How The Music Business Tore Apart the Wu Tang Clan
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- čas přidán 11. 03. 2021
- Of Mics and Men Episode 1: • Video
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The ugly side of the music industry is that business will always be a controlling factor in the dynamics of a group of artists. Creative differences, profit split issues, management concerns, egos, and superstars outshining other members will always be prevalent within a group of entertainers. Unfortunately, these factors played a key role in the history of the greatest rap group ever, the Wu-Tang Clan.
From the streets of Shaolin, a group of eight lyrical swordsmen became hip-hop’s hottest group in the mid 90’s. This was an all-star group of emcee’s from Staten Island and Brooklyn joining forces to become a hip-hop supergroup. There’s no tighter knit family in hip-hop than the Wu-Tang Clan, exemplified by the group still being together nearly 30 years after their debut album hit the shelves.
Despite drama, lawsuits between members, public disagreements, and disappearing acts from obligations to the Wu, the group is still close enough to this day that they can come together and not let their past issues ruin their brotherhood. While watching Showtime’s excellent documentary titled “Of Mics and Men” on CZcams, I noticed how the group’s issues throughout the years could be traced back to the business side of the music industry.
RZA was the mastermind of this new group that would become the Wu-Tang Clan. Grabbing the best lyricists from the Stapleton Houses and Park Hill Projects in Staten Island helped form the brotherhood from the start. They were family because they group up together. Creating a record just meant putting their rap battles on an official track.
RZA turns to an associate of the Wu-Tang, Mathematics, for help designing the logo. RZA pays Mathematics $400 for the logo, which was half of his rent at the time. Just imagine if Mathematics would have asked for 1% of all net income generated from use of his logo.
Protect ya neck was the group’s first single and let the world know in 5 minutes that these young rappers from Staten Island were the next big thing in music.
Steve Rifkind of Loud Records took notice and made the smart decision to sign the Wu-Tang Clan to a record deal. The music industry is shady and full of stories where artists get taken advantage of but labels still need to take a large financial risk that rarely pays off. The Wu-Tang Clan had one single, 8 artists, and didn’t exactly make radio friendly music.
Within two years, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) had gone platinum selling over one million copies. The reason why artists don’t earn as much as you’d think is that the one million copies sold means $10 million in revenue for the label. 15% royalties to the group would be $1.5 million. That gets split eleven ways. Assuming an uneven split since the original investors would want a larger share and deductions for recording costs and marketing, each artist probably made around $50k total over two years or $25,000 per year from royalties.
The Wu-Tang Clan is one of the highest selling groups of all time and was able to tour the world for years so I hope that none of the artists are struggling financially in 2021, but you can quickly see how much a group needs to sell or how much they need to make on tour in order to have an income that pays the bills. If the Wu-Tang Clan started today in an era where selling 10,000 albums the first week is the norm, they would really struggle to make ends meet.
With the album experiencing some mainstream success, it was time for each individual artist to have their own solo career. RZA incorporated Wu-Tang Records on March 9th, 1995 establishing the company that will own all recordings for the Wu-Tang Clan. What RZA did differently was allow each individual member a chance to sign a solo recording deal with different labels. This allowed each member to pursue their solo careers separate from the group and separate from Loud Records.
Power started Wu Wear years earlier but was now seeing gross sales hit multiple eight figures per year. He also helped produce the Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style video game. The brand was everywhere mainstream and the group even earned a tour with Rage Against the Machine, who were one of the largest rock bands touring at the time.
In the “Of Mics and Men” documentary, Divine said that all of the artists leaving their contract with Wu meant he was losing out on $10 million every single year. RZA wanted what was best for each artist and allowed it. I think a desire for an artist to become their own brand is inevitable in the music business, but it means splintering the group collective that existed for so long. - Krátké a kreslené filmy
The guy who design the Wu Tang logo deserves so, SO much more. That logo is as iconic as the Batman symbol, and infinitely cooler
His name is Mathematics, he is the original DJ!
