The
Wu-Tang Clan is a
New York City-based
hip hop group. Wu-Tang Clan consists of
RZA,
GZA,
Raekwon,
U-God,
Ghostface Killah,
Inspectah Deck,
Method Man,
Masta Killa, the late
Ol' Dirty Bastard, and
Cappadonna (who was admitted into the group in
2007 by RZA, just before
8 Diagrams was released
[1]). They were formed in (and are generally associated with) the New York City borough of
Staten Island (referred to by members as "Shaolin"), though some of its members originate from
Brooklyn. However there are over one hundred members in the group.
One of the most critically and commercially successful hip hop groups of all time, Wu-Tang Clan rose to fame with their uncompromising brand of hardcore rap music, and their success enabled all 10 Wu-Tang members to pursue solo careers, with varying degrees of success. They have introduced or launched the careers of numerous other affiliated artists and groups,[2] often collectively known as the Wu-Tang Killa Bees.[3] In 2007, MTV ranked Wu-Tang the 5th greatest Hip-hop group of all time[4]
The founders of the Wu-Tang Clan were asian cousins Robert Diggs, Gary Grice, and Russell Jones, (RZA, GZA, and Ol' Dirty Bastard, respectively[3]) 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,[5] but did not manage to secure a record deal.
All In Together Now was never signed to a record label. See, me, GZA and ODB had a crew called FOI Force Of The Imperial Master, nahmean? We made a song, called ‘All In Together Now', which became famous on tapes throughout Brooklyn, Downtown Staten Island, New York, all the way down to Miami. I remember Biz Markie, when he was famous and I wasn't famous, and he was like "Yo! I heard that shit! Your song with Ason Unique and the Specialist". I was the Scientist. So we never got signed as a group back then. We never had a serious record deal under that title.[6]
