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| The Essential Wu-Tang Clan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | October 29, 2013 | |||
| Recorded | 1993–2001 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 1:58:21 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Wu-Tang Clan chronology | ||||
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The Essential Wu-Tang Clan is a compilation album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which was released October 29, 2013 on Loud and Legacy.[ citation needed ] It follows 2011's Legendary Weapons . The Essential Wu-Tang Clan serves as a best of. It features performances by all Wu-Tang members and several affiliates.
The Essential Wu-Tang Clan includes standout tracks from high-profile studio albums, as well as rare soundtrack selections and compilation cuts.[ citation needed ]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
The Essential Wu-Tang Clan was met with positive reviews. It was noted for the influential and groundbreaking sound from the '90s hip-hop collective. With its distinctive style, with dark, atmospheric backing tracks (often punctuated by samples from vintage martial arts movies). [3]
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes and Discogs. [2]
| Disc One | |||||
| No. | Title | Original Album | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'" | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | 4:48 | ||
| 2 | "As High as Wu-Tang Get" | Wu-Tang Forever |
|
| 2:38 |
| 3 | "C.R.E.A.M." | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) |
|
| 4:07 |
| 4 | "Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours (still don't nothing move but the money)" | Wu-Tang Forever |
| 3:02 | |
| 5 | "Rules" (featuring Streetlife) | Iron Flag |
| 3:52 | |
| 6 | "I Can't Go to Sleep" (featuring Isaac Hayes) | The W |
|
| 3:35 |
| 7 | "Uzi (Pinky Ring)" | Iron Flag |
|
| 5:18 |
| 8 | "America" (featuring Killah Priest) | America Is Dying Slowly |
|
| 5:34 |
| 9 | "Gravel Pit" (featuring Paulissa Moorman) | The W |
|
| 4:14 |
| 10 | "The Projects" (featuring Shyheim) | Wu-Tang Forever |
|
| 3:18 |
| 11 | "Back in the Game" (featuring Ronald Isley) | Iron Flag |
| 4:29 | |
| 12 | "What You in fo'" (featuring Streetlife) | Oz |
|
| 3:08 |
| 13 | "The Monument" (featuring Busta Rhymes) | The W |
|
| 2:38 |
| 14 | "Can It Be All So Simple" | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) |
|
| 4:12 |
| 15 | "The W" | Bonus Track from Iron Flag |
|
| 3:41 |
| 58:34 | |||||
| Disc Two | |||||
| No. | Title | Original Album | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Protect Ya Neck" | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) | 4:32 | ||
| 2 | "Reunited" | Wu-Tang Forever |
|
| 5:22 |
| 3 | "Shame on a Nigga" | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) |
|
| 2:54 |
| 4 | "Hollow Bones" | The W |
|
| 3:16 |
| 5 | "Triumph" (featuring Cappadonna) | Wu-Tang Forever |
|
| 5:38 |
| 6 | "Redbull" (featuring Redman) | The W |
|
| 3:54 |
| 7 | "Method Man" (performed by Method Man) | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) |
|
| 5:00 |
| 8 | "It's Yourz" | Wu-Tang Forever |
|
| 4:14 |
| 9 | "Put Your Hammer Down" | The Mix Tape, Vol. III |
|
| 2:04 |
| 10 | "One Blood Under W" (featuring Junior Reid) | The W |
|
| 4:12 |
| 11 | "Diesel" (featuring Ron Isley) | Soul in the Hole |
|
| 5:30 |
| 12 | "Careful (Click, Click)" | The W |
|
| 4:25 |
| 13 | "Protect Ya Neck II (The Jump Off)" | The W |
|
| 3:38 |
| 14 | "Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber (Part II)" | Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) |
|
| 5:08 |
| 59:47 | |||||
Notes
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop musical collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. 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 and are considered one of the greatest hip hop groups of all time.
Corey Woods, better known by his stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream success following the release of their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang , in 1993. Raekwon would subsequently pursue a solo career, releasing his first solo album, entitled Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., in 1995. The album received critical acclaim, and is regarded by many critics as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, as well as a staple of 1990s rap.
Enter the Wu-Tang is the debut studio album by the American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on November 9, 1993, by Loud Records and RCA Records. The recording sessions took place during late 1992 to early 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and the album was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA. Its title originates from the martial arts films Enter the Dragon (1973) and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).
Clifford Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. He is a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, and is half of the hip hop duo Method Man & Redman. He took his stage name from the 1979 film Method Man. In 1996, Method Man won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By", featuring R&B singer Mary J. Blige, with whom he currently stars in Power Book II: Ghost, a spin-off of Power.
Jason Richard Hunter, better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper and hip hop producer. He is a member of the groups Wu-Tang Clan and Czarface.
