Wu-Tang Clan

Band

Active 1992-present
Albums 7
Tracks 93
Most frequent collaborator Streetlife · 9 tracks
Genres East Coast Hip HopHardcore Hip Hop
Complete Artist
100%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 93 of 93 tracks

Does Wu-Tang Clan write their own songs?

Yes. Wu-Tang Clan are credited on 100% of their catalogue, and each emcee writes his own verses. RZA produces the music and acts as the group's leader, so on any given song several members share the writing while he builds the beat. Songs like 'C.R.E.A.M.' and 'Triumph' are packed with individual members' own rhymes.

By the Numbers

7
Studio Albums
93
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
34
Years Active
59
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 93 / 93 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 93 tracks: how many Wu-Tang Clan wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Wu-Tang Clan has a writing credit100%
51%
49%
Sole author47tracks51%
Co-written46tracks49%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Wu-Tang Clan's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 93 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)98%
Composer (music)100%
Producer86%
Performer95%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 93 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
RZA 1992-present
53%
88%
85%
53%
GZA 1992-present
35%
35%
0%
34%
Method Man 1992-present
54%
54%
1%
51%
Raekwon 1992-present
56%
56%
0%
55%
Ghostface Killah 1992-present
39%
40%
0%
38%
Inspectah Deck 1992-present
49%
49%
1%
48%
U-God 1992-present
30%
30%
0%
29%
Masta Killa 1992-present
41%
41%
0%
40%
Cappadonna 1996-present
17%
17%
0%
17%
Ol' Dirty Bastard Died November 13, 2004 1992-2004 (died November 13, 2004)
14%
15%
1%
14%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Wu-Tang Clan's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
0%
1993Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1997Wu-Tang Forever
2000The W
2001Iron Flag
20078 Diagrams
2014A Better Tomorrow
2015Once Upon a Time in Shaolin
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 0% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
1990s
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Wu-Tang Forever
100%
2000s
The W, Iron Flag +1 more
100%
2010s
A Better Tomorrow, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Wu-Tang Clan sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Wu-Tang Clan
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

C.R.E.A.M.
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Written by Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Raekwon, Jason Hunter, Clifford Smith Jr., Corey Woods, Robert Fitzgerald Diggs
Wrote it
Triumph
Wu-Tang Forever
Written by Ghostface Killah, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, RZA, U-God, Cappadonna, Dennis David Coles, Gary Eldridge Grice, Jason Hunter, Jamel Irief, Clifford Smith Jr., Russell Tyrone Jones, Corey Woods, Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, Lamont Jody Hawkins, Darryl Hill
Wrote it
Gravel Pit
The W
Written by Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Raekwon, RZA, U-God, Dennis David Coles, Clifford Smith Jr., Corey Woods, Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, Lamont Jody Hawkins, Paulissa Moorman
Co-wrote
Uzi (Pinky Ring)
Iron Flag
Written by Ghostface Killah, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Method Man, RZA, GZA, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, U-God, Dennis David Coles, Russell Tyrone Jones, Corey Woods, Clifford Smith Jr., Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, Gary Eldridge Grice, Jason Hunter, Jamel Irief, Lamont Jody Hawkins, Clarence Henry Reid
Co-wrote

Discography 7 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Wu-Tang Clan93 tracks
S9Streetlife, 9 tracks 4D74th Disciple, 7 tracks M5Mathematics, 5 tracks T3Tekitha, 3 tracks TM3True Master, 3 tracks JR2Junior Reid, 2 tracks AY2Adrian Younge, 2 tracks PW1Popa Wu, 1 track UP1Uncle Pete, 1 track ED1Earl DeRouen, 1 track EH1Edward Howard, 1 track JW1Jimmy Webb, 1 track R1Redman, 1 track SD1Snoop Dogg, 1 track CC1Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., 1 track on Snoop Dogg's page N1Nas, 1 track NJ1Nasir Jones, 1 track IH1Isaac Hayes, 1 track IL1Isaac Lee Hayes Jr., 1 track BR1Busta Rhymes, 1 track PM1Paulissa Moorman, 1 track 1O112 O'Clock, 1 track PS1Prodigal Sunn, 1 track FF1Flavor Flav, 1 track on Public Enemy's page CH1Clarence Henry Reid, 1 track NF1Nick Fury, 1 track RC1Ray Charles Robinson Sr., 1 track RI1Ronald Isley, 1 track T1Trackmasters, 1 track OH1Osten Harvey Jr., 1 track EM1Easy Mo Bee, 1 track EB1Erykah Badu, 1 track GH1George Harold Harrison, 1 track GD1George Drakoulias, 1 track DH1Dhani Harrison, 1 track JF1John Frusciante, 1 track on Red Hot Chili Peppers's page GC1George Clinton, 1 track GA1Gerald Alston, 1 track FJ1Frederick Jay Rubin, 1 track RR1Rick Rubin, 1 track RA1Robert Allen Deitcher, 1 track PL1Peter Lind Hayes, 1 track NP1Nathaniel Peterson, 1 track DP1David Porter, 1 track BJ1Bettye Jean Crutcher, 1 track RW1Ronnie Williams, 1 track JD1John David Hurley, 1 track RS1Ronald Stephen Wilkins, 1 track VC1Victor Carstarphen, 1 track GM1Gene McFadden, 1 track JC1John Cavadus Whitehead, 1 track ML1Martin Luther King Jr., 1 track KG1Kenneth Gamble, 1 track LH1Leon Huff, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. S Streetlife · 4D 4th Disciple · M Mathematics · T Tekitha · TM True Master · JR Junior Reid

