Rolling Stone (6/26/97, pp.51-52) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "...a self-contained universe that mixes hip-hop culture with adolescent-pop flotsam....hauntingly descriptive tales of ghetto hustlers and victims..."
Spin (1/98, p.87) - Ranked #19 on Spin's list of the "Top 20 Bands Of The Year."
Spin (9/97, p.154) - 7 (out of 10) - "...Creating a style with no definite precedent, playing major lables against each other--and winning--Wu-Tang Clan are basically selling avant-garde music as pop to the world....The RZA burns the rule book between your headphones..."
Entertainment Weekly (6/6/97, pp.65-66) - "...FOREVER continues the group's artistic grand slam. Like their forebears in Public Enemy, Wu-Tang are musical revolutionaries, unafraid to bring the noise along with their trunk of funk..." - Rating: A
Q (6/00, p.131) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Highlights a once-hungry outfit now simply too full of individual stars to function coherently....[albeit] flashes of brilliance..."
The Wire (10/01, pp.46,48) - "...The MCs are in strong form..."
Melody Maker (12/20-27/97, pp.66-67) - Ranked #28 on Melody Maker's list of 1997's "Albums Of The Year."
Melody Maker (5/31/97, p.49) - "...It had to be this big. It didn't have to be this good...Every single track is a detonation of every single pop rule you thought sacrosanct....FOREVER is one of the greatest hip hop LPs of all time. I think, in time, it could be my favourite album ever..."
Village Voice (2/24/98) - Ranked #26 in the Village Voice's 1997 Pazz & Jop Critics' Poll.
NME (Magazine) (12/20-27/97, pp.78-79) - Ranked #18 in NME's 1997 Critics' Poll.
NME (Magazine) (5/31/97, p.54) - "...If albums by Method Man, Genius, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon and Ol' Dirty Bastard were the Gospels, then this is meant to be the Good Book. And what it contains is The Knowledge....WU-TANG FOREVER is...unforgettably huge..."
This is an Enhanced audio CD which contains regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Wu-Tang Clan: RZA "The Abbott" (rap vocals, programming); GZA "The Genius", Ol' Dirty Bastard "Osiris", U-God "Golden Arms", Masta Killa "High Chief", Method Man "Hott Nikkels", Raekwon "Lex Diamonds", Ghostface Killah "Ironman", Inspectah Deck "Fifth Brother" (rap vocals).
Additional personnel: Poppa Wu, Uncle Pete, CappaDonna, Tekitha, Street Life (rap vocals); Roxanne (background vocals).
Producers: The RZA, 4th Disciple, True Master, Inspectah Deck The Rebel.
Engineers: The RZA, 4th Disciple, True Master, The Rebel.
WU-TANG FOREVER was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
The Genius sums up the Wu-Tang story in just one sentence on "Reunited;" "Reunited/Double-LP, world excited/Struck a match to the underground, industry ignited". The Wu-Tang Clan is raw, honest hip-hop at its best, and though they are arguably the best in their field, they haven't forgotten their underground roots. Back together after a multi-platinum debut as well as gold and platinum solo albums by several group members, Wu-Tang deliver the most anticipated album in rap history, WU-TANG FOREVER.
The RZA, whose name is used to describe his razor sharp production, is probably the only producer in hip-hop whose sound is so clearly defined and so hard to imitate. Combining the complex lyrics of the Clan with unique sounds and frequently off-beat singing, the RZA is the group's musical mastermind. Whether the focus is on the GZA's wit, the grimy world-view of the Method Man, Raekwon and Ghostface's hard-core street smarts, the lyrical wizardry of the Inspectah Deck or the certified insanity of the Ol' Dirty Bastard, Wu-Tang are lyrically, musically and conceptually light years ahead of other MCs.