: 80 - 61

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 3: 60 - 41

The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 4: 40 - 21

Collapse Expand Pop Ten

Mathematics sticks to the classic Wu-Tang aesthetic, beefing it up with modern techniques to create an enjoyably nostalgic experience, especially for old school fans.

What is the true value of music? Cyrus Bozorgmehr considers this question in his wild retelling of the story of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin; the Wu-Tang Clan's single-copy album project.

Brief bouts of rain didn't dampen the most vibrant Governors Ball yet. The fest had a lot to offer an all-ages audience. Most importantly: great performances.

It took a few days to reduce the frequency of declarations of affection towards the Roots Picnic that burst from my mouth to random passersbys.

Much too short, but as solid as you'd expect given the name of the rapper, the name of the producer, and the names of the features.

The world of top-40 rap proves to be to Raekwon what dry land is to Aquaman.

Arizona singer-songwriter decker pays tribute to the Wu-Tang Clan founding member Ol' Dirty Bastard with his latest tune, the charming desert gospel of "O.D.B".

Quentin Tarantino himself arguably wouldn’t have been so emboldened to make the Kill Bill films without that fire set forth by the Wu’s debut.

Repeated listens to Enter the Wu-Tang reminds us that not one of the eight heads of this Voltron raps with more consistency, versatility, and power than Inspectah Deck.

Is the 150th most acclaimed album of all time a Gen-X milestone? Counterbalance discusses the 1993 hip-hop masterpiece that spawned a genre all its own.

The problem with Drake, and a major flaw of Nothing Was the Same, is Aubrey Graham's continued failure to be convincing in his chosen role.

Soundtrack makes for a pretty good listen, but doesn't live up to its audacious subtitle.

Here’s a look at what might be taking space in your CD collection or filling up your MP3 player this year.

The music at the Roots Picnic was loud, crisp, engaging and diverse. With the inclement weather holding off, all the elements successfully blended to create a great outing. The wide range of musicians demonstrated why the Roots are more than a crew but rather Philadelphia’s finest musical family.

Longtime Wu-Tang Clan collaborator DJ/Producer Mathematics goes into the vaults and pulls out some choice cuts for remix and reinterpretations on this loosely formatted Wu-related release.

Method and Red don't recapture lightning in a bottle, but Blackout! 2 gives their patient fans a solid disc of party anthems ten years later.

Instrumental covers of Wu-Tang Clan classics: brilliantly postmodern in theory, staid and loungy in practice.

As the fanboy goosebumps receded, and the Wu-Tang Clan settled into their jobs, the excitement in the room began to dissipate slowly and steadily

Having more than one rapper on the scene enhances and galvanizes a song, as the central theme is strengthened with each successive verse. As the saying goes, there's strength in numbers.

Lyrical brutality, dry, amazing beats, a colliding of nine of the best MCs to ever rock a mike (well, maybe not Masta Killa), and the best personalities in hip-hop.

Group identification creates interesting scenarios within hip-hop culture, from the formation and maintenance of group identity to the difficulties of promoting the lyrical skills of a group's various members.

Can we stop talking about the Wu-Tang Clan’s “decline” now? 8 Diagrams is as exciting as they’ve ever been.

PopMatters' Steve Horowitz braves the Seattle sun (!?), bringing you the highlights of Bumbershoot 2007.