Tical is the debut studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man. It was released November 15, 1994, by Def Jam Recordings. It was the first Wu-Tang solo album released after the group's debut, Enter the Wu-Tang . Similar to all first generation solo Wu-Tang projects, Tical was mainly produced by group member RZA, who provided a dark, murky and rugged sound. The album features guest appearances from RZA, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, as well as several affiliates, who would later appear on future group projects. On October 5, 2017, Method Man revealed on the Viceland talk show Desus & Mero that the album's title is an acronym for "taking into consideration all lives."
Chron Smith, better known by his stage name Hell Razah, is an American rapper. He is best known as a member of Sunz of Man, an early affiliate group of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Legend of the Wu-Tang is a compilation album by the Wu-Tang Clan, released in 2004. It is notable for including the rare unedited version of "Protect Ya Neck", a remix of the song "Method Man" with alternate verses, as well as "Shaolin Worldwide", "Sucker M.C.'s" and "Diesel", three tracks the Wu-Tang produced for soundtracks and compilations. The inside booklet can be unfolded to form a mini-poster of the group. The album was made to further cement Wu Tang Clan's legacy as one of the most influential groups in recent years. The album was also made to not only help introduce new listeners to the group's music but to also satisfy fans of the group as well. Twenty six versions of this album were released worldwide which includes CD's, vinyls, and cassettes
The W is the third studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. It was released on November 21, 2000, by Loud Records. After their 1997 album Wu-Tang Forever, several of the group's members released solo projects before The W, which has a more rugged, less polished sound than that of most Wu-Tang related albums from that era. The album also features guest appearances from Isaac Hayes, Redman, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg and Junior Reid. It is the group's last album to feature Ol' Dirty Bastard before his death in 2004, as he was absent from their next album, Iron Flag (2001).
"C.R.E.A.M." is a song by the American hardcore hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on January 31, 1994 by Loud Records, as the second single from their debut studio album Enter the Wu-Tang (1993). The song was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA, and contains a sample of the Charmels' 1967 song "As Long As I've Got You" throughout. It features two verses from members Raekwon and Inspectah Deck, who discuss their upbringings while living in New York City, and Method Man, who sings its hook. Its music video, featuring all Wu-Tang Clan members in New York City, was released in 1994.
The soundtrack of the 1999 Jim Jarmusch film Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai features an original score by RZA and also features hip-hop songs by such artists as Wu-Tang Clan, Killah Priest, and Public Enemy. Two soundtrack albums were released, one internationally and another in Japan, each with different song mixes, some of which do not appear in the film. There are many songs, however, that can be heard in the film that appear on neither soundtrack album. It is the first of RZA's fully scored film works.
Wu-Chronicles is a compilation album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan and their affiliates. It was released on March 23, 1999, via Wu-Tang/Priority Records and includes several previously released tracks performed, produced or featured by Wu-Tang artists. Its sequel, Wu-Chronicles Chapter II, was released in 2001.
Wu-Chronicles Chapter II is a compilation album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan and their affiliates. It was released on July 3, 2001 via Wu-Tang/Priority Records and includes several previously released tracks performed, produced or featured by Wu-Tang artists, serving as a sequel to 1999's Wu-Chronicles.
Wu-Tang Chamber Music is a compilation album endorsed by Wu-Tang Clan, which was released through E1 Music/Universal Records on June 30, 2009. The album features performances by several Wu-Tang members and affiliates. The album was released to positive reviews from music critics. This album was followed up with the 2011 compilation album Legendary Weapons.
Wu Block is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch. Louch announced the album in 2011, in an interview. The album was released on November 27, 2012, by E1 Music. The album features guest appearances from Raekwon, Jadakiss, Cappadonna, Method Man, Styles P, Masta Killa, GZA, Erykah Badu and Inspectah Deck.
A Better Tomorrow is the sixth studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. The album was released on December 2, 2014, by Warner Bros. Records. The album was supported by the singles "Keep Watch", "Ron O'Neal" and "Ruckus in B Minor". A Better Tomorrow received generally mixed reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 24,386 copies in its first week of release.
"Wu-Tang Forever" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his third studio album Nothing Was the Same (2013). The song was released as the album's first promotional single on September 12, 2013. "Wu-Tang Forever" features a significant sample of "It's Yourz" by the Wu-Tang Clan. The song was produced by frequent collaborator Noah "40" Shebib. The song has since peaked at number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Wu-Tang Forever is the second studio album by the American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released June 3, 1997, by Loud and RCA Records in the United States. Pressed as a double album, it was released after a long run of successful solo projects from various members of the group, and serves as the follow-up to their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang . Forever features several guest appearances from Wu-Tang affiliates Cappadonna, Streetlife, 4th Disciple, True Master, and Tekitha. The original run of compact discs featured an enhanced CD which allowed users to walk around the "Wu Mansion" and access additional content.