Wu-Tang Forever

Wu-Tang Forever is the second studio album of American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released June 3, 1997, on Loud/RCA Records in the United States. Pressed as a double album, it was released after a long run of successful solo projects from various members of the group, and serves as the follow-up to their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Forever features several guest appearances from Wu-Tang affiliates Cappadonna, Streetlife, 4th Disciple, True Master, and Tekitha. The original run of compact discs featured an "Enhanced CD" which allowed users to walk around the "Wu Mansion" and access additional content.

Wu-Tang Forever
Studio album by Wu-Tang Clan
Released	June 3, 1997
Recorded	1996–97
Genre	Hardcore hip hop
Length	44:58 (disc 1) 67:08 (disc 2–US) 77:53 (disc 2–international)
Label	Loud RCA
Producer	RZA 4th Disciple True Master Inspectah Deck
Wu-Tang Clan chronology
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993) Wu-Tang Forever (1997) The W (2000)
Singles from Wu-Tang Forever
"Triumph" Released: February 11, 1997 "It's Yourz" Released: September 23, 1997 "Reunited" Released: November 24, 1997

Despite limited radio/TV airplay, and a lead single that famously clocked at nearly six minutes with no chorus, Wu-Tang Forever debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 612,000 copies sold in its first week.[1] The album was certified 4 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 15, 1997 and has sold over 2 million copies in the United States. As a double disc release it earns a sales point per disc sold.[2] It is the group's second highest selling album to date. Upon its release, Wu-Tang Forever received favorable reviews from most music critics, while it also earned the group a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards.

Music and lyrics

Production

While the group's previous album is known for its minimalistic production style, producer RZA had been expanding the musical backdrop of each solo Wu-Tang album since then. Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., in particular, was praised for its cinematic feel. RZA earned accolades for his new dense style of production, incorporating strings, heavy synthesizers, and the kung-fu samples of old. The production of the record also pioneered RZA's technique of chopping up and speeding up soul samples so that it becomes unusually high-pitched; this style of production would later become influential on producers such as Just Blaze and Kanye West.[3][4] Wu-Tang Forever marked the first group album in which RZA assigned some of the album's production to Wu-Tang protégés True Master and 4th Disciple, as well as Wu-Tang member Inspectah Deck.

Lyrical themes

The lyrics differed in many ways from those of 36 Chambers, with many verses written in stream-of-consciousness style, while being influenced by the teachings of the Five Percent Nation. The group showed mature depth, speaking on the pitfalls of life's vices ("A Better Tomorrow") and the harsh realities of inner city life. "Impossible", for instance, touches on the less-than-glamorous realities of the same violence that the group often paraded.

The Clan took advantage of the double-disc format, allowing each of the nine members a significant number of appearances, including four solo tracks. Several have been recognized as particularly strong performances.

Inspectah Deck raised his stock in the public eye with The Source's Hip-Hop Quotable for his performance on "Triumph".[5] This verse is considered one of the greatest in hip-hop.[6] Despite being one of the last members to release a solo album, Deck's contributions throughout Wu-Tang Forever led to him being a sought-after collaborator for other artists; he would appear on subsequent tracks with Gang Starr, Pete Rock and Big Pun, among others.

Ghostface Killah continued his rise to fame with a verse in "Impossible", hailed by RZA in the Wu-Tang Manual as "the greatest Wu-Tang verse ever written". It was also featured in The Source's Hip-Hop Quotable. "Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours" has also been noted as one of Ghostface’s more memorable verses on the album, notable for the way in which the verse cuts off, first popularizing the feel that he could "go on forever". Ghostface Killah would follow his work on Forever with Supreme Clientele, which is generally regarded as a classic.[7]

"The sum of our parts is worth all the organizing," said Method Man. "It's like the Power Rangers where they come together to form that Megazord shit. Them guys are lethal but, when they come together, it's even more incredible. This album will destroy every hip-hop record made in the past ten years."[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[9]
Chicago Tribune	[10]
Entertainment Weekly	A[11]
The Guardian	[12]
Los Angeles Times	[13]
NME	8/10[14]
Rolling Stone	[15]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[16]
Spin	7/10[17]
USA Today	[18]

