FROM THE STREETS OF SHAOLIN

An authoritative history of seminal hip-hop collective the Wu-Tang Clan.

Baltimore-based journalist Fernando argues that during the halcyon days of 1990s hip-hop, the Clan “seemingly emerged out of nowhere to hijack the music industry like a band of guerillas toppling a corrupt government.” The author boasts significant cultural knowledge as well as a longtime association with the group: “I was lucky enough to be a fly on the wall as they worked on the first [records]….Wu-Tang, like hip-hop itself, represents a movement from the bottom that slowly and organically percolated to the top.” Fernando vividly evokes the hardscrabble landscape of the group’s home turf of Staten Island, where RZA first brought them together with an ambitious vision: “If you give me five years, we’re gonna be the number one crew in the country.” Fernando examines RZA’s intricate studio innovations and the individual rappers’ collaborative yet competitive writing and delivery styles. “If it seemed like each MC was trying to outdo the one before them,” writes the author, “they were, but, collectively, they sounded like an unstoppable army.” As the industry buzz grew, Wu-Tang became the first rap group to maintain creative control, with members eligible to sign with other labels. In 1995, they followed up their seminal debut with resounding solo records. “Between Meth[od Man], ODB, and Raekwon,” writes Fernando, “Wu-Tang was running this shit.” This air of inner-city camaraderie suffused their elaborate mythology and maintained the group’s momentum. In the late 1990s, the group’s cohesiveness became strained—as one insider noted, “nine egos were too big to keep under control”—and ODB’s overdose death in 2004 further complicated matters. They persevered, however, releasing three albums in the 2010s. (The group produced only one copy of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin (2015), which they sold for $2 million to since-disgraced pharma CEO Martin Shkreli.) Though more than 500 pages, the text is consistently entertaining.

The go-to source for anyone interested in one of the most significant hip-hop groups of all time.