The argument can be made that Lin-Manuel Miranda is one of the greatest musical composers of the 21st century. That can be attributed not only to more opinionated sectors, but also the fact that he’s been omnipresent going on a decade now. Ever since Hamilton hit the scene in 2015, he has been in high demand and has reshaped how we consume live theater. This has inspired commentaries and satires of his short legacy as well as questions as to whether he’d do anything as meaningful as his Founding Father story ever again. Yes, he’s gotten in with Disney and created earworms like “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and, in 2021, was involved with four movie musicals. Still the question remained… would he ever make something again that captured his youthful vitality?
I was concerned that Miranda was turning into a “for hire” composer as the hits were coming further apart. The Little Mermaid (2023) found his low point with “The Scuttlebutt” inspiring many essays pondering if the public had fallen out of love with him. Even the fact that he’s writing music for Mufasa (2024) doesn’t inspire confidence. In contrast, his balloon looked like it would burst as he co-wrote songs for his unceremonious Broadway return: the Kander & Ebb tribute New York New York. Even with one of the 20th century’s most recognizable compositions, it wasn’t enough to raise enthusiasm for a production with middling reviews. It could be that it wasn’t fully “his” project, but at the same time it begged the question… will Miranda ever capture that vitality again?
For those who love musicals, Warriors was one of those mythic rumors that nobody was sure existed. With collaborator Eisa Davis, they crafted a story based on the street gang drama The Warriors (1979) that would feature an all-star cast of performers. Along with Broadway stalwarts like Amber Gray, Phillipa Soo, Billy Porter, Colman Domingo, and Joshua Henry; Miranda and Davis pulled a move reminiscent of his Hamilton Mixtape days. Given his love of fusing genres, Miranda consulted artists ranging from rappers Nas, The Wu-Tang Clan, and Busta Rhymes as well as salsa singer Marc Anthony. This journey through The Five Burroughs would be an adventurous soundscape that featured everything from traditional theater to hip-hop, salsa, and even traces of metal. If anyone had the ambitions to pull it off, it was the man who made every line of Hamilton worthy of its own dissertation.
Right off the bat, the one thing that makes this feel like a revelation is that it’s not trying to match Hamilton’s energy. Where I feel like Miranda has struggled to have a follow-up of equal accomplishment, he’s managed to succeed by stripping back the complexities and instead focus on the raw human emotion that made his Tony-winning debut In the Heights such a groundbreaking work of art. It wasn’t a grand treatise about how history informs the present. It was a small character drama about trying to survive in a low-income community where the money may not be flowing, but the culture pours through the street with such excitement that it was deserving of its own story. In that respect, Warriors feels like the spiritual successor he’s been needing to make for at least 20 years now.
Miranda’s ascension into cultural icon status has made me believe that certain corners of his creativity were becoming more self-conscious. Gone were the days when he’d be messy. Everything would be purposefully channeled into reaching the biggest audience possible. I don’t want to suggest that Warriors is “shocking” necessarily. Compared to Michael R. Jackson, he’s still a saint. However, in an age where Disney populates his Spotify most played, hearing songs so full of violence, sexuality, and yes profanity seems unexpected. The decision to make a musical that openly embraces an ACAB mentality is even more alarming given Hamilton’s reverence for larger government institutions. There’s so much in the framework that make Miranda feel alive, as if he’s been holding onto these ideas and trying to make them as perfect as possible.
Which isn’t to say that, compositionally, this is one of his most challenging records either. It’s closer to Bring It On with how it’s less about nuanced lyrics and more the joy of group mentality. The most abstract element of the show comes in the fantastic opener “Survive the Night” where he assigns rappers to symbolize The Burroughs. While they don’t come back anywhere else in the 80 minute production, there is something essential to opening with the metaphysical sounds of RZA rapping as Staten Island or Cam’ron as Manhattan. Miranda’s always been great at introductions and there’s an immediacy here that makes you understand the intensity that’s about to follow. With narrator DJ Lynne Pen (Shenseea) providing context, this is a world that already feels lived in. As the gang does a “Cell Block Tango” style roll call, the listener is immediately thrilled to get into Track 2.
