ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Cx1DJs We Do Things Different Podcast "Untold Stories of WuTang" hosted by DJButterrock
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip-hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992.[4] Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, Ol' Dirty Bastard. Close affiliate Cappadonna later became an official member. They are credited for revitalizing East Coast hip hop[5][6] and are widely regarded as one of the greatest hip hop groups of all time.[7][8]
After signing to Steve Rifkind's label Loud Records in 1992, Wu-Tang Clan released their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 1993; initially receiving positive reviews, it has since garnered widespread critical acclaim and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.[9][10][11] Members of the group released solo albums between 1994 and 1996. In 1997, the group released their second album, Wu-Tang Forever. It debuted atop the Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1998 Grammy Awards. The group later released the albums The W (2000), Iron Flag (2001), 8 Diagrams (2007), and A Better Tomorrow (2014), to less popularity. The only copy of their seventh album, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin (2015), was purchased for $2 million by former hedge fund manager Martin Shkreli,[12] making it the most expensive work of music ever sold.[13][14] In 2026, the group will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[15][16]
Wu-Tang Clan has introduced and launched the careers of a number of affiliated artists and groups, collectively known as the Wu-Tang Killa Bees.[17]
History
Founding
In the late 1980s, cousins Gary Grice, Robert Diggs, and Russell Jones formed a group named Force of the Imperial Masters, later known as the All in Together Now Crew.[18] Each member went under an alias: Grice as The Genius, Diggs as Prince Rakeem or The Scientist, and Jones as The Specialist.[19] The group never signed to a major label, but caught the attention of the New York City rap scene and was recognized by rapper Biz Markie.[20] By 1991, The Genius and Prince Rakeem were signed to separate record labels.[21] The Genius released Words from the Genius (1991) on Cold Chillin' Records and Prince Rakeem released Ooh I Love You Rakeem (1991) on Tommy Boy Records.[21] Both were soon dropped by their labels. They then adopted new monikers; The Genius became GZA (pronounced "jizza"), and Prince Rakeem became RZA (pronounced "rizza").[22] The Specialist also took on a new name and became known as Ol' Dirty Bastard.
RZA began collaborating with Dennis Coles, later known as Ghostface Killah, another rapper from the Stapleton Houses in Staten Island. The duo decided to create a hip-hop group whose ethos would be a blend of "Eastern philosophy picked up from kung fu movies, Five-Percent Nation teachings picked up on the New York streets, and comic books".[22] Wu-Tang Clan assembled in late 1992, with RZA as the de facto leader and the group's producer.[17] RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard adopted the name for the group after the film Shaolin and Wu Tang.[23] The group developed backronyms for the name (as hip-hop pioneers such as KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane did with their names), including "We Usually Take All Niggas' Garments", "Witty Unpredictable Talent And Natural Game", and "Wisdom of the Universe, and the Truth of Allah for the Nation of the Gods".[23]
1992–96: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and solo albums
"C.R.E.A.M."
Duration: 24 seconds.0:24
"C.R.E.A.M." features two verses from Raekwon and Inspectah Deck, who discuss their upbringings while living in New York City. It samples the Charmels' 1967 song "As Long As I've Got You".
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Following their 1993 independent single "Protect Ya Neck", Wu Tang Clan began to gain a sizable underground following. Though there was some difficulty in finding a record label that would sign the Wu-Tang Clan while still allowing each member to record solo albums with other labels, Loud/RCA finally agreed, releasing their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), in November 1993. The album loosely adopted a Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang theme, dividing the album into Shaolin and Wu-Tang sections.[24] The album received critical acclaim, and to date is regarded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.[25][26][27] The success of their debut album established the group as a creative and influential force in the 1990s, allowing individual members to negotiate solo contracts.[21] RZA spoke on the Wu-Tang Clan's unorthodox business model:
