Oxbow Live, Firefly Organics, and The Honey Paw Present: GZA & The Phunky Nomads (Liquid Swords 30th Anniversary)

VIP Chessboxin’ Meet and Greet Package with GZA is available at checkout.

(Very limited availability.)

with Skyzoo, Landon Wordswell, and DJ Troy Frost

21+

| GZA |

One of Wu-Tang's most notable names, GZA, will be on the road celebrating the 30 year anniversary of his beloved hip hop classic album, Liquid Swords. With GZA just hopping off of a sold out stadium tour with The Wu-Tang Klan we are proud to bring him to Burlington, VT. GZA will be accompanied on stage with his full band, Phunky Nomads.

Opening this tour will be Brooklyn, NY staple and underground legendary emcee, Skyzoo. Skyzoo is a true gem to the underground hip hop community often recognized for his penchant for layered triple and quadruple entendres. Opening the show would be Skyzoo's latest label signee, Landon Wordswell. Landon is one of those artists whose work grows richer with each listen—deeply personal yet universally resonant.

A founding member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is the group's "spiritual head", being both the first member in the group to receive a record deal and being the oldest member. He has appeared on his fellow Wu-Tang members' solo projects, and has maintained a successful solo career starting with his second album Liquid Swords (1995).

His lyrical style often eschews typical rap themes in favor of science and philosophy. An analysis of GZA's lyrics found that he has one of the largest vocabularies in popular hip hop music. He teamed up with an education group to promote science education in New York City through hip hop. His style has been characterized as "armed with sharp metaphors and a smooth flow".

| The Phunky Nomads |

Phunky Nomads are a funk and soul-influenced hip-hop band based in New York City. The quartet has toured around the country and the world, performing with industry greats like GZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Big Daddy Kane, Roy Ayers, and Talib Kweli. They have also collaborated with popular entertainers like Russell Peters, Dave Chapelle, Kota The Friend and Lettuce. True to their name, the band’s music often challenges the status quo and drives awareness of key social issues. Recently released singles include “In The Sky”, “Born & Raised” and “Phunky Asiatic”.

The Nomads are made up of band leader and drummer Ramsey Jones, keyboardist Entrfied McCloud (aka The God of Sound), bassist Djibril Toure and violinist and rapper Shayshahn MacPherson (aka PhearNone). As a cousin of GZA, RZA and the oldest brother of late Wu-Tang Clan legend Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Ramsey first formed the Phunky Nomads to back up GZA during live performances. Since then, the band has honed in on their unique style, often fusing classically hip-hop beats in their performances and recordings with jazz, blues, funk and rock elements. An eclectic group of musicians from diverse musical backgrounds, the Nomads have a handful of honorary members who have collaborated with the band since its inception.

| Skyzoo |

Gregory Skyler Taylor, known professionally as Skyzoo, is an American rapper and songwriter. He has released a number of notable solo and collaborative albums, including Cloud 9: The 3 Day High with 9th Wonder in 2006, The Salvation in 2009, A Dream Deferred in 2012, Music For My Friends in 2015, and his most recent solo album All the Brilliant Things. Skyzoo has also released a plethora of non-commercial mixtapes including Corner Store Classic and The Great Debater throughout his career,[1] and has worked with artists such as Jill Scott, Wale, Lloyd Banks, Tyrese, Dr. Dre, Raheem Devaughn, Black Thought, Jadakiss, Talib Kweli, Spike Lee, John Legend, and others. Skyzoo has headlined or co-headlined often-yearly tours throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Africa, Australia, and Asia, and he owns and operates the independent record label First Generation Rich.

| Landon Wordswell |

Landon Wordswell is an Orlando based, St Louis area raised touring artist that has taken his talents just about everywhere. Wordswell has been fortunate enough to sharpen his blade amongst some of the best emcees alive doing shows and touring both nationally and/or internationally alongside greats such as Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Bun B, The Game, Raekwon (Wu Tang), Elzhi, Skyzoo, Gift of Gab (Blackalicious), and so many more.

Landon's live show effortlessly engages the audience with unique personal touches that are added organically via a heavy dose of introspective lyricism and the stories that come with it. At the base of each elaborate rhyme scheme he chooses is a militant, precise delivery. Landon also happens to be one of the newest signees to Skyzoo’s label, First Generation Rich, which will be putting out Wordswell’s most personal album yet, "Remember To Breathe" due to drop this fall.

| DJ TROY FrosT |

yara Andrade-HowelL

(DJ TROY FrosT) is an artist, educator & event curator from Dorchester and Roxbury with 12 years of dj experience.

[ Doors 7 PM | Show 8 PM ]

@oxbowliveme

Contact the host of GZA (Liquid Swords 30th Anniversary)