2. Wu Tang ClanEnter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers)
This reshaped music and the way I wanted to approach it. You wouldn’t think it because it had been out 10 years when I got into it in 2003. I was working in this warehouse and this guy used to bring loads of hip hop in and stick it on. And after a while it’s like, this is really good, you know. They didn’t even rap on some tracks, it’s just shouting. And all the martial arts stuff. The chaos of it and the intermissions of, "Some blokes got shot round the corner, I’m not joking!" It’s really funny.
I found I really connected to it because at the time I had no money. I was a bit of a shit-kicker. You got the impression that these were people at the end of their tether. Not in a good position. Just chaotic.
It didn’t adhere to this idea of hip hop, hippety hop. It made no sense as well, especially people like Ol’ Dirty Bastard, I was just like, "What the fuck are you on about?" That really influenced me. I realised you could marry words that don’t make sense. They gave across this humanist thing, they weren’t just intimidating, or playing up to this image. I found that quite endearing. I like the dusty drum beat, the production is great.
