TheWu-Tang Clanmembers' real names are much less known than the exciting and themed titles they dubbed themselves when they formed the influential hip-hop group. In the 1980s, on Staten Island, New York, cousins Robert Diggs, Gary Grice, and Russell Jones began rapping together and soon caught the attention of larger labels and recognized rappers. After some time apart,the three men came back together in 1992 and formed the Wu-Tang Clan, eventually bringing in seven more members to fill out the ranks of the group.
Those who have seenWu-Tang: An American Sagamay have a sense of the historyof the group, but the pop culture and musical impact of the Wu-Tang extends far beyond any biography. The early heroes of East Coast hip hop, Grandmaster Flash, the Sugar Hill Gang, and Run-DMC gave way to a hardcore variety of gangster rap that proved even more influential, and one of the leading groups of the movement was the Wu-Tang Clan. Their lyrics, music, and particularly, their affinity for kung fu and Eastern philosophy cemented them in the minds of fans and up-and-coming artists.
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Every Wu-Tang Clan Members' Real Name
The Wu-Tang Clan All Use Nicknames
There are currently nine members of the Wu-Tang Clan, and they all rap, sometimes for only a few verses at a time. The latest addition to the crew is Darryl Hill, better known as “Cappadonna”. Cappadonna essentially replaced “Ol' Dirty Bastard”, or Russell Jones, one of the founding members of the group. Jones was frequently involved in high-profile legal troubles and, in 2004, he passed away after a drug overdose.The nominal leader of the group has always been “RZA”(pronouncedrizza), or Robert Diggs.
Unlike many other hip-hop groups, the Wu-Tang Clan frequently branched out to side and solo projects with little internal problems.
It was Diggs, along with Dennis Coles, who raps under the name “Ghostface Killah”, who first thought of creating a group that would be infused with their love of kung fu. Another founder was Gary Grice, who went under the name GZA (pronouncedgizza). GZA is the oldest member of the group and is often viewed as the wise, elder statesman of the Wu-Tang. “Method Man”, or Clifford Smith, joined in 1992 and has had a successful acting career, playing Cheese inThe Wire.
“Raekwon”, Corey Woods, was also a founding member and isrecognized as not only one of the most talented lyricists in the Wu-Tang but in rap. “Inspectah Deck”, or Jason Hunter, joined the group in 1992 and has a more laid-back personality in comparison to the wild Method Man and Ol' Dirty Bastard. “U-God” (Lamont Jody Hawkins) also joined Wu-Tang in 1992 and provides a unique, gruff, deep flow to the group. “Masta Killa” (Elgin Turner) joined in 1993 and is the least-known member of the Wu-Tang but is a frequent presence on the group’s solo albums.
1992-2004
The Group’s Name Was Inspired By The Shaolin And The Wu-Tang Movie
RZA Is A Big Fan Of Martial Arts Films
As the group’s name and the many canned intros of their songs would imply, theWu-Tang Clan was inspired by kung fu movies, specifically the 1983 Hong Kong martial arts film,Shaolin and Wu Tang(viaHipHopGalaxy). The movie follows the rivalry between Shaolin (East Asian Mahayana) and Wu-Tang (Taoist Religion) martial arts schools. Ol' Dirty Bastard and RZA decided on the name of Wu-Tang Clan after seeing the film at a grindhouse theater, seeing the parallels between kung fu and rap battles.It remains RZA’s favorite film(viaThe Guardian).
RZA directed a martial arts film in 2012,The Man with the Iron Fists, with help from Eli Roth and Quentin Tarantino. RZA previously provided the soundtrack for Tarantino’sKill Bill.
TheWu-Tang Clan’sdebut album,Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), is an amalgamation of the filmsEnter the Dragon,Shaolin and Wu Tang, andThe 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Many songs on the album feature samples from the English dub ofShaolin and Wu Tang.
