Ever wonder where the legendary hip-hop artists known as Wu-Tang Clan got their name and style? They were influenced by diverse people and ideas.
Activity Time: 30 min - 45 min
Handouts:
Activities:
Themes:
“If you can’t live, you dying / You give or you buy in / Keep it real or keep it moving / Keep grinding, keep shining.” – Wu Tang
Activity steps
- Lead a discussion about participants’ favourite kinds of music and ask what they know about hip-hop.
- Walk through the Wu-Tang Clan handout, or read aloud.
- Working in pairs or small groups, explore the questions and activities below.
Reflect and discuss
- Over the years, Wu-Tang Clan members were influenced by many people and ideas, and influenced many others.
- Who or what are your influences? What exactly interests you about them?
- Who or what were your influences 5 years ago? What did you like about them?
- In what ways do you think you might influence others? How do you know?
- Identity, acceptance and performance are important themes in the Wu-Tang Clan story. They’re also important themes for youth.
- What are some of the specific worries around identity, acceptance and performance that a young person might have?
- What, if anything, do you worry about?
- How do you help yourself get back in balance when you’re worried? Where did you learn that approach?
- Over the years, RZA and the other members identified with a variety of names, roles and belief systems.
- What are some things that you self-identify with? In what ways are those names/roles/beliefs important to you?
- Imagine yourself in 10 years. Do you believe you will still identify the same way as you do now? Why or why not?
Get creative!
Create a logo that reflects aspects of your character and interests.
