History YMMV / WuTangClan

* AuthorsSavingThrow: Granted, it's not by much, and it's not firsthand, but the fact that the Justice Department ended up [[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/arts/music/wu-tang-clan-once-upon-a-time-in-shaolin.html selling the rights]] to ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' to cryptocurrency company [=PleasrDAO=] has had some fans hopeful that the album might end up seeing the light of day, especially with [=PleasrDAO=] saying that they have plans to make the album more accessible.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: Granted, it's not by much, and it's not firsthand but the fact that the Justice Department ended up [[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/arts/music/wu-tang-clan-once-upon-a-time-in-shaolin.html selling the rights]] to ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' to cryptocurrency company [=PleasrDAO=] has had some fans hopeful that the album might end up seeing the light of day, especially with [=PleasrDAO=] saying that they have plans to make the album more accessible.

* ArchivePanic: Wu-Tang Clan has at best six studio releases (seven if you count the infamous ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' unless the album is ever leaked online), so it isn't too bad. But then you look at their compilations, the studio albums of each member and ''then'' you look at every single Wu-Tang Killa Beez's solo release which at times features collaborators from the Wu themselves and then...[[ThisIsGonnaSuck oh dear]], good luck.

* WinBackTheCrowd: Though commercial success has yet to become the way people see the group now, compilation material (Chamber Music, The Man With the Iron Fists OST and Legendary Weapons) have proven that there is indeed life left in these martial masters of the mic.
** In regards to the bad reputation that tarnished the group's image with ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'', the Mathematics produced ''The Saga Continues'' garnered some approval.

** '''ANYTHING''' on ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' has become this. From the fact RZA went forward with an incredibly poorly executed "release" of it being sold for the misguided purpose of "art" to Shkreli's ownership of the album. There was even speculation about the album being a legit Wu-Tang album after Shkreli began selling it on ''ebay'' and U-God and Method Man's managers stated the album was actually a [[TheScrappy Cilvaringz]] album with Wu-Tang associates on it only for it to have the Wu-Tang brand slapped on by RZA. The album actually ''was'' close to being sold but due to Shkreli being sent to ''prison after making some very poor choices'' before his trial date and it becoming seized and ultimately sold off by the feds, but it's unknown what will be about the album. Basically, this album will forever linger for it's poor release and the drama surrounding it, if it ''does'' leak.

* NeverLiveItDown: Selling an album to a '''very''' hated Martin Shkreli and putting an 88-year rule/ban that makes it impossible for any fan to listen to unless by sheer luck and a ''very small'' miracle. Suffice to say, even '''''if''''' ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' were to be leaked [[note]]Shkreli ''did'' later on release snippets of two songs off the ''Shaolin'' album when Donald Trump won the election, it's ''still'' unknown if he's [[{{Troll}} trolling]] or if he ''will'' release the album, stating during a stream he wants to have at least blessing from the other members before fully releasing it (Despite the "contract" saying he can do what he pleases with the record besides commercialize on it..) [[/note]], it's surprise fans would never let the band (especially The RZA) forget it, especially with RZA and Cilvaringz justifying the entire reason for ''Shaolin'' not being released commercially for [[InsaneTrollLogic an artistic statement based on the significance by the number 8]].

* WeirdAlEffect: As stated on the main page, Method Man's spelling out of his name on the track named for him was a reference to a song called "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3F4c7E9IBU Method of Modern Love]]" by Daryl Hall & John Oates. However, while the song was a big hit in TheEighties, it's largely forgotten today, while Meth's song has become a classic.

** The song "Tearz" features an intro where members of the Wu are panicking over a loved one who's dying in front of them becomes this considering in 2004, OBD would collapse at the group's recording studio and pass away hours later.

** ''Everyone'' has been in Wu Tang for at least 5 minutes. Yes, even '''''YOU'''''.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Masta Killah due to his reclusive nature and being known for having the best verse with Inspectah Deck on "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'".

* SacredCow: Wu-Tang are '''highly''' loved and people take the phrase of "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nu-thin' ta Fuck Wit" very seriously and consider them a staple of hip-hop. Even with the controversy surrounding ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'', the group is still viewed as geniuses and one can relate to. Their hometown of Staten Island (which is referenced by the Clan as "Shaolin") even sees them as heroes, showing that people from a broken town like Staten can escape the hard life.

** '''ANYTHING''' on ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' has become this. From the fact RZA went forward with an incredibly poorly executed "release" of it being sold for the misguided purpose of "art" to Shkreli's ownership of the album. There was even speculation about the album being a legit Wu-Tang album after Shkreli began selling it on ''ebay'' and U-God and Method Man's managers stated the album was actually a [[TheScrappy Cilvaringz]] album with Wu-Tang associates on it only for it to have the Wu-Tang brand slapped on by RZA. The album actually ''was'' close to being sold but due to Shkreli being sent to ''prison after making some very poor choices'' before his trial date and it becoming seized by the feds, but it's unknown what will be about the album. Basically, this album will forever linger for it's poor release and the drama surrounding it, if it ''does'' leak.

** '''''OL DIRTY BASTARD''''', often considered by fans to be one of the most beloved and missed due to being the most insane and crazy member of the group.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: [[http://youtu.be/eCIw2ekL0zI?t=2m19s This]] interview. ODB and Method Man are talking about [[Music/TupacShakur 2Pac]] and [[Music/TheNotoriousBIG Biggie]], when ODB randomly [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial denies]] being crazy right out of nowhere.

