Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group that consists of: RZA, GZA/Genius, Ghostfac… Read Full Bio ↴Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group that consists of: RZA, GZA/Genius, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group. They were formed in (and are associated with) the New York City borough of Staten Island (referred to by members as "Shaolin"), though Masta Killa and GZA are from Brooklyn and Inspectah Deck is from the Bronx. They have gone on to become multi-platinum record producers, Grammy winners, TV and film stars, screenwriters, product spokespersons, business owners and, most recently, major motion picture composers. The Clan featured nine MCs until the death of Ol' Dirty Bastard in 2004. One of the most critically and commercially successful hip hop groups of all time, Wu-Tang Clan shot to fame through their uncompromising brand of hardcore rap music. Since their debut, they have introduced or launched the careers of numerous other artists and groups, and already in 1994 there were credited to be over 300 Wu-Tang Clan affiliates, known as the Wu-Tang Killa Bees, consisting of rappers, producers, and record label CEOs.

The founders of the Wu-Tang Clan were RZA, GZA, and Ol' Dirty Bastard, who had previously formed the group Force of the Imperial Master (later known as All In Together Now after the release of a popular single by that name). The group attracted the attention of some notable figures in the industry, including Biz Markie, but did not manage to secure a record deal. After the crew dissolved, GZA and RZA (then known as Prince Rakeem) embarked on their solo careers with Cold Chillin' Records and Tommy Boy Records respectively, but to little success. Their frustration with the workings of the hip hop music industry would provide the main inspiration to Wu-Tang Clan's revolutionary business plan. According to The Wu-Tang Manual, at the group's inception, RZA promised the members that if he had total control of the Wu-Tang empire, it would conquer the hip hop world within a dynastic cycle, after which he would relinquish his total control.

Wu-Tang Clan was gradually assembled in late 1992 from friends and accomplices from around Staten Island, New York, with RZA as the de-facto leader and the group's main producer. Two of the cousins, GZA (pronounced Jizza) and RZA (pronounced Rizza), created their new Wu-Tang aliases by mimicking the sound that the words "genius" and "razor" would make when scratched on a turntable.

"Wu-Tang" comes from the name of the Taoist holy mountain Wu Dang in northwest Hubei Province in central China; it was also the site of the Ming Dynasty Purple Imperial City built during the reign of the Yongle Emperor in the early 15th century. RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard adopted the name for the group after seeing the kung fu film Shaolin and Wu Tang, which features a school of warriors trained in Wu-Tang style. The group's debut album loosely adopted a Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang theme, dividing the album into Shaolin and Wu-Tang sections and using dialogue excerpts as skits.

The group have also developed various backronyms for the name (as hip hop pioneers like KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane did with their names), including "We Usually Take All the Niggas' Garments," "Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game" and "Wisdom, Universe, Truth, Allah, Nation, and God".

Method Man has also mentioned that the "Wu" is the sound a sword makes when cutting through the air, and "Tang" is the sound it makes against a shield.

The Clan first became known to hip hop fans, and to major record labels, in 1993 (see 1993 in music) following the release of the independent single "Protect Ya Neck", which immediately gave the group a sizeable underground following. Though there was some difficulty in finding a record label that would sign 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 late 1993. This album was popular and critically-acclaimed, though it took some time to gain momentum. Though hip hop had long had a gritty texture, the surreal aggression and minimalist production of 36 Chambers nevertheless had a huge impact on the genre, and was to prove massively influential over the next decade. By the beginning of the 21st century, the album had become a regular fixture on "Best Albums of the 90s" lists as well as a frequent choice for "Best Albums of All Time" lists. The success of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) established the group as a creative and influential force in early 1990s hip hop, allowing GZA, RZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa to negotiate solo contracts.

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03. Clan In Da Front
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴

Up from the 36 Chambers
Heheh, it's the Ghost Face Killah

Wu-Tang
Wu-Tang Killa Beez, we on a swarm
Wu-Tang Killa Beez, we on a swarm
Wu-Tang Killa Beez, we on a swarm
Wu-Tang Killa Beez, we on a swarm

The RZA, the GZA, Ol Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, you-God
Ghost Face Killer, the Method Man, Raekwon the Chef, the Master Killer
Raw Desire, LeVon, Power Cipher
Twelve O'Clock, Sixty Second Assassin, the 4th Disciple
The Brand White
K.D. the Down Low Wrecka, Shyheim AKA The Rugged Child
Doo-Doo Wales, Mista Hezakiah, better known as the Yin and the Yang
The Tru Masta, Asan, DJ Skane, The Tru Robocop comin' through
Scientific Shabazz, my motherfuckin' man Wise the Civilized
The Shaolin Soldiers, Daddy-O and Popa Ron
Comin' down from the motherfuckin' South end of things

