My Favorite 36 Chambers — Wu-Tang ‘93-’97
Posted By Ben W. on October 8, 2009
There was a time when the RZA didn’t act in movies with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. He was too busy playing with cheap recording equipment in his basement.
There was a time when the Wu-Tang Clan’s greatest patron was the streets; not Pitchfork Media.
There was even a time when Wu-Tang Clan concert audiences didn’t consist solely of pasty white suburbanites trying to look cool by holding their hands up to form W’s in the sky.
I remember this time.
It was called the 90s.
And it was pretty good in retrospect.
Especially for said Wu-Tang Clan. It was a fairly short-lived streak, but during their run from 1993’s Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) album up to and not including 1997’s Wu-Tang Forever release they were pretty much untouchable.
How untouchable? Well, here’s a good start:
MY FAVORITE 36 WU-TANG-AFFILIATED SONGS FROM 1993-97
36. Baby C’Mon – Ol’ Dirty Bastard
The RZA gives you three minimalist-perfect beats for the price of one. And how can you not like an intro that goes “Right muh-fuckin’ now…ah-uh-oh…”
35. Wu-Gambinos – Raekwon (feat. Ghostface Killah, RZA, Method Man & Master Killa)
The over-long intro is one of the rare Wu skits that falls flat, but the song itself is worth the wait.
34. Killah Hills 10304 – Genius
A rare synth-heavy sample from this era.
33. Incarcerated Scarfaces – Raekwon
Hip hop was so much better when it relied on break beats like this. That hi-hat is harsh and amazing.
32. Labels – Genius
Think the GZA was bitter about his early dealings in the record biz? He manages to fit the names of 40 (by my count) record labels into this one angry verse. For those of you scoring at home — Tommy Boy, Emerge, Livin’ Large, Def Jam, Ruffhouse, Cold Chillin’, Warner Brothers, Ruthless, Jive, Profile, Sleeping Bag, Tuff City, Virgin, Venus, Mercury, Capitol, Death Row, Epic, RAL, East West, Atco, Next Plateau, Wild Pitch, Uptown, MCA, 4th & B’Way, Island, Priority, First Priority, A&M, Pendulum, Columbia, Interscope, RCA, Atlantic, Bad Boy, Arista, Geffen, Motown and CBS.
31. Can It Be All So Simple – Wu-Tang Clan (Raekwon & Ghostface)
Everybody’s talking bout the good ol’ days. As far as warm and fuzzy blasts of nostalgia, this one isn’t very warm and fuzzy.
30. 260 – Ghostface (feat. Raekwon)
This is the template Ghostface followed into greater fame in the 2000s — soul samples mixed with hyperactive storytelling.
29. Bring Da Ruckus — Wu-Tang Clan (RZA, Ghostface, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck & Genius)
When I first bought this tape back in ‘94, you can imagine my confusion when the first song I hear sounds like this. My ear, cultivated to the sounds of West Coast g-funk and East Coast jazz samples, just didn’t know what to make of it. And in my defense, this song is a terribly produced piece of noise. But after a few more listens, that’s exactly why I loved it.
Good morning Vietnam!!!!
27. Daytona 500 – Ghostface (feat. Raekwon & Cappadonna)
The best song on what, at the time to me, was a very disappointing Iron Man album by Ghostface. I’ve since come to appreciate it more, but it remains my least favorite of the six classic-era Wu albums. The “Speed Racer” video was corny then and remains corny now, no?
26. The Stomp – Ol’ Dirty Bastard
He was drunk in the studio. A lot. Seriously, has there ever been an artist this completely uninhibited on record? There is zero pretense with him. Less than zero, really. It’s wonderful.
25. Release Yo Delf – Method Man (feat. Blue Raspberry)
I like to think that Def Jam convinced themselves that this was a hit single. They had the R&B hook in place, the familiar sample. They even made a video. But good God, this was not a hit single. Someone should have told them that the combination of melodramatic military horns, video game sirens and a hoarse, unkempt rapper shouting rhymed nonsensicals wasn’t exactly radio-ready. And I love it.
24. Tragedy – RZA
In retrospect, the Eurythmics lift is kind of lame. But I don’t care. His flow is insane. He doesn’t even try to stay on the beat. And the content is even weirder. Plus, I remember watching the movie “Rhyme And Reason” in the theatre and seeing this video on the big screen to open the film just blew my mind.
23. Tearz – Wu-Tang Clan (RZA & Ghostface)
I like when RZA laughs in the first verse.
22. What The Blood Clot – Method Man
“All I hear is gun shots; Can I touch sumthin? What the blood clot?” There. That’s your hook. And you know what? I don’t know why or how, but it’s a great hook.
21. Ice Cream – Raekwon (feat. Method Man & Ghostface)
Another classic that hasn’t really aged a day in 14 years. Well, except maybe that Adina Howard reference in the first verse. That one’s a little dated.
20. Glaciers Of Ice – Raekwoon (feat. Ghostface, Master Killa & Blue Raspberry)
Boom. Rae almost steals the show with his sartorial passion in the intro. Woooooo. Fortunately, the song is even better.
