Musically there have been a few defining moments in my life, one of them being the first time I was put onto Wu-Tang’s Enter The 36 Chambers. I didn’t understand exactly what it was that I was listening to, but I did know for sure that this was something I wanted to hear more of.  The gritty beats, lyrics, and overall content of the records were like watching a movie, and I couldn’t look away. I studied every scene, visualizing the whole album in a slightly different way each time through.  My 36 Chambers cassette had found a permanent home in my walkman, where it stayed until excessive use led to the tape literally unravelling. I did some serious surgery on it, but to no avail … so I bought another. I still have that cassette, along with the vinyl and CD to match.

RZA’s performance as producer on 36 Chambers is one for the ages.  ”Tearz” is actually one of the only records on there for which he used just one sample – Wendy Rene’s “After Laughter.”  The first 20 seconds of the song provided RZA with a perfect hook, and also a jumpy loop for the verses.  I like the way RZA chose drums sounds that accompany the sample without overpowering it, which creates the perfect backdrop for the stories him and Ghostface tell in their verses.  Just another great record on a historic album.

Wendy Rene – After Laughter (Comes Tears)

Wu-Tang – Tearz

via Kevin Casey Music