The Real Names of Each Wu-Tang Clan Member (And How the Legendary Hip-Hop Group Got Their Title)

The Wu-Tang Clan The real names of the members are much less known than the exciting and themed titles they dubbed themselves when they formed the influential hip-hop group. In the 1980s, on Staten Island, New York, cousins ​​Robert Diggs, Gary Grice and Russell Jones began rapping together and soon caught the attention of major labels and recognized rappers. After some time apart, The three men got back together in 1992 and founded the Wu-Tang ClanEventually brought in seven more members to fill the ranks of the group.

Those who saw Wu-Tang: An American Saga You may have a sense of the group’s history, but the pop culture and musical impact of the Wu-Tang extends far beyond any biography. The early heroes of East Coast hip hop, Grandmaster Flash, the Sugar Hill Gang, and Ran-DMK gave way to a hardcore variety of gangster rap that proved even more influential, and one of the movement’s leading groups was the Wu- Tang clan. Their lyrics, music, and most importantly, their affinity for Kung Fu and Eastern philosophy cemented them in the minds of fans and upcoming artists.

The real name of each Wu-Tang Clan members

The Wu-Tang clan all use nicknames

There are currently nine members of the Wu-Tang Clan, and they all rap, sometimes for just a few verses at a time. The latest addition to the team is Darryl Hill, better known as “Cappadonna”. Cappadonna essentially replaced “Ol’ Dirty Bastard”, or Russell Jones, one of the original members of the group. Jones was often involved in high-profile legal troubles and, in 2004, he died after a drug overdose. The nominal leader of the group has always been “RZA” (pronounced Rizza), or Robert Diggs.

It was Diggs, along with Dennis Coles, who raps under the name “Ghostface Killah”, who first thought of creating a group that would be infused with their love of kung fu. Another founder was Gary Grice, who went by the name GZA (pronounced Giza). GZA is the oldest member of the group and is often seen as the wise, elder statesman of the Wu-Tang. “Method Man”, or Clifford Smith, joined in 1992 and has had a successful acting career, playing Cheese in The ruler.

“Raekwon”, Corey Woods, was also a founding member and is Recognized as not only one of the most talented lyricists in the Wu-Tang but in rap. “Inspectah Deck”, or Jason Hunter, joined the group in 1992 and had a more laid-back personality compared to Wild Method Man and Ol’ Dirty Bastard. “U-God” (Lamont Jody Hawkins) also joined Wu-Tang in 1992 and provides a unique, gritty, deep flow to the group. “Masta Killa” (Elgin Turner) joined in 1993 and is the least known member of the Wu-Tang but is a frequent presence on the group’s solo albums.

The name of the group was inspired by the Shaolin and the Wu-Tang movie

RZA is a big fan of martial arts films

As the group’s name and the many canned intros of their songs would imply, the Wu-Tang Clan was inspired by kung fu movies, specifically the 1983 Hong Kong martial arts film, Shaolin and Wu Tang (via HipHopGalaxy). The movie follows the rivalry between Shaolin (East Asian Mahayana) and Wu-Tang (Taoist religion) martial arts schools. Ol’ Dirty Bastard and RZA decided on the name Wu-Tang Clan after seeing the film in a grindhouse theater, seeing the parallels between kung fu and rap battles. It remains RZA’s favorite film (via The Guardian).

The Wu-Tang Clan debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)is a compilation of the films Enter the dragon, Shaolin and Wu TangAnd The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. Many songs on the album have samples from the English dub of Shaolin and Wu Tang.