*By Jeffrey Marcus*
The Wu-Tang Clan didn't release its debut album a quarter-century ago for fans to explore only two or three of the 36 chambers. The celebrated rap collective's "Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" presented a fully formed universe of kung fu-inspired hip hop to be experienced uncut.
“When we create a body of work, I like that everyone, they heard the body of work," said Ghostface Killah, one of the group's nine MCs. But that may not be how most people listen to music now, with the rise of streaming services.
Ghostface Killah was rueful: "I’m going to paint this picture for you, but yet you’re going to dissect it and take just one?”
Four members of the Wu-Tang Clan shared with Cheddar's Hope King how the expansive ethos of their 1993 debut album ー complete with imagined Shaolin culture and deeply textured lyrics and soulful samples ー remains their signature, even if the music business has fractured.
“Streaming definitely started off with bad economics but those economics are starting to balance themselves out,” said RZA, a founding member of the group.
Though the Wu-Tang Clan maintains its attachment to the album format, Cappadonna, another of the group's MCs (remember, there are a lot of them) said streaming services offer an important route for up-and-coming artists.
“It’s just putting it all out there, the streaming, the music, and creating more avenues for a lot of MCs and artists that don’t have a real chance to get their music heard,” he said.
RZA, however, questioned whether these young artists have the substance to add to the hip-hop canon, one song at a time.
“Hip hop is something that makes people entertained, provides avenues of economics for a lot of families, it expresses the culture of America, black culture, and also the diverse culture that America stand for and that's now the world culture," said RZA. “Hip hop is doing its job, but it could use some more substance.”
“Words should also contain wisdom,” he added.
The Wu-Tang Clan had that wisdom, real and invented, from the start, on albums that borrowed mystique from the legends that inspired kung-fu movies and soul music samples overlaid with intricate, often funny and boastful rhymes.
"Wisdom is an accumulation of experience, and some of these hip-hop artists haven't experienced what we've experienced," RZA said. "By the time we were 19, we experienced about 40 years of life."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-wu-tang-clan-on-snapchat-streaming-and-shkreli).
Touring the remains of Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia has long been a Halloween tradition, but this year there is an educational spin to the haunting experience. Sean Kelly, Eastern State Penitentiary historic site SVP, talked to Cheddar about the goal of this year's 'Halloween Nights' and why it is relevant to mass incarceration.
On this episode of 'Your Future Home', Ania Smith, TaskRabbit CEO, discusses TaskRabbit's recent revenue growth, how the company is increasing their taskers' earning potential, and its potential for greater global expansion.; Aaron Wagner, a former football player turned self-made real estate investor & Founder and Managing Partner of Wags Capital, breaks down the best first steps the average investor can take into the realm of real estate, and how wholesaling can be a smart investment.; Cheddar breaks down all the tips, tricks, and things to look out for when buying your first home.
Pearson CEO Andy Bird joined Cheddar's "Opening Bell" to talk about a new partnership with famed recording artist manager Simon Fuller to launch a new performing arts school, the Academy of Pop, focused on cultivating the next round of rising stars. While the school will focus predominantly on the arts, Fuller said Bird wanted to partner with the learning company Pearson to add structure to the curriculum. "I think in many areas, the performing arts have suffered within education, and so part of our goal is to sort of put the 'A' into STEM and turn it into STEAM," he said. The first studio is slated to open in Hollywood.
Assistant Professor of Journalism at San Francisco State University, Lourdes Cárdenas, joined Cheddar News to discuss San Francisco State University launching a new bilingual journalism major.
On this epsiode of ChedHER: COO of Exile discusses the company's mission of creating original content for audiences across the U.S. and Latin America; Community Impact Region Lead, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase breaks down the firm's commitment to racial equity; President of Myriad Genetics explains how to expand access to genetic testing for all women.
Nicole Lambert, President at Myriad Genetics joins ChedHER to discuss how to expand access to genetic testing for all women, and how her experience as a 'pre-vivor' motivates her role in the industry.
Noreen Hernandez, Community Impact Region Lead, Executive Director at JPMorgan Chase, joins ChedHER to discuss the firm's commitment to racial equity and what needs to be done to close the racial wealth gap.
Tere Perez, COO of Exile, joins ChedHER to discuss the company's mission of creating original content for audiences across the U.S. and Latin America, and how the team is empowering Hispanic creators.
Carlo and Baker cover Facebook's big rebrand, the latest on Biden's economic agenda and more. Plus, ranking the best Halloween candy and the worst couple's costumes.
