Wu-Tang’s leader makes right moves

May 6 2008 by Peter Guy, Liverpool Daily Post

Wu-Tang Clan's RZA with Liverpool Daily Post music correspondent Peter Guy in Django's Riff ahead of his gig at The Picket _320

WU-TANG CLAN leader and Hollywood movie star RZA thrilled a sell-out crowd until the early hours at The Picket.

RZA, aka Robert Diggs, played a breathless, near-two hour set to a packed house of Merseyside hip-hop fans.

Taking to the stage at 12.30am to the music which he scored from Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, the Brooklynite sprayed Champagne over the expectant crowd before delighting them with a set peppered with hits from throughout his 17-year career.

The star of Oscar-nominated film American Gangster dropped tracks from his forthcoming record Digi Snacks, a surprise cover of ODB's Got Your Money and ended the night by inviting numerous Liverpool MCs on to the stage as the atmosphere reached  boiling point.

But the biggest cheers of the night were reserved for songs from The Wu-Tangs’ debut record Enter The 36 Chambers – a record widely considered the greatest hip-hop record of all-time.

Earlier in the day,  the rapper  and his entourage of MCs and producers paid a visit to Liverpool bar Django's Riff, on Wood Street, to meet fans – and play chess! RZA was promoting one of his latest ventures – WuChess – an online chess community offering live gameplay featuring the rapper and guests aimed at helping youngsters channel their minds into a game of skill and intellect.

The rapper, who will star alongside Jude Law in the forthcoming film Repossession Mambo,  thrilled fans by posing for pictures and  signing records and clothes, all the while playing multiple games of chess against Liverpool youngsters.

* FOR the full interview with RZA and pictures, see Peter Guy’s music blog at www.getintothis.co.uk

peterguy@dailypost.co.uk