Rewind: Wu-tang Clan 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (Part 1)

Following a couple early singles by GZA (The Genius) and RZA (aka Prince Rakeem) and a self-released single, the Wu-Tang Clan signed to a major label deal and released one of hip-hop's classics in 1993: 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)'. This two part post will cover the sample sources of the Wu's debut album.

The opening track 'Bring Da Ruckus' uses one of RZA's go to drum samples throughout the album: Melvin Bliss' break-fueled freak out 'Synthetic Substitution'. ODB's first appearance comes in full style on the track 'Shame on a N----' which samples both Thelonius Monk's cover of Duke Ellington's 'Black and Tan Fantasy' and the break from Syl Johnson's 'Different Strokes'. 'Clan in Da Front' uses the 'Synthetic Substitution' break with a sample of New Birth's 'Honey Bee'.



The Wu's posse cut 'Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber' samples Lonnie Smith's 'Spinning Wheel' from his 1970 album 'Drives'. RZA gets a hand in production from 4th Disciple for the single 'Can it Be All So Simple'. 'Simple' samples Gladys Knight and the Pips' 1974 cut 'The Way We Were / Try to Remember' and the beat from Labi Siffre's 'I Got The (Blues)' from his 1975 album 'Remember My Song'.

Check back for the second part to our look at 'Enter the Wu-Tang'.

The Lowdown:
Wu-Tang Clan 'Bring Da Ruckus', 'Shame on a N----', 'Clan in Da Front', 'Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber', and 'Can It Be All So Simple'
from 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (1993) (MP3/CD)
Melvin Bliss 'Synthetic Substitution'
from 'Reward' 7" (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Thelonius Monk 'Black and Tan Fantasy'
from 'Plays Duke Ellington' (1955) (MP3/CD)
Syl Johnson 'Different Strokes'
from 'Is It Because I'm Black?' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
New Birth 'Honey Bee'
from 'It Ain't No Big Thing But It's Growing' (1971) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Lonnie Smith 'Spinning Wheel'
from 'Drives' (1970) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Gladys Knight and the Pips 'The Way We Were / Try to Remember'
from 'I Feel a Song' (1974) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Labi Siffre 'I Got the (Blues)'
from 'Remember My Song' (1975) (MP3/Import CD)

Related Posts:
Rewind: GZA/Genius 'Liquid Swords' (Part 1)
Rewind: GZA/Genius 'Liquid Swords' (Part 2)

Rewind: Ghostface Killah 'Supreme Clientele' (Part 3)

Welcome to the final post in our three part look at Ghostface Killah's 2000 album 'Supreme Clientele'.

Carlos Broady produced the beat for the album track 'We Made It', which samples Syl Johnson's 1973 track 'I Hate I Walked Away' from his album 'Back for a Taste of Your Love'. Another highlight on 'Supreme Clientele' is the non-single track 'Malcolm'. 'Malcolm', along with samples of a speech my Malcolm X, uses the beat from Isaac Hayes' 'Going in Circles' from his 1973 double album 'Black Moses'. One of my personal favorite tracks on this album is the RZA produced track 'Child's Play' which perfectly flips the drum and electric piano intro from George Jackson's 1972 single 'Aretha, Sing One for Me'. Additionally, RZA uses the highly samplable intro to Mountain's 'Long Red', a b-boy essential. The album's biggest charting single (hitting 98 on the Billboard 100) is 'Cherchez LaGhost' which reinterpolates Dr. Buzzard's single 'Cherchez LaFemme' from their 1975 album 'Dr.Buzzard's Original Savannah Band'.

'Supreme Clientele', though not a huge seller, is seen as one of the best hip-hop albums from the 90s and still is acclaimed critically. Ghostface followed with 2001's 'Bulletproof Wallets' (not nearly as bad as people make it out to be), breaking with Epic, and resigning with Def Jam. Look out for more posts about Ghostface's other albums in the future of this blog.

The Lowdown:
Ghostface Killah 'We Made It', 'Malcolm', 'Child's Play', and 'Cherchez LaGhost'
from 'Supreme Clientele' (2000) (MP3/CD)
Syl Johnson 'I Hate I Walked Away'
from 'Back for a Taste of Your Love' (1973) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Isaac Hayes 'Going in Circles'
from 'Black Moses' (1973) (MP3/CD)
George Jackson 'Aretha, Sing One for Me'
from 'Aretha, Sing One for Me' 7" (1972) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Mountain 'Long Red'
from 'Mountain Live' (1972) (MP3 not available/Import CD)
Dr. Buzzard 'Cherchez LaFemme'
from 'Dr.Buzzard's Original Savannah Band' (1975) (MP3/CD)

BONUS CUT:
It sucks that I can't offer a download for George Jackson's AWESOME 'Aretha, Sing One for Me', but I did find a download for Cat Power's recent cover of 'Aretha, Sing One for Me'. What an unusual song to decide to cover for a major label, check it out.