The group toured extensively in support of the album, getting into a few minor scuffles with the law along the way. In the meantime, the next phase of the Wu-Tang plan started to take shape: unearthing new associates and spinning the resulting stable of talent into a brand-name franchise.
However, the real year for Wu-related side projects proved to be In August, Killarmy issued their second album, Dirty Weaponry. Also in , Ol' Dirty Bastard began a long and bizarre saga of erratic behavior and run-ins with police that found him making headlines with alarming and ridiculous regularity. In February he interrupted Shawn Colvin 's acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards to protest the Clan's loss in the Best Rap Album category; shortly thereafter, he announced he was changing his name to Big Baby Jesus , an idea that never picked up steam.
This was only the beginning -- over the next year and a half, ODB would be arrested for a litany of offenses that included assault, shoplifting, making terrorist threats, wearing body armor after being convicted of a felony, possessing cocaine, and missing countless court dates. Plus, in early , the whole Clan fell under suspicion of masterminding a gun-running operation between Staten Island and Steubenville, Ohio -- charges that were never proven to have any validity.
In the midst of this legal sideshow, the Clan kicked off a second round of solo projects in late June saw the release of an excellent singles compilation, RZA Hits, which covered the first Wu-Tang album and the first round of solo albums ; the very next week, GZA 's second album, Beneath the Surface, was released. Finally, Ghostface Killah issued his well-received sophomore set, Supreme Clientele, in January However, this second round of Wu-Tang solo albums didn't attract as much attention, either critically or commercially.
But the Wu franchise was suffering from inconsistency, overexposure they'd spawned a clothing line, a video game, a comic book, and more , and a flood of musical product that even diehards found difficult to keep up with. Their once-distinctive sound was becoming commonplace and diluted, not just through the collective's own releases but also RZA 's many imitators; plus, by this time, Timbaland had taken over the mantle of hip-hop's most cutting-edge producer.
Other than that, the Clan reconvened for a new album and were mostly quiet during much of -- aside from Ol' Dirty Bastard , who unfortunately continued to spiral out of control. He spent some time in a California jail for violating the terms of his probation, but appeared to be on the right track when suddenly, in October -- with just two months of rehab to go -- he escaped the California facility and spent a month on the run from the law. Fans were shocked when ODB turned up on-stage at the New York record-release party for the Clan's new album, The W, which was released with considerably less fanfare in November A leaner, more focused collection, The W featured only one track from ODB and pictured Cappadonna as a full-fledged member of the group though he remained unnamed on their official contract with Loud.
ODB managed to exit the club after his surprise performance but was soon captured by police in Philadelphia and extradited to New York to face charges of cocaine possession. In April , he cut a deal with prosecutors that resulted in a sentence of two to four years in state prison, bringing his outlaw saga to a sad end.
This time, though, there was no full round of solo projects in between Wu albums; the full group minus ODB assembled for its fourth album, Iron Flag, which was released in December , just one year after its predecessor. In addition to that, the group got into the game with the goal of being a global brand.
They created their Wu Wear clothing line, which helped turn The Wu-Tang Clan logo into an immediately recognisable emblem worldwide. G, among others. Wu-Tang are a business, a brand, innovators in music and also leaders in their community. Read more stories from The Latch and subscribe to our email newsletter. Search The Latch Start typing—. URL Copied! Privacy notice We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The W was mostly well-received by critics, particularly for RZA's production, and gave the group a hit single with the uptempo " Gravel Pit ".
The following year, Wu-Tang Clan released their fourth album Iron Flag , which was unforeseen by fans because the group tended to have several year pauses between albums. In early , U-God left the group, mainly due to his frustration at RZA for apparently hindering his success as a solo artist.
After the two reconciled, U-God later rejoined the group. They embarked on a short European tour before coming together as a complete group for the first time in several years to headline the Rock the Bells festival in California. He was arrested several times for offenses including assault, shoplifting, and possession of cocaine, and missed multiple court dates.
In late , Ol' Dirty Bastard unexpectedly escaped near the end of his rehab sentence, spending one month on the run as a fugitive before showing up on stage at the release party for The W.
He was eventually caught and served a prison sentence. The official cause of death was a drug overdose; an autopsy found a lethal mixture of cocaine and the prescription drug tramadol. The overdose was ruled accidental. His funeral drew a crowd of thousands. Hip Hop Wiki Explore. Popular pages. G Busta Rhymes Jeru the Damaja. Recent blog posts Forum. Explore Wikis Community Central. Register Don't have an account? Wu-Tang Clan. Edit source History Talk 0.
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