1. Bring the Ruckus
The opening track on the album immediately gets your attention with the obscene amount of profanity within the first thirty seconds. This isn't to take away from the lyricism displayed by each member of the Clan over a solid RZA production. Not necessarily a gem of the album, but nonetheless a great way to kick off a debut album.
2. Shame on a N****
RZA continues the kung-fu samples, which are a reccurring theme throughout the album. I've always remembered this track as the clan introducing the world to Ol' Dirty Bastard. Method Man throws in a nice verse, but this comes off as one of the more forgettable songs; nothing to being ashamed of considering its company.
3. Clan in the Front
After an elongated introduction to the members, which we really could have done without, the actual track begins. The Clan is obviously a well oiled machine, with each member benefitting from the rest. This is one of the only cases when there should be a solo effort on a Clan track. GZA brings enough charisma and lyricism to this track to make it remembered after you are done with the album.
4. Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber
The track starts with the infamous killer tape skit, which leads into the musical part of the song. I've always pictured this this as the real intro to the album, as the previous song merely introduces the members. The grimy rza beat signifies the point of no return, and that you have officially entered the wu-tang (notice how the album ends with the 7th chamber part 2). As for the song, the clan flexes their lyrical muscles, while the rza provides a great beat.
5. Can It Be All So Simple
If I'm correct i believe this was the final single from the album. Ghostface and Raekwon lay down some decent enough verses over a soothing and almost mesmerizing beat from rza. This track kind of gets lost in the album, and has always left me feeling indifferent. The beat is the only aspect that was memorable; whether or not that's a good thing is up to you to decide.
6. Da Mystery of Chessboxin'
With a Kung-Fu intro to lead to this song, it sticks out for two reasons. One being the introduction of member U-god, and the only Masta Killa verse on the record. With a member being so sparingly used, you'd think he would be weaker on the track than his fellow clan members. This couldn't be more wrong, as Masta Killa puts down one of the best verses on the album. This song displays the skill of all of the participating members. It is one of the best overall tracks on the album, which is saying a lot. Even after listening to this song hundreds of times i still get excited when hearing the chant of: "WUTANG WUTANG WUTANG WUTANG".
7. Wu-Tang Clan Aint Nothin to F** Wit
Read the track name and take the advice. From a physical standpoint I'm sure they would kill you, but that is beside the point. From a rapping standpoint, as a group, they can rap circles around you. From RZA yelling like a madman on this RZA/Method Man production to Rebel INS and Method Man putting it down lyrically, this is a fairly drawn out instrumental after anything eventful has stopped in the song, but the song itself is fantastic.
8. C.R.E.A.M
"Cash Rules Everything Around Me" for those that didn't already know is an absolutely unarguable classic. That's about all i have to say about it.
9. Method Man
The second solo cut of the album skyrocketed the 22 year old Method Man to fame. The track is easily one of the most quotable songs in their catalog, though i still prefer Clan in the Front. While the song may just be slightly over average, it stands out in part for its melodic tune, but also the insane skit at the beginning of the track which consists of Method Man and RZA discussing increasingly graphic ways to torture each other. Regardless of your sense of humor, this skit is hilarious.
10. Protect Ya Neck
This serves as the song that bursts the Wu-Tang brand onto the scene. This was the first single they put out that got labels and casual listeners alike interested in their music. This is a classic by every definition of the word. It may not be my personal favorite on the album, but who knows where the Clan would be today without this single.
11. Tearz
RZA and Ghostface rhyme over a rendition of their original "After The Laughter." Always been a fan of the instrumentals; verses are nice but nothing groundbreaking. I can't listen to Protect Ya Neck without following up with this, so overall I liked the track.
12. Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber-Part II
Just a remix of the original 7th chamber, RZA tears the beat up; although I still prefer the original version. Great way to close the show.
Rating: 5/5 stars
This album is a classic and should be in the musical library of any true hip-hop fan. From the production, to the lyrics of each member, this is an all around masterpiece that put the Wu-Tang Clan on the map. This is their best album, but ones after this are still able to be classics while coming up short of this legendary album. Anyone who dislikes this album should be packed in a box and shipped to Lithuania for hours of brutal torture and brainwashing to get their head on straight. If you don't already own this album, and you consider yourself even the slightest bit of a hip-hop fan, earn back the respect of your peers by getting a copy.