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.
www.wutang-corp.com
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.
www.wutang-corp.com
Can It Be All So Simple %01 Intermission
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
"Fuck yo, we gotta get this fuckin' loot, baby
We gotta get this loot
Yo back in the, yo remember back in the days
When shit, everything was all smooth and calm and shit was like"
"Where's my bone, nigga?"
"Yo man, yo I'm doin' it God, I'm doin' it, man
I'm sayin', like, no, no, like back in like in '70, fuckin' '79"
"Everybody was on my line, man"
"Nah, nah, '87, that was my favorite shit, God
Polo shit, everything, everything was lovely, man
Yo, come get the fuck out the rain, nigga
Get the fuck, oh shit, who the fuck is that? Fuck
Ayo Ghost, yo Rae, what's up with y'all niggas, man?
What the fuck y'all niggas, ah"
Hey, you know, everybody's talkin' about the "good old days," right? (Yeah)
Everybody, the good old days, the good all days (yeah, the good ol' days, yeah)
Well, let's talk about the good old days (let's talk about them shits)
Know what I'm sayin'?
Take you on this lyrical high real quick
1993 exoticness, know what I'm sayin'?
Let's get technical, where's your bone at?
Get up on that shit, aight?
Yo
Started off on the Island, AK Shaolin niggas wildin'
Gun shots thrown, the phone diallin'
Back in the days, I'm eight now
Makin' a tape now, Rae gotta get a plate now
Ignorant and mad young, wanted to be the one
'Til I got (blaow-blaow-blaow), felt one
Yeah, my pops was a fiend since sixteen (word)
Shootin' that "that's that shit" in his blood stream
That's the life of a grimy, real live crimey
If niggas know that habit's behind me
Day one, yo, growin' all up in the ghetto
Now I'm a weed fiend jettin' to Palmetto
In Medina, yo, no doubt, the God got crazy clout
Pushin' the big joint from down South (uh, uh)
So if you're filthy stacked up, better watch your back and duck
'Cause these fiends, they got it cracked up
Now my man from up North, now he got the loft
It's solid as a rock and crazy soft
No jokes, I'm not playin', get his folks
Desert Eagle his dick and put him in a yoke (ah)
And to know for sure, I got wreck and rip shop
I pointed a gat at his mother's knot
(Yo, yo, Rae, don't do that shit, man
Yo, don't do that shit) word up
Fuck that (word up, nigga)
Dedicated to the winners and the losers (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
(Dedicated to all Jeeps and Land Cruisers)
Dedicated to the 5's, 850i's (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
(Dedicated to niggas who do drive-bys)
Dedicated to the Lexus and the Ac's (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
(Dedicated to MPV's, phat)
Nigga, yeah, yeah (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
Yo
Kickin' the fly clichรฉs, doin' duets with Rae and A
Happens to make my day
Though I'm tired of bustin' off shots, havin' to rock knots
Runnin' up in spots and makin' shit hot
I'd rather flip shows instead of those
Hangin' on my livin' room wall, my first joint and it went gold
I wanna lamp, I wanna be in the shade
Plus the spotlight, gettin' my dick rode all night
I want to have me a phat yacht
And enough land to go and plant my own sess crops
But for now it's just a big dream
'Cause I find myself in a place where I'm last seen
My thoughts must be relaxed, be able to maintain
'Cause times is changed and life is strange
The glorious days is gone and everybody's doin' bad
Yo, mad lives is up for grabs
Brothers passin' away, I gotta make wakes
Receivin' all types of calls from Upstate
Yo, I can't cope with the pressure, settlin' for lesser
The God left the lessons on my dresser
So I can bloom and blossom, find a new way
Continue to make more hits with Rae and A
Sunshine plays a major part in the daytime
(Peace to mankind, Ghostface carry a black .9, nigga)
Word up, it's on like that
Can it be that it was all so simple then? (Yeah)
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that-
Can it-
Was all so simple then
Can it be that it was all so-
Simple then
Can it be-
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
It's like this, I'ma start from the top
Inspectah Deck, he's like
He's like that dude that'll sit back and watch you (uh-huh)
Play yourself and all that, right? (Uh-huh)
And see you sit there and know you lyin'
And he'll take you to court after that
'Cause he the Inspectah, that's why he the and
And also he the Rebel I.N.S (uh-huh)
You know what I'm sayin'?
And, and Shallah Raekwon, he the Chef
He cookin' up some marvelous shit to get your mouth waterin'
On some, "Oh shit" (okay)
Then, then it's, then it's the Method Man
It's like mad different methods to the way I do my shit (mm-hmm)
You gotta smoke a bean in here, anyhow
And I'm tellin' you, mine
Basically Method Man is like
Roll that shit, light that shit, smoke it
Know what I'm sayin'?