Killa beez all over your fuckin' planet
Thirty-six chambers of death
Three-hundred and sixty degrees of perfected styles
Choppin' off your motherfuckin' dome
Peace, and every fuckin' borough
Crooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island
The motherfuckin' Bronx, killa beez

The sword?
come on, give him the sword

Clan in da front, let your feet stomp
Niggas on the left, brag shit to death
Now hoods on the right, wild for the night
Punks in the back, come on and attract to

The Wu is comin' through, the outcome is critical
Fuckin' wit my style, is sort of like a Miracle
On 34th Street, in the Square of Herald
I gamed Ella, the bitch caught a Fitz like Gerald-
Ine Ferraro, who's full of sorrow
'cause the hoe didn't win but the sun will still come out tomorrow
And shine shine shine like gold mine
Here comes the drunk monk, with a quart of Ballentine
Pass the bone, kid pass the bone
Let's get on this mission like Indiana Jones, the GZA
One who just represent the Wu-Tang click
With the game and soul, of an old school flick
Like the Mack and Dolemite, who both did bids
Claudine went to Cooley High and had mad kids
So stop, the life you save may be your motherfuckin' own
I'll hang your ass with this microphone
Make way for the merge of traffic
Wu-Tang's comin' through with Full Metal Jackets
God squad that's mad hard to serve
Come frontin' hard, then Bernhard Goetz what he deserves

Clan in da front, let your feet stomp
Niggas on the left, brag shit to death
Now hoods on the right, wild for the night
Punks in the back, come on and attract to

The response while I bomb that ass, "You ain't shit!"
Your wack ass town had you gassed
Egos is somethin' the Wu-Tang crush
Souped up niggas on a stage get rushed
I don't give a god damn, on the shows you did
How many rhymes you got, or who knows you kid?
'cause I don't know ya therefore show me what you know
I come sharp as a blade and I cut you slow
You become so Pat as my style increases
What's that in your pants ah human feces!
Throw your shitty drawers in the hamper
Next time come strapped with a fuckin' Pamper
How ya sound be ? You're better off a quitter
I'm on the mound G, and it's a no-hitter
And my DJ the catcher, he's my man
Anyway he's the one who devised the plan
He throws the signs I hook up the beats with clout
I throw the rhymes to the mic and I strike em out
So it really doesn't matter on how you intrigue
You can't fuck with those in the major leagues

Clan in da front, let your feet stomp
Niggas on the left, brag shit to death
Now hoods on the right, wild for the night
Punks in the back, come on and attract to

Clan in da front, let your feet stomp
Niggas on the left, brag shit to death
Now hoods on the right, wild for the night
Punks in the back, come on and attract to

Hoods on the right
Punks in the back, to what
Niggas on the left
Hoods on the right
Punks in the back, come on, to what
Let your feet stomp
Brag shit to death
Wild for the night

Niggas on the left, brag shit to death
Hoods on the right, wild for the night

Punks in the back, come on and attract to
Clan in da front, let your feet stomp

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Wu-Tang Clan's song Clan In Da Front are an expression of the group's identity and ethos. The song begins by naming the members of the Wu-Tang Clan and their aliases, emphasizing their status as Killa Beez on a swarm. The group presents themselves as a collective, referring to themselves as a clan whose way of life is to be on top of the world, represented by the line, "Killa beez all over your fucking planet." The lyrics highlight the fact that they come from humble beginnings, represented in the line "Up from the 36 Chambers," which is a nod to their debut album, "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)."

As the chorus starts, the song encourages listeners to move their feet and involves them in the act of staking their place in the world. Wu-Tang Clan challenges listeners to prove themselves or show them what they know. They also describe themselves as an unstoppable force or power cipher (a system, usually involving numbers or symbols, used to secure a message or secret) with a perfected style.

The lyrics in Clan In Da Front are an affirmation of Wu-Tang Clan's philosophy, and the song is a testament to their status as one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: CLIFFORD SMITH, COREY WOODS, DENNIS DAVID COLES, GARY E. GRICE, JASON HUNTER, LAMONT HAWKINS, ROBERT F. DIGGS, RUSSELL T. JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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