Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

1	Bring da Ruckus 4:11
2	Shame on a Nigga 2:57
3	Clan In Da Front 4:33
4	Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber 6:06
5	Can It Be All So Simple/Intermission 6:52
6	Da Mystery of Chessboxin' 4:47
7	Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit 3:36
8	C.R.E.A.M. 4:12
9	Method Man 5:50
10	Protect Ya Neck 4:51
11	Tearz 4:17
12	Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber, Pt. 2 5:08
13	Conclusion 1:00

Barnes & Noble

Ego is in no short supply in the entertainment industry, but it's rare to appoint yourself a supergroup from the start -- as the Staten Island's Wu-Tang Clan did -- and then back it up. This 1993 recording at first seemed to simply signal a resurgence in East Coast hip-hop, but it proved much more than that. RZA's distinctive production style featured whimsical funk loops and excerpts from martial arts and action-adventure movies. His eight -- yes eight -- frontmen, provided crisp and singular rhyme styles. As per the group's business plan, most of the group's rappers like Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Genius and Ghost Face Killah have gone on to release successful solo recordings. In addition, many rappers have released recordings as satellite members of the group. Martin Johnson

All Music Guide

Along with Dr. Dre's The Chronic, the Wu-Tang Clan's debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), was one of the most influential rap albums of the '90s. Its spare yet atmospheric production -- courtesy of RZA -- mapped out the sonic blueprint that countless other hardcore rappers would follow for years to come. It laid the groundwork for the rebirth of New York hip-hop in the hardcore age, paving the way for everybody from Biggie and Jay-Z to Nas and Mobb Deep. Moreover, it introduced a colorful cast of hugely talented MCs, some of whom ranked among the best and most unique individual rappers of the decade. Some were outsized, theatrical personalities, others were cerebral storytellers and lyrical technicians, but each had his own distinctive style, which made for an album of tremendous variety and consistency. Every track on Enter the Wu-Tang is packed with fresh, inventive rhymes, which are filled with martial arts metaphors, pop culture references (everything from Voltron to Lucky Charms cereal commercials to Barbra Streisand's "The Way We Were"), bizarre threats of violence, and a truly twisted sense of humor. Their off-kilter menace is really brought to life, however, by the eerie, lo-fi production, which helped bring the raw sound of the underground into mainstream hip-hop. Starting with a foundation of hard, gritty beats and dialogue samples from kung fu movies, RZA kept things minimalistic, but added just enough minor-key piano, strings, or muted horns to create a background ambience that works like the soundtrack to a surreal nightmare. There was nothing like it in the hip-hop world at the time, and even after years of imitation, Enter the Wu-Tang still sounds fresh and original. Subsequent group and solo projects would refine and deepen this template, but collectively, the Wu have never been quite this tight again. Steve Huey