Facts FR.
It cost400 $ LOL and become legend Logo
Mathematics got jerked
@@anttoz4989 at the time he thought it was a good deal
I met RZA in 1996 at my job and talked to him. Without giving me details of his issues, he told me the music business sucks and it always takes from you more than you take from it. He mentioned trying the film industry at the time and I see he is mildly successful at it. Nice guy. He is the glue that’s held any bit of the group together all this time.
I watched a doc they said RZA had a plan they were all following. The Abbott is a genius
@@gang6009 "We form like Voltron and he's the head."
Mildly successful in the film industry is an understatement. He scored Blade, Kill Bill, Ghost Dog, Afro Samurai and a few others. He directed a film with A-list stars in and is bringing out another film which looks great btw. RZA does whatever he sets his mind to.
I envy you because you actually got to meet him!
@@vagabond4113 Cant forget he was in American Gangsta also
@@frankdaniels2518 can't forget ol' Moses Jones
It still blows my mind that some of the independent artists I work with (running their digital marketing and merch sales) make way more money than many label artists. Indie for the win!
it be like that
Not surprised. All the A list stars make money but there's a reason why a lot of artists are still touring years after their last album
Those 360 deals will get ya
@@legomego6943 artists are becoming more savvy for sure though thankfully 😃
I found a video where YG said he made $0 from one of his albums. Meg the stallion made $15k from one of her albums even though she sold a lot of copies. Makes me wonder if all this flexing is worth it. So sad.
bruh rza deserves whatever more he got than everyone else. hes the only one that believed and had that vision. he had the discipline to stay on track, to try and keep everyone on track. He really was looking out for everyone. with out rza who wouldve put in the work to give each one of them the sound they wanted, the sound they rocked with. he knew them best.
Na he should’ve spilt everything down the middle with his brothers
Lmaoooo sounds like you've just watched an American saga😆
@@DARRENTINOnz lmaoo nahh broo he talks about it in his interviews
Rza was definitely the visionary and deserving ample amounts of credit and respect and is one of the greatest ever but if u think he was perfect on the business side u wildin
Creators and owners always make the most
There's 9 members in Wu-Tang Clan. RZA, GZA, ODB, Ghostface, Method Man, U-God, Inspectah, Masta Killa, and Raekwon. And then Cappadonna is member #10.
Thank you
Would you consider RedMan an affiliation? Of the group?
Red man and mathematics too
Killa Priest is highly ranked up there too
Redman and mathematics are affiliated not official members. Killah priest I am not so sure.
A music group is only as good as the collective energies of its members. Once individual members begin to pursue their own paths, the group will have a much harder time staying together.
The one group that comes to mind is the Heiroglyphics they solid since the early 90s
Voltron.
@dj qb nobody can escape the 8020 principle
I remember a few years back when I first discovered the Wu Tang clan asking myself if there are 10 members how the fuck are they splitting the checks 10 ways?
@@vizionaryentertainment8464 I was thinking the same shit. You making as much as one hit rapper, but splitting that many ways.
Music and business don’t mix. You add money to art and it becomes dirty and rigid, it becomes a chore where you’re busier chasing the $$$ than you are in exploring your artistic freedom and experimentation.
Everything has its time and place. Business is business, and art is art.
I agree 100%
thank you i needed to see that. bless
Fr quality last forever.
This comment read like bars
Agreed
The fact that RZA got Loud to allow individuals to sign their own deals elsewhere is nothing less than mindblowing. Be that in 1991 or in 2021.
Back in 2012, a local festival here in Norway booked half of Wu-Tang ("Wu Legends"), but the festival went bankrupt after the festival manager and the Wu-Tang promoter got scammed before the festival could kick off. Raekwon and GZA still came to town and did a show at a music bar owned by the festival manager, with a 500ish capacity, and boy they pulled off a hell of a show. Mad props.
