Wu-Tang Forever
Encyclopedia
Wu-Tang Forever is the second studio album of American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan
, released June 3, 1997 on Loud
/RCA Records
in the United States. Pressed as a double album, it was released after a long run of successful solo projects from various members of the group, and serves as the follow-up to their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
. Forever features several guest appearances from Wu-Tang affiliates Cappadonna
, Streetlife
, 4th Disciple
, True Master
, and Tekitha
, as well as an extensive embodiment of lesser known members of the group.
Despite limited radio/TV airplay, and a lead single that famously clocked at nearly six minutes with no chorus, Wu-Tang Forever debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
with 612,000 copies sold in its first week. The album was certified 4X's platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) on October 15, 1997, making it the group's highest selling album to date. Upon its release, Wu-Tang Forever received favorable reviews from most music critics, while it also earned the group a Grammy Award
nomination for Best Rap Album at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998
.
had been expanding the musical backdrop of each solo Wu-Tang album since then. Raekwon
's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
, in particular, was praised for its cinematic feel. RZA earned accolades for his new dense style of production; incorporating strings, heavy synthesizers, and the kung-fu samples of old. The production of the record also pioneered RZA's technique of chopping up and speeding up soul
samples to where it is unusually high-pitched. This style of production would be influential on later producers such as Just Blaze
and Kanye West
. Wu-Tang Forever marked the first group album in-which RZA assigned some of the album's production to Wu-Tang protégés True Master
and 4th Disciple
, as well as Wu-Tang member Inspectah Deck
.
The Wu-Tang Clan took advantage of the double-disc format, allowing each of the nine members with a significant number of appearances, including three solo tracks. Several of the members have been recognized for particularly strong performances:
Inspectah Deck
raised his stock in the public eye with The Source
s Hip-Hop Quotable for his performance on "Triumph". This verse is also considered by many to be one of the greatest hip-hop verses of all time. Despite being one of the last group members to release a solo album, his contributions throughout Wu-Tang Forever lead to being a highly sought after guest collaborator; appearing in the near future on tracks for Gang Starr
, Pete Rock
and Big Pun
, among others.
Ghostface Killah
continued his rise to fame with his verse in "Impossible," which was hailed by RZA in the Wu-Tang Manual as "the greatest Wu-Tang verse ever written," and was also featured in The Sources Hip-Hop Quotable. "Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours" has also been noted as one of his memorable verses on the album, for his verse cut-off, first popularizing the feel that he could "go on forever". Ghostface Killah would follow up his work on Forever with Supreme Clientele
, which is generally regarded as a classic in the Hip-Hop album canon.
gave the album an A rating, and commented "Forever continues the group's artistic grand slam. Like their forebears in Public Enemy, Wu-Tang are musical revolutionaries, unafraid to bring the noise along with their trunk of funk. The RZA allows a few outside producers behind the board this time, but it's his gritty samples and numbing beats that get the party moving." Sash Frere-Jones from Spin
magazine gave the album a 7 out of 10 rating, and wrote "This album is for hip-hop junkies, rhyme followers who want to hear their favorite sword-swallowers drop unusually good styles over unusually good beats." Comparing some of the album's production to that of Wu-Tang member GZA's Liquid Swords
(also produced by RZA), Neil Strauss from The New York Times
wrote a favorable review of the album and stated "Wu-Tang Forever is a smooth, clean set of 25 songs and two speeches, with only a few throwaways on the second CD. The Wu-Tang Clan offers something for every kind of rap fan. More important, after a four-year wait, on Wu-Tang Forever the Clan retains its mantle as rap's standard bearers." Melody Maker
gave Wu-Tang Forever a favorable review as well, stating "It had to be this big. It didn't have to be this good ... Every single track is a detonation of every single pop rule you thought sacrosanct .... Forever is one of the greatest hip hop LPs of all time." Stephen Thomas Erlewine
from Allmusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, and stated:
Describing the album's lyrics as "hauntingly descriptive tales of ghetto hustlers and victims," Rolling Stone
rated the album 3½ out of 5 stars, and stated "The whole of Wu-Tang Forever crackles with a shootout-at-midnight electricity that more than justifies the double-disc indulgence, while the back-and-forth wordfire of Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, etc. confirms the Clan's singular zing at the mic, and their ghetto-wise might as storytellers." Cheo Coker from Los Angeles Times
gave the album 3½ out of 4 stars and commented "The Clan's beats push the limit between cutting-edge hip-hop and industrial feedback, with jugular-clutching rhymes following their own melodic dictates and insular messages running the gamut from ancient maxims of the art of war to spiritual knowledge, wisdom and understanding from the Islamic Five Percent Nation. Clocking in at two hours, this two-disc, 27-track collection starts in earnest with the brilliant "Reunited," in which producer RZA introduces menacing fiddles to his graveyard hoedown. Behind the rhymes lie exciting string movements that give the song an eerie edge that electric guitars just can't project." Edna Gunderson from USA Today
also gave the album 3½ out of 4 stars, and wrote "Hip-hop's most anticipated album crackles with the nine-member clan's unique hard-core rhymes and beats. On this two-disc, 112-minute set, the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. The RZA avoids overproduction, using the beats to propel the lyrics, and keeps the music free of clichéd R&B loops.
