We don’t know how or why, exactly, The Daily Show was selected as the launching platform for official new music from the Wu. We’re just happy that it happened: The combination of a relatively unified Clan — playing a new single titled, in honor of Mr. Youngblood Priest, “Ron O’Neal” — and the ever-menschy Jon Stewart was something pretty special.

It started with a sit-down, Stewart delightfully excited to have all present members active and accounted for and flanking him gloriously. “First of all, let me say this — it is an honor … for the uninitiated, let’s just get a quick intro down the line. We’ll start with Ghost.” Just Ghost? Well played, Stewart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkPkqvbwE4U

The rest of the roll call (which ended with, NO SPOILERS, a solid comedic bit) was nicely instructive: U-God stumbled over his own nickname; GZA skipped the litany of alter egos for the simple “yo yo, this is GZA”; RZA said “bong bong.” We also found out that the new album, still at this point called A Better Tomorrow, will be out in November, which, if true, will mean it’ll come exactly a year past the group’s 20th anniversary. (By the way, this isn’t the “one copy only” album; no word on what the hell is going on with that. Oh, also, let’s just pray that the atrocious album cover, seen at the 12-second mark, isn’t real.) And then Stewart, bless his heart, asked actual questions he was interested in hearing actual answers to, in his particular way: “Ghost, you’re the heart, you’re an emotional guy … did you have reservations about coming back and … laying down things?” And true to form, the dudes didn’t try to act cute for the late-night cameras, answering the questions about their fragile unity with earnestness and care. They wrapped up with a gift for Jon, a pretty rad ODB shirt. “Ohhh. Ohhh you know I’m gonna sleep in this!”

The performance of “Ron O’Neal” was, let’s be honest, a bit more than awkward, but with promise: By the end, RZA was speeding over his own words and flinging the mic stand. Also, Masta Killa got some shine!

Better was their well-worn classic “Triumph,” performed as a web exclusive. “Please welcome once again, the Wu-Tang Clan,” Stewart says, his hand forming uncontrollably into a sheepish thumbs up as he skedaddles away. Proving, once again, that Jon Stewart is us all.

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