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
Cinema
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The scene isn't funny, I got those chills
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, it's all too real
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, I got those chills
I can feel the presence all around me
There was a clubhouse, owners kept special guests in
Place much darker than the room I rest in
Creepy spot where the dust covers the floor
And some fishing rods is hanging on the door
Painting on the wall of stick figures
That's rumored to walk out the frame and get bigger
Where the imagination runs wild, like who's creeping?
Neighbors are acres away and probably sleeping
Wind dusting blowing makes the sounds of ghost
Thieves in the room makes you feel really close
Remind me of this late-night thriller
I watched the other night, they never caught the killer
Bats that's flying in every direction
you got to stay low and roll with the protection
Visitors that often stay for the summer
They heartbeat like the roll of a drummer
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, I got those chills
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, it's all too real
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, I got those chills
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, it's all too real
The room was full, the sky was black, the bathroom
Hear a crack, wolves roam in packs
In the dining room, the chair rock back and forth
Pull the tablecloth to the sun, where it fell off
Cups and glass plates hit the floor and shattered
Three Blind Mice heard the noise and scattered
Front door was open, welcome mat was soaking
with bloody prints, plus all four locks were broken
In the backyard, two dogs would growl
And barking, but the eyes and they teeth was sparkling
I started to sweat, they started to get closer
Then I saw a face on a wanted poster
An outlaw who stay with an empty holster
Used to shoot mugs of beer off the coaster
Make a move to turn the light switch on
I jump up, my jacket was torn
Pages from the photo album begin to turn
Wax drip from the candle as it slowly burn
Then the lights had started blinking as if the power was gone
The room become foggy as if the shower was on
Words was written in the steam on the mirror
In bold print, couldn't have been any clearer
TV was giving out sounds without a picture
And a voice kept saying, "I'ma get ya"
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, I got those chills
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, it's all too real
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, I got those chills
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, it's all too real
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, I got those chills
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, it's all too real
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, I got those chills
I can feel the presence all around me
The scene isn't funny, it's all too real
In Wu-Tang Clan's song "Cinema," the lyrics portray a chilling and eerie atmosphere. The singer describes a haunted clubhouse where "special guests" are kept. The room is dark and covered in dust, with fishing rods hanging on the door. There is a painting on the wall depicting stick figures that are rumored to come to life. The setting sparks the imagination, with the singer wondering who or what may be lurking in the shadows. The neighbors are far away, and the wind blowing through the room creates ghostly sounds. The presence of thieves adds to the sense of danger and the feeling of being watched. The lyrics also mention late-night thrillers and bats flying in every direction, further adding to the atmosphere of suspense and fear. The presence of visitors and their heartbeat, resembling the roll of a drummer, intensifies the sense of impending danger.
Line by Line Meaning
I can feel the presence all around me
I am aware of the energy and atmosphere surrounding me
The scene isn't funny, I got those chills
The situation is not amusing, it is causing me a sense of unease
There was a clubhouse, owners kept special guests in
There used to be a secret gathering place where the owners hosted exclusive visitors
Place much darker than the room I rest in
The atmosphere there was much more sinister and eerie than the comfort of my own room
Creepy spot where the dust covers the floor
It was a disturbing location, covered in a layer of neglected dust
And some fishing rods is hanging on the door
Various fishing equipment is hanging from the door, adding to the unsettling atmosphere
Painting on the wall of stick figures
There is a painting on the wall depicting figures made of sticks
That's rumored to walk out the frame and get bigger
The painting is said to come to life and grow larger, defying logical explanation
Where the imagination runs wild, like who's creeping?