Without RZA, there's no Wu Tang. You need the genius mindset and visionary at the head. He was always going to get the bigger of the money because not only was he the producer but he was the visionary who cut most of these deals. The good part is that their still together and there all eating till this day so they made it thru the storms.
Check the groups net worth look at the names, most of em make 8 figures
Everybody wants equal cut of the money, but doesn’t want to do equal work
MY SEEDS MARRY HIS SEEDS, GROW WITH HIS SEEDS, THATS HOW WE KEEP WU-TANG MONEY IN THE FAMILY
They never made radio music anyways. Who the fxxx you kiddin? Can you see Rae and Ghost sidestepping with Justin Timberlake? Nah
RIP to ODB they ain't still with us man .
Wu-Tang first rap group to have their own video game, made kung fu movies popular again, started their own clothing line and here came Diddy biting off of them.
FACTS
Right! That’s why it’s forever F*** Diddy! Never fw that cat
@@ceauxxcolore4018 this aged well
if RZA is not the leader Wu won't survive,imagine how to balance a that amount of people,RZA def deserve more shares
He was the brain.
Oversized egos have killed so many of our talents. Sometimes admitting that someone is better than you is not a fault but being jealous and criticizing that person to no end, is a fault. We rarely have good emulation among us, only jealousy and lawsuits over money …a damn shame
Wu tang manual
I love the Wu but like all things of creation, they have their peaks, they have their valleys. They had their creative pinnacle. Most likely when they were unified in their hunger in the chase. With success and acclaim comes division, envy, and splinter. Take the Wu Tang for what they were. An incredible hip hop collection who’s time in the sun shone brighter than most. Peace
Facts
Man, they still go hard.
I am proud to be a fan of the Wu... The issues they have it is all family...
They’ve done better than everyone else at staying together
@@chillhomie7 Depends on who or what “everyone else” you’re talking about. Wu Tang just has too many different personalities and egos to think that there’s never going to be friction between one another. The universal truth brings them back. The almighty dollar
They was speaking facts when they said Cash rules everything around me 😔
True, f the ways of the world
Dollar dollar bill yall.
It is the love of money that is the root of all evil.
C.R.E.A.M., Get the money
thanks for summarizing up the documentary.
The fact is RZA was and always will be the heart and soul of the group. He’s the driving force behind what Wu Tang is. He got busy and got interested and involved with a lot of other shit, primarily Hollywood shit and affiliated acts. He didn’t have enough time, energy, and motivation to keep holding shit together. Once his presence as the glue through production and direction started slipping the effects were apparent. Not taking anything from Mathematics, 4th Disciple, Arabian Knight, etc. but RZA had the formula. People downplay the significance of when Deck lost what probably would have been a masterpiece in the flood of RZA’s studio. They all say that album would have been Liquid Swords level in the group pantheon. I believe if Decks album as intended would have released earlier the dynamic of the group would have been different and maybe things wouldn’t have degraded as fast or in the manner they did.
They started using math and them becuz rza got Hollywood and his beats became traaaaashhhh. Rza changed as a person as dide every person affiliated with the group. They started in their early 20s if not 18 19 ppl grow up and change a mature differently. Rza mind was in a whole new space by the time 8 diagrams came out. I remeber 8 diagrams being sooooo butt cheeks on the beats and remember all the members sound like they didn't wanna be on the track. Next thing u know raewkon drops shaolin vs wutang u god writes a book gza disappears and becomes a college professor meth became a full time actor like EVERYBODY was sick of each other (still love) by 8 diagrams and that 1 press album was suppose to be the makeup for that trash 8 diagrams album then all that drama happened with that album... members at first wasnt liking the idea of the once upon a time in shaolin becyz it was the first album they did together in years where every body was in good spirits and happy to rap with each other and it does get to be released which then bothered members...
This is why I love the way artists have used the internet for their music. These dudes are selling like 4K-6k albums, but getting streams and views that make them millionaires without having to hand that money to a label.
Well. They didn’t have that privilege back then.
No artist is making millions from streams. Music streaming services pay worse than record labels.