, The Village Voice
, NME
and Melody Maker
. Popular Belgium
magazine HUMO
, and popular German
magazine Spex
both ranked it number six on their albums of the year lists. In 1999, Ego Trip
ranked Wu-Tang Forever number three on their Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980-98 list. In their March 2005 issue, Hip Hop Connection
ranked the album number 57 on their 100 Greatest Rap Albums 1995-2005 list. Also in 2005, Blow Up magazine from Italy
included Wu-Tang Forever in their 600 Essential Albums list.
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
, released June 3, 1997 on Loud
Loud Records
Loud Records is a subsidiary of SRC Records founded by Steve Rifkind in 1992.Loud was a hip hop label which has released material by acts such as Wu-Tang Clan, Big Punisher, Mobb Deep, Krayzie Bone, The Beatnuts, M.O.P., Tha Alkaholiks, Pete Rock, Lil' Flip, Three 6 Mafia, Project Pat, Xzibit,...
/RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in the United States. Pressed as a double album, it was released after a long run of successful solo projects from various members of the group, and serves as the follow-up to their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Enter the Wu-Tang is the debut album of American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released November 9, 1993, on Loud Records and distributed through RCA Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and it was mastered at The Hit Factory...
. Forever features several guest appearances from Wu-Tang affiliates Cappadonna
Cappadonna
Darryl Hill best known by his stage name Cappadonna, is an American rapper and oftentimes member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He is also a member of rap duo Wu South, along with Ratchet Rush.-Biography:...
, Streetlife
Streetlife (rapper)
Patrick Charles, better known by the stage name Streetlife, is a hip hop artist who is a close associate of the Wu-Tang Clan, particularly of Method Man. He was born in the Bronx, moved to Houston, Texas, and later moved to Staten Island where he grew up....
, 4th Disciple
4th Disciple
Selwin Bougard, now known as El-Divine Amir Bey, better known by his stage name 4th Disciple, is a hip hop producer and engineer who was one of the founding members of Killarmy and one of the best-known Wu-Tang-affiliated producers.- Biography :...
, True Master
True Master
True Master is an American hip-hop producer and very occasional rapper. He is closely affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan and an original member of its production team, sometimes referred to as Wu-Elements. He derives his rap nom de plume from the martial arts movie of the same name...
, and Tekitha
Tekitha
Tekitha is a female vocalist who appeared to take the role of Wu-Tang Clan in-house singer for the album Wu-Tang Forever, on which she also performed a solo track titled "Second Coming". She also filled in for the unavailable Mary J...
, as well as an extensive embodiment of lesser known members of the group.
Despite limited radio/TV airplay, and a lead single that famously clocked at nearly six minutes with no chorus, Wu-Tang Forever debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
with 612,000 copies sold in its first week. The album was certified 4X's platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) on October 15, 1997, making it the group's highest selling album to date. Upon its release, Wu-Tang Forever received favorable reviews from most music critics, while it also earned the group a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination for Best Rap Album at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998
Grammy Award for Best Rap Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
.