Upon its release, Wu-Tang Forever received positive reviews from music critics, who praised RZA's production work and the group members' lyricism. Matt Diehl from Entertainment Weekly commented, "Forever continues the group's artistic grand slam. Like their forebears in Public Enemy, Wu-Tang are musical revolutionaries, unafraid to bring the noise along with their trunk of funk. The RZA allows a few outside producers behind the board this time, but it's his gritty samples and numbing beats that get the party moving."[11] Sasha Frere-Jones from Spin called it an album "for hip-hop junkies, rhyme followers who want to hear their favorite sword-swallowers drop unusually good styles over unusually good beats."[17] Comparing some of the album's production to that of Wu-Tang member GZA's Liquid Swords (also produced by RZA), Neil Strauss from The New York Times wrote a favorable review of the album and stated "Wu-Tang Forever is a smooth, clean set of 25 songs and two speeches, with only a few throwaways on the second CD. The Wu-Tang Clan offers something for every kind of rap fan. More important, after a four-year wait, on Wu-Tang Forever the Clan retains its mantle as rap's standard bearers."[19] Melody Maker gave Wu-Tang Forever a favorable review as well, stating "It had to be this big. It didn't have to be this good ... Every single track is a detonation of every single pop rule you thought sacrosanct ...Forever is one of the greatest hip hop LPs of all time."[20] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic stated:

Where contemporaries like 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. issued double-discs cluttered with filler, Wu-Tang Forever is purposeful and surprisingly lean, illustrating the immense depth of producer RZA and the entire nine-piece crew ... The result is an intoxicating display of musical and lyrical virtuosity, one that reveals how bereft of imagination the Wu-Tang's contemporaries are.[9]

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Describing the album's lyrics as "hauntingly descriptive tales of ghetto hustlers and victims," Rolling Stone's Nathan Brackett stated "The whole of Wu-Tang Forever crackles with a shootout-at-midnight electricity that more than justifies the double-disc indulgence, while the back-and-forth wordfire of Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, etc. confirms the Clan's singular zing at the mic, and their ghetto-wise might as storytellers."[15] Cheo Hodari Coker from the Los Angeles Times commented, "The Clan's beats push the limit between cutting-edge hip-hop and industrial feedback, with jugular-clutching rhymes following their own melodic dictates and insular messages running the gamut from ancient maxims of the art of war to spiritual knowledge, wisdom and understanding from the Islamic Five Percent Nation."[13] Steve Jones from USA Today wrote, "Hip-hop's most anticipated album crackles with the nine-member clan's unique hard-core rhymes and beats. On this two-disc, 112-minute set, the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. The RZA avoids overproduction, using the beats to propel the lyrics, and keeps the music free of clichéd R&B loops."[18] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave the album a two-star honorable mention rating and called the Wu-Tang Clan "the five per cent nation of Oscar aspirations".[21] In 2018, the BBC included it in their list of "the acclaimed albums that nobody listens to any more."[22]

Accolades

Wu-Tang Forever was ranked as one of the best albums of the year by several notable publications, such as Spin, The Village Voice, NME and Melody Maker.[23] Popular Belgium magazine HUMO, and popular German magazine Spex both ranked it number six on their albums of the year lists.[23] In 1999, Ego Trip ranked Wu-Tang Forever number three on their Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980–98 list.[23] In their March 2005 issue, Hip Hop Connection ranked the album number 57 on their 100 Greatest Rap Albums 1995–2005 list.[23] Also in 2005, Blow Up magazine from Italy included Wu-Tang Forever in their 600 Essential Albums list.[23]

Commercial performance

Despite limited radio/TV airplay, and a lead single that famously clocked at nearly six minutes with no chorus, Wu-Tang Forever debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 612,000 copies sold in its first week.[1] The album was certified 4× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 15, 1997 (each disc in the double album counted as separate unit for certification purpose),[24] and has sold over 2 million copies in the United States.[25] It is the group's highest selling album to date.

