What happens when the legendary Wu-Tang Clan brings da ruckus to Sin City?
Las Vegas residencies have undergo a major makeover in the retiring 10 twelvemonth . The series , which Cher once famouslycalledan “ elephant graveyard where talent goes to die , ” is now a career milepost that has marked prima donna status for the the like of Celine Dion , Adele , J.Lo , and even Cher herself .
But what was once eponymous with major pappa acts is participate a fresh era . A serial of contemporary and legacy rock and R&B mathematical group have debut Vegas shows to major success , and now in 2024 , the Strip will see its first - ever blame residency from the fabled Wu - Tang Clan . The New York City – breed collective , known for classics like “ Protect Ya Neck , ” “ C.R.E.A.M. , ” and “ Triumph , ” will playThe Saga Continues … at the Theater at Virgin Hotels during the weekend of Super Bowl LVIII in February and the NCAA ’s March Madness .
A Vegas rap residency has been a longtime approach . harmonize to culture author and executive editor ofTidal MagazineJaelani Turner - Williams , the entertainment manufacture at large is finally giving hip - hop legends the stages they merit .
Design by Maitane Romagosa for Thrillist | Getty Images
" It ’s definitely clip for storied hip - hop figure to be respected with regard to residencies , " says Turner - Williams , who wrote the ocean liner notes for Ol' Dirty Bastard ’s approaching unveiling record album . " A lot of that erotic love is shown to legacy white acts , peculiarly those who are in pop music and rock . We have n’t really gift the same courtesy to hip - hops artist . I think that the music industriousness is still figuring that out . "
For booking agent like Bobby Reynolds , older frailty president of booking at AEG Presents Las Vegas , Wu - Tang Clan is the kind of act that ’s perfect for a abidance , irrespective of genre .
“ What we do [ as booker ] is look for an artist that has been around for a while and has developed a fan groundwork for a long time , and certainly Wu - Tang checks that box , ” Reynolds says , also noting how the mathematical group fits the criterion of considering an creative person ’s reputation , ability to command an interview , and series of hits .
Wu-Tang Clan|Getty Images
The Wu have long been consider icons — from pioneering the ’ 90s East Coast sound to bringing an authenticity to tap lyricality by documenting life as a young Black man in NYC — and they stay favorites of veteran hip joint - hop heads and new music fans likewise .
As Turner - Williams explains , the group has " really touched multiple generations " since the loss of their seminal , debut album
Enter the Wu - Tang ( 36 Chambers)in 1993 , which is register in the Library of Congress . She describes it as a record that parents pass along to their kid , while note how younger generations have found out about the group on their own through the Hulu series , Wu - Tang : An American Saga , andvideo games .
The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas|Courtesy Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
She tot , " They do n’t just touch on on pelvis - hop , but they transcended the genre by tackling kung fu films , warriorlike arts culture , philosophy , and faith [ in their art ] . They ’ve tackle so many aspects of just universalism in oecumenical that I feel like is relatable to not only multiple age , but multiple ethnicity . "
Despite the chemical group ’s legendary status , the residence was still five old age in the making . Although detail about the forthcoming show are slight , it should feature all 10 appendage of the current touring lineup and will ruminate on their prolific spot in music account both as a mathematical group and as individual performing artist .
The residence will take piazza at the Theater at Virgin Hotels — typically host to rock residencies for the likes of Guns N ’ rose , Journey , Mötley Crüe , and others — which should further an intimate , luxe experience for devout rooter . The radical will play to crew of just 4,000 at the mid - size locus , which include an heroic floor and legion VIP sections . That ’s just a helping of the usual audiences that the Wu play for when headlining fete or on duty tour . When they were in Vegas in October on a co - headlining run with Nas , they fill 16,800 seat at MGM Grand Garden Arena .