A large part of the reason Warriors works is because Miranda’s ear for fusion feels like more than novelty. Even with a lot of this leaning into grittier and darker tones, there is a purpose for every switch-up. At one point the central Warriors meet up with a group of men they deem cute who sings 90s style R&B like Boyz II Men. The villain’s motifs feel driven by System of a Down-style guitar and drums that allow his scratchy voice to yell “Watch the world burn!” with all the sinisterness of a stage production. Even as this revels in the hostile subjects, it’s hard not to admire that this is shamelessly theater. The harmonies are so perfect. The way Miranda uses actors allows for them to really ham it up. Nowhere is this clearer than in a scene where The Hurricanes do a scathing attack on our protagonists. It’s hard not to hear Billy Porter getting sassy and not think of Kinky Boots or Pose. Everything is so rich with personality that you understand why, no matter what happens from here, the concept album is probably going to be the best version of this story. Part of it is simply the expansiveness is allowed to exist here. It’s hard to think that all of these actors would be charismatic enough to put this on eight times a week. They’d be lucky to do a Diana: The Musical (2021)-style pro shot without a judging public. Still, I’d love to see it.
On record, Warriors is vivid. For as much as I’d love to see this play out with maybe a few tweaks for practicality, there is something to a story that exists solely through music. It’s a technique that Hadestown, Chess, and Evita all used to great impact. The ability to imagine every dangerous subway ride encourages the listener to envision a musical that Miranda couldn’t fully do justice. I’m sure he’d be able to hire the best choreographers and production designers, but would you want to ruin the imagination? Even the novelty of the opening would be hard to replicate as hearing anyone that’s not in The Wu-Tang Clan yell “Shaolin!” would seem dishonest. This feels like a fantasy, an endeavor that any goofy theater kid would want to strive for. Getting friends together to put on a show is always a good time, and I think the concept album is a format that doesn’t get utilized enough as a proof of concept. Miranda’s choice to start here make this the great “What if?”
I’m sure we’re five years off from whatever the next iteration would be, but for now it’s evidence that Miranda still has a fire in his belly. As someone who has always admired his craft, I don’t think he’s ever gotten worse. At most he’s done odd projects that haven’t resonated with me but reflects a performer whose aspirations are to entertain. He’s a figure who has thankfully not been pigeonholed and will do a little bit of everything until he lands on the next big idea. I personally feel like Warriors may be some of his best work since Moana (2016) if just because I get the sense that this story means something to him. He’s challenging the listener in ways I haven’t heard in so long that I became giddy at the stylistic callbacks to In the Heights. The fluency of urban fusion has rarely been more proficient and while he’s still a theater nerd who makes even the dirge seem campy; he’s doing it with such sincerity that the whole ride is profoundly enjoyable.
Most of all, this show ends with a sense of optimism and community that I’ve been needing to hear. America is in a very divided point in history. The feeling of oppression lingers for many represented in this story. Miranda’s choice to explore why it’s important to fight for the ones you love is such a beautiful message that I can forgive any moment that feels a bit off. At the end of the day, the melodrama works because I want these characters to get home safe. The cries of a found family are powerful and the final group chant shows a unity that many wish they could have. For as dangerous as the world is, there is still reason to get out and appreciate life. Everyone has their own community, but it’s important to understand that they’re still part of the same homeland. Not everyone will be kind, but enough are. Once you stop and listen, you’ll discover that they just want to survive against a system that might not have their best interest.
I don’t know if Miranda will ever work on another concept album or if he’s slowly aging into a new and more mature perspective. While I’m sure that will deliver some fantastic results, I will miss moments like this where it truly sounds like he’s fired up and ready to present a story that’s confrontational, rough around the edges, and full of some of the best vocal performances I’ve heard this year. Everything feels so alive and purposeful. I don’t know if this is the last time that Warriors will come out to play, but if it is I’m glad they brought their A-Game for one of the best musical albums of the year.
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