Track listing

Track listing information is taken from the official liner notes and AllMusic.[26][27]

Wu-Tang Forever – Disc 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Wu-Revolution" (Featuring Poppa Wu and Uncle Pete)	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	6:46
2.	"Reunited"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	5:21
3.	"For Heavens Sake" (Featuring CappaDonna)	Wu-Tang Clan D. Hill	The Rza	4:13
4.	"Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours (still don't nothing move but the money)"	Wu-Tang Clan S. Bougard	4th Disciple	3:01
5.	"Visionz"	Wu-Tang Clan	Inspectah Deck The Rebel	3:09
6.	"As High As Wu-Tang Get"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	2:37
7.	"Severe Punishment"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	4:49
8.	"Older Gods"	Wu-Tang Clan S. Bougard	4th Disciple	3:05
9.	"Maria" (Featuring CappaDonna)	Wu-Tang Clan D. Hill	The Rza	2:55
10.	"A Better Tomorrow"	Wu-Tang Clan S. Bougard	4th Disciple	4:55
11.	"It's Yourz"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	4:17
Total length:				45:08

Wu-Tang Forever – Disc 2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	Wu-Tang Clan		2:02
2.	"Triumph" (Featuring CappaDonna)	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	5:38
3.	"Impossible" (Featuring Tekitha)	Wu-Tang Clan S. Bougard	4th Disciple The Rza (co.)	4:28
4.	"Little Ghetto Boys" (Featuring CappaDonna)	Wu-Tang Clan D. Hill E. Deroven E.U. Howard	The Rza	4:49
5.	"Deadly Melody" (Featuring Street Life)	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	4:20
6.	"The City"	Wu-Tang Clan S. Bougard	4th Disciple	4:05
7.	"The Projects"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	3:18
8.	"Bells Of War"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	5:12
9.	"The M.G.M."	Wu-Tang Clan D. Harris	True Master	2:38
10.	"Dog Shit"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	3:34
11.	"Duck Seazon"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	5:42
12.	"Hellz Wind Staff" (Featuring Street Life)	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	4:52
13.	"Heaterz" (Featuring CappaDonna)	Wu-Tang Clan D. Harris D. Hill	True Master	5:26
14.	"Black Shampoo"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	3:50
15.	"Second Coming" (Featuring Tekitha)	Wu-Tang Clan Jimmy Webb	The Rza	4:38
16.	"The Closing"	Wu-Tang Clan		2:37
Total length:				67:09

Wu-Tang Forever – Disc 2: bonus tracks for Europe and Japan

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
17.	"Sunshower"	R. Diggs	The Rza	6:10
18.	"Projects International Remix"	Wu-Tang Clan	The Rza	3:59
Total length:				77:14

Notes

• "Wu-Revolution" contains uncredited backing vocals by Blue Raspberry.
• "Reunited" contains backing vocals by Roxanne.
• "Projects" contains uncredited vocals by Shyheim.
• "Black Shampoo" contains uncredited vocals by P.R. Terrorist and Tekitha.

Sample list

• “For Heavens Sake” contains a sample of “Don’t Leave Me Lonely” by King Floyd.
• “Cash Still Rules/Scary Hours (Still Don’t Nothing Move But the Money)” contains a sample of “The End of the World” by Skeeter Davis.
• “Severe Punishment” contains dialogue from ‘’The Master’’.
• “A Better Tomorrow” contains a sample of “The Love Theme” by Peter Nero.
• “It’s Yourz” contains a sample of “It’s Yours” by T La Rock & Jazzy Jay.
• "Little Ghetto Boy" contains a sample of "Little Ghetto Boy" by Donny Hathaway.
• “The City” contains a sample of “Living for the City” by Stevie Wonder.
• “The Projects” contains a sample of “Cry Together” by The O’Jays.
• “Hellz Wind Staff” contains dialogue from ‘’Unbeaten 28’’.
• "Second Coming" contains an interpolation of "MacArthur Park".

Personnel

RZA – performer, producer, engineer, mixing, executive producer GZA – performer Ol' Dirty Bastard – performer Method Man – performer Raekwon – performer Ghostface Killah – performer, executive producer Inspectah Deck – performer, producer, mixing U-God – performer Masta Killa – performer Cappadonna – performer Street Life – performer Tekitha – vocals Popa Wu – vocals Diva Gray - Background Vocals Robin Clark - Background Vocals Uncle Pete – vocals Fourth Disciple – producer, engineer, mixing True Master – producer, engineer, mixing Mitchell Diggs – executive producer Oli Grant – executive producer