19. Raw Hide – Ol’ Dirty Bastard (feat. Raekwon & Method Man)
The only song I’m aware of that features two (TWO!) references to period blood.
18. Wu Wear: The Garment Renaissance – RZA (feat. Method Man & Cappadonna)
Featured in the oft-overlook epic “High School High,” proving what we suspected all along – Wu-Tang + Jon Lovitz = gold.
Another soundtrack song — this one from “Batman Forever” — it’d be cheesy if it wasn’t so freaking good.
Quintessential Wu.
15. Criminology – Raekwon (feat. Ghostface)
The Cuban Linx album was more musical than its preceding Wu releases, and this is the perfect example. The RZA goes back and forth between rich soul samples and beautiful breakbeat minimalism. Rae and Ghost, meanwhile, do what they do.
14. Shame On A Nuh – Wu-Tang Clan (Ol’ DB, Raekwon & Method Man)
This was our introduction to the deranged genius that was Russell Jones. Nothing in rap was ever quite the same.
13. Guillotine (Swordz) – Raekwon (feat. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface & Genius)
The combined lyrical assault on this track is difficult to quantify.
12. Shimmy Shimmy Ya – Ol’ Dirty Bastard
Somehow the edited version for the video channels, ready to take the charts by storm, was even dirtier than the original. But stopping his verse halfway through to say “See my name’s the Ol’ DB, and I’ll beat your assssssssssss,” is exactly the kind of curious artistic decision for which we love him.
11. Method Man – Wu-Tang Clan (Method Man)
He references everything from the Rolling Stones to Dr. Seuss to Tweety Bird to Fat Albert to Mary Poppins to Tootsee Roll Pops in this one. Straight from the slums of Shaolin, eh? It’s confusing, but that combination of cheesy pop and rugged n’ raw realness is just too good to resist.
10. Shadowboxin’ – Genius (feat. Method Man)
I love the GZA, but Meth’s verse and RZA’s surprisingly groovy beat steal the show on this one. He gets the credit, though, for directing the video for this split single (with “4th Chamber”) — one of my favorite rap vids ever made.
9. The first Wu-Tang single ever. And while it’s far from being their most marketable song, all the hallmarks of their future glories were there — the raw production, the fully formed styles and personalities for each MC , the strange combination of Islam, gangster storytelling and kung fu references. If you wanted to save one Wu-Tang song to show the future what they were all about, this might be the right choice.
I love all the similes — “Lyrics is weak like clock-radio speakers” being my favorite.
7. Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F’ Wit – Wu-Tang Clan (RZA, Inspectah Deck & Method Man)
Tiiiiiiiiiger style.
6. Verbal Intercourse – Raekwon (feat. Nas & Ghostface)
This song marked the first non-Wu-Tang-affiliated guest artist on a Wu-Tang album. So from a purist’s standpoint, Nas’ presence here might be a problem. But then you remember it’s the “due to lights, cameras and action, glamour, glitters and gold…” verse (surely one of the top 25 in rap history) and you cast aside any stupid complaints. Jesus, Nas rips it up. They all do. And each rapper has similar flows, so it’s just a relentless assault of internal rhymes and ever-changing rhythms. Oh, and the beat is pretty decent too.
The Puff Daddy remix was a crossover hit, but it kills the song’s Wu-Tangy ness. The original, predictably, is messier. But it’s a glorious mess. And both versions have the same ace verses from Meth — ultimately the song’s main attraction regardless of beat. So we’ll go with the original for our list.
4. 4th Chamber – Genius (feat. Ghostface, Killah Priest & RZA)
This beat is just brilliant. You’ve got four standout elements for your ear to latch onto — the little trickle kung fu melody, the percussive distorted guitar samples, the anarchic blasts of noise at the beginning and end of the song, and of course the standard-issue dusty RZA breakbeat. Mr. Robert Diggs dominates the mic, too. “You can see the weakness of a man right through his iris.” (And yes, I know “4th Chamber” is the fourth chamber on the list. I couldn’t resist.)
3. Bring The Pain – Method Man
Method Man always had the group’s best ear for a hook, and this is certainly his best chorus. The whole song toes the catchy single/raw, underground and scary line perfectly.
2. Brooklyn Zoo – Ol’ Dirty Bastard
What can you say about this? It’s pure, unadulterated genius from beginning to end. And, surprisingly, the only song on our list not produced by the RZA. True Master, a RZA protege, gave us this gem. Ol’ DB and that grill of gold did the rest.
1. C.R.E.A.M. – Wu-Tang Clan (Raekwon, Inspectah Deck & Method Man)
There’s nothing that isn’t perfect about this song. The beat, with its reverberating bassline and haunting piano loop, is among the best in rap history. The hook (an acronym that actually doesn’t suck!) provided by Method Man is fantastic. And the verses, courtesy of Raekwon and the criminally underrated Rebel INS, are rich in detail, heartfelt, thought-provoking and razor sharp. One of the best singles of all time – any artist, any genre.
Related posts:
Comments
Leave a Reply