** Ditto "I Can't Go to Sleep" from ''The W''.

** They decided to release one copy of an album - "Once Upon a Time In Shaolin" - [[http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/mar/03/wu-tang-clan-unveil-sole-copy-new-album auctioning it off in 2015 to just one bidder]]. It ended up getting bought by [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2015/12/09/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-bought-that-exclusive-single-issue-wu-tang-clan-album/ billionaire 'Pharma Bro' Martin Shkreli]], who had become one of the most hated men in America over his questionable hiking the prices of much-needed medications for deadly diseases.

* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: ODB and his friends helped save a [[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429494/19980224/ghostface_killah.jhtml 4 year old girl that had been crushed by a car]] outside his studio. He visited her in the hospital without ever identifying himself.

* EarWorm: The hook from C.R.E.A.M will grab your ears, get inside your brain and never leave. Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M, get the money. Dolla, dolla bill, y'all!

** The hook from C.R.E.A.M will grab your ears, get inside your brain and never leave. Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M, get the money. Dolla, dolla bill, y'all!

* EarWorm: The entire ''36 Chambers'' album is this.

* InternetBackdraft: ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' being given a ''one copy'' limited release and then being sold to controversial figure Martin Shkreli has gotten this to fans, especially with the group enforcing the "88-year ban" where the album can't be distributed (not helped by RZA's InsaneTrollLogic over the meaning of it because of the ArcNumber 8 of the group) and knowing Shkreli won't give listening parties/release it online, even saying he may '''''[[ForTheEvulz destroy the discs just to spite people]]'''''. Fan hate over this is immense.
** More controversy came over the fact that most of the members weren't told about RZA's "88-year ban", Raekwon saying "88 years is too long", Killah calling the album "not a Wu-Tang album", and Method Man finding the whole backwards logic by RZA a bit degrading. It also doesn't help the album has only lead to HypeBacklash if it ''ever'' leaks.[[note]]According to the "88 contract", the album ''can'' be either released at a listening party or even leaked online, and Shkreli has mentioned in a Vice interview that "if people really want, I'd leak it". Time will only tell [[HopeSpot if that does happen]], especially now with Shkreli in prison and the album in government hands. [[/note]]
** To add more to the drama surrounding the album comes with the producer Cilvaringz who not only had been an AscendedFanboy (Being the one who also founded the Wu's official forum Wu-Tang Corp) who was working on the album "for the fans" later on did a 180-degree and said it ''wasn't'' for the fans. Not just the fans, but ''even most of the members'' do not like Cilvaringz due to his behavior as well as his insistence that the album isn't worthy for fans.

* CrazyAwesome: Ol' Dirty Bastard in particular, the entire group in general.

* BrokenBase: The group sort of have been within a broken base when it comes to any albums after ''36 Chambers'', but ''especially'' with ''A Better Tomorrow''. Arguably a case of FirstInstallmentWins due to how highly praised the album is compared to their album albums.
** Whether not the group is weaker without OBD is up in the air as well.
** ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'', in spades. [[InternetBackdraft One doesn't need to describe why fans are bitter]].

* BrokenBase: The group sort of have been within a broken base when it comes to any albums after ''36 Chambers'' and of course... ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin''...
** Even more so regarding the fact ODB is gone from the project.

* FirstInstallmentWins: To the point that some of their later albums [[ToughActToFollow were criticised for not being as good as]] ''Enter the Wu-Tang'' or their first batch of solo albums.

** More controversy came over the fact that most of the members weren't told about RZA's "88-year ban", Raekwon saying "88 years is too long", Killah calling the album "not a Wu-Tang album", and Method Man finding the whole backwards logic by RZA a bit degrading. It also doesn't help the album has only lead to HypeBacklash if it ''ever'' leaks.[[note]]According to the "88 contract", the album ''can'' be either released at a listening party or even leaked online, and Shkreli has mentioned in a Vice interview that "if people really want, I'd leak it". Time will only tell [[HopeSpot if that does happen]]. [[/note]]

%% ** "Fuck Cilvaringz"

** '''ANYTHING''' on ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' has become this. From the fact RZA went forward with an incredibly poorly executed "release" of it being sold for the misguided purpose of "art" to Shkreli's ownership of the album. There was even speculation about the album being a legit Wu-Tang album after Shkreli began selling it on ''ebay'' and U-God and Method Man's managers stated the album was actually a [[TheScrappy Cilvaringz]] album with Wu-Tang associates on it only for it to have the Wu-Tang brand slapped on by RZA. The album actually ''was'' close to being sold but due to Shkreli being sent to ''prison after making some very poor choices'' before his trial date, but it's unknown what will be about the album. Basically, this album will forever linger for it's poor release and the drama surrounding it, if it ''does'' leak.

%% * SeasonalRot: Arguably 1997–2001.
** Not so much SeasonalRot as a hiatus between group albums. Ghostface Killah had ''Supreme Clientele'' (2000). GZA had ''Beneath the Surface'' (1999). Inspectah Deck had ''Uncontrolled Substance'' (1999). Method Man had ''Tical 2000: Judgment Day'' (1998) and ''Blackout!'' (with Redman, 1999). Ol' Dirty Bastard had ''Nigga Please'' (1999). All were well received and sold well. ''The W'' was a group album that came out in 2000 that was well received and featured the hit '''Gravel Pit''' so even the years are debatable.
*** Output since hasn't exactly been the best received since though. 8 Diagrams was heralded as a new sound for RZA, a fact that most notably, Raekwon and Ghostface took issue with.
** Seems to be veering from this since 2015 when the enforcement of the 88-year rule on ''Once Upon a Time in Shaolin'' was enforced by RZA, as a result a slew of fans have begun to jump ship.