With the death of ODB this release should take on some poignancy, even if the Wu-Tang's clown prince only makes cameo appearances on what is the bare bones of a career-spanning best of.
The true story of the Wu is of a clan that went too far, too quickly. Following their all-time classic debut - the still awesome "Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers)" - they splintered into 9 separate directions. The result was a handful of excellent solo efforts (Method Man's "Tical", ODB's "Return To The 36 Chambers", GZA's "Liquid Swords", Raekwon's "Only Built For Cuban Lynx") and, when they re-grouped, some patchy collective follow-ups graced with the occasional killer track ("Gravel Pit", "Reunited" and "Uzi (Pinky Ring)" - all collected here).
In the best tradition of those Shaolin chop socky flicks, from where they swiped their samples, it was basically a sequel too far; as convoluted as matching the various alter-egos of each individual Clan member.
Ten years on from that seminal debut, and despite a recent comeback tour, the old unity no longer exists. Lynchpin producer, RZA, has moved on up to making soundtracks for the likes of Jim Jarmusch and Quentin Tarantino. Others haven't fared quite so well. Method Man was last seen getting a critical pasting in the woeful TV series "Method & Red". And as for ODB… well, poor old Dirt McGirt.
But, rewinding back to 1994, where - sensibly - most of this collection is sourced, the Clan were unstoppable. The grimy Staten Island counterpoint to Dre's laidback G-Funk, their trademark of spooked-out gothic strings, martial arts and lyrical brilliance created a bridge between hip-hop past and present.
The likes of "C.R.E.A.M", "Protect Ya Neck" and the self-explanatory "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F'Wit" were like the lightning bolt that fired life into Frankenstein. Half fantasy and half bruising reality, they still prickle with excitement and potential. From thereon in it wasn't exactly downhill, just that their quality control was found wanting.
For the hardcore, this collection does offer three rarities with a cover of Run DMC's "Sucker MCs", "Shaolin Worldwide" and "Diesel" from the "Soul In The Hole" soundtrack. That debatably makes it worth the point of entry, but the uninitiated would still be better directed towards that debut.