What fantasy world does this happen in?
Yeah, that ain’t happening unfortunately.
You obviously don’t know how things work.
That first EP was on HEAVY rotation on the bus ride to school back in 93'...Wu is forever...
Back then from 93 to infinity
For RZA's net worth to be under 20 million is mind boggling. 30 years later you'd think it would be a helluva lot more
Those WU Royalties are all divided by 9 but you're right. They should all be worth like $200 Mill each. Seems like at the end of the day the labels were eating well but giving them scraps. They must have sold billions of dollars in records and merchandise by now.
Anyone who believes rzas net worth is 20 million is smoking crack. Use ur common sense
@@bigchino3647 So what is his net worth? I have no idea because I'm not his accountant but bless us all with your use of common sense and give us the #
@@chrisstoecker7189 im not his accountant either but look how many albums wutang sold worldwide to this day, and rza is the artist, producer and executive producer on all those projects. And he is making more money now cuz he getting that film money. He is directing movies, scoring movies and acting in movies. Wu wear is still poppin and now he has the bobby digital comic book too. Rza can pull 20 million out his ass cheeks at any moment 😂
@@bigchino3647 So you have no idea...thanks
Giving it a like before watching.
Will watch intently after crazy Friday is over
“Mics 🎙 of men “ was great documentary indeed 💯👐🏾
Bro you're killing it with these.
00:34
"there's no tighter knit family in hop hop"
Hieroglyphics: "Am I a joke to you?"
Enter Boot Camp Clik lol
I only ever hear of Deltron. None of those other guys.
@@TallicaMan1986 They have a bunch of albums and spinoff projects. Also, they do (before covid) a HeiroDay music festival every year.
The point being, they have never been known to have a falling out or beef in 30 years in the game.
Hieroglyphics are the most slept on group ever 💯
The Lox got that title
Beautiful video, great content, you did thorough research, and very informative 👌🏾👏🏾.
Love from South Africa ✊🏾, I've subscribed.
Love these music industy vidoes!!! Please make more!
Great video till the end
They were and still are the biggest rap group in history
They paved the way for so many after them
"The music business is a long and shallow money trench, a narrow, plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."
Hunter S. Thompson couldn't make it any clearer!!
Really true for the greater Commodification of Arts business, otherwise known as “entertainment” business, or capitalism if you will.
Great video. Would love to see you do more music industry/artist finance analyses.
It's so crazy on how successful these guys are/were. Got to figure, 7-10 of these guys sold Gold or better, no group has ever, ever done that!
The mistrust with Divine was what started the divide then RZA let Cilvaringz take advantage of his brothers
Wu Tang needs a 2 hour long feature film biopic. I've been waiting for it.
Does a whole ass TV Series count? Arguably I'd say the TV Series was a much better choice then a Film/Biopic. Cuz it's already out. Wu-Tang: An American Saga.
That Logo mannn is something verry special it makes me feel Wu Tang is calling me like when people see the Batman Logo something like seeing the old WWF logo strong bonds 💪🏽
Great video. Please more about the music industry. Thanks!
Real talk, after hearing all of this, getting the 8 members of the Wu to come together to record verses for Logic's "Wu-Tang Forever" track is a bona-fide miracle. Yeah, they recorded their bars at separate times in separate locations, but the fact that they could all agree to bless a younger MC their collective lyrical presence is a blessing 🙏🏽
The Wu-Tang Clan came out at a time when east coast hip hop was floundering as Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and other west coast rappers were becoming prominent. They helped the east coast hip hop regain it's popularity.
Wu Tang Clan Enter The Wu Tang saved East Coast Hip Hop.
Yeah along with Biggie and Nas
Selective memory huh , biggie saved east coast rap
@@ryandixon7604 And... Big Pun... and Mobb Deep... and Jay Z... and Busta... And DMX but yea lol
Spence...you're the GOAT for this!
your video quality is really awesome. keep it up
It should also be pointed out that a few of the Wu Tang members are very hard to work with and start fights with anyone they deem disrespectful. Nobody wants to work around that kind of chaos.
