Who else but the Twin Cities’ own Doomtree crew would be behind a project that combines the music of legendary hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan with that of infamous post-harcore band Fugazi? The answer: probably no one. To Doomtree fans who heard Doomtree’s own P.O.S. reference Fugazi on his song, “Savion Glover,” from the Never Better album, or heard him combine a De La Soul rap cadence with a Bouncing Souls punk refrain on “De La Souls” back in 2006, the musical mission of fellow crew member Cecil Otter’s new Wugazi project might be less than shocking. But to anyone else, a simultaneous tribute to these two musical groups might seem like a supremely odd undertaking, and one that could easily end in disaster. Fortunately for fans of both the Wu and the Fu, Doomtree has always had a knack for combining seemingly disparate influences into cohesive and innovative musical work. Interestingly enough, it could also be argued that one of the only significant musical characteristics shared by Wu-Tang and Fugazi, the raw, gritty, DIY musical approach so consistently present in their artistry, is the same characteristic that has informed the approach Doomtree artists have used since the early 2000′s to make their own distinctive mark in the music industry.
According to the project’s website, the Wugazi is the brainchild of Doomtree rapper/producer Cecil Otter and fellow Twin Cities musician Swiss Andy, who spent endless hours “cutting up every imaginable Fugazi record and trying out every Wu-Tang acapella they could get their hands on,” to construct the album 13 Chambers, to be released for free download on Wednesday, July 13th. The first leak, “Sleep Rules Everything Around Me” combines the a cappella from Wu-Tang’s seminal “C.R.E.A.M.” with a beat that samples Fugazi’s “I’m So Tired.” The effect is pretty staggering. It’s nearly impossible not to give in to the head-nod as Raekwon’s classic opening verse drops into perfect sync with the warm, grimy Fugazi piano chords and Cecil’s characteristically dusty drums. If you like the sound of that, check out “Sleep Rules Everything Around Me” below, and if that song works for you, check out the second, even more recently leaked track, “Sweet Release.”
***UPDATE: As of the 7/13, the full Wugazi album, 13 Chambers, is available for free download HERE.
Sleep Rules Everything Around Me by WUGAZI
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