O2 Love Music Column – July 2012

Wu Legends Tour feat. Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, GZA, Method Man

O2 ABC, Mon 16 July, 7pm, £25, 

These days it just takes two members of Wu-Tang Clan to stand in the same room as each other for it to be a story; when GZA announces for the hundredth time that Liquid Swords 2 has been delayed, once again, it still counts as a hip hop event. Imagine then the meltdown that will ensue when four members of (arguably) the greatest rap group of all time take to the stage, together, miked up: all of a sudden the ‘Legends Tour’ title seems like a gross understatement. As always with a Wu-Tang tour a lot will ride on which members of the clan are scheduled to bring the motherfucking ruckus on that particular occasion. This time the pack has been well shuffled and we’ve been dealt a bloody good hand with Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, GZA and, the most elusive member of them all, Method Man all set to be unleashed. 

Alarmingly we are on the verge of the twentieth anniversary of the undying classic Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). A quick tally of some of the albums that these members have produced outside of that debut reminds you just how prodigious and prolific the group have been: Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele, GZA’s Liquid Swords, Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Links and even Method Man’s Tical could easily go head to head for the best individual album, and a win would only be achieved on points alone. Hopefully they take this opportunity to state each of their respective albums' cases along with a blast of some serious Wu classics.

Badmouth Battles #4 & Afterparty featuring Sonnyjim

O2 ABC2, Sat 28 July, 6pm - 11pm, £6 advance

Afterparty with Sonnyjim , 11pm - 3am,  £5 advance (free with Badmouth ticket)

A double bill of emcees hits O2 ABC2 at the end of this month as Birmingham rapper Sonnyjim graces the Badmouth Battles afterparty once some of the best homegrown talent have taken on challengers from across the UK with some all out verbal warfare.

This fourth set of Battles, now getting fully into its stride, will be the perfect precursor to Sonnyjim, himself a past veteran ofthe battle scene but now doing what he does best by letting his extremely tight, expressive rhymes do the talking over shining and inventive production from the likes of DJ IQ. He’s been building his reputation since the release of his first album back in 2005 and his status as one of the UK’s hottest talents is unquestionable aftergetting airplay from Ras Kwame, Huw Stephens and Bobby Friction and sharing stages with The Streets and Foreign Beggars.