You know Ernie Johnson Jr. best as a beloved commentator for the NBA, the MLB, and NCAA basketball, but did you know he's also a bit of a hip-hop head? The legendary Wu-Tang Clan tapped him to narrate a grand trailer for the "Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber" tour with Run The Jewels, which they labeled as their last-ever trek as a group. "From the slums of Shaolin to the world stage, they have conquered, endured and remained untouchable," Ernie expresses over footage of New York City. "The RZA, the GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon the Chef, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, Cappadonna, Method Man: The Wu-Tang Clan."
"The final chamber is upon us," Ernie Johnson continued regarding this final Wu tour. "The beats will hit harder, the rhymes will cut deeper, and the message will be louder than ever: Wu-Tang is forever." There are even rumors of new Wu-Tang Clan music coming soon, but that's just speculation. Nevertheless, the New York legends will hit the road starting June 6 in Baltimore, heading across the United States and Canada before wrapping up on July 18 in Philadelphia. For the kids!
Who Will Perform On Wu-Tang Clan's Last Tour?
As the tour name and circumstances imply, all nine living members of the Wu-Tang Clan will attend the "Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber" tour. Young Dirty Bastard will take his father's place for the tour, keeping his indelible hip-hop spirit alive along with the rest of the Wu. They have a lot to reflect on, as their careers both individually and collectively have many highs and lows. For example, the RZA recently remarked during a New York Times Popcast interview that Wu-Tang's HOT 97 ban hurt the culture.
Elsewhere, the Wu-Tang Clan leader had more hip-hop thoughts to share as of late, namely on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. "[Kendrick Lamar versus Drake] was like Godzilla versus King Kong," he told the talk show host about the biggest rap battle... Ever, maybe? "It's valuable in hip-hop. Because hip-hop is a sport. It's a sport where we challenge MCs, we challenge the DJs, we challenge the breakdancers, we challenge who can make the best graffiti tag. It's good for the sport when there's confrontation, it's healthy. As long as it stays on the record and stays in the music, and it doesn't spill over to the streets where somebody gets hurt."
