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I still remember the first time I heard the Wu-Tang Clan’s “Triumph.” It blasted through my high-school classroom from their second album, <Wu‑Tang Forever>. A classmate who’d lived in the U.S. requested it, and the sound felt like a culture shock—I couldn’t believe music like that existed. From that moment I was hooked on hip‑hop. The 1990s U.S. scene was dazzling: Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Rakim, Bone Thugs‑N‑Harmony, Gang Starr, Mobb Deep, A Tribe Called Quest. Every record I tracked down felt like a classic. Seeing those artists live, though, seemed impossible. If anyone asked which artist I most wanted to see, I always answered without hesitation: Wu‑Tang Clan.
When I saw the Parklife lineup, I froze: Wu‑Tang Clan and Nas together on the NY State of Mind tour. Suddenly I had another reason to return to the U.K. Parklife runs two days at Heaton Park in Manchester. It’s a 30‑minute shuttle from the city to a vast, peaceful park where 10 stages are spread across the grounds.
Even before the set began, Wu‑Tang shirts were everywhere around Heaton Park. This was the first time Wu‑Tang Clan and Nas had shared a stage in the U.K., and the sound of ’90s old‑school hip‑hop warmed the crowd. RZA came out first and lifted the energy, introducing GZA, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, Method Man and others. Each time a member walked onstage, the crowd roared. Even RZA’s spoken words had a cadence like a verse. They opened with an Enter the Wu‑Tang medley, then hit “Clan in Da Front” and “C.R.E.A.M.” — and the air at Heaton Park simply shifted.
[Listen to the live performance] Wu-Tang performs Triumph at The NY State of Mind Tour
When the intro to “Reunite,” my favorite track from <Wu‑Tang Forever>, swelled, I held my breath. For a moment I was back to the day I first heard that sound, 25 years earlier. Nas took over the second half, running through “Get Down,” “Represent” and “Hate Me Now,” to thunderous applause. Then both acts shared the stage: Wu‑Tang Clan and Nas stood side by side and sang the Beatles’ “Come Together.” Two New York hip‑hop legends singing the Beatles in a park in Manchester — it was utterly surreal.
Decades have passed, but when they took the mic their voices still carried the authority of their ’90s peak. I wished they’d played “Triumph,” and I regretted that sharing time with Nas shortened their set. Still, think of the kid who first heard this music in a classroom — who could have imagined he’d one day see Wu‑Tang live in a park in Manchester? It took longer than I expected for that dream to come true, but when you want something badly, it often happens where and when you least expect it.
Wu-Tang Clan (Parklife Festival) — Location: Manchester, U.K.
[Artist info] Wu-Tang Clan Wu‑Tang Clan is a hip‑hop collective formed in 1992 on Staten Island, New York. The nine‑member group includes RZA, GZA, Method Man and Ghostface Killah. Their 1993 debut, <Enter the Wu‑Tang (36 Chambers)>, opened a new chapter in New York hardcore hip‑hop. Their 1997 follow-up, <Wu‑Tang Forever>, reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Balancing solo careers with group work, they’ve remained hip‑hop legends for more than 30 years.
Text and photographs by Kyung-ah Jeong, travel writer
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