I I got into photography when I was 15. My partner’s grandfather passed away and he left behind a Praktica camera that we used to play with. I caught the bug quickly. In 1994, in my second year of university, I was a big fan of Wu-Tang Clan and one day, I heard that they were visiting their record office in Putney, London. So I went, too. I saw the coach outside, and soon I heard them, quarreling and riotous. As soon as I reached the corner, I started photographing them on the street. They gave me such energy but what really made it come together was the fact that Popa Wu was with them. He was great and a mentor to them. It was one of those times when I realized that if you don’t dare, you don’t win – so I asked him if I could get on the coach and go with them to shoot them. And he let me.
This was Wu-Tang Clan’s first US tour. It was these wild, suburban New York kids who had a brilliant talent for storytelling. On the coach, they were listening to deep soul music – Stax Records stuff. It was the only mixtape that everyone could agree on. It was more than the kind of soul I knew. That music has always stayed with me.
We stopped at Earl’s Court in west London because they needed passport photos for their visas. I took pictures of them there including a great shot of Method Man buying milk from a newsagent with a nan behind him in line. Then we got back on the coach and up to Kentish Town Hall where they were playing that evening. The coach parked, we got off, and everyone started crying. There was this rough area with railroad tracks and they started picking up rocks and throwing them at the passing trains. So, I pulled a few shots there. Then Method Man turned around and said: “Look at this, let me show you my new trick.” And he puts his veil over his eye, pulls it and makes a face. At that moment I knew I had something. Now it was like that. He was gone – never coming back. But then Masta Killa said: “Let me show you what I can do.” And he started doing this Big-Man thing, climbing the building. Ghostface Killah sees him doing that and he’s like: “No, no, I can do it better.” They were like characters from a comic book; it was like being with the X-Men.
It was one of those moments in my life where I felt the power of being a completist. I thought: “I want to find pictures of all the Wu-Tang Clan bands.” That was my dream – because I didn’t get everyone that day – RZA and Ol’ Dirty Bastard weren’t there. I knew I had to capture those nine characters as best as I could, with their personalities as the epitome of superheroes. That’s where it started when I was 19 years old and it took me 10 years to complete the work.
Even then, I knew this photo was great. It wasn’t just that it was fun. It was that the whole thing came together very well. I don’t know if the same image would have worked in color. It was one of those times. It made me realize that I can be a part of culture just by writing it, not shooting to try to make portraits. Even if you want to make one picture that says it all, it really is the original documents. For me, it’s writing a movement for a while, and not realizing what I’m doing. Doing it in a second for pure passion.
Eddie Otchere’s CV
He was born: London, 1974.
High level: Saul.
Top tips: You are only as good as the camera you have. The judge is the message. Change your camera, change your style. Jesus loves you, but Mary loves you more. Wisdom is crying out in the street, go find it. The harder you work, the luckier you get. Shoot first, ask questions later. Time is king. Yes, there are no deaths. Know yourself and accept yourself for the unpleasant mess that you are. Make prints – cloud storage will evaporate. Keep it real.
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