Photo: Y.D.B. on iamhiphopmagazine.com
The Madvocates reflect on the influence of Wu-Tang brotherhood after their debut on "The Collective Society presents... F*ck Fame!" mixtape hosted by Young Dirty Bastard.
MACON - Nothing has been handed to Barsun Jones, better known as Young Dirty Bastard, the son of the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, a founding member of Wu-Tang Clan. Having gained popularity as a member of the Growing Up Hip-Hop: New York cast and creating music alongside other sons of Wu-Tang Clan members as 2nd Generation Wu, Dirty has been vocal during public appearances about his fight to earn the respect he feels he deserves.
Y.D.B. and Chris Wind the EMA of The Madvocates first crossed paths in 2014 while Dirty was grinding in Atlanta, doing tons of features and proving himself worthy of his father's legacy 10 years after his passing. Challenges presented themselves in the form of comparisons to O.D.B. as well as living up to the expectations of Wu alumni. Due to his rapidly increasing work load, that collaboration with Wind never materialized, and it would be another 5 years before the two would meet, this time a month after the passing of Wind's own father while Dirty was in Austin, TX, touring with Wu-Tang Clan.
They chatted and exchanged info, then in March 2020, Young Dirty reached out to Wind as he was preparing to host The Collective Society presents... Fuck Fame! mixtape. Little did either of them know that they were about to experience a world-shaking catastrophe that would change the course of life for the foreseeable future: The Global Coronavirus Pandemic. This would delay the release of the mixtape until December 2020--9 months later.
The Supreme Mathematics (the primary tenet of the Five Percent Nation, the way of life to which Y.D.B., Chris Wind the EMA, & several members of Wu-Tang subscribe) associates the number 9 with the quality "Born" which means "...to bring into existence. A child is born in 9 months from mental to physical." Likewise, over the course of that 9 months, Wind grew closer to Wu-Tang, receiving guidance from Cappadonna on reaching the youth; co-hosting Mook in the Morning alongside "The Man Behind the Clan", Wu-Tang Management CEO, John "Mook" Gibbons; and as a department head at Protect Ya Neck Records. What began with following Wu-Tang Clan's example to bring the Madvocates together for the sake of bringing Macon's urban music scene together, transformed into Wind and the other Madvocates working directly with efforts to unify the Wu-Tang brands for the purpose of showing all people in the world how to come together.
Bringing the branches of Wu-Tang together hasn't been the easiest task over the years. Public brotherly quarrels between the Generals blown out of proportion by the media; affiliates of affiliates using the Wu logo; clashes between individual artist managers--all have presented themselves as challenges to the cohesiveness of the brand, but are also a testament to how strong the bonds of loyalty are within the family. This is a quality The Madvocates have known all too well in the city of Macon, GA. Rivalries between neighborhoods, sides of town, and individuals have claimed lives, impacted the city's reputation, and largely prevented Macon from having a strong foothold in the urban music industry as a whole.
The Madvocates' fight to "bring the Phoenix to Maconga" (a phrase The Mads often use as a reference to RZA's description of the two-hand "W" salute as a symbol of bringing people together as well as referencing Marvel's "Avengers vs. X-Men" storyline in which the Mutants call upon the cosmic Phoenix force to rebuild their numbers after a great loss) prepared them for the task ahead by learning from their own internal disputes to gain insight into what has been experienced within the Wu organization.
"Saleena" represents the culmination of years of friendship and similar hardships coming together for the sake of free expression to be a reminder of everything that was done right in the Wu-Tang Clan. The song takes a break from the group's heavier themes to have fun exploring sex addiction with the backdrop of the toxic relationship shared by Batman and Catwoman (Selina Kyle) in DC Comics. This mixtape entry is more a celebration of the growing connection between Macon's music and the vast Wu-Tang legacy.
By continuing to support Killer Bees who may have felt slighted in the past while learning lessons from the better-known links in the Wu chain, The Madvocates are a stand for unity in a town not necessarily known for such, with an ongoing mission to unify the world by teaching understanding.
LISTEN TO "SALEENA" BY THE MADVOCATES ON "THE COLLECTIVE SOCIETY PRESENTS... F**K FAME!" MIXTAPE HOSTED BY YOUNG DIRTY BASTARD
WATCH Y.D.B. PERFORM "SHIMMY SHIMMY YA" WITH WU-TANG CLAN FOR HOT 97 SUMMER JAM 20