The City of Worcester will celebrate one of the most influential hip-hop groups this Saturday with a coinciding concert featuring one of the group’s founding members that will take place that same day.
Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty has proclaimed Nov. 9 as Wu-Tang Day, a day that celebrates the music, legacy, and impact of the New York-based hip-hop group, the Wu-Tang Clan.
The proclamation comes as a concert is scheduled to be held at Off the Rails that same day which will feature Inspectah Deck, one of the rappers of the group, according to Steven “Stenny” Stentiford, a Boston-area disc jockey.
The concert is a part of The Puff Down, an annual event that features live music and networking for those in the cannabis industry that Stentiford himself is involved with.
The concert will open at 7 p.m. and Petty himself will attend to give the proclamation, according to a spokesperson from the mayor’s office.
Other musical acts include Stentiford and his band, The Sensi Allstars, and other local artists.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Inspectah Deck to Worcester and to honor Wu-Tang’s profound influence on music, art, and culture,” Stentiford said in a statement. “The Wu-Tang Clan has inspired generations, and celebrating their impact on Veterans Day weekend underscores their role in shaping hip-hop and its reach around the world.”
In 2023, New York City Mayor Eric Adams proclaimed Nov. 9 as Wu-Tang Day, according to reporting by SiLive. The day was also the 30th anniversary of the group’s debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers),
Stentiford said he wanted Worcester to do the same, and asked the mayor to proclaim Nov. 9 as Wu-Tang Day in Worcester.
He highlighted how the group has not only influenced the country but Worcester too when they performed at the Palladium theater.
He brought up Inspectah Deck’s upcoming appearance on Nov. 9 and told Petty that this was an opportunity to honor the group when he comes to the city.
“I thought it was a great idea to go to the mayor of Worcester,” he told MassLive. “Wu-Tang has huge history in Worcester, and they’ve also done a bunch of stuff individually in Worcester.”
Stentiford also told MassLive that he and his group have toured with members of Wu-Tang Clan before, including Cappadonna and the aforementioned Inspectah Deck.
Tickets for the concert and for The Puff Down can be purchased here.
