Rap fans have heard and repeated the refrain “Wu-Tang Forever” for decades, but Sunday, during the Clan’s stop at Moody Center on their farewell tour, it resounded somewhat bittersweet. Could it really be the last time all its members would perform together?
Given the second part of the tour’s title, “The Final Chapter,” it seems like a definitive “yes,” but during the two-hour set the nine surviving MCs (plus Young Dirty Bastard, aka YDB, filling in for his late father ODB) asserted that this juncture in their globally influential legacy is merely a matter of turning a page, not closing the book for good.
They proved that by way of a four-act set spanning their 30-plus-year career, beginning with a relentless rundown of eight cuts off 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). That section unfolded with each founder taking the stage one at a time: production mastermind RZA in front to kick off “Bring Da Ruckus,” followed by Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, and GZA adding their respective consecutive verses; “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’” added U-God, Cappadonna, YDB, and Masta Killa; and last but certainly not least, Method Man emerged – inciting a cacophony of spirited cheers – to round out the group with his eponymous track.
Act II cast spotlights on the group’s offshoot anthology albums: a trio of fiercely delivered tracks from Raekwon’s much-lauded ’95 solo debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (“Rainy Dayz,” “Incarcerated Scarfaces,” and “Ice Cream”); a tribute to late MC Guru and Gang Starr with Inspectah Deck’s verse on “Above the Clouds”; and three cuts from Method Man’s ’94 solo debut Tical. The final tune, “All I Need,” rallied the thousands-strong throng of fans for one of the night’s most raucous singalongs.
Act III touched on late Nineties heavy hitters from Masta Killa and Cappadonna (“No Said Date” and “Run,” respectively) and otherwise focused on fan-favorites from GZA’s groundbreaking ’95 record Liquid Swords. Two of the ensemble’s biggest hits, the YDB-fronted “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” and “C.R.E.A.M.,” were saved for Act IV, and the show concluded with “Triumph,” which includes lyrics from each member that speak to the timelessness of their music – appropriately on the nose with ODB’s original delivery of the line “Wu-Tang is here forever.”
“As they say, all good things come to an end, that’s just true nature,” RZA said to introduce the song. “But hip-hop has represented the culture for 50 years, so everyone put your Ws up!” In 50 years of hip-hop, Wu-Tang has reigned supreme for more than half. Chew on that for a second. It may be the end of the entire Clan forming like Voltron, but surely each member will keep the brand alive with their own projects. There was proof enough of that during interludes between acts, which featured trailers for an upcoming movie directed by RZA, One Spoonful of Chocolate, plus a Wu-based video game and a documentary on Cuban Linx.
In a sense, the opening set from Run the Jewels felt like a passing of the torch. Though its two MCs, Killer Mike and El-P, like Wu have catalogues dating back to the Nineties, their dominion is still blooming and booming. They performed like two teenagers bouncing around the stage, trading off braggadocious bits and grinning from ear to ear while showcasing the best of their four self-titled albums. Three songs saved for the end – “ooh la la,” “Lie, Cheat, Steal,” and “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)” – incited some of the night’s wildest rapalongs, rivaling many moments of Wu-Tang’s set.
It was a surprise, then, when the end of their set struck a more somber chord. Before starting the final song, “a few words for the firing squad (radiation),” El-P revealed that it was his first Father’s Day without his dad, who passed away only a couple of months ago, and dedicated the song to him. While the message was momentarily sobering, the ferocity of the delivery in celebration of his life was inspiring. A touch of mortality was fitting for the evening. People pass on, legendary groups disband, but their spirits, like Wu-Tang Clan, are forever.
This article appears in June 13 • 2025.