The Wu-Tang Clan were the most influential and groundbreaking hip-hop act to emerge in the '90s. With their debut album, 1993's
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the group introduced a distinctive sound and style, with dark, atmospheric backing tracks (often punctuated by samples from vintage martial arts movies) and streetwise raps from a nine-man team of gifted MCs whose diverse styles complemented one another while maintaining strongly individual personalities (most of the
Wu-Tang crew would pursue successful solo careers while still working with the group, including
Method Man,
Ghostface Killer,
GZA,
RZA, and
Ol' Dirty Bastard).
The Essential Wu-Tang Clan is a collection that includes 29 standout tracks from the albums
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers),
Wu-Tang Forever,
The W, and
Iron Flag, as well as rare soundtrack selections and compilation cuts.