Wu Tang Clan Channel Their Inner Flintstones In The ‘Gravel Pit’
By the year 2000, the Wu Tang Clan had firmly entrenched themselves into the fabric of Hip-Hop and Pop Culture at large. Multiple hit group albums, as well as a murder’s row of solo projects & collaborations had solidified Wu Tang as a defining group of the 1990s, as well as Staten Island’s greatest export.
At the turn of the millennium, and the release of their album ‘The W,’ Wu Tang Clan had found themselves embracing their own distinct voices after coming back together from their late-90s run of solo endeavors. This new-look reformation gives ‘The W’ a more focused & playful vibe. Everyone has come back into the fold with clear objectives and ideas to contribute. At around 60 mins, ‘The W’ is just about half the length of their previous album, the double-disc ‘Wu Tang Forever.’ Even if the trade-off in a less cohesive theme leaves the album a bit inconsistent, there’s no denying what’s here is an easy listen.
No track, or video, showcases this more than ‘Gravel Pit.’ A track that contains all the quick-witted, sample-driven hallmarks fans had come to know & love. But with a certain level of playfulness that could only come with the growing self-assuredness that they could dip in that direction while keeping things as cool as they ever were.
Director Joseph Khan (Torque, Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’) builds a very simple premise here. The Wu Tang Clan are seen getting into an elevator and Method Man accidentally hits a button that sends them all the way back to 2,000,000 B.C. Specifically, what amounts to if The Flintstones live-action movie had starred the Wu Tang Clan.
If that thought alone has you excited, this video is everything you are hoping it is and possibly more. You’ve got the titular gravel pit set up like an outdoor casino, complete with caveman & quarry themed slot machines, gambling tables, and stone playing cards. There’s giant CGI dinosaurs roaming around in the background. A big finale that includes a dude named “Bo Rockhard” challenging RZA to a fight against his band of ninja warriors? Why not.
Speaking of names. Each member gets their own Flintstones-style alias. RZA is "Bobby Boulders,” Method Man is "Joe Quarry,” Ol' Dirty Bastard is "Ol' Dirty Blocks,” Ghostface is "Frank Stoney,” Raekwon is "Lex Rockhead," and U-God is "Stonefingers.”
ODB, it should be noted, only appears in the video as a pair of arms sticking out of a prehistoric jail cell, as he was actually incarcerated at this time.
The bars fly fast & furious, keeping quick pace with the action and set designs on display. You can feel the sense of enjoyment everyone is getting from playing up these prehistoric mobsters, running the table on the Fred & Barneys of this world.
‘Gravel Pit’ knows exactly what it wants to be and executes its assignment with an ever-growing & relaxed confidence that, in hindsight, defined the early-2000s era of Wu Tang Clan. Hallmarks like their obsession with grindhouse kung-fu movies and mafioso tropes are all on display, but dialed up in a way they hadn’t been in the past. The result is a unique entry in the Wu Tang canon that both rewards longtime fans with something fresh, while ushering in a new era for new fans to jump on board.
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