Although to some it may seem like it’s only been a handful of years since Wu-Tang’s 1993 album Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was released the album is now nearing its 20th anniversary. Despite having been released nearly two decades ago Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) remains one of Hip Hop’s most praised albums.
NBC New York recently caught up with both Raekwon and Masta Killa to speak on the significance of Wu-Tang’s iconic debut album.
“I think that album has been so much defined as a great album because of the experience we all went through at that time of making it, you know. Like I said you dealing with eight legends that was legends even in the street as far as the way that they lived, the way that they had they respect in the neighborhood, and of course they craft on being writers and emcee’s,” Raekwon explained. “So when we made that album we broke the mold. We came, we brung a new sound to the table. We inspired so many different people to change they lives in a great way to be self-preserved as a man or as a woman out in this big world. We just showed everybody that dreams can come true. They can start from the bottom up. And that album was just the beginning of greatness.”
Masta Killa echoed Raekwon’s sentiment in regards to the importance of Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by adding that their debut album played a major role in bringing the energy back to Hip Hop at that particular time.
“I think that album is a classic. I think that album right there put a mark in Hip Hop that was missing. It’s always about filling a void,” said Masta Killa. “Whenever you can fill the void it’s gonna be special. Well, Hip Hop it needed a kick start and I think we was a part of that kick start. That kind of brung the energy back up. Because I know for me, for a minute, in Hip Hop I had stopped listening to it. I went reggae because it still had that vintage vibe of rawness. Until my brothers came and we brung back that vintage raw vibe that came from the streets.”
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Wu Tang clan still aint nuthin to fuck wit
CO-SIGN!!!
MAN FUK THESE OLD AS NIGGA IM THE REAL STREET NIGGA!
You aint nobody these guys maybe old like your ass will be but they are well known unlike you that is dont front
drake is better and rick ross
Protect your neck
Listen to Ironman all the way through and tell me an album better. Can’t.
Supreme Clientele.
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
LOL at a nigga naming a Ghostface Killah LP and it’s not even Ghostface Killah’s best LP.
Stupid nigga.
Ironman is still an EXTREMELY solid album in its own right, I feel that it’s vastly underrated in the Wu catalog compared to the other early solo albums.
But still… Liquid Swords 🙂
Ironman is alright, but there’s too much guests and Raekwon. It barely sounded like a GFK album IMO.
For the first round of Wu-Tang solo albums, I’ll have to choose between Cuban Linx and Liquid Swords.
I’ll give you Cuban Linx, that shit is about a tie. Liquid Swords? No fucking way. LISTEN to them NOW. It’s not close. And Supreme Clientele? Sorry Mr. Flamboyant but that shit ain’t better than Ironman. It got more press cuz the Wu was sliding a bit when that shit dropped and he dropped a gem on em but LISTEN to them NOW…IRONMAN is FLAWLESS…Most slept on album of all time as well as the best…HOLLA
Ghost Top 5
Ironman
Supreme Clientle
Bulletproof Wallets
FishScale
Big Doe Rehab
best rap group of all time, real hip hop yeahhh
36 is the best hip hop album ever. And in the top 10 music albums to ever been made.
Classic *****
New Skrilla Mafia
Wu-Tang is just every Hip Hop fan’s dream. Soooo many classics, they’re just one of the greatest things to ever happen to HipHop.
Couldn’t agree more.
no doubt
significance…
what an understatement, 36 chambers is one of the top 5..if not ‘the’ most defining album in hip hop history.
its is the transition between old school, and hip hop as we know it today.
36 chambers scanned 3 million before numbers were even a priority, all off grassroots promotion, and word of mouth.
it re-defined hardcore, and classic hip-hop..
the branch off scheme is the most ingenious plot in rap history, and created an empire before the likes of any mogul..
respect greatness for what it truly is..
and the album was recorded in a basement, and in an appartment..the sound is grimey as phuck..yet its is balanced, and laced with essence..
we all know how good the album is so why are they still gettin them to speak on it??
“… you dealing with eight legends that was legends even in the street as far as the way that they lived…”
U-God doesn’t count.
Masta Killa was in jail.
There were 8 members on 36 chambers, I don’t know where you’re dumb ass is getting 9 from
damn i cant believe i gota take it there but THE RZA, THE GZA, OL DIRTY BASTARD, INSPECTAH DACK, U GOD, GHOSTFACE KILLAH, MASTA KILLA, RAEKWON THE CHEF ANNNNNDDDDD M E T H O D MAN!! CMON SON WHERE U GET 8 FROM?
I don’t believe that Masta Killa was a full member of Wu-Tang at that time and he is only featured on 1 track (mystery of Cheesboxin) on 36 chambers therefore 8 members.
Actually U-God was locked up during most of the recording…he was only out long enough to do 2 songs. Once the album dropped he was out of jail. He only did…Protect ya Neck and Mystery of Chessboxin!
U-god payed his way through college with crack sales! wtf do u know about wat he done in the street. idiot
9 members – U-God = 8
or maybe he’s talking about ODB who’s no longer with us?
stop being a pretentious ass
WOW! its been 18 years!? Yikes!!! Man and all you talking shit about u-God….STFU!! Dude had some of the best bars on Enter the 36…….. He might not drop classics but he’s part of the reason this album is considered a CLASSIC! RESPECT niggas!
