Editing Wu-Tang Clan (section)

== Artistry ==
=== Production ===
RZA's production was described by [[AllMusic]] as "consisting of stark, booming beats and chilling [[sample (music)|samples]] (heavily drawing from vintage [[soul music|soul]] records as well as kung fu movies)," summarizing it as "lean, menacing."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ankeny |first1=Jason |title=RZA - Biography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rza-mn0000864652 |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=20 November 2024}}</ref> According to RZA, he tries to have no more than 20–25% sampling on any given record, something starkly different from many other major hip hop groups. He uses "the sampler more like a painter's palette than a [[Xerox]]. Then again, I might use it as a Xerox if I find rare beats that nobody had in their crates yet". He played much of the piano himself, with [[Bill Evans]] and [[Thelonious Monk]] as major influences; for instance, he created the piano part to "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'" after watching the Thelonious Monk documentary, ''Straight, No Chaser''.<ref>The RZA; Chris Norris (January 2005). The Wu-Tang Manual. New York: Riverhead Freestyle, 243 pages. {{ISBN|1-59448-018-4}}</ref>

RZA's production technique, specifically the manner of chopping up and/or speeding or slowing soul samples, has been picked up by producers including [[Kanye West]] and [[Just Blaze]]. West's own take on RZA's style<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Tyrangiel |first=Josh |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1096499-5,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320224340/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1096499-5,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 20, 2007 |title=Why You Can't Ignore Kanye&nbsp;– TIME |magazine=Time |date=August 21, 2005 |access-date=January 6, 2009}}</ref> briefly flooded the rap market with what was dubbed "chipmunk soul", the pitch bending of a vocal sample to where it sounded as though the singer had inhaled helium. Several producers at the time copied the style, creating other offshoots. West has admitted that his style was distinctly influenced by RZA's production,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gale.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/west_k.htm |title=Gale&nbsp;– Free Resources&nbsp;– Black History&nbsp;– Biographies&nbsp;– Kanye West |publisher=Gale.com |date=June 8, 1977 |access-date=January 6, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615083612/http://www.gale.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/west_k.htm |archive-date=June 15, 2006 }}</ref> and RZA has acknowledged his influence in an issue of [[Scratch (magazine)|''Scratch'' magazine]], saying he wished he had produced "Jesus Walks" and "Breathe", two 2004 hits produced by Kanye West and Just Blaze, respectively. Kanye West commented:

{{blockquote|Wu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all the time... We think Wu-Tang had one of the biggest impacts as far as a movement. From slang to style of dress, skits, the samples. Similar to the [production] style I use, RZA has been doing that.<ref>{{cite news |last=Reid |first=Shaheem |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1553911/20070305/west_kanye.jhtml |title=Outkast, Justin On Our Top 10 Hip-Hop Groups |publisher=MTV |date=March 6, 2007 |access-date=January 6, 2009 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115154114/http://www.mtv.com/news/1553911/kanye-run-dmc-outkast-justin-sound-off-on-our-top-10-hip-hop-groups/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}

=== Lyrics ===
[[Raekwon]]'s ''[[Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...]]'' helped (with the likes of [[Kool G Rap]]) popularize [[mafioso rap]], which remained widespread for more than half a decade. The landmark album touted a lifestyle patterned on drug dealing, regrets of living in harsh conditions, and partying (including popularizing the [[Cristal (champagne)|Cristal]] brand of champagne) which [[Nas]], [[Mobb Deep]], [[Notorious B.I.G.]], [[Jay-Z]], and other popular artists all borrowed and/or expanded upon these themes at points in their respective careers.

The Wu-Tang Clan's slang has long been a staple of their music, wherein members would blend [[The Nation of Gods and Earths|Five Percenter]] terms, [[Kung Fu]]/oriental words, and comic book and street terms to create their own nicknames for actions, people, places and things (such as the christening of [[Staten Island]] as "Shaolin Land" and money as "C.R.E.A.M."). RZA noted in ''[[The Wu-Tang Manual]]'', that Raekwon was the resident "slang-master" of a great deal of the slang used by the group.