In this SOLO SHOOTOUT we salute one of hip-hop’s most influential figures – RZA. As the mastermind behind the Wu-Tang Clan, he created one of the most distinctive sounds in hip-hop history, building dark, gritty beats from dusty soul samples and kung fu movies.

His crazy run of classics, from Wu-Tang’s 36 Chambers in 1993 to Wu-Tang Forever in 1997, hit hip-hop like an East Coast earthquake – an unprecedented streak of quality and consistency that shook up the sound and changed the game forever.

But his influence goes far beyond production. As a rapper, writer, actor and visionary, he helped turn Wu-Tang into a cultural phenomenon whose influence reached far beyond hip-hop.

To honour our esteemed artist, we pulled out all the stops and convinced (OK, blackmailed) ITV to let us record this episode in their swanky World Cup studio overlooking New York, the city where RZA made his name.

If you’re new to the pod, SHOOTOUT works like this: we select 10 RZA productions that face each other in a series of one-on-one duels. We rate them, debate them and pick a winner using the three-man vote. We then tot up our TruSkore ratings for the five winners on Steve’s trusty abacus to find the overall champion.

Along the way, we also explore the mysterious Glaciers of Ice sample that eluded spotters for years, examine RZA’s idiosyncratic rapping style and try to unpack what makes his productions so unique – with intermittent yet insightful analysis from our usual panel of football pundits.

Ten productions. Five duels of the iron mic. One champion. So bring da ruckus and hit play!

TRACKS

1. Wu-Tang Clan – Uzi (Pinky Ring)
2. Method Man feat Mary J Blige – I’ll Be There For You / You’re All I Need To Get By (Razor Sharp Mix)
3. Raekwon – Glaciers Of Ice
4. Raekwon – Knuckleheadz
5. Raekwon – Incarcerated Scarfaces
6. Wu-Tang Clan – 7th Chamber Part II
7. Wu-Tang Clan – Triumph
8. GZA – 4th Chamber
9. Method Man – Bring The Pain
10. Gravediggaz – Diary Of A Madman

SHOOTOUT SPOTIFY PLAYLIST (RZA):

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2tZeHhzekLidEUCgQsuTVu?si=oNUdPuHQQ6aNiR7dPSUmnA

WEBSITE:

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Please rate and review Hip-Hop World Cup on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, which will help raise our visibility and give the podcast ‘mass appeal’.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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Beats and stings by Danny Phillips: ⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978

Welcome to Hip Hop World Cup REPLAY – your chance to revisit classic matches between golden-age rap albums from the Hip Hop World Cup vault!

This episode is a heavyweight bout between two landmark albums from 1990 – Eric B & Rakim's Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em and LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out.

One reaffirmed Rakim's reputation as hip-hop's greatest lyricist. The other marked LL's spectacular comeback, reminding everyone exactly why he was a superstar (although we're still not allowed to call it a comeback).

These albums showcased two of the finest MCs of their generation and helped redefine what it meant to be an elite rapper. One raised the bar for lyrical complexity, the other proved that swagger, charisma and commercial success didn't have to come at the expense of skills.

And let's not forget Eric B's pivotal role in all this. His ability to make a cup of tea that met Rakim's EXACTING standards during the recording sessions was second to none. Only joking – Rakim drank coffee.

So now, after all these years, we finally decide once and for all which of these two albums takes the belt and which is left on the canvas with blood dribbling from its mouth. You're welcome.

Sit back, relax and enjoy this classic clash!

WEBSITE:

⁠⁠https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com⁠⁠

EMAIL:

hiphopworldcuppod@gmail.com

JOIN OUR PATREON!

Sign up to our Champions Tier⁠ on Patreon and access exclusive bonus content:⁠

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ALL PREVIOUS EPISODES AVAILABLE NOW ON YOUR PODCAST APP OF CHOICE:

Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632⁠⁠⁠⁠

Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please rate and review Hip-Hop World Cup on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, which will help raise our visibility and give the podcast ‘mass appeal’.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Follow and holler at us on social media to share your thoughts on the episode or talk 90s hip-hop in general:

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Beats and stings by Danny Phillips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978⁠

Welcome to Hip Hop World Cup REPLAY – your chance to revisit classic matches between golden-age rap albums from the Hip Hop World Cup vault!

This episode features a heavyweight clash between two of 1995’s biggest and best rap albums.

Mobb Deep’s The Infamous is an absolute behemoth, regarded by many as one of the best hip-hop albums ever made – a sentiment we share here at HHWC HQ. Its bleak, brutal beats and Havoc and Prodigy’s chilling street tales make for a compelling listen, garnished by memorable appearances from Nas, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and Q-Tip.

Their opponent is Harlem’s Big L, a gifted rapper gunned down in his prime four years after blessing the world with his killer debut LP Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous. With D.I.T.C.’s all-star producers delivering some of their best work on the boards and L spitting timeless punchlines and metaphors with panache, this is New York boom-bap at its finest.

The question is, which one emerged victorious in this episode? Press play to find out!

WEBSITE:

⁠⁠https://hiphopworldcup.podview.com⁠⁠

EMAIL:

⁠hiphopworldcuppod@gmail.com⁠

JOIN OUR PATREON!

Sign up to our Champions Tier⁠ on Patreon and access exclusive bonus content:⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/HipHopWorldCup⁠⁠⁠⁠

ALL PREVIOUS EPISODES AVAILABLE NOW ON YOUR PODCAST APP OF CHOICE:

Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hip-hop-world-cup/id1589610632⁠⁠⁠⁠

Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6aBAonIjzVh1zr27q733yK⁠⁠⁠⁠

Please rate and review Hip-Hop World Cup on Apple, Spotify or your podcast app of choice, which will help raise our visibility and give the podcast ‘mass appeal’.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Follow and holler at us on social media to share your thoughts on the episode or talk 90s hip-hop in general:

Instagram, X, Threads and Bluesky: @hiphopworldcup

Beats and stings by Danny Phillips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://soundcloud.com/dannyphillips1978