Ummmmm inquiring minds want to know WHICH MEMBERS?
@@kenyettaready Rae and U God
Rae is always working. U God is always promoting Wu-Tang. Not sure what you're mad about.
@@kenyettaready I'm not snitching on anybody.
It seems ghost was always in some crap behind the scenes. U God seems to be bitter.
I saw the doc from HBO. They not torn apart. They knew they had to unite TO START, Then they branched out and come back together ever so often. They not like many groups who never talk to their former band mates or work with each other. Indy bands were not making much money in the 90s like today either.
@dj qb they were not real enemies there hoods were historically. They were friends and they don't hate Rza. They highly respect him for his vision. They get into it like brothers from time to time.
the best quote ever from the Wu was something Method man said. "when 36 dropped, we were kids from the streets. we grew up, we ain't thoses kids no more" and that works with every artist and band. people think their favorite artists isn't good anymore (like metalica fans in the 90s) but they just grew up, they matured, they ain't kids no more. their music reflects that.
Great work love these vids!
Legends
Will never be anything like them in Hip Hop again today
Don’t forget, and ODB says this with tears in his eyes, none of the clan came to see him during his 2 year prison stint. He got attacked and tried to kill himself yet no one visited him… Only Method Man apparently tried to call him once as Clifford.
So not even his two actual cousins in the wu tang tried to visit him, what
@MortanAMrk according to ODB, yes. Only Method Man made contact via his real name and ODB missed the call.
great content I really enjoyed that
Saw Rage/Wu-Tang tour in Pittsburgh summer of ‘97. Seats were 3 rows from the stage. Still to this day consider it to be the greatest concert I’ve been to. Even topping Lolla ‘92
Would have *loved* to have seen that tour.
It turns out Wu-Tang Clan was something to F with
False.
If you are really watching the show.
RZA
All nine members of the Clan was too busy doing the streets.
RZA did everything he could to keep his clan and his respect for his clan a priority.
He did exactly what he should of done.
Stayed within his own mindset.
At the end of the day.
Life builds peoples intuition on how one chooses to administer ones own life choices.
As much as I would like to agree, that show shows just RZA's perspective, not the whole perspective of being in the Wu. He was a genius but he made some bad decisions regarding the group. Especially regarding WuWear.
Rza did make bad decisions however, a lot of the were left for him to make. On top of all the work he put into keeping the Clan together making beats running a production team and on top of that also being an MC eventually he got burned out come 2000s. Rza talked about great ideas he did have that he couldn't follow through with due to his position under Loud Records. He mentioned the success of Master P and No Limit records and the example of Master P making movies was an idea he had during the early days of Wu which was out of his control and got turned down. Master P was his own boss hence why he was able to pull it off. He had great idea concepts but due to being under Loud just didn't have the power to always have the yes/no power at the end of the day. He made the best of what he could do not to justify all his (bad) decisions he was younger at the time. If only he could've gone the Master P route but the route at which he went he was able to make the proper moves that opened doors for many future artists. Wu-Tang Clan was his idea his manifestation that became nearly a manifestation of its own within itself
@@calienteelfriende5842💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Perfectly said
Spencer great job everything wuz on point. FACTZ
Amazing video
“They’ll always be a ‘what if?’”
Uh, they WERE the biggest thing in music. There’s no “what if?” applicable. They dominated in the 90s. Most bands can’t keep touring after 30 years, let alone being the equivalent of 2 bands (8 members) plus however many side members.
I think he means what if they had kept it together from the point of the Hot97 show, I mean that looks like a key point where things started falling apart.... no radio play for 10 years??? In an era where the internet was just a baby.... lol that''s a killer for anyone.... sometimes the money is able to patch over the cracks, if they had gone back on that tour and not ruined their relationship w the number 1 hip-hop station in their hometown there's no doubt they'd have been wayyyy bigger. I think that's the "what if?"... they are definitely legends I agree, but one wonders what if they were able to hold it together.....
