Editing Wu-Tang Clan (section)

=== 1992–96: ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'' and solo albums ===
{{Listen
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 |title        = "C.R.E.A.M."
 |description  = "C.R.E.A.M." features two verses from [[Raekwon]] and [[Inspectah Deck]], who discuss their upbringings while living in New York City. It samples the Charmels' 1967 song "As Long As I've Got You".
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Wu-Tang Clan became known in 1993 following the release of the independent single "[[Protect Ya Neck]]", which helped gain the group a sizable underground following. Though there was some difficulty in finding a record label that would sign the Wu-Tang Clan while still allowing each member to record solo albums with other labels, [[Loud Records|Loud]]/[[RCA Records|RCA]] finally agreed, releasing their debut album, ''[[Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)]]'', in November 1993. The album loosely adopted a [[Shaolin kung fu|Shaolin]] vs. [[Wudang chuan|Wu-Tang]] theme, dividing the album into Shaolin and Wu-Tang sections.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Leckart|first=Steven|date=October 23, 2007|title=Wu-Tang Clan's RZA Breaks Down His Kung Fu Samples by Film and Song|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|url=https://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/magazine/15-11/pl_music|url-status=live|access-date=October 25, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080718080133/http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/magazine/15-11/pl_music|archive-date=July 18, 2008}}</ref> The album received critical acclaim, and to date is regarded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rap.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Top100RapAlbums_10.htm |title=The Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of all Time&nbsp;– Top 100 Rap/Hip-Hop Albums |publisher=Rap.about.com |date=April 7, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-date=April 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405151731/http://rap.about.com/od/toppicks/ss/Top100RapAlbums_10.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/ |title=Rolling Stone's Music News, Reviews, Photos, Videos, Interviews and More |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-date=February 2, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202024033/https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="rocklistmusic.co.uk">{{cite web |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm |title=Rocklist.net... The Source 100 Best Rap Albums & Singles |publisher=Rocklistmusic.co.uk |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-date=August 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807103112/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/source.htm |url-status=usurped }}</ref> The success of their debut album established the group as a creative and influential force in the 1990s, allowing individual members to negotiate solo contracts.<ref name="LarkinDM"/> RZA spoke on the Wu-Tang Clan's unorthodox business model:

{{blockquote|We reinvented the way hip hop was structured, and what I mean is, you have a group signed to a label, yet the infrastructure of our deal was like anyone else's [...] We still could negotiate with any label we wanted, like [[Method Man|Meth]] went with [[Def Jam Recordings|Def Jam]], [[Raekwon|Rae]] stayed with [[Loud Records|Loud]], [[Ghostface Killah|Ghost]] went with [[Sony]], [[GZA]] went with [[Geffen Records]], feel me? [...] And all these labels still put "[[Razor Sharp Records]]" on the credits [...] Wu Tang was a financial movement. So what do you wanna diversify...? [...] Your assets?<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wuforever.com/index.php?name=Sections&req=viewarticle&artid=64&page=1 |title=2005/05 RZA&nbsp;– interview (WuTang Clan on the Rise) :: wuforever :: Daily dose of Wu-Tang News, OBCLII, MP3, Videos, Interviews for Wu Fanatics |publisher=Wuforever.com |access-date=January 6, 2009 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115154016/http://wuforever.com/index.php?name=Sections&req=viewarticle&artid=64&page=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>|RZA}}

In 1994, RZA founded the group [[Gravediggaz]] with [[Prince Paul (producer)|Prince Paul]], Frukwan (both of [[Stetsasonic]]) and [[Poetic (hip hop)|Poetic]].<ref name="LarkinDM"/> In August of the same year, the group released ''[[6 Feet Deep]]'', which became one of the best known works to emerge from the [[horrorcore]] subgenre.<ref name="all music" />

RZA held the role of primary producer for the first wave of the group members' solo albums, producing out of his basement studio in Staten Island.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} In November 1994, Method Man's debut album, ''[[Tical (Album)|Tical]]'', was released. RZA's hands-on approach to ''Tical'' extended beyond his merely creating the beats to devising song concepts and structures.<ref name="all music" /> The track "[[I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By|All I Need]]" from ''Tical'' was the winner of the "Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group" at the [[37th Annual Grammy Awards|1995 Grammy Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/method-man-mn0000451483/awards|title=Method Man – Awards – AllMusic|author=Steve Huey|work=AllMusic|access-date=January 9, 2015|archive-date=November 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115154015/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/method-man-mn0000451483/awards|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ol' Dirty Bastard]]'s debut album, ''[[Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version]]'', was released in March 1995, and is considered a hip hop classic.<ref name="rocklistmusic.co.uk" /> Raekwon's debut studio album, ''[[Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...]]'', was released in August 1995. It featured all but one member of the Wu-Tang Clan, and featured the debut of [[Cappadonna]], who later joined the group.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Fred |title=Cappadonna |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cappadonna-mn0000944384 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> The album is also credited with reviving the [[mafioso rap]] subgenre.<ref>Ma, David. [http://www.waxpoetics.com/2009/07/cuban-linx-revisited-interview-with-raekwon/ ''Cuban Linx'' Revisited (page 1)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206005821/http://www.waxpoetics.com/2009/07/cuban-linx-revisited-interview-with-raekwon/|date=December 6, 2010}}. ''[[Wax Poetics]]''. Retrieved 3 September 2023</ref> GZA's debut album, ''[[Liquid Swords]]'', was released in November 1995. ''Liquid Swords'' features guest appearances from every Wu-Tang Clan member, and is linked together by excerpts from the 1980 movie ''[[Shogun Assassin]]''.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}} Ghostface Killah released his first solo album, ''[[Ironman (Ghostface Killah album)|Ironman]]'', in October 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/ironman-mw0000182086|title=Ironman – Ghostface Killah &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=June 30, 2021|archive-date=February 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201234403/https://www.allmusic.com/album/ironman-mw0000182086|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Ironman'' was critically acclaimed and is widely considered to be one of the best of Wu-Tang solo albums.<ref>{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Stephen |url=https://www.avclub.com/ghostface-killah-ironman-1798194022 |title=Ghostface Killah: Ironman |newspaper=The A.V. Club |access-date=April 27, 2010 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115154016/https://music.avclub.com/ghostface-killah-ironman-1798194022 |url-status=live }}</ref>