Wu-Chronicles Martinsville VA

Wu-Chronicles

Wu-Tang Clan

Wu-Tang / Priority Records, 1999

REVIEW BY: Sean McCarthy

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 04/06/1999

Perhaps the most innovative of the gangsta rap genre, theWu-Tang Clan have combined the mysticism of a Saturday afternoonmarathon of "Kung-Fu" with the grim reality of racism and urbanviolence.

And if the phrase "strength in numbers" proves true, it isdefinitely with the Wu. Because the group has so many members, theyhave been able to make an impact on the music world every yearsince they formed . That's mainly due to the solo projects eachband member has released since the band's inception.

Fortunately for casual Wu fans, Wu-Chronicles is now available. The "best of" collectionfeatures highlights from each of the band members' solo outingsalong with a couple unreleased tracks thrown in the mix.

The album kicks off with "4th Chamber" from one of the betterMCs of the group, Genius. Their fascination with the martial artsis immediately evident as a sample of a martial arts movie is laidout before a harsh, throbbing stacatto beat hits the listener.Lesstalented rappers may obsess over filling every blank air space witha relentless beat, but each member of the Wu-Tang, especiallyGenius and Method Man, make effective use of silence.