Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F’ Wit, C.R.E.A.M, Method Man, Protect Ya Neck – Wu-Tang Clan

In my post yesterday, I said I would include a bonus song since I missed the SOTD yesterday. However, I decided to choose four songs from one of the greatest and most influential rap albums of all time, by one of my favorite groups ever, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan. I ended up going with these four songs because they’re actually all in the order on the album as I listed them above, and just as the title of the first song tells us, Wu-Tang is indeed not to be messed with.

The first song, track 7 on the streaming and CD version (for some reason, the vinyl and international versions of the album have the songs in slightly different order) “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F’ Wit” featuring members RZA, Inspectah Deck, and Method Man, is a rapid-fire but perfect introduction to WTC if you’re unfamiliar. Its beat, cocky lyrics, and catchy hook are the epitome of this album as a whole.

The second song on the list, track 8 on the album, is perhaps their best-known song “C.R.E.A.M” (Cash Rules Everything Around Me). Featuring verses from Inspectah Deck, and this time Raekwon, rather than RZA who actually produced the track, is a departure from the rest of the album, which is set up and produced as this sort of Bruce Lee/martial arts inspired vision or dream. C.R.E.A.M, however, is set very much in reality. Raekwon and I.D are rapping about the truth of their upbringing and growing up poor in New York. Also, the beat which uses a sample from of the Charmels’ 1967 song “As Long As I’ve Got You” is now more recognized from Wu-Tang than the Charmels’. I think it is fair to say that C.R.E.A.M is one of the most iconic, influential, and best songs in the history of rap.

Third, we have my personal favorite track from the album, Method Man. This is essentially a solo track by the Method Man himself, however it does feature a humorously graphic skit featuring other members of WTC talking about torture for the first minute or so. (If that’s not your style or somewhat off putting, just check out the “homegrown” version of the song) The coolest thing about this song to me, is the inspiration behind it, which M.M talks about here.

Finally, we end this post with the 10th track, and the first single the group ever put out. It actually features eight of the nine original members, missing only Masta Killa who hadn’t joined at the time of recording. To me, this is one of the greatest East Coast rap songs of all time, but in all honesty, the same could be said for any of the songs in today’s post. It’s hard to imagine, especially with today’s rap scene, a 4-minute song that somehow squeezes in 8 different features.

I genuinely don’t think that we’ll ever see a group that is as influential or as fun to listen to as Wu-Tang again. (I consider OutKast a duo, not a group, and Andre 3k is the greatest rapper of all time. Just my opinion, of course)

Link to Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin’ ta F’ Wit –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnOZea4Zgbc

Link to C.R.E.A.M – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBwAxmrE194

Link to Method Man – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEnwXYJcSZc

Link to Protect Ya Neck – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0IUR4gkPIE

Link to the homegrown version of Method man (no torture skit) –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuQNXIP5y14

Link to the inspo behind “Method Man” –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hKmnTtcny4