Over the past 25 years plus, Wu-Tang Clan has become one of Hip Hop’s most iconic groups. But back in the early ’90s, their burgeoning career was just getting off the ground. Following the release of the legendary New York collective’s 1993 debut album Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Loud Records released “C.R.E.A.M” as a single on January 31, 1994.
Produced by Wu-Tang’s de facto leader RZA, the song sampled The Charmels’ 1967 hit, “As Long As I’ve Got You” and featured verses from Raekwon and Inspectah Deck.
Method Man provided an unforgettable hook that played off the meaning of the song’s acronym — “Cash Rules Everything Around Me.”
“Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M./Get the money/Dollar, dollar bill, y’all,” he spits.
Although Ghostface Killah wasn’t included on the original, he recently revisited “C.R.E.A.M.” and put his own touch on the classic cut along with Roc Nation artist Nicole Bus.
• “C.R.E.A.M.” peaked at No. 60 on Billboard’s Hot 100, marking one of their highest charting singles to date.
• It was certified gold by the RIAA in January 2009, 15 years after its release.
• According to Chuck D’s This Day In Rap & Hip Hop History book, Raekwon believes his verse is the best he’s ever written.
• The single has been sampled on songs such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony “Notorious Thugs” collaboration and Mos Def’s 1999 single, “Mathematics.”
Still relevant to this day. One of the best songs of all time.
I think it’s both Rae AND Deck’s best verses.
Classic
GOAT
Damn,if only this was the actual present day and year. Senior year in high school. Was a West coast fan at the time. Didn’t actually know who Wu was until I heard this bangin a year later in an upstairs apartment my brother lived in. He left and I borrowed it to see who song it was. Instantly became a fan.
“Same damn Lo sweater…”
KILLAZ BEE ON A SWARM! ANOTHER WU YEAR IS COMING. CAN I SAY THIS ONE… I HAVE A THEORY. WU TANG’S NEW ALBUM IS A DOUBLE CD. WHY? WU TANG USED TO KNOCKOUT ALBUMS IN TWO MONTHS. THE WHOLE CREW HAS BEEN TOURING TOGETHER FOR MONTHS. THEY HAD ENOUGH TIME TOGETHER TO WORK ON A DOUBLE CD. I HOPE IS TRUE.
The one and only time Raekwon made any sense.