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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The What
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If what you say is true, if what you say is true
The clouds was gray, the sky was black
Two undercover pigs jumped out the Pontiac
Trying to extort us, they wanna know where the money at
We countin' the cream, my team get money stacks
Let the gods build wherever we at
We civilized niggas we don't think of the crime rate
The mind's infinite now, we can't waste time
Take the ones that know the last, leave the rest behind
Salute, fall back in line
Here come the first nine out of the booth
Sparks of energy, create more life and more synergy
Forever is Wu, you can never set for the glue
Homie is Mathematical, beats is bangin'
All my lords get radical
Don't blast the past homie, that's equilateral
JJY, Killa Beez is splattering you
And everybody love us in here
It don't matter who
Shoulder rolling off the beat
Catch a jab kiss it and throw it back
Science is sweet and questional
This is Irief Jamal, unique professional
Blessin' you a hundred mill flow
Steel tip arrow and bow, I pull and let it go
Look how the crowd go wild for this mic style
Wu World Clan united this how the reptile
Keepin' us apart between some darts from the heart
Forever stayin' mentally sharp, spark the brain
Physically equipped to tear you out the frame
I don't play with this mic thing
But brings all of the above, I reign
If what you say is true
This is target practice, watch me get my darts off
Leave 'em bleedin' out with they shoes and they socks off
Fit it on the sidewalk, this is real talk
Anybody could get it, I pop a couple shots off
Home of this smash and grab, I'm taking minds off the top
Doin' stick up, no mask, I got the drop
Run up on you, in front of your buildin'
Now you speak a bazillion
Gun you down right in front of your children
We bang out on a regular basis, erase half your face
Leave no shell, these open cases
My description, big black bodacious
All black, Wu, hoodie on with the go fat laces
If what you say is true
A rhyme is a struggle from conception
Series of complex maps in all directions
Totally dependent on an act of breathing
Learning, depending on an act of reading
The MC draws in a long, deep breath
Holding it until makin' it right before it left
Extracted it from it is life-giving properties
We acting from it, and controlled it properly
If what you say is true
The Shaolin and the Wu-Tang
Now, do you understand?
The only way we can stay strong is we stick together
'Cause they gon' try, they gon' try
Let me tell you what they gon' try to do
And y'all remember the shit, y'all gon' tell them fuck the world
Teach all the babies and shit
They gon' try to make black and white go against each other
Which they can't because we already having a good time
WU!
That was great! Wonderful!
Terrific deal! The best that I've ever seen
The lyrics to Wu-Tang Clan's The What have multiple themes and messages that may be hard to pinpoint for a casual listener. The song opens with a reference to martial arts, which is juxtaposed with the story of two undercover cops trying to extort money from the group. The Clan, however, is tenacious and always comes out on top. The lines, "Shoulder rolling off the beat, Catch a jab kiss it and throw it back" exemplify their fighting spirit.
The lyrics that follow talk about the importance of the group staying united, as the world will try to sow seeds of division amongst them, highlighting the message of solidarity and unity within Wu-Tang Clan. There are also nods to the importance of education and strategic thinking in life and music. Overall, the song and its lyrics showcase the grit and survival instincts of the Wu-Tang Clan and their unwillingness to be subjugated by the powers that be.
Line by Line Meaning
Shaolin shadowboxing, in the Wu-tang sword style
We are the Wu-Tang Clan practicing the Wu-Tang sword style.
If what you say is true, if what you say is true
Confirming the truth with whoever is speaking.
The clouds was gray, the sky was black
Describing the weather and atmospheric conditions.
Two undercover pigs jumped out the Pontiac, Trying to extort us, they wanna know where the money at
The police are trying to take our money by force.
We countin' the cream, my team get money stacks
We are making money and becoming prosperous.
Let the gods build wherever we at
We are allowing ourselves to prosper wherever we are.
We attackin' the mind state, We civilized niggas we don't think of the crime rate
We are working to change the way people think and act so they don't commit crimes.
The mind's infinite now, we can't waste time, Take the ones that know the last, leave the rest behind
We don't have time to waste, so we focus on those who can learn and grow.
Salute, fall back in line, Here come the first nine out of the booth
Returning to the group after completing a task.
Sparks of energy, create more life and more synergy
Our music sparks energy and brings people together.
Forever is Wu, you can never set for the glue
The Wu-Tang Clan is forever united and cannot be stopped.