And, and, and then Baby U, he a psychopathic
He a psychopathic thinker (uh-huh)
And, and, then we got, then we got the Ol' Dirty Bastard (uh-huh)
'Cause there ain't no father to his style
That's why he the Ol' Dirty Bastard
Ghostface Killah, you know what I'm sayin'?
He on some "now you see me, now you don't"
Know what I'm sayin'?
And and, the RZA
He the sharpest motherfucker in the whole Clan
He always on point, razor sharp (uh-hyh, uh-huh)
With the beats, with the rhymes, whatever, and he DJ
And the GZA the Genius is just the Genius
He, he's the backbone of the whole shit
It's self-explanatory
He the head, let's put it that way (he a Genius, word)
We, we form like Voltron, and GZA happen to be the head
You know what I'm sayin'?
Yeah, yeah, that's cool
So what's like, I mean what's y'all like
Ultimate goal against in this in this industry?
Can I say this one? Can I say this one? (Domination, baby, fuck that)
Right now, right now, we still, we still
Feel like we ain't get what we want yet
When we get, when we get, when we get a little props (uh-huh)
When we really really get to where we gotta go (mm-hmm)
That's when you know it's on
You know what I'm sayin'? (Mm-hmm)
'Cause right about now, I ain't braggin' or nothin'
But yo, the Wu, the Wu got somethin'
That I know that everybody wanna hear
'Cause I know I've been waitin' to hear (yeah, yeah)
You know what I'm sayin'?
But straight up and down, 'til we get the goal
We gon' keep goin' (yeah)
'Cause we tryin' to do all this
We tryin' to make a business outta this, man
We ain't tryin' to-
Know what I'm sayin'?
Affiliate ourselves with them fake-ass A&Rs and all that (word)
We tryin' to make our own shit
So that when our children, word (it's longevity out here)
So that when our children get old (know what I'm sayin'?
Our seeds or whatever they got somethin' for theyself right there (true)
We ain't, we ain't tryin' to hop in and hop out right quick (word)
Know what I'm sayin'? (Yeah)
We out for the Gusto, man (we tryin' to stay here)
And we gon' keep it raw
You know what I'm sayin'?
We gotta get this loot
Yo back in the, yo remember back in the days
When shit, everything was all smooth and calm and shit was like"
"Where's my bone, nigga?"
"Yo man, yo I'm doin' it God, I'm doin' it, man
I'm sayin', like, no, no, like back in like in '70, fuckin' '79"
"Everybody was on my line, man"
"Nah, nah, '87, that was my favorite shit, God
Polo shit, everything, everything was lovely, man
Get the fuck, oh shit, who the fuck is that? Fuck
Ayo Ghost, yo Rae, what's up with y'all niggas, man?
What the fuck y'all niggas, ah"
Hey, you know, everybody's talkin' about the "good old days," right? (Yeah)
Everybody, the good old days, the good all days (yeah, the good ol' days, yeah)
Well, let's talk about the good old days (let's talk about them shits)
Know what I'm sayin'?
Take you on this lyrical high real quick
1993 exoticness, know what I'm sayin'?
Let's get technical, where's your bone at?
Get up on that shit, aight?
Yo
Started off on the Island, AK Shaolin niggas wildin'
Gun shots thrown, the phone diallin'
Back in the days, I'm eight now
Makin' a tape now, Rae gotta get a plate now
Ignorant and mad young, wanted to be the one
'Til I got (blaow-blaow-blaow), felt one
Yeah, my pops was a fiend since sixteen (word)
Shootin' that "that's that shit" in his blood stream
That's the life of a grimy, real live crimey
If niggas know that habit's behind me
Day one, yo, growin' all up in the ghetto
Now I'm a weed fiend jettin' to Palmetto
In Medina, yo, no doubt, the God got crazy clout
Pushin' the big joint from down South (uh, uh)
So if you're filthy stacked up, better watch your back and duck
'Cause these fiends, they got it cracked up
Now my man from up North, now he got the loft
It's solid as a rock and crazy soft
No jokes, I'm not playin', get his folks
Desert Eagle his dick and put him in a yoke (ah)
And to know for sure, I got wreck and rip shop
I pointed a gat at his mother's knot
(Yo, yo, Rae, don't do that shit, man
Yo, don't do that shit) word up
Fuck that (word up, nigga)
Dedicated to the winners and the losers (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
(Dedicated to all Jeeps and Land Cruisers)
Dedicated to the 5's, 850i's (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
(Dedicated to niggas who do drive-bys)
Dedicated to the Lexus and the Ac's (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
(Dedicated to MPV's, phat)
Nigga, yeah, yeah (can it be that it was all so simple then?)
