Wu-Tang Clan on Riker's Island (Stress Magazine)

During the Wu-Tang Clan's press-run to promote "Of Mics & Men" last year, they sat down with The Face for a candid interview. In that interview, RZA and Cappadonna address the rumors that Ol' Dirty Bastard had broke out of jail to attend a Wu-Tang performance. The conversation shifts to a separate story where the Wu-Tang performed on Riker's Island for ODB while he was locked down. The RZA shares, "We all went to the jail, and performed for Dirty in the jail. We had 40oz, Dirty's eating mad burgers in there too, fuck all that vegetarian shit!" RZA clarifies that it was around 1999-2000, "when they first locked him up and shit." Cappadonna shares that they performend "In the yard, I think it was C-76," which gives flashbacks of Raekwon wearing the C-76 Riker's Island t-shirt with Ghostface Killah down on canal street coppin' some cuban linx. Capp adds, "The inmates was in the yard with us. They wasn't locked up, they was standing right there!" The story pivots again to share the real story behind Ol' Dirty Batasrd breaking out of jail to play a show, but it was actually a halfway house and unrelated to Riker's Island. Stress Magazine did a brief article (below) about the Wu on Riker's Island in their magazine, but it was more about Dirty - Kane One shot some dope pictures that you can get a glimpse of in the article too. "With pounds and hugs his Wu cousins said peace, left loot in commissary and bounced back to Shaolin..." Check the interview with The Face for more Wu-mythbusters. Does anyone know of some video footage of the performance?

Arsonists "Mixtape, 1998" + Stress Magazine, 1997

This is the original Arsonists mixtape from 1998 featuring unreleased tracks, radio appearances, mixtape intros, etc. This is a rare tape now brought to you in digital format by the Arsonists and Creative Juices. Specifically, the mix features the incredible 'Battle of the Beats' that Arsonists won over some other incredible artists, as well as The Session, Halloween, Venom, Blaze, and a number of really dope exclusive freestyles with DJ Roc Raida (R.I.P.), Tony Touch, Mr. Sinista, DJ Camilo, and more. The real essence of what the Arsonists brought to Hip-Hop was captured in their live show. Their energy and stage presence was unmatched at the time. The article in Stress Magazine (1997) below speaks to that: "One of our biggest influences was the Cold Crush days and watching Wild Style over and over, plus some of us already danced," says D-Stroy. At Arsonist shows everything is crazy planned, like all of them will just freeze in a post during a person's verse or they'll change into airbrushed tank tops with letters on the front that go along with the song they're done. I've seen them incorporate funny hats, karate kicks, old dances and b-boying - and not once come off corny." Yessir! Much love to Freestyle, D-Stroy, Q-Unique, Jise One, Swel, the whole crew. Listen below...

Here's the full article in Stress Magazine, Issue #10, 1997...