Homie is Mathematical, beats is bangin'
The music is complex and the beats are intense.
All my lords get radical, Don't blast the past homie, that's equilateral
We are not afraid to take risks and move forward, without dwelling too much on the past.
JJY, Killa Beez is splattering you, And everybody love us in here, It don't matter who
We are well-known and respected, and everyone enjoys our music.
Shoulder rolling off the beat, Catch a jab kiss it and throw it back
Our rhymes are smooth and fluid, flowing easily with the beat.
Science is sweet and questional, This is Irief Jamal, unique professional
Our music is intelligent and thought-provoking, and we are professionals in our craft.
Blessin' you a hundred mill flow, Steel tip arrow and bow, I pull and let it go
Our rhymes are smooth and unstoppable, like a skilled archer.
Look how the crowd go wild for this mic style
The audience loves our music and performance style.
Wu World Clan united this how the reptile, Keepin' us apart between some darts from the heart
The Wu-Tang Clan is united, but others try to divide and conquer us.
Forever stayin' mentally sharp, spark the brain, Physically equipped to tear you out the frame
We remain mentally alert and are always pushing ourselves physically.
I don't play with this mic thing, But brings all of the above, I reign
We take our music seriously and perform at the highest level.
This is target practice, watch me get my darts off, Leave 'em bleedin' out with they shoes and they socks off
Our rhymes hit their target, and our opponents are left wounded and defeated.
Fit it on the sidewalk, this is real talk, Anybody could get it, I pop a couple shots off
We are speaking the truth and anyone can be a target of our rhymes.
Home of this smash and grab, I'm taking minds off the top, Doin' stick up, no mask, I got the drop
Our music is powerful and can capture people's attention easily. We don't need to hide who we are.
Run up on you, in front of your buildin', Now you speak a bazillion, Gun you down right in front of your children
We can confront anyone, anywhere, and our rhymes will make them speak their mind. We won't hesitate to use violence if necessary.
We bang out on a regular basis, erase half your face, Leave no shell, these open cases
We are always fighting and won't hesitate to use deadly force.
My description, big black bodacious, All black, Wu, hoodie on with the go fat laces
We dress in all black and wear distinct clothing to represent the Wu-Tang Clan.
A rhyme is a struggle from conception, Series of complex maps in all directions
Our rhymes are a challenge to create and consist of intricate patterns.
Totally dependent on an act of breathing, Learning, depending on an act of reading
Our rhymes require breath control and rely on education and understanding.
The MC draws in a long, deep breath, Holding it until makin' it right before it left, Extracted it from it is life-giving properties, We acting from it, and controlled it properly
The rapper takes a deep breath to deliver their rhymes with power and control.
Now, do you understand?, The only way we can stay strong is we stick together, 'Cause they gon' try, they gon' try, Let me tell you what they gon' try to do, And y'all remember the shit, y'all gon' tell them fuck the world, Teach all the babies and shit, They gon' try to make black and white go against each other, Which they can't because we already having a good time, WU!
We must remain united to overcome opposition from others who try to tear us apart.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Darryl R Hill, Elgin Evander Turner, Gary E Grice, Patrick Charles, Ronald Maurice Bean
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sharakon
The Wu Tang group is so diverse and unique compared to anything else in the rap game I cant believe these dudes still dont get the recognition they deserve. Always talking about some real shit politics, hard times, drugs, and money problems they brought something that no one else could do. The beats they mix and rap over bring inspiration and nostalgia and you can visually see in your mind how these dudes live.
jeanemlicar
No one will ever have a powerful movement in Hip-Hop like the Wu-tang Clan did. They conquered the music industry in the 90's back when Hip-Hop was very competitive. I wish I could go back in time and relive this era all over again.
DabbaRanx Ska-Punk
Makes you realise how under rated Deck is when you listen to this brief history and hear just how many of the singles he totally killed - even with opening verses on most of them! How does anyone follow him?
Finerk LP
true
XMW
Coys
Blake Schmidt
Itโs the mic wrecker, inspectah bad man!
Lou Agui
I still remember the day I heard them for the first time, and as a metal head at the time I found the WU to be just as heavy. Bad ass rap group
Brady Forma
RIP ODB he shall be missed ๐ข
Kevin Lineback
No doubt ODB live forever
xyz
RIP ODB โคโค