Wu-Tang Clan - Members

Members

• RZA (born Robert Diggs, 1969) – The de facto leader of the group. He produced the entirety of Enter the Wu-Tang and the majority of the tracks on subsequent Wu-Tang albums. He has also produced many of the group's solo efforts, especially early on. Considered a producing pioneer, recently his popularity has transcended hip-hop. Thanks to Jim Jarmusch giving him his break with Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, he has gone on to score several Hollywood films such as the first installment of Quentin Tarantino's critically acclaimed Kill Bill, Tony Jaa's The Protector and Ridley Scott's American Gangster. Most recently he scored the music for the anime series Afro Samurai. Before signing with SRC Records in early 2007, RZA was flooded with offers from Bad Boy Records, Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope and Def Jam among others. Rza is currently working with Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down on an album titled "Achozen" still with an impending release date. The first single "Deuces" was released on April 22, 2008. A second single, "Salute/Sacrifice", was released on November 13, 2009.

• Ghostface Killah (born Dennis Coles, 1970) – He has a very distinctive, abstract, energetic and emotional style of rapping and is arguably the most consistent member of the group. He had a large role in Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... and later released his debut album Ironman to critical acclaim . Mainstream hip-hop press credits his second album Supreme Clientele with "saving the Wu." He has enjoyed similar success over the course of eight solo albums, more than any other member of the group.

• GZA (born Gary Grice, 1966) – He is the oldest member of the group as well as the most experienced, having begun rapping in 1976, when hip hop was still a local New York phenomenon. He was also the first to release an album, Words from the Genius, which was released in 1991 on Cold Chillin'/Reprise. The interplay between and other members on the group's recordings shows him as the wisest MC of the group. He is known for his laid-back flow, deliberate style, and complex use of metaphor, containing references to Samurai films, chess and 5 Percenter teachings. Liquid Swords, his Wu-Tang debut album, is often considered among the group's best work, perhaps only challenged by Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx....

• Inspectah Deck (born Jason Hunter, 1970) – He was one of the star members of the group, gaining attention by providing stand-out performances on both Wu-Tang albums and on other member's solo albums as well as being a popular guest rapper in 1997 and 1998. He is considered by many in the fanbase as the stand-out member on Wu-Tang Forever, although his later solo albums failed to live up to the high expectations. Inspectah Deck is known for his ability to use metaphors and deliver complicated rhyme-schemes. He is also a successful producer, providing beats for many artists both in and out of the Wu-Tang family such as Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Big Pun, Prodigy and others.

• Masta Killa (born Elgin Turner, 1969) – He was the only member not already an experienced rapper at the time of the group's formation, and was extensively mentored by GZA during his early days with the group. He was largely absent on the group's first album due to his being incarcerated, though he did contribute the classic final verse to the track "Da Mystery of Chessboxin", He also had stand-out verses to Wu-Tang Forever and other members solo albums, delivered with an intelligent talk-rap style. Fans have praised his work on classic Wu tracks like "Duel of The Iron Mic", "Snakes" or "Winter Warz" among others. He was also the last to release a solo album, though when he finally did release No Said Date, it was generally well received and considered one of the best post-2000 Wu-Tang releases.

• Method Man (born Clifford Smith, 1971) – He was the youngest member of the Wu-Tang Clan and the first to release a Wu-Tang solo album with Tical, his career went on to become the most successful in the group, while maintaining an underground rep. His career is highlighted by platinum sales and a Grammy for I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need with Mary J. Blige. He is recognized by his distinct voice and smooth, yet "grimy" flow. He has also had a significant acting career with many film and television credits to his name, most notably the popular series, The Wire, where he portrayed the character of Cheese Wagstaff, the lieutenant of drug lord Proposition Joe. He also acted in the comedy film How High and the sitcom Method & Red, both co-starring with Redman, with whom he also made an album in 1999 titled Blackout! as well as the 2009 sequel Blackout! 2. Method Man's friendship with the Notorious B.I.G. is credited for preventing more heat between Biggie, Raekwon and Ghostface.

• Ol' Dirty Bastard (born Russell Jones, 1968–2004) – Arguably the most eccentric and erratic member of the group, his wild behavior drew significant media – and often police – attention. He was known for his off beat rhymes, charismatic ululations, slightly garbled style, and unpredictable vocal inflections. ODB was among the most popular members of Wu-Tang, with high sales and guest spots with industry giants like Mariah Carey. He collapsed in Wu-Tang's recording studio on November 13, 2004 and was pronounced dead less than an hour later, with a later autopsy confirming an accidental drug overdose to be the cause of his death.

• Raekwon (born Corey Woods, 1970) – Nicknamed "The Chef" for having "lyrical flavor", and ability to cook cocaine into "crack rock." His lyrics contain extensive use of New York slang (and some of which he invented), which is often delivered in an aggressive, fast-paced manner. He is also known for his vivid storytelling about wealth, power, and prestige derived from the illegal drug trade. His influential solo album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... is often credited with initiating the Mafioso rap phenomenon of the mid-to-late-1990s, and is generally considered one of the best of the solo albums by both fans and critics. The sequel to the influential album was released in late 2009 titled Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II.

• U-God (born Lamont Hawkins, 1970) – A founding member with his own solo career, U-God's has had a relatively low profile, in part due to his limited exposure, from being incarcerated for most of the recording of 36 Chambers, in which he only delivered short verses on "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'" and "Protect Ya Neck." He is known for delivering strong verses, his unique "bass-like" voice, and his style of blaxploitation rap.

• Cappadonna (born Darryl Hill, 1969) – After growing up as friends with many of the Clan members, Cappadonna made his debut as an affiliate of the Wu-Tang Clan on Raekwon's hit single "Ice Cream". He was also a guest star, along with Raekwon, on Ghostface Killah's solo debut album, Ironman. He made his first appearance on a Wu-Tang Clan album in 1997 on Wu-Tang Forever on the single "Triumph". Following his appearance on Forever, he contributed significantly to the group's third studio album, The W, at which point his appearances were no longer marked with "Feat. Cappadonna", as they had been on Forever. After a falling out with RZA the next year over royalties, he did not appear at all on the group's subsequent album Iron Flag. He eventually reunited with the group for their concert at 2004's Rock the Bells, and appeared on 2007's 8 Diagrams.
  • Cappadonna's current status as an official member is unclear. While long referred to by both the group and fans as the "Unofficial Tenth Member", there is no confirmation on whether he actually became the official tenth member following the death of Ol' Dirty Bastard. While MTV.com's biographies of both him and the group claim that he is an official member, their subsequent bios on the group's official website do not list him as such. Also, while his vocals on 8 Diagrams were not marked with "Feat. Cappadonna", much like The W, he does not appear on the front cover with the original eight living members, and is not featured in the album's booklet with a picture, although he is included in the group's shout-out's sections. A 2007 interview about the Clan before the release of 8 Diagrams also claims that RZA officially added him as a member, but there are no quotations or statements to back up this claim within the article.