Production
While the group's previous album is known for its minimalistic production style, producer RZARZA
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost...
had been expanding the musical backdrop of each solo Wu-Tang album since then. Raekwon
Raekwon
Corey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is the solo debut album of American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon, released August 1, 1995, on Loud Records in the United States...
, in particular, was praised for its cinematic feel. RZA earned accolades for his new dense style of production; incorporating strings, heavy synthesizers, and the kung-fu samples of old. The production of the record also pioneered RZA's technique of chopping up and speeding up soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
samples to where it is unusually high-pitched. This style of production would be influential on later producers such as Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
and Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
. Wu-Tang Forever marked the first group album in-which RZA assigned some of the album's production to Wu-Tang protégés True Master
True Master
True Master is an American hip-hop producer and very occasional rapper. He is closely affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan and an original member of its production team, sometimes referred to as Wu-Elements. He derives his rap nom de plume from the martial arts movie of the same name...
and 4th Disciple
4th Disciple
Selwin Bougard, now known as El-Divine Amir Bey, better known by his stage name 4th Disciple, is a hip hop producer and engineer who was one of the founding members of Killarmy and one of the best-known Wu-Tang-affiliated producers.- Biography :...
, as well as Wu-Tang member Inspectah Deck
Inspectah Deck
Jason Hunter, better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper, producer, and member of the Wu-Tang Clan...
.
Lyrical themes
The group's lyrics differed in many ways from those of 36 Chambers, with many verses written in stream-of-consciousness style, while being influenced by the teachings of the Five Percent Nation. The group showed some mature depth as well, speaking on the pitfalls of life's vices ("A Better Tomorrow") and the harsh realities of the inner city life. "Impossible," for instance, even touches on the less glamorized realities of the same violence that the group often paraded.The Wu-Tang Clan took advantage of the double-disc format, allowing each of the nine members with a significant number of appearances, including three solo tracks. Several of the members have been recognized for particularly strong performances:
Inspectah Deck
Inspectah Deck
Jason Hunter, better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper, producer, and member of the Wu-Tang Clan...
raised his stock in the public eye with The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
s Hip-Hop Quotable for his performance on "Triumph". This verse is also considered by many to be one of the greatest hip-hop verses of all time. Despite being one of the last group members to release a solo album, his contributions throughout Wu-Tang Forever lead to being a highly sought after guest collaborator; appearing in the near future on tracks for Gang Starr
Gang Starr
Gang Starr was an influential East Coast hip hop duo that consisted of the late MC Guru and DJ/producer DJ Premier. Their style combined elements of New York jazz and hip hop.-Background:...
, Pete Rock
Pete Rock
Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
and Big Pun
Big Pun
Christopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
, among others.
Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
continued his rise to fame with his verse in "Impossible," which was hailed by RZA in the Wu-Tang Manual as "the greatest Wu-Tang verse ever written," and was also featured in The Sources Hip-Hop Quotable. "Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours" has also been noted as one of his memorable verses on the album, for his verse cut-off, first popularizing the feel that he could "go on forever". Ghostface Killah would follow up his work on Forever with Supreme Clientele
Supreme Clientele
Supreme Clientele is the second studio album of American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released January 25, 2000 on Epic Records. The album was recorded at several studios in New York and Florida, with the sessions taking place in 1999...
, which is generally regarded as a classic in the Hip-Hop album canon.
Critical response
Upon its release, Wu-Tang Forever received positive reviews from music critics, who praised RZA's production work and the group members' lyricism. Matt Diehl from Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
gave the album an A rating, and commented "Forever continues the group's artistic grand slam. Like their forebears in Public Enemy, Wu-Tang are musical revolutionaries, unafraid to bring the noise along with their trunk of funk. The RZA allows a few outside producers behind the board this time, but it's his gritty samples and numbing beats that get the party moving." Sash Frere-Jones from Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine gave the album a 7 out of 10 rating, and wrote "This album is for hip-hop junkies, rhyme followers who want to hear their favorite sword-swallowers drop unusually good styles over unusually good beats." Comparing some of the album's production to that of Wu-Tang member GZA's Liquid Swords
Liquid Swords
Liquid Swords is the second solo studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member GZA, released November 7, 1995, on Geffen Records. Recording sessions for the album began mid-way through 1995 at producer RZA's basement studio in Staten Island New York...
