WU: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan is a collection of some of the group’s most important songs and its members’ solo triumphs and serves as the soundtrack to the BET documentary of the same name.
Rising up from the ranks of the often-ignored borough of Staten Island, N.Y, the Wu-Tang Clan became one of the hardest-hitting groups in hip-hop history. The clan was comprised of the emcees Method Man, Raekwon, RZA, GZA, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Those names should all look familiar as some are still around continuing the legacy. Wu-Tang made raw, New York hip-hop popular before Bad Boy Records compromised the coast’s style.
Greatest hits compilations are usually just the hit singles, but with WU: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan, the 16-tracks are comprised with pivotal songs of all members from all eras. Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s first big solo hit "Shimmy Shimmy Ya," "Incarcerated Scarfaces" by Raekwon and "Daytona 500" by Ghostface Killah show the members’ post-Wu-Tang projects.
Some of the most celebrated songs in hip-hop history appear with "Reunited" and "Triumph," showcasing the group’s classic hard-hitting flow. "It’s Yourz" is another song off Wu-Tang Forever, which captures the New York-sound to a tee.
The album kicks off strong with "Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F’ Wit" and continues with some of the clan’s best in "Method Man" and "Protect Ya Neck." Arguably the staple song,"C.R.E.A.M," is an acronym for "cash rules everything around me" and serves as the perfect script of an emcee coming up in the East Coast.
WU: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan would best be used to tutor today’s hip-hop fans in what real rap should sound like. While modern hip-hop is focused on commercialism, Wu-Tang Clan came from a time when hip-hop was an urban art form.
