Wu-Tang Clan honoured with official day in New York, Empire State Building light display
The celebrations also include an East Village pop up store and the final date of a three-day celebration at Gramercy Theatre
Legendary hip hop crew Wu-Tang Clan are to be honoured today with the first official 'Wu Tang Day' in New York City.
Announced by Mayor Eric Adams, the occasion marks 30 years since the release of their landmark 1993 debut long player, 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)', which last year was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Marking three decades of the album, the world-famous Empire State Building will be lit in the outfit's iconic yellow and black colours as darkness falls on Thursday 9th November. Meanwhile, a three-date celebration at Gramercy Theatre reaches its climax this evening.
Also today, Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA's 36 Chambers company is hosting a pop-up shop in the East Village, where signed copies of his graphic novel, 'Bobby Digital and The Pit Of Snakes' will be on sale. A number of special edition packages of the record can also be pre-ordered from 12PM Eastern Standard Time.
These include a limited box-set containing a 7" vinyl collection in custom canvas-wrapped album art box, 60-page liner notebook with rare interviews, photos and more entitled 'The Shaolinothology', and '36 Chambers' trading cards. A colour LP release, featuring a 30th anniversary commemorative OBI strip, and 2000 copies on cassette, are also available.
Further into the month, Wednesday 15th November will see the Hip Hop Education Center (HHEC) at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts host a special screening of the documentary, 'A Wu-Tang Experience: Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre'.
The group have also announced a new partnership with Rock the Bells and SiriusXM, meaning from Wednesday 29th November RZA will host #WuWednesdays as a weekly fixture within fellow rap luminary LL COOL J's regular show. The first broadcast will focus on Wu Tang Clan's Hip-Hop 50 concert in Queens, New York, back in August this year.
In October, they unveiled their first single in six years, 'Claudine'.
