Sunday night, the Wu-Tang Clan made history as the first hip-hop act to ever headline Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
The venue is originally known as the Grand Ole Opry, dubbed the Mother Church of Country Music and in its over a century-long history, it has never had a hip-hop act top its bill.
"It's just not intuitive to have necessarily a hip-hop show at the Ryman," Nashville concert promoter and Belmont University professor Eric Holt told NPR of the venue's history with the hip-hop genre prior to Wu-Tang's show. "It's going to be interesting. I mean, the energy, I think is going to be different."
The venue's former general manager, Pam Matthews went on to tell NPR that it was not for lack of trying as she previously reached out to the likes of 50 Cent and Insane Clown Posse to headline Ryman.
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Matthews adds that the venue's set up, a 2300-person capacity theater with bolted down pews, could be a part of hip-hop's shying away from Ryman in the past, citing acts wanting their fans to be able to move around.
"You know, the Ryman has had to grow up too, and had to grow up into what the city is," adds Shannon Sanders, a Grammy-winning musician and record producer in Nashville. "You know, the Wu-Tang is ready for the Ryman, but also the Ryman is ready for the Wu-Tang."
