It was a night of torch-passing and time-travel at the Moody Center as Клан Ву-Тан brought their “Final Chamber” farewell tour to Austin, with Run the Jewels setting the stage for a show that felt like both a celebration and a send-off.
Run The Jewels
Run the Jewels hit first with the energy of a group still in their prime. Killer Mike and El-P bounded across the stage like kids let loose in a cipher, trading sharp, surgical verses and big grins over fan-favorite cuts from across their catalog. Songs like “Legend has it,”“ooh la la,” “Lie, Cheat, Steal,” and “Close Your Eyes (And Count to F***),” drew massive sing-alongs, got the crowd hyped, and proved why RTJ has become the go-to standard-bearers for smart, confrontational хип-хоп.
Don’t even get me started on their overall stage chemistry; other bands will want to study these two for years. This concert may be a send-off to the legendary Wu-Tang clan, but it’s also pretty clear RTJ is still just getting started. Towards the end of their 40-minute setlist, the duo rounded out with “a few words for the firing squad (radiation)”—a powerful moment dedicated by El‑P to his late father. Fitting for Father’s Day.
Wu-Tang
Then came Wu-Tang.
In what may be their final full-crew tour, the Clan made their presence known with a relentless, four-act journey through their legacy. The entire two-hour show was broken into Acts, telling a lifelong journey for our artists. Throughout the entire arena, and the whole night, hands were up in the form of W’s to greet one of the greatest rap groups of all time.
Act I saw the group reassemble track by track from Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) – RZA leading off with “Bring Da Ruckus,” followed by Ghostface, Raekwon, GZA, Deck, and so on, until the roar of the crowd reached full tilt with Method Man’s explosive entrance. It was a masterclass in nostalgia and performance, each MC falling right back into step like they never left. I’ve seen Method Man perform about four times now, and he’s one artist who never fails to bring unmatched energy—his presence alone has the power to electrify an entire crowd.
Act II brought the solo cuts: Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, Meth’s Tical, Inspectah Deck’s nod to Gang Starr. Even in solo mode, the energy stayed collective — a reminder that Wu-Tang’s strength has always been in its parts as much as its whole. Tracks featured in Act II included “Bring the Pain”, “Ice Cream”, and “Can It All Be So Simple”.
Act III dove deeper into the catalog, featuring a deadly combo of GZA’s Liquid Swords tracks, including “4th Chamber,” Masta Killa’s “No Said Date,” and fan-favorite deep cuts that kept the energy simmering. The placement of each song throughout the set was no accident—each act gave space for individual members to shine, like chapters in a living anthology. If you were to throw every member’s greatest hits into one massive setlist, the Clan could’ve easily played another two hours—and no one would’ve budged from their seat.
Act IV brought deeper cuts and long-time favorites — with a crowd-erupting version of “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” with Young Dirty Bastard channeling his father, ODB, with uncanny swagger. “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Triumph” closed out the set, the latter introduced by RZA with a note of gratitude and finality. “All good things come to an end,” he said. “But hip-hop lives on. Wu-Tang lives on.”
Between sets, fans caught teasers for future solo projects: a RZA-directed film, a new Wu Tang video game, and a Cuban Linx documentary. If this really is the final time all nine surviving members will share a stage, they made sure to leave no doubt that the Wu brand – the legacy – will continue in every medium possible.
I’m hoping it’s not true—but if this truly is the last time we see the Wu-Tang as a whole on stage like this together, I’m honored I got to witness it. Frankly, it was one of the best performances the Moody Center has seen in a while.
