Posted on: October 2nd, 2009 by Reuben Turner

Ah, the narrative arc that’s so common to rap artists everywhere. You spend the first part of your life running from the police, hiding in stairwells and hustling to make a living. You work hard to get airtime, a guest slot on someone else’s record or a support gig at a show.

Then, one day, you make it. And it all goes wrong.

The Wu-tang clan’s first LP, Enter the 36 Chambers, came out in 1993. It was so raw, dirty and different it took the hip hop world by storm. And the clan soon moved into a different world. Mansions in Miami. Big cars. Award shows. Celebrity girlfriends. The nine members of the Wu were quick to cash in, recording solo albums, launching a record label and starting a clothes line (Wu Wear).

Now the only question left was… what did they have left to rap about? Well, fame, inevitably. Which turned out to be a bit of a boring subject. So album two (‘the W’) was bombastic and overblown, drenched in string quartets, backing singers and helicopters (and stretching across two CDs or a ridiculous eight sides of vinyl). Albums three, four and five were increasingly forgettable. Last year’s ‘return to form’ Eight Diagrams sank without trace.

It can be much the same (here comes the link) when you work on a new fundraising brand. There’s so much excitement about your first piece of work. Collectively you put everything you have into it. Because you’re trialling a new approach it stands out, and often performs brilliantly.

But the challenge is to keep that energy and enthusiasm going.

Just two or three appeals later it’s possible to find you’ve run out of subject matter, you’ve spent too long discussing how to do the work (rather than doing the work) and the audience has lost interest.

It’s a narrative arc you need to look out for. Don’t dwell on success. Keep reminding yourself of your scrappy, hungry background. And if you need to, go right back to basics.

RZA, are you listening?

One Response to “What the Wu”

1. Natasha says:

   October 5, 2009 at 12:49 pm

   Perhaps WTC should write a charity song?