SPILL LIVE REVIEW: WU-TANG CLAN w/ RUN THE JEWELS @ SCOTIABANK ARENA, TORONTO

WU-TANG CLAN w/ RUN THE JEWELS

@ SCOTIABANK ARENA, TORONTO

JULY 14, 2025

Wu-Tang Clan, along with openers Run The Jewels, took Toronto’s Scotiabank Area for a final time on July 14^th. With only a handful of dates remaining of Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber Tour, The Wu are set to take, supposedly, their final bow as a collective on July 18. As they took the stage for one last time in Toronto, they brought a set full equally with hits as it was deep cuts, making for a send-off to the group that felt like a love letter to hip-hop and the culture.

Run The Jewels have been fairly quiet in the last few years as Killer Mike went on to release his GRAMMY sweeping album, Michael in 2023, making this set their first show in Toronto since opening for Rage Against The Machine in the same venue in 2022. With only a brief set, RTJ brought a lively performance that demonstrated their worth as modern alternative rap icons. From the ferocity of “Legend Has It”, “Blockbuster Night Part 1”, and “Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck)”, to the undeniable swagger of “Ohh La La” and “Angel Duster”, Killer Mike and El-P are among the few active groups carrying old school sentiments in modern rap. With a set that relied heavily on their first two records, Run The Jewels brought it all with an explosive performance that refused to let up even for a single moment.

Finally, the moment was upon the sold-out arena as Wu-Tang Clan took the stage for a show delivered in three acts. The first act opened with RZA, backed by a nine-piece band, as he counted off the intro of “Bring Da Ruckus”. With each verse, a new MC would appear on stage, first Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, then GZA. Slowly, with each passing song, “Clan In Da Front”, “Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’”, and “Wu Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F’ Wit”, more rappers took the stage, one after another, allowing for the initial excitement – something that would often last a single song – to continue for nearly 30 minutes as the hype and energy built with the presence of each MC. Truly, the highlight here was Method Man – while the whole Clan rapped with a prowess worthy of their legendary status, his presence was captivating as he danced across the stage with a gravelly vocal tone so unique among hip-hop. Considering he was notably absent from their Toronto date in 2022, his performance of “Method Man” was exceptional. The production value was significant, as the Clan and their band ebbed and flowed through songs, omitting verses, and seamlessly transitioning from one track to the next, making for a powerful performance.

The second act was for the true hip-hop heads as different iterations of The Clan took the stage to perform gems from their respective solo catalogues. The first chunk saw Ghostface, Raekwon, and, later, Cappadonna, performing, among other songs, a series of tracks from Raekwon’s pivotal solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, including “Rainy Dayz”, “Criminology”, “Incarcerated Scarfaces” and “Ice Cream”. This was followed by a solo Method Man, performing “Release YO’ Delf”, “Bring The Pain”, and “I’LL be There For You/You’re All I Need To Get By”. Afterwards, GZA, RZA, and differing members – depending on who was needed for each track – performed a deadly trio from Liquid Swords including the title track, “Duel Of The Iron Mic” and “4^th Chamber”, as U-God, Cappadonna, and Masta Killa also took turns spitting verses. If you felt that this section of the set lost its momentum, then it wasn’t for you. By embracing some of the greatest collections of early solo work to emerge from The Clan, particularly that of Raekwon, Method Man, and GZA, and later Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Wu-Tang highlighted the cultural wave and artistry they unleashed upon pop culture and hip-hop throughout the ‘90s and early 2000’s. They dug deep for some of these tracks, making this a truly special moment among a massive night.

The night ended with the full clan performing “Reunited”, “C.R.E.A.M”, and “Triumph”, the first and last of which marked the only tracks to emerge from their sophomore album, Wu-Tang Forever – and save a verse from “Gravel Pit”, the only Wu-Tang Clan songs not from 36 Chambers, an album which they would perform almost in its entirety. While brief compared to the length of the previous acts, there was a momentous feeling to this conclusion as a surreal wave swept across the arena. Should this be the final time all nine members of Wu-Tang Clan take the stage, then this is how you close a massive set climactically.

The Final Chamber marks the end of a modern renascence surrounding The Clan since reuniting in 2018. This revival of interest saw the release of new music, documentaries, massive tours and even the semi-fictitious biopic series, An American Saga and demonstrated the influence the hip-hop veterans command over three decades after their seminal debut, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), denoting a continued relevance in our modern musical landscape. As they took moments to highlight their future endeavours – One Spoon Of Chocolate, a film written, produced, and directed by RZA, Rise Of The Deceiver, the upcoming videogame presented by Ghostface, and Raekwon’s documentary, Purple Tape Files – I can’t help but wonder if this is truly a farewell, or rather the beginning of a new era as The Wu, as a collective and as individuals, will flood pop culture with a steady flow of releases across different mediums as they retire from the road. Whatever’s to come next, one thing remains certain: Wu-Tang is forever.

Wu-Tang Clan Links

Run The Jewels Links