Ghost in the house
WHENthe Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah – arguably the rapper swinging the sharpest lyrical blade in the Wu’s eight-man squad – last played aNewZealand date back in 2006 at the Powerstation, he finished up the night by picking up a microphone at former venueFuBar and rhyming over hip-hop classics, as spun by DJ Mouli of 95bFM’s True School Show. So local Wu-Tang Clan fans readying themselves for Ghostface Killah’s return this week should expect the unexpected from the Wallaby Champ.
That Powerstation show saw Ghostface run theWugamut, from the Clan’s 1993 debut Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and right through his set of stellar solo releases, a catalogue that’s three albums deeper since his last visit – and soon to be added to with Supreme Clientele Presents Blue& Cream: The Wally Era, the follow-up to his 2000 classic Supreme Clientele.
Ahead of his shows in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland this week, Ghostface also confirmed reports that a newWualbum is on the cards for 2013, tying in with the 20th anniversary of Enter the Wu-Tang. ‘‘Me and [Wu producer] RZA discussed it,’’ Ghostface says, ‘‘and that’s his plans for 2013; the same timewe released the first album, like, in November. So maybeRZAdidn’t talk to [Wu-Tang rapper, GZA] yet, but that’s what it looks like ’cause that’s what’s on themenufor us right now.’’