Yo
Kickin' the fly clichรฉs, doin' duets with Rae and A
Happens to make my day
Though I'm tired of bustin' off shots, havin' to rock knots
Runnin' up in spots and makin' shit hot
I'd rather flip shows instead of those
Hangin' on my livin' room wall, my first joint and it went gold
I wanna lamp, I wanna be in the shade
Plus the spotlight, gettin' my dick rode all night
I want to have me a phat yacht
And enough land to go and plant my own sess crops
But for now it's just a big dream
'Cause I find myself in a place where I'm last seen
My thoughts must be relaxed, be able to maintain
'Cause times is changed and life is strange
The glorious days is gone and everybody's doin' bad
Yo, mad lives is up for grabs
Brothers passin' away, I gotta make wakes
Receivin' all types of calls from Upstate
Yo, I can't cope with the pressure, settlin' for lesser
The God left the lessons on my dresser
So I can bloom and blossom, find a new way
Continue to make more hits with Rae and A
Sunshine plays a major part in the daytime
(Peace to mankind, Ghostface carry a black .9, nigga)
Word up, it's on like that
Can it be that it was all so simple then? (Yeah)
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that-
Can it-
Was all so simple then
Can it be that it was all so-
Simple then
Can it be-
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
It's like this, I'ma start from the top
Inspectah Deck, he's like
He's like that dude that'll sit back and watch you (uh-huh)
Play yourself and all that, right? (Uh-huh)
And see you sit there and know you lyin'
And he'll take you to court after that
'Cause he the Inspectah, that's why he the and
And also he the Rebel I.N.S (uh-huh)
You know what I'm sayin'?
And, and Shallah Raekwon, he the Chef
He cookin' up some marvelous shit to get your mouth waterin'
On some, "Oh shit" (okay)
Then, then it's, then it's the Method Man
It's like mad different methods to the way I do my shit (mm-hmm)
You gotta smoke a bean in here, anyhow
And I'm tellin' you, mine
Basically Method Man is like
Roll that shit, light that shit, smoke it
Know what I'm sayin'?
And, and, and then Baby U, he a psychopathic
He a psychopathic thinker (uh-huh)
And, and, then we got, then we got the Ol' Dirty Bastard (uh-huh)
'Cause there ain't no father to his style
That's why he the Ol' Dirty Bastard
Ghostface Killah, you know what I'm sayin'?
He on some "now you see me, now you don't"
Know what I'm sayin'?
And and, the RZA
He the sharpest motherfucker in the whole Clan
He always on point, razor sharp (uh-hyh, uh-huh)
With the beats, with the rhymes, whatever, and he DJ
And the GZA the Genius is just the Genius
He, he's the backbone of the whole shit
It's self-explanatory
He the head, let's put it that way (he a Genius, word)
We, we form like Voltron, and GZA happen to be the head
You know what I'm sayin'?
Yeah, yeah, that's cool
So what's like, I mean what's y'all like
Ultimate goal against in this in this industry?
Can I say this one? Can I say this one? (Domination, baby, fuck that)
Right now, right now, we still, we still
Feel like we ain't get what we want yet
When we get, when we get, when we get a little props (uh-huh)
When we really really get to where we gotta go (mm-hmm)
That's when you know it's on
You know what I'm sayin'? (Mm-hmm)
'Cause right about now, I ain't braggin' or nothin'
But yo, the Wu, the Wu got somethin'
That I know that everybody wanna hear
'Cause I know I've been waitin' to hear (yeah, yeah)
You know what I'm sayin'?
But straight up and down, 'til we get the goal
We gon' keep goin' (yeah)
'Cause we tryin' to do all this
We tryin' to make a business outta this, man
We ain't tryin' to-
Know what I'm sayin'?
Affiliate ourselves with them fake-ass A&Rs and all that (word)
We tryin' to make our own shit
So that when our children, word (it's longevity out here)
So that when our children get old (know what I'm sayin'?
Our seeds or whatever they got somethin' for theyself right there (true)
We ain't, we ain't tryin' to hop in and hop out right quick (word)
Know what I'm sayin'? (Yeah)
We out for the Gusto, man (we tryin' to stay here)
And we gon' keep it raw
You know what I'm sayin'?
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Alan Bergman, Clifford M Smith, Corey Todd Woods, Dennis Coles, Gary E Grice, Jason S Hunter, Lamont Jody Hawkins, Marilyn Bergman, Marvin Hamlisch, Robert Diggs, Russell T Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@SolStone
Take me back.
@raifmarshall8761
For now it's just a big dream. 'Cause i find myself in the place where I'm last seen.
@th3rd3arplan3tradio
Timeless music here
@aidanfox8219
The hunger in their voices ๐ถ๐ฅ
@johnmarkcrawford8888
Many years later through much tragedy up anddowns highs and lows the dream was only partially differed. So still a beautiful story being told.
@Goatchild90
The RZA really struck an ambience here that makes Rae and Ghost's lyrics really hit
@manfIesh
THAT'S THAT SHIT
@user-mm3lt2iy2l
WU TANG LEGEND ๐
@chocolatemami3956
I miss the series ๐ฉ
@andrewngowe8836
Who's the Legend here in 2024