Wu-Tang Clan fans left 'speechless' as they learn how group got their name

Daily Record

08-05-2025

Wu-Tang Clan are one of the most legendary hip hop groups of all time - but some fans may not know the story behind how they got their name
The name Wu-Tang Clan is instantly recognisable to any hip-hop enthusiast. With hits like 'C.R. E.A.M.' and 'Protect Ya Neck', their music is as integral to the genre as iconic tracks by Biggie or Tupac.
However, despite their three-decade-long legacy, some newer fans may not know the origin of the Wu-Tang Clan moniker - or what the group was nearly named.
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The story begins in Staten Island, New York, in the late 1980s when three cousins - Robert Diggs, Gary Grice and Russell Jones - decided to form a rap trio, reports the Mirror US.
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They initially called themselves Force of the Imperial Master, a name that seems more suited to a science fiction film marathon than the hip hop scene.
The trio also used the name All in Together Now Crew - another moniker that's hard to associate with the group.
At this time, Diggs was known as Prince Rakeem, Grice performed under The Genius, and Jones went by The Specialist. They gained respect in the underground scene, and by 1991, both The Genius and Prince Rakeem had secured solo deals.
The Genius released Words from the Genius on Cold Chillin' Records, while Rakeem put out Ooh I Love You Rakeem on Tommy Boy. Neither release made much impact, and they were dropped by their labels.
This led to a rebrand: Rakeem became RZA, The Genius transformed into GZA, The Specialist became Ol' Dirty Bastard. In 1992, with the addition of Staten Island's Dennis Coles (soon to be known as Ghostface Killah), they laid the groundwork for something much bigger.
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Thus, the Wu-Tang Clan was born.
The name was lifted straight from the 1983 martial arts cult classic, "Shaolin and Wu Tang," featuring Gordon Liu, which depicted a lethal rivalry between two martial arts factions. RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard had a passion for kung fu flicks, making the filmic nod a perfect fit.
Yet, even after settling on the moniker, the collective didn't rest on their laurels. In quintessential '90s hip-hop style, they began concocting backronyms to complement it.
Some of the standout interpretations included: "We Usually Take All N****s' Garments", "Witty Unpredictable Talent And Natural Game" and "Wisdom of the Universe, and the Truth of Allah for the Nation of the Gods."
Their groundbreaking debut album, "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)," dropped in 1993, revolutionising East Coast rap. By 1997, "Wu-Tang Forever" soared to No.1 on the Billboard 200 and snagged a Grammy nod for Best Rap Album.
"We reinvented the way hip hop was structured," RZA once remarked. "We still could negotiate with any label we wanted... Meth went with Def Jam, Rae stayed with Loud, Ghost went with Sony, GZA went with Geffen. And all these labels still put 'Razor Sharp Records' on the credits. Wu-Tang was a financial movement."