• 1992-

  RZA (Prince Rakeem)

  GZA (The Genius)

  Inspectah Deck (Rebel INS)

  Ghostface Killah

  Ol' Dirty Bastard1992-2004

  Raekwon (The Chef)

  Method Man

  Masta Killa

  U-God

  Cappadonna1997-
• RZA is their leader of Wu-Tang Clan and their primary producer. He prides himself on avoiding samples, creating original tracks for the lyricists in the group.
• RZA and GZA both released failed solo albums before finding success with Wu-Tang Clan.
• The group is from Staten Island, which among the five boroughs of New York City had been underrepresented in hip-hop. The group sometimes refer to it as "Shaolin" Island, a reference to the Shaolin style of martial arts.
• When the group signed a major-label deal with Loud Records, they insisted on a clause granting the members freedom to do solo projects and collaborations on other labels. By the time their second album was released, RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and Inspectah Deck each had solo deals.
• Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Ol' Dirty Bastard all derived their rapper names from their favorite kung-fu characters.
• Wu-Tang Clan leader RZA filed a trademark opposition suit in November 2017 against dog-walking company Woof-Tang Clan for trademark infringement. The Brooklyn-based company claim to walk "the illest group of dogs in New York City."
• Wu Tang's GZA is a science nerd and has spoken at Harvard and hosted a Physics lecture at MIT. In 2012, he discussed astrophysics with Neil deGrasse Tyson.
• After Wu-Tang Clan's debut album broke through, Ol' Dirty Bastard was filmed taking a limousine to a New York State welfare office to cash a $375 welfare check and receive food stamps. Because ODB had yet to file his taxes, his then-recent income did not impact his eligibility for government support.
• Rihanna's first child, born in 2022, is named after RZA. His dad is the rapper ASAP Rocky, a huge Wu-Tang fan.
• Once Upon a Time in Shaolin by Wu-Tang Clan holds the title for the world's rarest and most expensive album ever sold. Only a single physical copy of the album exists, a two-CD set housed in a silver encrusted box. There are no digital versions available for purchase or streaming.
  
  In 2015, the album was auctioned off through Paddle8, an online auction house, for $2 million. The buyer was Martin Shkreli, a controversial pharmaceutical entrepreneur.
• "Wu-Tang Forever," the title of their 1997 album, became their credo, a symbol of how no matter what direction they take, they will live on in spirit. The phrase quickly entered the cultural lexicon, and during divisive presidential elections in America, some voters made a point by putting up campaign-style signs with the slogan "Presidents Come And Go, Wu-Tang Is Forever."

Comments: 1

• The Electric Beef from Bothell, WaWu Tang Clan is for the children

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