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Edinburgh Live
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Wu-Tang Clan fans stunned as they discover how band got their name
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The name Wu-Tang Clan is instantly recognisable to any hip-hop enthusiast. With iconic tracks like 'C.R. E.A.M.' and 'Protect Ya Neck', their music is as integral to the genre as classics by Biggie or Tupac. However, despite their three-decade legacy, some newer fans may not know the origin of the Wu-Tang Clan moniker - or what the group was almost named. The story begins in Staten Island, New York, in the late '80s when three cousins - Robert Diggs, Gary Grice and Russell Jones - decided to form a rap trio, reports the Mirror US. They initially called themselves Force of the Imperial Master, a name that seems more suited to a sci-fi film marathon than the hip hop scene. The trio also went by the All in Together Now Crew - another name that's hard to associate with the group. At this point, Diggs was known as Prince Rakeem, Grice went by The Genius, and Jones performed as The Specialist. They gained respect in the underground scene, and by 1991, both The Genius and Prince Rakeem had signed solo deals. The Genius released Words from the Genius on Cold Chillin' Records, and Rakeem put out Ooh I Love You Rakeem on Tommy Boy. Neither release made much impact, and the labels dropped them. This led to a rebrand: Rakeem became RZA, The Genius became GZA, The Specialist became Ol' Dirty Bastard. And in 1992, with the addition of Staten Island's Dennis Coles (soon to be known as Ghostface Killah), they laid the groundwork for something far greater. Wu-Tang Clan. The name Wu-Tang Clan took inspiration from the 1983 martial arts classic 'Shaolin and Wu Tang', featuring Gordon Liu, capturing the story of a lethal clash between two kung fu schools. RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard, who had a penchant for kung fu cinema, found the filmic link fitting. Yet, the collective didn't just settle on the name; they took it further by creating backronyms in quintessential '90s rap style. 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 1993 breakthrough album 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' redefined the East Coast hip hop landscape. By 1997, their sophomore effort '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," asserted RZA. The band's success allowed each member freedom of movement within the industry. Whether it was Meth joining Def Jam, Rae sticking with Loud, Ghost signing with Sony, GZA linking up with Geffen—all still credited 'Razor Sharp Records. ' The Wu-Tang brand had become a formidable force in the music business.
Irish Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Wu-Tang Clan fans only just realising where their name comes from
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. The story begins in Staten Island, New York, in the late '80s when three cousins - Robert Diggs, Gary Grice and Russell Jones - decided to form a rap trio, reports the Mirror US. 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 went by the All in Together Now Crew - another name that's hard to associate with the group. At this point, Diggs was known as Prince Rakeem, Grice performed under The Genius, and Jones was The Specialist. They gained respect in the underground scene, and by 1991, both The Genius and Prince Rakeem had secured solo deals. Wu-Tang Clan's story began in the late 1980s (Image: PA) The Genius released Words from the Genius on Cold Chillin' Records, and Rakeem put out Ooh I Love You Rakeem on Tommy Boy. Neither release made much impact, and the labels dropped them. This led to a rebrand: Rakeem became RZA, The Genius transformed into GZA, The Specialist became Ol' Dirty Bastard. And 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. Wu-Tang Clan. The name was plucked straight from a cult classic - the 1983 martial arts flick Shaolin and Wu Tang, featuring Gordon Liu and showcasing the lethal rivalry between two kung fu schools. RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard had a thing for kung fu movies, so the filmic nod was bang on. But the crew didn't just settle on the moniker. In peak '90s hip-hop style, they began crafting backronyms to match 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." Come 1993, they dropped Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) - an album that turned the East Coast rap scene on its head. Fast forward to 1997, and Wu-Tang Forever was topping the Billboard 200 and snagging a Grammy nod for Best Rap Album. "We reinvented the way hip hop was structured," RZA once said. "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."
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Wu-Tang Clan fans left 'speechless' as they learn how group got their name
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. 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. 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. 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."
