The City with INS The Rebel (Wu Tang Classic)

INS The Rebel, one of hip hop’s greatest lyricists, from the Wu Tang Clan, is the feature artist on The City. A track that borrows the chorus of Stevie Wonder’s classic, of a similar name. Living for the City.  This has been the experience of the black man in America. Way back when Stevie first dropped his classic in the early 70’s, all the way to when Inspectah Deck penned this in the late 90’s. The City is on one of the greatest Wu Tang Albums of all time, Wu Tang Forever.

The City is a breif, tales from the hood, that was followed by “The Projects” on this same album, with Rae, Ghost, and Meth.

Here we are, 20 years later, almost 50 years since Stevie first sang about it, and black people still getting by, day by day and constantly under threat. Shit needs to change, soon. How much more of living ‘just enough’ for the city, can black people do?

The world is shifty, we living just enough for the city
The rough witty Killa Bee sting just like the jiggy
My Family Stone, foes attempt to gradually clone
Labelled MIA and I send the casualties home
In closed coffins, Wu storming like the light brigade
Ride the wave like Frankie Avalon inside the cyber age
Crime pays, the law’s long arm be tryna strong arm
Walking time-bombs that thrive on firearms

Hoping 3 Cash stacks is enough to get Inspectah Deck by, on this throwback Thursday. The City is short, wish it was longer. Like most features from INS, he’s in and out. Always barred up. Let us know if you think we rated this right. Also check out a live set from this same week, celebrating the life, and musical contributions of Stevie Wonder, on his 70th Birthday.