It is a place where one's imagination can run wild, wondering who or what might be lurking
Neighbors are acres away and probably sleeping
The nearest neighbors are quite some distance away, likely unaware of what is happening
Wind dusting blowing makes the sounds of ghost
The gusts of wind blowing through create eerie sounds resembling those of ghosts
Thieves in the room makes you feel really close
The presence of thieves in the room gives an intense feeling of proximity
Remind me of this late-night thriller
This situation reminds me of a suspenseful movie I watched late at night
I watched the other night, they never caught the killer
I watched a movie recently where the murderer was never apprehended
Bats that's flying in every direction
Bats are flying chaotically in all different directions
you got to stay low and roll with the protection
To stay safe, you must stay low and be prepared to defend yourself
Visitors that often stay for the summer
There were visitors that frequently stayed during the summer months
They heartbeat like the roll of a drummer
Their heartbeats were pulsating rhythmically, resembling the beat of a drum
The room was full, the sky was black, the bathroom
The room was crowded, the sky was dark, and there was a sense of apprehension in the bathroom
Hear a crack, wolves roam in packs
A cracking sound is heard, and packs of wolves are seen wandering around
In the dining room, the chair rock back and forth
In the dining room, a chair is moving back and forth on its own
Pull the tablecloth to the sun, where it fell off
Someone pulled the tablecloth towards the sunlight, causing everything on it to fall off
Cups and glass plates hit the floor and shattered
Cups and glass plates fell to the floor and broke into pieces
Three Blind Mice heard the noise and scattered
The commotion startled three blind mice, causing them to run away
Front door was open, welcome mat was soaking
The front door was left open, and the welcome mat was damp
with bloody prints, plus all four locks were broken
There were bloody handprints, and all four locks were forcibly damaged
In the backyard, two dogs would growl
In the backyard, two dogs were growling menacingly
And barking, but the eyes and they teeth was sparkling
The dogs' eyes and teeth were shining and glinting eerily
I started to sweat, they started to get closer
I began to perspire as the dogs approached me
Then I saw a face on a wanted poster
I suddenly noticed a face on a poster seeking capture
An outlaw who stay with an empty holster
The person depicted was a criminal who carried an empty gun holster
Used to shoot mugs of beer off the coaster
They were known for shooting mugs of beer off a small round mat
Make a move to turn the light switch on
I made a motion to switch on the light
I jump up, my jacket was torn
I startled and leaped to my feet, realizing that my jacket had been ripped
Pages from the photo album begin to turn
The pages of a photo album started flipping on their own
Wax drip from the candle as it slowly burn
The candle was melting, causing droplets of wax to fall gradually
Then the lights had started blinking as if the power was gone
The lights began flickering, creating the illusion of a power outage
The room become foggy as if the shower was on
The room became hazy, resembling the steamy atmosphere of a running shower
Words was written in the steam on the mirror
Words were written on the steamy mirror
In bold print, couldn't have been any clearer
The words were written boldly, impossible to misinterpret
TV was giving out sounds without a picture
The television was emitting sounds but the screen remained blank
And a voice kept saying, 'I'ma get ya'
A voice persistently repeated the threatening message, 'I'm going to get you'
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Gary Eldridge Grice, J. Grice, Suleyman Ansari
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ozzie
I’ve been waiting for so long. This trailer did not disappoint
I identify myself as a white African American
yeah, a lot of negros
Steven Theu
Fr fr
Dave Lloyd
This is one of the dopest tv shows/8 mile like hustle and flow type things ever released.
Chris Yanover
Wu Tang is an amazing story and absolutely love this show!
Lyric
Facts
1zzy Duz It
An exact month from now! I can’t wait. There’s no way they could’ve fit this all into a movie, they needed this as a series. Respect RZA for creating Wu Tang and creating this series for us to see behind the scenes to for us to feel and experience their journey! 👐🏾
cinejay
I loved the first season. This whole series is so epic for us kids from the 90’s. While at the same time serving as a brilliant marketing platform for a whole new generation. Much respect.
Stepping Out With Stephanie
Whoever produced this is genius. This thing had me on the couch for two days. It's better than Power and Raisin Kanan. I could not stop watching. Best story ever told with characters so on point. I felt like I was really watching ODB. Each and everyone of their struggle was felt. Dave East did really amazing.
TheSouthAsianAnomaly
yup, and the fact that a lot of it is true makes their story pull on the heartstrings