Witness The Surreal Spectacle Of Wu-Tang Clan Performing “Protect Ya Neck” On Good Morning America
Are you ready for some real cognitive dissonance? Try this: Method Man fuming about rappers “crossing over, like they don’t know no better” on a bright morning-TV set, in front of a studio audience of smiling, clapping grown-ups in Wu-Tang shirts. I invite you to behold the emotional whiplash of the entire Wu-Tang Clan doing their screaming, chaotic breakout single “Protect Ya Neck” in the safe environs of the Good Morning America set.
Around the time “Protect Ya Neck” came out, Wu-Tang were a shadowy, mysterious force. There were stories about the group beating up and robbing journalists who went to interview them. But times change. 25 years ago, Wu-Tang released Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), their landmark debut album. And now they’re on breakfast-time ABC, talking to Michael Strahan about how today has officially been declared Wu-Tang Clan Day on Staten Island.
All the surviving members of Wu-Tang turned up to do “Protect Ya Neck” on GMA today, with the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s son standing in for his father. (He did a pretty great ODB impression, too, right down to the hairstyle.) There is no bad way to hear “Protect Ya Neck.” But it turns out that there is a weird way. Shout out to ABC’s overly aggressive censor, who silenced vast stretches of the song and at least lent the performance some hint of transgression. Watch it all unfold below.
Let’s have a mud fight.