“A Wu-Tang Experience: Live At Red Rocks Amphitheatre” will screen at Lincoln Center, followed by a discussion with legendary Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA

NEW YORK, NY, USA, November 2, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — Hip-Hop Education Center (HHEC) recently launched their 50 for 50 Film series to celebrate 50 years of Hip-Hop through the lens of cinema. As part of the series, HHEC, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and 36 Chambers ALC, will present a special screening of the new documentary “A Wu-Tang Experience: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre” on Wednesday, November 15 at 7:00pm. Lincoln Center’s Chief Education Officer, Dr.Lee Bynum, will moderate an insightful post screening discussion with RZA, Wu-Tang Clan founder and co-director of the film, co-director and producer Gerald K. Barclay of Gee-Bee Productions, and HHEC Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Martha Diaz.

The event will also commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Wu-Tang Clan’s seminal debut album “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers),” which revolutionized Hip-Hop upon its release on November 9, 1993. As part of the event, City Hall will present a proclamation officially declaring November 9 as “Wu-Tang Clan Day” in NYC. The night will also honor the memory of founding Wu-Tang Clan member Ol’ Dirty Bastard aka ODB (Russell Tyrone Jones), born on November 15, 1968, on what would have been his 55th birthday. Councilmember Chi Ossé, Chair of the Cultural Affairs, Libraries, and International Intergroup Relations Committee, will be on hand to present ODB’s family with a council resolution, expected to come up for vote in early November, that will designate November 15 as “Ol’ Dirty Bastard Day” in NYC.

Combining performances and revealing interviews with group members and associates, classical musicians, and concertgoers, the film documents the extraordinary concert at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre where the Wu-Tang Clan, backed by the 60-piece Colorado Symphony Orchestra, weaved together songs from their vast discography of group and solo albums. Their setlist created a live score to a real-time screening of the seminal martial arts film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin—the movie that largely inspired the Clan’s aesthetic and the title of their groundbreaking debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

The documentary deconstructs stereotypes that limit classical music and Hip-Hop as mutually exclusive musical genres, dismantles these imposed limitations, and collapses boundaries and artistic mediums to amplify the ways classical music, Hip-Hop, and film can coalesce in a beautiful, innovative union.

Adjacent to the theater, in the Furman Gallery, there will be an exhibit specially curated for the evening. Meaningfully titled “Transcendence,” the exhibit features work by former graffiti writers, street artists, and documentarians, inviting audiences to traverse the synchronous journey of Hip-Hop music and art as it scaled beyond all expectations, shattering cultural norms and perspectives for generations to come. “Transcendence” is inspired by the release of Gerald K. Barclay’s memoir, “Shooting The Clan: Eyewitness To The Rise Of The Wu-Tang Clan.” The exhibit, curated by Veronica Urrea, proudly features never-before-seen archival footage of Wu-Tang Clan by Barclay, a life-sized immersive piece of late beloved Clan member ODB, by artist Nick C. Kirk, and dynamic works by New York-inspired artists, including Danny Hastings and Matheus Goulart—all commemorating the triumph of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary.

World renowned classical musician Anthony McGill, the principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic, the first African American musician to hold a principal chair in the orchestra’s 181-year history, and artistic director of Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program, will be on hand to share some brief words about the important work of promoting music education in underserved communities and addressing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in classical music.

Following the event, there will be a private reception sponsored by Kakes NYC, Vuelo Tequila, Le Kool Champagne, and Killah Koffee.

For more information about the event, visit www.LincolnCenter.org/WuTang

About Hip-Hop Education Center
The mission of the Hip-Hop Education Center is to catalyze social change and equity through transnational research, curated curricula, collaborative programming, career and leadership development, and an archive of Hip-Hop education and culture. www.hiphopeducation.org

About 36 Chambers ALC
36 Chambers ALC stands as a record label and lifestyle company, brought to life by the vision of RZA, founder of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan. Positioned at the intersection of culture, consciousness, and creativity, 36 Chambers derives inspiration from a rich tapestry of global influences seamlessly interwoven with the very essence of hip-hop culture. Our overarching mission is to provide an array of sustainable and unique products and experiences that reverberate within the dynamic landscape of today’s ever-evolving marketplace. www.36chambers.com

About Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) is a cultural and civic cornerstone of New York City. The primary advocate for the entire Lincoln Center campus, our strategic priorities include: fostering collaboration and deepening impact across the Lincoln Center resident organizations; championing inclusion and increasing the accessibility and reach of Lincoln Center’s work; and nurturing innovation on stage and off to help ensure the arts are at the center of civic life for all. LCPA presents hundreds of programs each year, offered primarily for free and choose-what-you-pay, including many specially designed for young audiences, families, and those with disabilities. www.lincolncenter.org

About Gee-Bee Productions
Established in 1990 by Gerald K. Barclay, Gee-Bee Productions is a production company credited for producing iconic music videos including “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’,” “Itz Yourz” and “M-E-T-H-O-D Man” for the Wu-Tang Clan. In addition to his work in music videos, Gee-Bee has also produced and directed several feature-length films and documentaries including “Liberia: The Love of Liberty Brought Us Here,” “Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan,” “Bloody Streetz,” “The Bully,” and the critically acclaimed “Fatima’s Revenge.” Gee-Bee’s latest endeavors include the concert documentary “A Wu-Tang Experience: Live at Red Rocks Amphitheater,” “Life or Death: The Arthur ‘Silky Slim’ Story,” “No Not Me,” an exploration of female circumcision, and “Henrietta,” a documentary centering on civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump’s efforts to secure justice for the descendants of Henrietta Lacks. “A Wu-Tang Experience:…” is Executive Produced by RZA, Mitchell “Divine” Diggs, and Gano Grills. www.geebeeproductionsnyc.com

Mona Ibrahim
Hip-Hop Education Center
[email protected]