Wu-Tang Forever! Empire State Building Lights Up Yellow And Black To Honor Legendary Hip-Hop Group

Nov. 9 has been officially proclaimed Wu-Tang Day by New York City Mayor Eric Adams in honor of one of the city’s most legendary hip-hop groups.

To commemorate this historic feat, the Empire State Building shined bright in yellow and black to match the colors of the group’s iconic debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), released 30 years ago, Pitchfork reports. To celebrate, Legacy Recordings is issuing a special edition 7” box set featuring the album on vinyl, a 60-page book of liner notes with RZA interviews, limited edition photos, album lyrics, and a pack of “36 Chambers Trading Cards.”

The celebration doesn’t stop there. On Nov. 15, a new documentary, A Wu-Tang Experience: Live at Red Rock Amphitheatre, will be screened at Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater; it will be presented by the Hip-Hop Education Center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Wu-Tang founding member, RZA’s company, 36 Chambers ALC.

“Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” was released on Nov. 9, 1993, and became an instant blueprint for hip-hop around the world. Within one year of its release, the album went platinum and has boosted triple-platinum status. In 2022, the album was archived in the Library of Congress. The group was founded by nine men from the New York City borough of Staten Island–RZA, Method Man, GZA, Raekwon the Chef, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

Before a recent performance at NYC’s Gramercy Theatre, RZA spoke with the New York Daily News to touch on how it felt to be honored in the city that made him and the group what they are today, describing it as “surreal.” He reminisced about being an NYC messenger and delivering packages to the iconic NYC skyscraper.

“I couldn’t afford a bike. I’m a kid that’s going into Wall Street getting packages and delivering them to the Empire State Building,” RZA said. “And so now to know that same building that I delivered packages to, they’re gonna light it for Wu-Tang and our colors.”