History Music / WuTangClan

* The '''[[TheHero RZA]]''', AKA The Razor, Prince Rakeem, Rzarector, The Abbot, Chief Abbot, Bobby Steeles, Bobby Digital, the Scientist, Prince Delight, Prince Dynamite, Ruler Zig-Zag-Zig Allah (Real name: Robert Diggs Jr.)

* '''[[BadassBaritone U-God]]''', AKA Baby-U, Golden Arms, 4-Bar Killer, Lucky Hands (Real name: Lamont Hawkins)

When it comes to Hip Hop music, chances are you'll come across the Wu-Tang Clan, a collective of ''ten'' (now nine) men reading to throw in some beats and Shaolin/Wu-Tang style.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wu_tang_clan.jpg]]

When it comes to Hip Hop music, chances are you'll come across the Wu-Tang Clan, a collective of ''nine'' (now eight) men reading to throw in some beats and Shaolin/Wu-Tang style.

* '''[[LivingLieDetector Inspectah Deck]]''', AKA Rebel INS, Fifth Brother, Rollie Fingers, the Ayatollah (Real name: Jason Hunter)

* '''[[SixthRanger U-God]]''', AKA Baby-U, Golden Arms, 4-Bar Killer, Lucky Hands (Real name: Lamont Hawkins)

* '''Cappadonna''', AKA Cappachino (Real name: Darryl Hill)

* FourTemperamentEnsemble: Ghostface and Meth are Sanguine, ODB and RZA are Choleric, GZA, Raekwon and Inspectah are Melancholic, U-God and Masta Killa are Phlegmatic.

-->'''Inspectah Deck:''' "Swinging through your town like your neighborhood Franchise/SpiderMan!"

* Genius Bruiser: All the Wu Tang Members fit this, especially RZA, and GZA.

* BadassAdorable: Shyheim was a rapper affiliated with the group who was 13-14 years old when he recorded his debut album, AKA the rugged child.

* BrooklyRage: Straight from the slums of Staten Island. Wu Tang Clan are also nothing to f with.

* LargeHam: Ghostface Killah. Expect him to ''really'' [[ChewingTheScenery Chew the Scenery]] on the more dramatic songs in the group's catalogue. Most songs featuring him and Ol' Dirty Bastard usually become HamToHamCombat.

* BadassBaritone: U-God has the deepest voice register of the main 9 by a large margin.

* ExcitedShowTitle: Method Man's ''Blackout!'' and ''Blackout! 2''.

* ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' (2015, limited release) [[note]]Only one copy was ever made and sold, with the full release planned in ''2103'', although the album can be released online for free. The copy changed hands over the years from businessman Martin Shkreli to the US government to an anonymous buyer.[[/note]]

* FatalAttraction: Tony Starks to the girl in GFK's ''12 Reasons to Die''.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: There's more Wu Affiliates than people in a small town. Even the base group is anywhere from 9 to 11 strong.

A HardcoreHipHop group from Staten Island, [[BigApplesauce New York City]] that has been active musically since 1992, Wu Tang stopped being something to fuck with around the time you heard 'em for the first time, son. Their fame is largely derived from their SignatureStyle: highly conceptual lyrics with [[JustForFun/OneOfUs frequent name-dropping of]] [[ComicsRuleEverythingAroundMe comic books]], an obsession with UsefulNotes/HongKong martial arts films (especially older classics from Creator/ShawBrothers) [[note]]their name comes from the martial arts movie ''Film/ShaolinAndWuTang''[[/note]] and their [[CrazyIsCool Crazy Awesomeness]].

* ComicsRuleEverythingAroundMe: The trope namers.

** Ghostface Killer took shots at [=D4L's=] "Laffy Taffy" on "The Champ" off ''Fishscale'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OBKFNAWmhk then proceeded to further mock D4L, "Laffy Taffy", and snap in general on tour]].

** Ghostface Killer took shots at D4L's "Laffy Taffy" on "The Champ" off ''Fishscale'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OBKFNAWmhk then proceeded to further mock D4L, "Laffy Taffy", and snap in general on tour]].

* TakeThat: GZA's "Labels" is a huge bitch slap, aimed at every single label that treated him poorly. "Paper Plate" drops the weight on 50 Cent and G-Unit, in response the verbal mudslinging they initiated. Furthermore, [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome GZA does it all without a single profanity,]] save for one [[PrecisionFStrike Precision S-Strike.]]

* ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' (2015, limited release) [[note]]Only one coy was ever made and sold, with the full release planned in ''2103'', although the album can be released online for free. The copy changed hands over the years from businessman Martin Shkreli to the US government to an anonymous buyer.[[/note]]

* ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' (2015, limited release) [[note]]The album was treated as an "art piece" and sold off to the highest bidder with the full release planned in ''2103'', although the album can be released online for free. The album is currently in federal custody following current owner Martin Shkreli being sent to jail for fraud.[[/note]]

A HardcoreHipHop group from Staten Island, [[BigApplesauce New York City]] that has been active musically since 1992, Wu Tang stopped being something to fuck with around the time you heard 'em for the first time, son. Their fame is largely derived from their SignatureStyle: highly conceptual lyrics with [[JustForFun/OneOfUs frequent name-dropping of]] [[ComicsRuleEverythingAroundMe comic books]], an obsession with UsefulNotes/HongKong martial arts films [[note]]their name comes from the martial arts movie ''Film/ShaolinAndWuTang''[[/note]] and their {{Crazy Awesome}}ness.

* '''[[TheLancer Ghostface Killah]]''', AKA Ghost, Sun-God, [[IronMan Ironman, Tony Starks]], Starky Love, Pretty Toney, P Tone, Ghost Deini, The Wallabee Kingpin (Real name: Dennis Coles)

* CatchPhrase: Too many to be counted, but the best one is "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nu-ffin ta Fuk Wit".

%%** Ol' Dirty.

* RagsToRiches: Went from having to [[http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/15-fun-facts-about-wu-tang-clans-36-chambers-20131108 literally steal canned food during the recording of 36 Chambers]] to being worth around $16 million a piece.

* SealedEvilInACan: In ''12 Reasons To Die'', the crime family that took out Starks sealed his remains into 12 vinyl records, but little did they know, Starks would [[spoiler: rise again as The Ghostface Killah.]]

* DownerEnding: Ol' Dirty Bastard. He died following an overdose of cocaine and painkillers in 2004. Worse, his cousin RZA was forced to watch, powerless to help him.

-->[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdNHS8b9C7I&feature=youtu.be&t=40s "I don't know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children. We teach the children. You know what I mean?"]]
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Masta Killa's ''monster'' verse on "Da Mystery Of Chessboxin'" was supposedly the first rap verse he ever wrote.

** Also there's Witty Unpredictabe Talent And Natural Game from The GZA's ''Labels''.
** Cash Rules Everything Around Me, C.R.E.A.M.![[note]]Get da money, dolla dolla bills y'all![[/note]]

* TakeThat: GZA's "Labels" is a huge bitch slap, aimed at every single label that treated him poorly. "Paper Plate" drops the weight on 50 Cent and G-Unit, in response the verbal mudslinging they initiated. Furthermore, [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome GZA does it all without a single profanity,]] save for one semi averted [[PrecisionFStrike Precision S Strike.]]

* '''[[BunnyEarsLawyer Ol' Dirty Bastard]]''', AKA ODB, Dirt [=McGirt=], Dirt Dog, Big Baby Jesus, Sweet Baby Jesus, Mudbutt [=McMurder=], Osirus, Osiris the Father, Joe Bananas, King Bong, Rob Dog, Ol' Dirt Schultz, Hasaan, [[Series/ChappellesShow Old Dirty Chinese Restaurant]], Ill Irving the Murderer, The BZA, Ol' Daddy Skidmarkz, The Drunken Master Styles, Ason Jones, Ason Unique, Rain Man, Free Loadin' Rusty, [[OverlyLongGag The Man of All Rainbows]], (Real name: Russell Tyrone Jones) - [[AuthorExistenceFailure deceased]]

* BatmanGambit: RZA claims the period between ''36 Chambers'' and ''Wu-Tang Forever'' to be this, the goal being to take over the hip hop scene. SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, if anything.

** Ol' Dirty.

** Ghostface Killah, especially due to his latter-career non-sequitir style of rhyming, definitetly comes off as this.

* ComicsRuleEverythingAroundMe: {{Trope Namer|s}}

* DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster: A lot of Wu stuff, but especially Raekwon and Ghost's work. Raekwon's debut solo project ''Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...'' started of the "Wu Gambino" style of mafioso-themed raps, and is largely credited with kickstarting the GangstaRap trend in the first place. GZA's solo album ''Liquid Swords'', on the other hand, delivers some {{Deconstruction}} of the romantic image of the gangster lifestyle: snippets of [[Manga/LoneWolfAndCub Shogun Assassin]] interweave with a stark image of life in a bloody, soulcrushing {{Gangsterland}}. His ''Killa Hills 10304'' is definitely playing this trope straight.

* OddFriendship: {{Bunny Ears Lawyer}} ODB and pop princess {{Music/Mariah Carey}}. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BhESE4IB9w They became close]] after he appeared on the remix of her song "Fantasy." Carey attended [[TearJerker his funeral]] and included him in a montage of her deceased loved ones in one of her music videos.

* TakeThat: GZA's "Labels" is a huge bitch slap, aimed at every single label that, [[ExecutiveMeddling treated him poorly.]] "Paper Plate" drops the weight on 50 Cent and G-Unit, in response the verbal mudslinging they initiated. Furthermore, [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome GZA does it all without a single profanity,]] save for one semi averted [[PrecisionFStrike Precision S Strike.]]