Enter The Wu-Tang: How Nine Men Changed Hip-Hop Forever: How Nine Men Changed Hip-Hop Forever - Paperback

by Alan Charles Page (Author)

Wu-Tang Clan's debut album, "Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers)" sold a million copies in less than two years, in America alone, without making a single concession to pop radio. That album spawned a mini-empire, including a clothing line that grossed $10 million in its first year, a video game, a comic book, and multiple solo albums, TV appearances and film roles for the group's members. Wu-Tang Clan group albums and solo albums combined have sold more than 18 million units in America alone and many more around the world. From the three years Rza spent living in North Carolina as a child to the five years Method Man spent working at the Statue of Liberty as a teenager, the Clan built upon their formative experiences with a diverse range of people to construct an album with nationwide appeal. However, the influence of Islam, martial arts film, and music from around the world is the foundation of the Clan's global appeal. Wu-Tang Clan is seen in the popular imagination as an unruly collective: creative, yet barely under control, and led by one man: The Rza. The truth behind the Clan is more complicated. In this heavily researched work, author (and hip-hop journalist) Alan Page explores the early history of the group, examines the depth of thought involved in creating their iconic debut album, and explores why their music has resonated with millions of fans around the globe.

Author Biography

Alan Page started as a music journalist in 1995 and, over the past 19 years, he has reviewed albums from multiple genres (ranging from Billy Cobham to Lit to Pumpkinhead) and has interviewed a range of hip-hop artists (from Fat Joe to Ras Kass). He has listened to hip-hop for most of his life, with the first song he recalls hearing being Kurtis Blow's 1984 hit, "Basketball." Mr. Page has participated in hip-hop culture on multiple levels, as an emcee, as an event organizer for seminal open mics in Washington DC in the mid-to-late 90s, and as an entertainment attorney (in that order). He hopes that this book is the first of many chronicling hip-hop culture with the professionalism, academic rigor and commitment to accuracy that it deserves. He also hopes people find the book entertaining! After all, to paraphrase Rakim, books should "move the crowd," as well as educate.