Divine – production coordination P.O.W.E.R. – production coordination Ney Pimentel – Creative direction, album artwork, photography, design and layout Carlos Bess – drums, mixing, mixing engineer Ramsey Jones – drums Miri Ben-Ari – violin Scott Harding – mixing, mixing engineer Michael Reaves – mixing Troy Staton – mixing Tom Coyne – mastering Eugene Nastasi – editing Arlene Godfrey – A&R Che Harris – A&R Laurie Marks – A&R Ola Kudu – Creative direction, album artwork, design and layout Carlo Spicola – animation, VR and Enhanced CD content producer Sherin Baday – photography, A&R Bob Berg – photography Philippe McClelland – photography Shawn Mortenson – photography

Charts

Charts

Chart (1997)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[28]	8
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[29]	17
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[30]	1
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[31]	11
French Albums (SNEP)[32]	8
Irish Albums (IRMA)[33]	1
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[34]	1
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[35]	7
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[36]	11
UK Albums (OCC)[37]	1
US Billboard 200[38]	1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[39]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1997)	Position
German Albums Chart[40]	69

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[41]	4x Platinum	2,000,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

• List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1997
• List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 1997
• Wu-Tang Forever (song)

References

1. Gundersen, Edna. Rap's latest chart powerhouse: 'Wu-Tang Forever'. USA Today. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
2. Jack Hamilton (2013-11-13). "Wu-Tang Forever". Slate. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
3. "Why You Can't Ignore Kanye". Time. August 21, 2005. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
4. Gale – Free Resources – Black History – Biographies – Kanye West
5. Columnist. The Source Hip Hop Quotable: "Triumph", Inspectah Deck. The Source. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
6. The AllHipHop Top 20 Dopest Verses Ever!. allhiphop.com. retrieved 2010-07-17.
7. Supreme Clientele accolades and ratings. acclaimedmusic.net. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
8. Wilkinson, Roy (July 1997). "One of these men is God". Select: 56.
9. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Wu-Tang Forever – Wu-Tang Clan". AllMusic. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
10. Kot, Greg (June 20, 1997). "Wu-Tang Clan: Wu-Tang Forever (Loud)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
11. Diehl, Matt (June 6, 1997). "Wu-Tang Forever". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
12. Bennun, David (May 23, 1997). "Embraceable Wu". The Guardian.
13. Coker, Cheo Hodari (June 1, 1997). "Menacing Fiddles and Passion From Wu-Tang". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 22, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
14. Robinson, John (May 31, 1997). "Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever". NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
15. Brackett, Nathan (June 26, 1997). "Wu-Tang Clan: Wu-Tang Forever". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 9, 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
16. Frere-Jones, Sasha (2004). "Wu-Tang Clan". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 887–88. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
17. Frere-Jones, Sasha (September 1997). "Wu-Tang Clan: Wu-Tang Forever". Spin. 13 (6): 154. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
18. Jones, Steve (June 10, 1997). "'Forever': Rap with the tang of realism". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
19. Strauss, Neil (June 10, 1997). "Strains of Violin in Slick, Smooth Rap". The New York Times. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
20. "Wu-Tang Clan: Wu-Tang Forever". Melody Maker: 49. May 31, 1997.
21. Christgau, Robert. "Wu-Tang Clan: Wu-Tang Forever". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
22. https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/41a5ae5f-45b4-4ee1-ac51-5ac6dc9397b6
23. Wu-Tang Forever accolades and ratings. acclaimedmusic.net. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
24. RIAA search: Wu-Tang Forever RIAA. Retrieved 2010-07-17.
25. Paul Grein (April 3, 2014). "New Wu-Tang Clan Album: The Case for the World's First $5 Million Album". Yahoo Music.
26. Wu-Tang Forever (booklet). Wu-Tang Clan. RCA/BMG/Loud Records. 1997. BVCP-3116~17.CS1 maint: others (link)
27. "Wu-Tang Forever - Wu-Tang Clan". AllMusic. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
28. "Australiancharts.com – Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
29. "Austriancharts.at – Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
30. "Wu-Tang Clan Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
31. "Wu-Tang Clan: Wu-Tang Forever" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
32. "Lescharts.com – Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
33. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week {{{week}}}, {{{year}}}". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
34. "Charts.nz – Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
35. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
36. "Swisscharts.com – Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
37. "Wu-Tang Clan | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
38. "Wu-Tang Clan Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
39. "Wu-Tang Clan Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 1997.
40. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
41. "American album certifications – Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 

External links

• Wu-Tang Forever at Discogs
• Wu-Tang Forever at MusicBrainz
• Album review at RapReviews.com
• Album accolades at acclaimedmusic.net