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

RZA handled virtually all production on the first four Wu-Tang albums, building a signature sound from dusty soul samples and martial-arts film dialogue. The collective's writing model is distinctive: each rapper writes and delivers his own verses independently, with RZA curating who appears on which tracks. The 'written by Wu-Tang Clan' credit on early albums reflects each member's authorship of his own verses, no single voice wrote for another.

Quick Facts

  • 36 ChambersTheir 1993 debut is widely ranked among the greatest hip-hop albums ever made
  • RZAProduced nearly all the early albums and serves as the group's de facto leader
  • Wu-Tang ForeverTheir 1997 double album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
  • One-copy albumSold the single-copy album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin for around $2 million
  • Nine emceesOne of the largest and most influential rap collectives, launching many solo careers

Creative Fingerprint

A collective where everyone writes their own bars: Wu-Tang Clan are credited on 100% of their catalogue, with each rapper writing his own verses and RZA producing and steering the group, so the only outside names are affiliates and guests.

The Story

Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip-hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City in 1992. Led by producer and rapper RZA, the group revitalized East Coast hip hop in the mid-1990s and is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential hip-hop groups of all time. Their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) became a landmark of hardcore hip-hop and spawned a wave of successful solo careers across the nine-member lineup.

Awards & Recognition

Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993) is widely ranked among the greatest hip-hop albums of all time
Wu-Tang Forever (1997) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
Sold the one-of-a-kind album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin for around $2 million, the most expensive music work ever sold
One of the most influential rap groups in history, spawning numerous successful solo careers

Frequently Asked Questions Wu-Tang Clan

Does Wu-Tang Clan write their own songs?
Yes. Wu-Tang Clan are credited on 100% of their catalogue, and each emcee writes his own verses. RZA produces the music and acts as the group's leader, so on any given song several members share the writing while he builds the beat. Songs like 'C.R.E.A.M.' and 'Triumph' are packed with individual members' own rhymes.
Who is the leader of Wu-Tang Clan?
RZA is the group's de facto leader and main producer. He produced nearly all of the early albums, creating the gritty, soul-sampling sound, while the nine emcees each wrote and performed their own verses.
Who wrote 'C.R.E.A.M.'?
'C.R.E.A.M.,' from Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993), features verses written by Raekwon and Inspectah Deck over an RZA beat. Like most Wu-Tang songs, each rapper wrote his own part, and the track is credited to the members involved.
How many members are in Wu-Tang Clan?
The core group has nine emcees: RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Ol' Dirty Bastard, with Cappadonna a close affiliate. Each writes his own verses.
What happened to Ol' Dirty Bastard?
Ol' Dirty Bastard, one of the group's founding emcees, collapsed and died on November 13, 2004, at the group's New York studio, two days before his 36th birthday. He remains one of hip-hop's most distinctive voices.
How many albums has Wu-Tang Clan released?
This catalogue covers their group studio albums from Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993) through A Better Tomorrow (2014), plus the one-copy Once Upon a Time in Shaolin (2015).
What is Once Upon a Time in Shaolin?
Once Upon a Time in Shaolin is a single-copy Wu-Tang album sold at auction for around $2 million, making it the most expensive musical work ever sold. Only one physical copy exists, sold with strict conditions on its release.
What genre is Wu-Tang Clan?
Wu-Tang Clan make East Coast hip-hop and hardcore hip-hop, known for RZA's raw, cinematic production and dense, kung-fu-inflected lyricism from a rotating cast of emcees.

Sources