Wu-Tang Clan District officially unveiled in Staten Island

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxF4EJSHfkx/

The New York City Council voted in favor of turning Staten Island’s Vanderbilt Avenue and Targee Street into the Wu-Tang Clan District back in December, and on Saturday (5/4), the new signage was officially unveiled. As Gothamist reports, the renaming ceremony in Wu-Tang’s home borough of Shaolin brought out multiple members of the group (including Raekwon, RZA, Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna) as well as Councilwoman Debi Rose, Rep. Max Rose, Assemblyman Charles Fall, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and others.

“I never saw this day coming,” Ghostface Killah said in a speech at the ceremony, CNN reports. “I knew we were some ill MCs, but I didn’t know that it’d take it this far.”

Inspectah Deck and Raekwon both posted reactions on social media, as well. See those, and a few video clips from the renaming, below.

LeRoy McCarthy, a Brooklyn artist who advocated for the tribute (and who previously helmed the Aretha Franklin subway tribute, A Tribe Called Quest mural, and Christopher Wallace Way, among other projects) told Gothamist, “Wu-Tang Clan District was history in the making, and the dedication day was very emotional for me and many that were there. Through this success NYC gave official governmental recognition to a group of artists, who are black men, that used a NYC creation, hip-hop, to change themselves, their families’ lives, and put Staten Island on their backs while telling their stories across America and around the world.”

“At this time,” McCarthy continued, “I am hopeful that the NYC Council and Mayor de Blasio will continue the momentum and finally confirm street co-naming legislation for Beastie Boys Square in Manhattan, plus Big Pun Place in The Bronx. These last two honorees will complete my objective of landmarks in all five NYC boroughs towards recognition of hip-hop culture and art by the NYC government.”

Wu-Tang continue to expand their 36 Chambers 25th anniversary tour; their next NYC date is on June 16 at Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk, and tickets are on sale now.

The four-part Showtime documentary series, Wu Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men, just premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival debuts this Friday, May 10 at 9 PM Eastern. Watch a few clips from that below.

https://twitter.com/Raekwon/status/1124913644087783424

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfQjp1HmoB8&list=PLZ8c54cxQG2Fx4SuJQ8NyDDOagysV9cz-
https://youtu.be/3zYqUh8W3og

https://youtu.be/NJCTvLJ3A-Y