Dissin’ WU is like dissin’ Hip Hop in general. Whoever doesn’t respect the Clan and say they are hip hop deserves to get an ass beatiing ….just because. Wu is to Hip Hop what Marley is to Reggae
THose are mostly people who either never listened to wu and talk trash or just dont like underground
ive never heard this album before. I remember when one of my boys at work used to ask me bout Wu-Tang i would say yo i dont listen to that old school shit. Oh to be young and foolish. Lemme give this classic a listen
Believe me, you won’t be disappointed.
word thats the right mindstate right there give it a try I hold that album high up on my list.I got it when it dropped and what they did after that took the world by storm.so much has happened since then but I think youll love it
I still got some Wu Wear from like 96
give it to me
what do you cat-in-the-hat niggas know about Wu Tang? go lsiten to your mac miller shit, faggots. WU TANG FOREVER
Wu Tang Clan ain’t nothing to fuck wit! Mack Miller sucks atlantic’s balls!
First hip-hop album I ever listened to, niggas set the bar way too high lol
If you haven’t heard a wu-tang album, go ahead… do it NOW, what are u waiting for just type : Protect your neck and then type Mystery of chessboxin after that choose between C.R.E.A.M or Triumph. PC GODZ.
You younstas should listento this shit instead of that wack g unit, young money crab
dont even bother these youngstas they only like poplikerap , they dont listen to underground. Wutang 36 chambers raw underground hiphop classic -> tical -> liquid swords -> return to the 36 chambers – > ob4cl etc.
Wu-tang:forever my favorite album
greatest album of all time, hopefully wu tang drop another certified classic
Best Wu albums IN ORDER
36 Chambers
OB4CL / Ironman / Liquid Swordz
Tical
Wu Forever
Return to the 36 Chambers
The Pillage (cappadonna)
Heavy Mental (killa priest)
Bobby Digital
Silent Weapons 4 Quiet Wars (killamry)
The W
Supreme Clientele / Tical 2000
Iron Flag
“I” (Cilvaringz)
I suggest to any person who hasnt heard these albums you posted up here to listen to them.You can do it in that order if you want most def from 36 chambers to tical then branch out.
Not bad Swordz, not bad at all
Did you really write Tical 2000 is the equivalent of Supreme Clientele? You’ve lost your mind. Tical 2000 is wack. All of Meth’s solo albums are wack.
No way Tical is one of the best Wu Tang albums of all time. And 4:26 was a good comeback. Not all of Meth’s solo albums were bad.
tical 2000 is full of gems. once you trim off the fat that is those useless skits it stands up with clientele in every way.
I tried listening to Tical 2000 a few weeks ago and that shit is wack as fuck…Supreme Clientele is vastly overrated (though dope) but it’s 5x better than T2000
Tical – PLO style, Release Yo Delf, Bring the pain, What the Bloodclot?, Meth vs Chef… must I go on???
CLASSIC!
The reason I also went with Tical 2000 on same level as Supreme (which everyone will say is classic) is
1) The actual record… The skits… where’s methodman?? Shalion What?
Records like… Torture, Killing Fields, Cradle Rock, Play for Keeps, Big dogs
And RNB/rap like… Cradle Rock, Make up’s 2 break up…
2) It’s very well done concept album… Judgement Day – the wack will be judged…etc but also the end of the peace in life and love – he describes the slow crumbling of moral society in gritty Shalion slang…
3)It showed that Method could not only rhyme but that his politics and pro-self stance was so tight… (see the mad geo-political references in the last half of the album)
And another reason was…
Extra credit…. Blackout (with Redman) came out like a few months later and added to how diverse Meth was/is. Can get real deep then rap for 15 songs about smoking Weed with Redman.
Impressive
@Swordz – Yes Bro! The Pillage is the most underrated WU album ever.
Cappadonna > U God, Deck, Masta Killah
Streetlife > U God
Killah Priest > Cappadonna
“I” Cilvaringz is dope. Should be higher.
And Bronze’s Great Migration is definately worth a listen for a WU head.
Tical 2000 is dope crazy wild concept album especially if you seen Terminator 2 or even Cyborg track-> judgment Day.
36 Chambers
OB4CL
Ironman
Liquid Swordz
Tical
Wu Forever
Return to the 36 Chambers
The W
Supreme Clientele
Tical 2000
Iron Flag
Uncontrolled Substances
if it wasnt for 36 chambers there wouldnt be no doe or die, illmatic, ready to die or reasonable doubt. 36 chambers is an influenced classic album.
the five best wu-tang albums:
36 Chambers
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…
Liquid Swords
Tical and
Return of the 36 Chambers
That’s a solid list. Forever belongs in there somewhere, but not at the replacement of any on this list. Hip-Hop has never experienced anything like the Wu. The level of talent and raw skill is off the chart.
36 chambers was classic. U god is dope as fuck. And as far as Wu affiliates go u left out Wu syndicatr
“brung a new sound to the table”? “brung”?
Thats okay. Wu Tang is still the shit.
Best Wu Tang albums:
1) 36 Chambers
2) OB4CL
3) Liquid Swords
4) Supreme Clientele
5) Wu Tang Forever
6) Tical
7) Ironman
8) Return to the 36 Chambers
9) OB4CL II
10) Fishscale / The Pretty Toney Album
Good List but
Big Doe Rehab > Pretty Toney
The W > OB4CL II
1. Ironman
2. 36 Chambers
3. Forever
4. Cuban Linx
Ghostface Killah – Paisley Darts
He says when you’re dealing with 8 legends because he’s not counting hmself, he’s dealing with 8 legends. He wasn’t saying one of them wasn’t a legend they’re all legends