Wu-Tang Clan|Getty Images
Reynolds is n’t surprised there ’s a demand for the genre in Sin City – especially because of how retentive pelvis - hop and pat have been a part of the city ’s nightlife culture . “ This is company music , ” he aver . “ It ’s music that group [ of friend ] go to , couples go to – it ’s who hail to Las Vegas . ”
In fact , Wu - Tang Clan ’s show come on the heels of several recent hitting R&B abidance . Pop - R&B prima donna Mariah Carey brought her Lambs to the Colosseum Caesars Palace for two residence ( # 1 to Infinityfrom 2015–2017 andThe Butterfly Returnsfrom 2018–2020 ) , Bruno Mars and Anderson . Paak ’s supergroup Silk Sonic hosted two ladder ofAn Evening with Silk Sonicat Dolby Live at Park MGM in 2022 and 2023 , and R&B superstar Usher just wrapped up a whopping 100 dates of hisMy Wayresidency at the Colosseum . Despite the hazard the Colosseum took when it released tickets for Usher ’s concert in the middle of the pandemic , the show was a achiever , even take in hotshot - studded audience members like Doja Cat , Issa Rae , and Keke Palmer .
“ Usher doing it just gave people the redundant really unfaltering belief that [ R&B and hip - hops ] could be tenable out here , ” says Reynolds .
Brittnay Proctor - Habil , Assistant Professor in Race and Media at The New School , sees this moment as inevitable , since " rap euphony is now undeniably popular music . "
" In recent years , pitch-black euphony stars have been able to break into the formatting of the Vegas abidance , which has been reserved for white women pop stars like Celine Dion and Britney Spears , " she says . " With Usher ’s Las Vegas residency , I think there ’s been a geological fault in how some of these casinos see the ' viability ' of Black headliners for residencies . "
The first official coxa - record hop abidance also piggybacks off the success of low sets and club residencies done by A - list rappers : In 2016 , Lil Jon MC - ed a residency at Hakkasan where he spun a hardening of company bangers , Grammy winners like Cardi B and Drake both have performed gild residencies ( at KAOS and XS Nightclub in 2019 , respectively ) , andT - Pain has one coming upat Zouk Nightclub and Ayo Dayclub , among others .
WhenThe Saga Continues … was announced in December , Wu - Tang Clan ’s ringleader , RZA , toldThe New York Times , “ I ’m in that purport of have it off where there ’s a hub of art and then loving that I — in my endowment and the Wu - Tang brothers — can add to that hub and of course finally invite more hip - hops artists to come and bet in this sandpit with us . ”
It seems probable thatThe Saga Continues … will be the catalyst for even more concerts of that caliber for rap star , specially now that the genre celebrated its 50th day of remembrance and there are generations of hitmakers with wide catalog deserving showcasing .
As the reputation of headlining a residency has done for other artists in late years , hip - hop performers could further secure their picture condition among not just their fandom , but also within the industry and pop culture at large .
" I think these opportunities — for better or for worse — legitimise the careers of ex-serviceman hip joint - hop / hip-hop artists , " says Proctor - Habil .
Turner - Williams echo the view , while mentioning how it could specifically give respect to " trailblazer of the literary genre " among contemporary articulatio coxae - hops fan and the industriousness . She sees the voltage for solo shows or lineups with East Coast and West Coast doorknocker ( such as Dr. Dre , Ice Cube , and Snoop Dogg and The Jungle Brothers , A Tribe ring Quest , and Queen Latifah ) , and Proctor - Habil think there could be agitation building upon the R&B movement with residencies for stars like Mary J. Blige and D’Angelo .
Residencies could also be extremely financially viable for these artists . Usher ’s original discharge of 14 shows in 2021reportedlygrossed $ 12.9 million ; liken that with the $ 18.8 million that Wu - Tang Clan and their tourmate Nas brought in across their 2023 worldwide tour , accord toBillboard . Artists have the potential difference to make a cleanup by ride out in Vegas — all the while antedate an wearying touring agenda , as other residency acts before them have done .
The Wu - Tang Clan residence opens this weekend , but there ’s already a roll of belt and hip - hop show wait in the wing . Former boy band and ' 90s hitmakersNew Edition take to the phase at Wynn ’s Encore Theaterin former March , and the R&B quartet Jodeci — who oftentimes experimented with hip - record hop sound and collaborated with rap creative person — will playThe Party , The After Party , The Vegas Residencyat House of Blues Music Hall in Mandalay Bay in March and July . According to Reynolds , “ there ’ll be more to come ” from Wu - Tang , too .
“ It ’s exciting , ” he says . “ I reckon it ’s exciting for me as a promoter , and if you ’re a hip - record hop or R&B artist , exciting for you . This is a raw chapter , and so far it ’s up to a corking start . ”