@@bbodsblue11 I think losing Hot97s’ support obviously hurt, but wouldn’t have stopped the inevitable. Their slow decline out of relevance would’ve just been more apparent. Things were already crumbling. They were all pissed about their varying financial success rates, and Hot97 had nothing to do with also pulling out of the Rage... tour which further hurt them by taking them out of the eyes of the biggest market: rebellious white kids.
The writing was on the wall, if Hot97 was successful it would’ve just made it harder to read.
@@shenanitims4006 I think you're underestimating how big radio is..... no radio play for 10 years literally means there is a whole generation of kids who don't know wu-tang.... maybe other stations played their music in NY but hot97 was the premier station by a mile and maybe the radio play would have boosted their album sales in an era when they were no longer the new guys and their careers were maturing.... and i know the rage tour had nothing to do w them ruining their hot97 relationship im just saying if they didn't sour both events the their 3rd and 4th albums definitely would have been bigger which might have kept the group together a bit longer despite the undeniable cracks
@@bbodsblue11 I don't know, I didn't live in the NY area at the time, but I imagine a lack of previous Hot97 airplay might be why Ghost was so annoyed.
@@shenanitims4006 I just watched the full dou-series, they said after hot 97 stopped playing them other radio stations followed suit.... that is a straight killer... ghost said he was annoyed bcos hot97 strong armed them into performing... they were getting paid on the rage tour (even though it wasn't that much & performing to bigger audiences) and back then hot97 wasn't paying artists to perform at that concert so they had literally paid out of their own pocket to fly to NY to then perform for free.... I see why Ghost was pissed.... they also acknowledged that their radio ban affected their sales and relevance
The music business is tough.
Dope Spencer 👍🏾
Nicely done!!!
Thank you for this... its important for the culture to the youngins... Do Born Thugs & Harmony too
The problem I have with Rza is that he tried to control how people got money, but as soon as his solo bags started getting offered then he was too busy to focus on Wu projects.
That wasn't it. All the members started wanting to break their contracts. So at that point why should he prioritize their solo projects that are on other labels when he has his own labels?
Great video!
Fantastic commentary on the Wu.
The JOB squad split apart too, it’s sad to see all these great music groups quit on each other
Rza is Wutang. They are a super group but without RZA there would have never been Wutang and he did the majority of production, beats, direction, capital and business. Members like Meth, Rza and Ghostface felt that they deserved more money so they went solo. And more power to them, but lets get it straight, RZA is Wutang.
Now i wanna jam to Liquid Swords thanks Spencer!
CREAM get the money... and split it 11 ways, leading to group tensions and strain of relationships.
That might be a big part of the problem right there: The beloved "crew" aspect of hip-hop; 5-6-7 dudes up on stage stomping around in tan Timbs, yelling curses into a mic; *no one* can sing, write a complete song, dance, play an instrument; I mean, *how* can such an act be sustainable *over years ?* It costs *money* to haul a bunch of limited-saleable-talent dudes around the country. *Plus* (and this is huge), *every* act's audience *outgrows* them. Only the really great acts are able to re-set, retool, and reinvent themselves, musically; how ? Such acts tend to be proficient *musically,* are able to move among different genres, and *tend to get along with folks in the industry.*
@Gangsta Guy
Okay; what's wrong with that ?
@@nycsongman9758 that seems like a gross oversimplification.
@@leonsturdivant5965
Duly noted; I don't agree, but I'll take that on advisement.
@Gangsta Guy I thought that you were going to respond to my reply in which I'd asked what was wrong with appearing to be "salty".
No matter. I would not, by any stretch of the imagination, limit hip-hop culture to mere "cursing and not getting along"; there's also the practice, and celebration of threat-making, mindless-consumption, public humiliation, sexual promiscuity, sexual debauchery; illicit drug procurement, preparation, and sales; vengeful acts, wanton illegal firearm display, and use; gang-culture, and all that culture entails; and the general glorification of violence, and disrespect of lawful authority.
