The next two verses feature Method Man and Raekwon the Chef who serve as complimentary forces with raps that are playful and vocally complex. The crowning lyric of the rap: “Do you wanna get your teeth knocked the fuck out?” hits the core of the song and Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s vocal sensibilities simultaneously. Words like “Shoot” and “Blaow” utilize vocal sounds and add another layer of verbal play to the song. Phrases like “live and uncut,” “Styles unbreakable, shatterproof,” and “ruthless wild” reflect the nature of Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s vocal tones. His voice is smooth in the way it moves along with the rhythm of the song, but also rough as it ventures into moments of personal expression. Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s distinct talent as a rapper is inherent in the way he utilizes the primal tones of his voice to create an incredible listening experience. Wanna get on it like that, well then shout The song starts off with the chorus, sung by Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and includes the most poignant line in the entire song: “Shame on a nigga who tried to run game on a nigga,” along with the resonant line: “I’ll fuck your ass up, ” followed by playful football language: “Hut one, hut two, hut three, hut.” Ol’ Dirty Bastard begins the first verse by introducing himself:ĭo you wanna get your teeth knocked the fuck out? In this song, there are four verses along with a chorus however, vocally, the song belongs to Ol’ Dirty Bastard whose rapping style is aggressive and deeply primal. “Shame on a Nigga,” from the group’s debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993) is upbeat and rhythmic, featuring house party style music and a sampled piano melody that works as a nice contrast to the steady, pulsing beats that occupy most of the musical space.
Through this analysis it will also be apparent how the members’ merging styles create an overarching collective style that makes Wu-Tang Clan a truly special and original hip hop group.
This essay will look at five signature songs of the group and examine the structural/musical/poetic qualities that establish Wu-Tang Clan as a dominant force within the hip hop genre. Wu-Tang Clan is notable for the way the members pull their influences together and utilize them within the musical format to create songs that are provocative, artistic, and holistic in their aim to project and encourage personal enlightenment. In this sense, listening to Wu-Tang Clan is a harmonic experience because melody and language are in perfect balance and reflect the diverse personalities of the group. They include traditional hip hop sounds, but also employ a variety of musical elements that set them apart their raps are lyrical and poetic, featuring multiple layers of meaning while displaying the personal style of each member. The group stands out from the wide range of hip hop artists in the way that their songs are crafted. Wu-Tang Clan is the definitive hip hop group that has elevated the genre to transcendent levels with their unique brand of musical innovation and creative raps that are both powerful and memorable. Hip hop occupies a stable space within the contemporary music scene it is a flourishing musical form that holds equal weight with other genres such as metal and punk as being rooted in counterculture and serving as an influential force for mainstream styles of music (pop and rock in particular).