GZA & The Soul Rebels — NPR Tiny Desk Concert, 2018

Filmed live session by GZA, founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan, joined by the brass band The Soul Rebels, for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert in 2018. Renowned for his finely chiselled writing and measured flow, the New York rapper revisits classics from his catalogue, including tracks from the cult album Liquid Swords, propelled by the thunderous horns of the New Orleans outfit. This live capture reinvents hip-hop in organic form: no drum machines, but live low end, trumpets and percussion that give the songs new flesh. The filmed concert highlights GZA’s verbal mastery and the band’s funk energy, in the intimate setting of the NPR desk. A perfect moment for grasping the bridge between 1990s East Coast rap and the African-American brass-band tradition. The Soul Rebels, an emblematic New Orleans brass band, bring a warmth and rhythmic power that elevate GZA’s repertoire. This meeting of East Coast rap and Southern horns illustrates hip-hop’s vitality when it converses with live music. A precious filmed concert for fans of old-school rap and brass-band music alike.