Song of the day for November 13 2023
Today’s song is Triumph (EXPLICIT) by the Wu-Tang Clan.
It was on this date in 2004 Ol’ Dirty Bastard (of Wu-Tang Clan), real name Russell Tyrone Jones, dies of a drug overdose at age 35. After several years of feuding, the rap group A Tribe Called Quest get back together for a reunion show at the Rock the Bells festival. It’s also the night when their friend and fellow rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard from the Wu-Tang Clan dies. A Tribe Called Quest open their show with a tribute to ODB and perform some of Wu Tang’s songs to start the set.
“Triumph” is a song by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, from their 1997 album Wu-Tang Forever. It was released as the lead single from the album in February 1997. The song does not have a chorus, instead, solely consisting of an intro and interlude by Ol’ Dirty Bastard and verses from the other eight Wu-Tang members and associate (and future member) Cappadonna. It is the only Wu-Tang song featuring all members.
The song received critical acclaim; Inspectah Deck’s verse particularly praised as one of the greatest verses in hip hop of all time (“I bomb atomically, Socrates’ philosophies and hypotheses / Can’t define how I be dropping these mockeries / Lyrically perform armed robbery / Flee with the lottery, possibly they spotted me”).