WU-TANG! WU-TANG! WU-TANG! Practice chucking those "W"s in the mirror. Ghostface Killah (AKA Ghostdini, Ironman, Tony Starks, Starky Love, Pretty Toney, The Wally Champ, The Wallabee Kingpin), a vital organ of the rap behemoth the Wu-Tang Clan, is coming to Halifax.
Host for the evening and stalwart DJ R$ $mooth proclaims, "I'm excited, there's nothing better than a hip-hop show on a Friday night in Halifax at the Marquee. You're in for some surprises."
While other members of Wu-Tang have played here, hip-hop historian Michael McGuire (AKA hermitofthewoods) points out, "GFK is definitely a standout among original members, and his solo catalogue is supremely good. He's got a great rap voice---grimy and menacing---but he also does tender joints. He's dynamic."
Ghostface's importance to rap is multi-fold. "In the late 2000s he was the only dope artist on Def Jam, but ironically, he was the least promoted. GFK is important because he stuck to his guns instead of watering down his music to reach stardom. People with musical integrity stick around longer," says DJ Jorun Bombay. "That's why he's still important."
Shaun Ryan (AKA Uncle Fester) adds, "Ghostface is an amazing rapper and one of the members of the greatest rap group of all time. He's a time capsule of the '90s in some of his style."
On top of providing dedicated hip-hop heads and even casual fans with a chance to see a superstar in their own backyard, having big-name acts come through can help the local rap scene. "A lot of rap fans don't engage with rap on a local level," says Mcguire. "They stick with the better-known names. Shows like this gives fans of rap a chance to be aware of who's popping locally through opening acts. For the rappers, it gives them a chance to share the stage with one of rap music's most notable characters."