(also produced by RZA), Neil Strauss from The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote a favorable review of the album and stated "Wu-Tang Forever is a smooth, clean set of 25 songs and two speeches, with only a few throwaways on the second CD. The Wu-Tang Clan offers something for every kind of rap fan. More important, after a four-year wait, on Wu-Tang Forever the Clan retains its mantle as rap's standard bearers." Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
gave Wu-Tang Forever a favorable review as well, stating "It had to be this big. It didn't have to be this good ... Every single track is a detonation of every single pop rule you thought sacrosanct .... Forever is one of the greatest hip hop LPs of all time." Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
from Allmusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, and stated:
Describing the album's lyrics as "hauntingly descriptive tales of ghetto hustlers and victims," Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
rated the album 3½ out of 5 stars, and stated "The whole of Wu-Tang Forever crackles with a shootout-at-midnight electricity that more than justifies the double-disc indulgence, while the back-and-forth wordfire of Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, etc. confirms the Clan's singular zing at the mic, and their ghetto-wise might as storytellers." Cheo Coker from Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
gave the album 3½ out of 4 stars and commented "The Clan's beats push the limit between cutting-edge hip-hop and industrial feedback, with jugular-clutching rhymes following their own melodic dictates and insular messages running the gamut from ancient maxims of the art of war to spiritual knowledge, wisdom and understanding from the Islamic Five Percent Nation. Clocking in at two hours, this two-disc, 27-track collection starts in earnest with the brilliant "Reunited," in which producer RZA introduces menacing fiddles to his graveyard hoedown. Behind the rhymes lie exciting string movements that give the song an eerie edge that electric guitars just can't project." Edna Gunderson from USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
also gave the album 3½ out of 4 stars, and wrote "Hip-hop's most anticipated album crackles with the nine-member clan's unique hard-core rhymes and beats. On this two-disc, 112-minute set, the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. The RZA avoids overproduction, using the beats to propel the lyrics, and keeps the music free of clichéd R&B loops.
Accolades
Wu-Tang Forever was ranked as one of the top best albums of the year by several notable publications, such as SpinSpin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
, The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
and Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
. Popular Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
magazine HUMO
HUMO
HUMO is a popular Belgian weekly radio and television magazine, written in Dutch.Originally the magazine was titled Humoradio, a portmanteau of 'humor' and 'radio'....
, and popular German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
magazine Spex
Spex (magazine)
Spex is a prominent German rock and pop culture magazine located in Berlin, Germany. Besides music news, Spex also covers literature, cinema, fashion and contemporary social trends...
both ranked it number six on their albums of the year lists. In 1999, Ego Trip
Ego trip (magazine)
ego trip was the name of a hip hop magazine started in New York City in 1994. It lasted four years and 13 issues and distinguished itself based on its irreverence and defiant attitude, eventually adopting the tagline, "the arrogant voice of musical truth."-Description:The roots of the publication...
ranked Wu-Tang Forever number three on their Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980-98 list. In their March 2005 issue, Hip Hop Connection
Hip Hop Connection
Hip Hop Connection is the longest running monthly periodical devoted entirely to hip hop culture. HHC has earned international recognition and was described by Chuck D as "the best magazine in the world".-History:...
ranked the album number 57 on their 100 Greatest Rap Albums 1995-2005 list. Also in 2005, Blow Up magazine from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
included Wu-Tang Forever in their 600 Essential Albums list.