There's more, but seriously, I grow weary.
Mind you, these practices/ celebrations are not just sprinkled randomly throughout a few of the songs, over the course of its forty-year run; no, what I've outlined is basically *that which the entire genre is built upon.*
I'd invite you, actually, even *defy* you, to find any such run of destructive, psyche-damaging, criminality and anti-social, nihilistic behavior in *any* of the Beatles group, or amongst any of its individual members' *many* solo albums.
Thank god for the internet. I cant imagine what it's like to sell millions of records and then recieve a check that barely reaches $50 000. That's tough man...
Great video as always!
8 Diagrams is the most underrated Wu album!
That album wasn't that gd like the w or Iron flag.
@@rubski-ds9yc The W and Iron Flag are actually good albums. 8 Diagrams was AWFUL! Had like 4-5 songs worth listening too and one of them didn't even make it on the album.
Agree I didn’t like that in the beginning but it age very so did A better tomorrow
What i take from the series on Hulu is that the majority of the clan didn't want to go corporate. They didn't care much for the business side of things which hurt them. Not showing up to shows, recording sessions, etc.
This is bringing back flashbacks of Jr High, yep i'm one of your older viewers.
This is why I like the Lox. They been together for over 20 yrs. never heard one negative thing about them.
The Lox didnt bring enemies together. Mad respect to Rza
The Lox is 3 guys compared to Wu's 8 of course there's gonna be more head butting. Nothing wrong with the liking the Lox more though.
The lox ain't Wu-Tang. Wu-Tang ain't even a group it's a hiphop revolution that changed the face of urban music. The united a whole city. You can draw a Wu Tang W anywhere on the globe and people be like... "WU TANG!!".
The Lox kept their issues in house. U don't really see that now
Though not technically a wu tang song "protect ya neck 2" is still (to this day) one of the coldest tracks I've ever heard.🙌
Off The W
@@dominiquejones3805 Nah, from old dirtys first album. It's actually his Brooklyn zu team.
What the hell are you talking about Protect ya neck was their first single and on their first album…….c’mon son
@@ericvoronoff6040 I'll let you off cos you're 7 months late.
Great video.
Wu Has NEVER Broken Up!!
As a long time fan of the WU, it breaks my heart that the greatest group of all time allowed the industry to slow their greatness!!! WuTang Forever!!!!
I feel bad for RZA my man was really tryna produce 9 albums in 3 years like lowkey impossible especially after all the tapes got trashed due to the flood
Everyone always forgets Gravediggaz when talking about Wu's early days. I loved 6 Feet Deep. It was like that came out and 6 months later Wu-Tang dropped 36 Chambers and Gravediggaz became ghosts. It was like RZA didn't even try after that. If anyone out there ain't never listen to Gravediggaz and you like Wu, then check them out. You missing some good music.
Gravediggaz we’re dope but once the Rza and Prince Paul left the group,no one bothered to pay attention to them anymore. R.I.P.,Reapper!!!
Love this
Nicely done.
Wu Tang Financial. Diversify ya bonds.
When I watched that Wu Tang Documentary I thought to myself.. "It's not cool to be talking about how you didn't cheat anyone out of money while sitting in a boat."
The mistrust wit Divine and then RZA let Cilvaringz 2 take advantage of his brothers
Fair enough. How did you feel watching the 4th episode with the 1998 footage of the members arguing with Divine and Ghost saying Divine shouldn’t get any percentage for negotiating a million dollar deal?
