It’s 1999 and Wu-Tang is eternally. Probably the most recognizable rap collective of all time (that is inarguable; I didn’t say “best,” I mentioned most recognizable) is firmly embedded into the cultural consciousness of the nation. Six years prior they shook the scene to its core with Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and straight from the slums of Shaolin (that’s Staten Island to the uninitiated) they’ve risen to the highest of hip-hop, a singular entity of many items. On their very own, names just like the RZA, the GZA, Ghostface Killa, Ol’ Soiled Bastard, and Methodology Man are robust. Collectively? They’re unstoppable, every a finger curling in unison to type a fist that occurs to be composed of approach greater than 5 fingers at any cut-off date. After a slew of genre-defining solo albums together with GZA’s Liquid Swords and ODB’s Return to the 26 Chambers: The Soiled Model, the Clan releases Wu-Tang Eternally in 1997, a titanic double-album opus that finally goes quadruple platinum. The ‘W’ emblem is recognizable to anybody with a pulse and a Discman or FM dial.
It’s 2023 and the RZA, as reported by Advanced, is in Tokyo. A little bit bit older, a little bit bit wiser, he’s assumed a place as one of many elder statesmen of not solely hip-hop however tradition at massive. Within the years since Wu-Tang’s peak he’s been an actor, a director, an creator (The Tao of Wu, must-read materials, significantly), and continued his work within the music world. He’s the definition of a multihyphenate, a man who has seen all of it and accomplished all of it. RZA beat the sport way back. Now he will get to wander like Cain from Kung Fu or any of his favourite Shaw Brothers heroes–see the world, soak up all of the information he can, perhaps full a aspect quest or two. He’s additionally a dad, and he’s in Tokyo along with his son. On this journey he wanders right into a drop-off location for a corporation known as StockX.
It’s 1999 and Nike has taken discover. It’s laborious to not take discover of the Wu. They determine that it’s time to make a shoe for the Wu–and just for the Wu. With a relaunch of their iconic Nike Dunk basketball shoe imminent, they use the resurgence as a possibility to create this Wu shoe. They plaster a Dunk Excessive in golden yellow and black, the Clan’s colours. They throw that iconic ‘W’ on the tongue and on the aspect of the shoe, down close to the heel. There isn’t a public launch. There are 36 pairs made. These 36 pairs are distributed amongst the Wu-Tang Clan, their family and friends, and a handful of Nike workers. There are usually not, to public information, grade faculty sizing choices. Wu-Tang just isn’t, on this occasion, for the kids.