Disc one
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Performer(s) | Samples | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wu-Revolution | RZA RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost... |
|
|
6:46 |
| 2 | Reunited | RZA |
GZA Gary Grice , better known by his stage names GZA and The Genius, is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. He has also appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and has maintained a successful solo career... Ol' Dirty Bastard Russell Tyrone Jones was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard or simply ODB... RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA , is an American Grammy-winning music producer, multi-instrumentalist, author, emcee, and occasional actor, director, and screenwriter. A prominent figure in Hip Hop, RZA is the de facto leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He has produced almost... Method Man Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man... |
5:21 | |
| 3 | For Heaven's Sake | RZA |
Inspectah Deck Jason Hunter, better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper, producer, and member of the Wu-Tang Clan... Masta Killa Jamel Arief , better known as Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan... Cappadonna Darryl Hill best known by his stage name Cappadonna, is an American rapper and oftentimes member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He is also a member of rap duo Wu South, along with Ratchet Rush.-Biography:... |
King Floyd King Floyd was a New Orleans soul singer and songwriter, best known for his Top 10 hit from 1970, "Groove Me".-Early career:... |
4:13 |
| 4 | Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours | 4th Disciple 4th Disciple Selwin Bougard, now known as El-Divine Amir Bey, better known by his stage name 4th Disciple, is a hip hop producer and engineer who was one of the founding members of Killarmy and one of the best-known Wu-Tang-affiliated producers.- Biography :... |
Raekwon Corey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with... Ghostface Killah Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success... |
Skeeter Davis Mary Frances Penick , better known as Skeeter Davis, was an American country music singer best known for crossover pop music songs of the early 1960s. She started out as part of The Davis Sisters as a teenager in the late 1940s, eventually landing on RCA Records. In the late '50s, she became a solo... |
3:01 |
| 5 | Visionz | Inspectah Deck |
|
3:09 | |
| 6 | As High as Wu-Tang Get | RZA |
|
2:37 | |
| 7 | Severe Punishment | RZA |
U-God Lamont Hawkins , better known as U-God , is an American rapper and member of the hip hop collective, Wu-Tang Clan. He has been with the group since its inception, and is known for having a deep, rhythmic flow that can alternate between being gruff or smooth... |
|
4:49 |
| 8 | Older Gods | 4th Disciple |
|
3:05 | |
| 9 | Maria | RZA |
|
Blood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & Tears is an American music group, originally formed in 1967 in New York City. Since its beginnings in 1967, the band has gone through numerous iterations with varying personnel and has encompassed a multitude of musical styles... Lee Dorsey Lee Dorsey was an African American pop/R&B singer during the 1960s. Much of his work was produced by Allen Toussaint with instrumental backing provided by the Meters.-Career:... |
2:55 |
| 10 | A Better Tomorrow | 4th Disciple |
|
Peter Nero Peter Nero is an American pianist and pops conductor.-Early life:Born in Brooklyn, New York, As Bernard Nierow, Nero started his formal music training at the age of seven. He studied piano under Frederick Bried... |
4:55 |
| 11 | It's Yourz | RZA |
|
GAZ GAZ or Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod , translated as Gorky Automobile Plant , started in 1932 as NAZ, a cooperation between Ford and the Soviet Union. It is one of the largest companies in the Russian automotive industry.... |
4:17 |
Disc two
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Performer(s) | Samples | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intro | RZA |
|
Duel to the Death Duel to the Death is a 1983 Hong Kong wuxia film starring Damian Lau and Norman Chu. It is the directorial debut of Ching Siu-tung.-Plot:... |
2:02 |
| 2 | Triumph | RZA |
|
5:38 | |
| 3 | Impossible | 4th Disciple, Co-produced by RZA |
|
Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of... |
4:28 |
| 4 | Little Ghetto Boys | RZA |
Ghostface Killah, & Method Man |
Donny Hathaway Donny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations... O.V. Wright Overton Vertis "O. V." Wright was an American singer who is regarded as one of Southern soul's most authoritative and individual artists... Invincible Armor Invincible Armor is a 1977 kung fu film starring Hwang Jang Lee, John Liu and Phillip Ko.-Plot:The Emperor's Minister of State Cheng, an authoritarian ruler, arranges for Hu Lung, one of his old students to distract General Chow while he assassinates the leader of the Ming rebels. Chow hunts for Hu... |