Great vid new sub 👌🏾
each successful members indepedent success tore them apart but they always get back together they ARE the band of brothers
I’m on season 2 of the wu tang series on Hulu and didn’t know divine and power fronted the money for the group. I just remember in the mics and men doc that RZA made divine the manager and he ended up robbing all of them - interested in seeing how power and divine even come together on the show
Really? Wow thats interesting 🤔
@@alizehustle9385 yeah, actually it was another person who was the manager but Divine played an executive role in the group. Most the members didn’t know what his title was, but he eventually robbed everyone and to this day most of the Wu don’t talk to him. It’s all in the doc
@@TrvisXXIII wow. Can u tag the doc? Or tell me where to find it
I think RZA was really smart and did his best. Considering how many just official members in group it's hard to get everyone paid. Let them do their own albums and selling merch ( Which it could be bigger like Kiss the band). Idk how the money was split but look at them compared to other groups like G Unit. I think RZA tried his best groups are always gonna argue
Nicely done
Awesome video on the Wu.
I watched that documentary on showtime when it came out a year ago and remember seeing the argument between Ghost and Divine I thought it was said Divine only received 20 percent from each member of the Wu . Once you add that up it turns into a pretty large slice. But everybody was still getting paid it's sad that's what ruined their bond.
20% from each member is ridiculous
@@belachaney He was an early investor though and deserved a cut for the risk he took in funding the group. That's just how business works. Although 20% is kind of big.
@@mcvgs1780 Even if that is all true, the 20% number should've been reduced years ago.
@@frankjum That's an average management fee.
@@belachaney Yet they went to other labels and gave them 15 to 20 percent
Great video. It's a shame they broke up but cash rules everything around me, and Rza was splitting that cash evenly.
YES FIRE VIDEO MAYEEEE (bossie voice)
They helped rap EXPLODE in the mid 90s early 2000s. They should be worth 100 million a piece
I wrote about this in one of my papers, of how the commercializing of music destroyed a lot of talent
I'd love to read a paper on that.
The music industry is brutal!
Stay independent
Well explained.
Spencer I never thought u cld make such a vid abt rap..😀
Other reasons for rift in WU
#1 - RZA's brother
#2 - Members' egos
They all became generals
I definitely feel like Divine was one of the main reasons the group split up too many members said they missed out on a lot of money because of him or he took money from them
RZA knew along what was going to be the outcome putting his name on everything
I'm from Ny, and I don't ever recall them not playing wu songs for 10 years....
man this was interesting !
Perhaps R.A. The Rugged Man would make an interesting topic for the music business
Yeah, it could show how important it is to pick a good, marketable stage name.
I like R.A. but that stage name is more than kinda wack and couldn't have helped him much over the years.
Power is the best character on the Wu series IMO... and dude that plays Divine looks JUST LIKE the real Divine
Ghost and Masta and ugod looks like them as well and gza too Raekwon a lil deck I don’t think so and Rza kinda
Wu Tang forever 2021 they still dope n fresh real HIP HOP RAP legend the whole crew
Build and destroy......lessons 120.. big up tah my boi LASK VO5!!!
I dont know much about youtube but i think you should pick a style of thumbnail and stick to it so that when i see a thumbnail i can say ya thats spencers video. But iv noticed that your thumbnails are pretty diffrent and hard to identify your videos. Great video like always tho.
Yea you're definitely right. I haven't solved this problem yet
@@SpencerCornelia For sure. Glad i can give some consructive critizesm :)
@@sirnaelias9881 you motivated me to update this thumbnail. i made it last night at like 1am and was exhausted. much better now. thanks
@@SpencerCornelia Of course, any time! Thanks for the message and lessons you provide on this chaneel. Your hard work really does show!
“Egos are something that the Wu Tang crush!”
That's from one of ODB's songs. It made me sing the rest of the verse!
@@sty723 yeah and they reused it as the chorus for the song “Crushed Egos” by RZA and Raekwon on the 2014 album.
Hi Spencer, great videos. While I'm early would you recommend any music business books? Great understanding bought sides of this world. Thanks
The best thing to do is keyword search google scholar.
Would need to be a specific book related to what you're pursuing.
Sell a product or service and make more than you spend. That's all business is. Hire out what you don't know how to do.
Hey everyone! Let’s have “FUN” breaking down other people’s drama!!! GATHER AROUND YALL !!!!