Wu Tang.... Foreva

One of my favorite hip hop rap groups has to be Wu Tang Clan. I like them because they have a really raw, gritty, almost disrespectful vibe to them. The crew has such an original style you can't help but acknowledge it. Although the members of wu tang clan are known for some irreverent behavior, the have proven themselves to be intellegent and wise as well. Wu Tang is a sword style of kung fu martial arts prscticed in China, the term "wu  tang" translates into the english word battle (WU-TANG CLAN Frequently Asked). The rap group consists of 9 members: Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, Rza, Gza, U-God, Inspectah Deck, Method Man, Raekwon, and Ol' Dirty Bastard. They formed in 1993 in Staten Island, and are one of the most successful rap groups ever. Rza was basically the leader of the clan, abd stated by an article found on The Wu Tang Corp website:

The vision of the Wu-Tang Clan is undoubtedly due to the musical skills of RZA. Under his direction, the group - through its own efforts and the solo projects, all of which he produced or co-produced - created a hazy, surreal, and menacing soundscape out of hardcore beats, eerie piano riffs, and minimal samples. Over these surrealistic backing tracks, the MCs rapped hard, updating the old-school attack with vicious violence, martial arts imagery, and a welcome warped humor. By 1995, the sound was one of the most instantly recognizable in hip-hop (Wu-Tang Clan).-

The first Wu Tang single was Prorect Ya Neck, which became an underground hit. Then record labels started offering the group contracts but they declined. They didn't sign with a label until they got a deal that would let each member record solo albums (Wu-Tang Clan). The group released a group album, and then each member went and did a bunch of solo projects. They debuted their first album, Enter the Wu-Tang, November 9, 1993 and it went platinum (Wu Tang Clan Biography).