4:49 |
| 5 | Deadly Melody | RZA |
U-God & GZA Streetlife (rapper) Patrick Charles, better known by the stage name Streetlife, is a hip hop artist who is a close associate of the Wu-Tang Clan, particularly of Method Man. He was born in the Bronx, moved to Houston, Texas, and later moved to Staten Island where he grew up.... Method Man, Inspectah Deck |
4:20 | |
| 6 | The City | 4th Disciple |
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Living for the City "Living for the City" is a 1973 hit single by Stevie Wonder for the Tamla label, from his Innervisions album. Reaching #8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #1 on the R&B chart, the record is driven by a slow bass synth groove that manages to exude a certain amount of tension, an appropriate... " by Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist... |
4:05 |
| 7 | The Projects | RZA |
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The O'Jays The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005... |
3:17 |
| 8 | Bells of War | RZA |
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Tom Scott (musician) Tom Scott is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.-Biography:Scott was born in Los Angeles, California... |
5:12 |
| 9 | The M.G.M. | True Master True Master True Master is an American hip-hop producer and very occasional rapper. He is closely affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan and an original member of its production team, sometimes referred to as Wu-Elements. He derives his rap nom de plume from the martial arts movie of the same name... |
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2:38 | |
| 10 | Dog Shit | RZA |
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3:34 | |
| 11 | Duck Seazon | RZA |
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5:42 | |
| 12 | Hellz Wind Staff | RZA |
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Love Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels... |
4:52 |
| 13 | Heaterz | True Master |
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Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & The Pips were an R&B/soul family musical act from Atlanta, Georgia, active from 1953 to 1989. The group was best known for their string of hit singles on Motown's "Soul" record label and Buddah Records from 1967 to 1975, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight... |
5:26 |
| 14 | Black Shampoo | RZA |
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3:49 | |
| 15 | Second Coming | RZA |
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4:39 | |
| 16 | The Closing | RZA |
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2:37 | |
| *17 | Sunshower (international track only) |
RZA |
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6:11 | |
| *18 | Projects (International Remix) (international track only) |
RZA |
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4:34 |
Personnel
- RZA - performer, producer, engineer, mixing, executive producer
- GZA - performer
- Ol' Dirty Bastard - performer
- Method Man - performer
- Raekwon - performer
- Ghostface Killah - performer, executive producer
- Inspectah Deck - performer, producer, mixing
- U-God - performer
- Masta Killa - performer
- Cappadonna - performer
- Street Life - performer
- Tekitha - vocals
- Poppa Wu - vocals
- Uncle Pete - vocals
- Fourth Disciple - producer, engineer, mixing
- True Master - producer, engineer, mixing
- Mitchell Diggs - executive producer
- Oli GrantOliver "Power" GrantOliver “Power” Grant is an American entrepreneur, producer, and actor. He is credited as creating the hip hop group, Wu-Tang Clan. As Executive Producer of all Wu-Tang Clan albums solo and collective, Power helped brand “Wu-Tang” and the Wu-Tang brand Wu-Tang clothing company...
- executive producer
- Divine - production coordination
- P.O.W.E.R. - production coordination
- Ney Pimentel - art direction, album artwork, design and layout
- Carlos Bess - drums, mixing, mixing engineer
- Ramsey Jones - drums
- Scott Harding - mixing, mixing engineer
- Michael Reaves - mixing
- Troy Staton - mixing
- Tom Coyne - mastering
- Eugene Nastasi - editing
- Arlene Godfrey - A&R
- Che Harris - A&R
- Laurie Marks - A&R
- Ola Kudu - layout
- Sherin Baday - photography, A&R
- Bob Berg - photography
- Philippe McClelland - photography
- Shawn Mortenson - photography
Chart positions
| Year | Album | Chart positions | |||
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | Top Canadian Albums | UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
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| 1997 | Wu-Tang Forever | #1 | #1 (18 Weeks) | #1 | #1 |
Chart precession and succession
See also
- List of number-one albums of 1997 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1997 (U.S.)
External links
- Wu-Tang Forever at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Wu-Tang Forever at MusicBrainzMusicBrainzMusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...
- Album review at RapReviews.com
- Album accolades at acclaimedmusic.net