All the instrumental voices of the Wu. Collectively in one span of about five years the members of the WTC had released 20 albums.
The history of the group - and their many names - is delivered, split across different chapters, when the time and the context is right. The chapter on Technology describes some of the early sampling machines and how RZA experimented with different sounds - and used some of his early creations in songs that came years later.
You get a surface feel - a blackprint - for how it all coalesced, from The Five Deadly Venoms film, to the Park Hill, Brownsville, Bed-Stuy, Stapleton projects birth to "The 36 Strategms" book. The title of one Chapter says it all about the underpinnings of the group: "The Way of the Wu: the Grand Spiritual Megamix."
On these pages, eight songs are deconstructed to explain their references, who's rappin' what, their context and their source materials such as samples and voice clips.
And fuck the rest but I finally got to figure where the spoken word intro words to "Bring da Ruckus" came from, so that right there was my reason for reading the book.
RZA talks about his visit to Sifu in China, the original Shaolin Temple and the birthplace of kung fu. As RZA aka The Abbot, describes it, "The Abbot of the other Wu-Tang" gave him a tape of their music.
I don’t listen to rap because I see myself there or want to be there or think I can flow. I just enjoy it, some of it - the music that's creative and isn't all about buying and collecting (although if it sounds good ... )
So since I consider my knowledge about the Wu-Tang Clan incomplete the introduction of a book, The WTC Manual offers to complete a circle of knowledge.
Like watching that obscure avant-garde play or a new creation by a favorite playwright; you know there’s a plot, you hope something strange will make you look at the world in a different way, and no, you’re not supposed to understand it completely.
The Wu-Tang Manual service is done best when RZA explains, throughout his longer term plan for the group, his five-year plan for marketing everything from Wu-wear to organizing the release dates and the labels for the solo records by the Clan performers.
It's a lesson: (page 226)"Even before Wu-Tang was officially a group, I was the nucleus, because I'm the common denominator. Before they knew each other they all knew me. Once we all came together, I became the seven in the center of Wu-Tang. It was just my role - to be the source of energy for the rest of the band, the gravitational center that pulls everyone together.
Article comments
1 - MRBenning
The only album I have is Wu-Tang Forever. I found it to be pretty interesting, but never really got into it too much. I think, after reading your review, that I may not need to know too much about the group to get into RZA's philosophy. Nice work.
2 - Temple Stark
>>subdue your aggression down
That was my non-confrontational way od saying "Kick their ass."
Thanks Michael.
3 - Phillip Winn
The Wu is pretty incredible, and mind-bogglingly prolific. RZA is crazy, but in a good way. The dude knows kung-fu, hardcore.
Great review!
4 - windwalker
Check out wuforever.com
for latest daily wu-tang news
5 - Aaman
Tommy was good, and Who's Next - kinda downhill for the rest.
6 - sonja valentine
good review -
their kung-fu is definitely tight
especially (the underrated) Inspectah Deck
7 - HW Saxton
To make a long post short: Great review.
8 - Temple Stark
This is one I stressed mightily over. There is so much going on and its sometihng that people who aren't fans, I felt, would be if not fascinated by, pretty interested to read - the book that is.
I held on to this one too long too try and find the right words, and as most writers, I'm still not quite happy.
Thanks though.
9 - HW Saxton
I picked this up friday and I finished
it today. Great read.It made my weekend.
Thanx for the recomendation.I'd have to
say it's a great read whether you are
into Hip-Hop or not.If you are though it
makes it that much better.Funny, but now
I want to go watch "Mad Monkey Kung Fu"
and break out my old 12' hip hop singles
for some odd reason.
10 - L. Cue
what do you think TS? Let's make this a Wu summer!
11 - Temple Stark
I'm all about the Wu. Seriously, this book confirmed so much about my impressions - and todl me much more aobut their backgrond and outlook than I knew. So glad HW liked it too.
Post your own review man.
And I did listen to ODB's solo release again. "Shimmy ..." is really the only song I like - the others are way to "in the gutter" for my tastes. It was more controlled and together than I remembered, however.
12 - wuforever.com
dont forget
wuforever.com
largest wu-tang community
3000+ photos
200+ wu-tang wallpapers
13 - jonny blaze
the wu-tang is the ultimate rap group. The only bad thing about the wu-tang now is that wenever i listen to ne of their new stuff i just want to hear the fatherless rythem of ODB. Method man is still their, but the clan just ain't the same without dirt mcgirt.