The first incarnation of Wu-Tang was a group called 'All In
Together Now' which originally consisted of Ol' Dirty, RZA &
GZA, but Ghostface Killah later joined the group. "They were
the original Wu-Tang" says Method Man.
The RZA & The GZA both had record deals before forming the
Wu-Tang Clan, The RZA (at that time known as Prince
Rakeem) had a deal with Tommy Boy where he released an
EP entitled 'Ooh We Love You Rakeem', The Genius had a
record deal with Cold Chillin' from which he released a
number of singles and an album entitled 'Words From The
Genius', The Genius/GZA heavily disses Cold Chillin' on his
second LP 'Liquid Swords' in the track 'Labels'.
The Wu-Tang Clan have a clothing line called 'Wu-Wear',
they
have 3 different stores in the United States, 1 in Staten Island
(New York), 1 in Norfolk VA and 1 in Atlanta.
There is a manicure shop in Staten Island next to the
Wu-Wear store called 'Wu-Nails'. The store is run by RZA's
sister Sophia.
RZA was one of 10 children living in such poverty, that he
tells it, his mother never had a bank account until he had
made sufficient money to provide for and support her.
The Wu-Tang Clan marketed their first single 'Protect Ya
Neck/After The Laughter' from RZA's basement, each
member raised cash to pay for the costs, from where they
were snatched up by Loud Records.
Ghostface Killah (Ironman) suffers from diabetes, which
causes his weight to go up and down, he receives treatment
from Chinese herbalists.
It was The Genius/GZA who first told RZA about the
Parliament of Gods and Earths, when he was aged 11. The
Parliament is effectively a church, though denying the
existence of any supernatural 'Mystery God,' and through it
RZA was taught the 120 lessons of the Living Mathematics,
the metaphysical teachings of the Five Percent Nation (an
offshoot of the Nation of Islam), hidden meanings in all things.
That names, numbers and signs are repositories of a body of
knowledge that is withheld from 85% of the people. That five
percent, and handed down by the remaining 10%, the Poor
Righteous Teachers. Mathematics runs through the
semantics of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Raekwon is a vegatarian, this he what he said about it, - "I do
have a healthy diet, I eat fish and vegetables. I ain't with
eating meat and chicken. What the fuck does it look like me
eating chicken to the bone, fuck that. What the fuck does it
look like me eating a dead bird, fuck that. An ox is strong as
a motherfucker and all he eats is grass."
Ghostface Killah's music video 'All That I Got Is You' features
Ghost's son who plays Ghostface (Dennis Coles) as a child,
growing up in hard times.
The first video from The Wu-Tang Clan's second album
'Wu-Tang Forever' was considered as the return of the Clan, it
contains computer generated graphics of killa bees 'On Tha
Swarm', it was directed by Brett Ratner, but the original
concept was conceived by Raekwon, the video costed in
excess of 1,000,000 dollars.
The Genius/GZA directs most of the Wu-Tang Clan music
videos, he also directs for The Sunz Of Man & Shabazz The
Disciple. He has created some of the most exciting videos in
Hip-Hop.
The Wu-Tang Clan's first album 'Enter The Wu-Tang: 36
Chambers' cost just 36,000 U.S. dollars to make.
DJ Mathematics created the infamous Wu-Tang logo, the 'W'.
When the Wu-Tang Clan's Inspectah Deck, Method Man &
U-God graced the internet chatting on SonicNet, they were
faced with 1,200 people in the channel coming to speak with
Wu, and if you've ever been in a chat room, you know that is
a HUGE amount of people, the chat was so hectic that
SonicNet server crashed.
Ol' Dirty Bastard has become famous of working with totally
abstract (to Ol' Dirty) artists such as Mariah Carey,
Blackstreet, En Vouge, George Clinton and Omar.
RZA is not only a member of the Wu-Tang Clan, he is also a
member of the Gravediggaz.
