Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-tang (Bonus Track) (CD)

All Music Guide

Along with Dr. Dre's The Chronic, the WuTang Clan's debut, Enter the WuTang (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 hiphop in the hardcore age, paving the way for everybody from Biggie and JayZ 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 WuTang 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 offkilter menace is really brought to life, however, by the eerie, lofi production, which helped bring the raw sound of the underground into mainstream hiphop. Starting with a foundation of hard, gritty beats and dialogue samples from kung fu movies, RZA kept things minimalistic, but added just enough minorkey 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 hiphop world at the time, and even after years of imitation, Enter the WuTang 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 [BMG International's 2004 import edition of Enter the WuTang included one bonus track.]

- Steve Huey, All Music Guide