The Wu-Tang Manual: Enter the 36 Chambers, Volume One (Paperback)

by The RZA (Author), Chris Norris (Author) "Wu-Tang niggas are famous for having lots of names, lots of pseudonyms and alter-egos..." (more)
Key Phrases: liquid swords, sword style, New York, Method Man, Staten Island (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-In the late 1970s, Robert Diggs was growing up in a New York housing project. He spent his time with his many cousins and watching kung fu movies in Times Square. Later, he turned his interests in martial arts, spirituality, chess, comics, and rap music into one of the most successful rap groups of the 1990s-the Wu-Tang Clan. Named for a type of Shaolin martial arts, the Clan consists of Diggs-The RZA-two of his cousins, and six other members. The author shares all that went into making the group what it is, a curious mix of Eastern philosophy, supreme mathematics, capitalism, and, not least, talent. Nearly a quarter of the book is dedicated to lyrics, including a deep analysis of what each rapper meant. The Wu-Tang's lyrics are full of violence, drugs, and slang, but also well-executed metaphors, symbolism, and their philosophy realized. It's rare that rap lyrics are given this level of analysis, let alone in such a readable fashion. The book is full of photographs of the members and information about their work and interests, which include drugs, both legal and illegal. Even this topic is treated with intellectual detachment: "You can't say [drugs] are all bad or they're all good." (Sadly, since the book's publication, founding member ODB died from a drug-related incident.) Even though the Wu-Tang's greatest success came in the 1990s, they are still highly relevant and have many teen fans, all of whom will find something appealing in this account.-Jamie Watson, Harford County Public Library, MD
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Product Description
Long awaited and much anticipated, The Wu-Tang Manual is The RZA's first written introduction to the philosophy and history of Hip-Hop's original Dynasty, the Wu-Tang Clan.

Since the release of the revolutionary Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) - over the course of four seminal group albums and a multitude of ambitious side projects - the Wu-Tang Clan has constantly redefined what hip-hop can do and where hip-hop can go. Now, after a decade of dark beats and mysterious lyrics hinting at a larger whole, the RZA, the abbot of the legendary Staten Island hip-hop collective, fully reveals, for the first time, the complex, multilayered Wu-Tang Universe in The Wu-Tang Manual.

Written in a style that is at once personal and philosophical, The Wu-Tang Manual unravels the intricate web of personalities (and alter egos), warrior codes, numerological systems, and Eastern spiritual ethics that define the Wu-Tang dynasty. Packed with information that reflects the breadth and depth of the RZA's - and rest of the Clan's - intellectual interests and passions, The Wu-Tang Manual is divided into four books of nine chambers each, for a total of 36 chambers. All together, the book provides the breakdown of essential Wu-Tang components, from basic information about each of the nine core members of Wu-Tang Clan to deeper explorations of the key themes of the Wu-Tang universe, a dictionary-like Wu-Slang lexicon, and an entire section of lyrics with densely annotated explanations of what they mean.

Elegantly laid-out and richly printed, the book is designed to reflect the Asian influence on the Wu-Tang universe, which, as the book explains, began with a fascination with kung-fu movies but quickly led to serious study of martial arts and Eastern philosophy and spirituality. The Book also includes a map of Shaolin; a trove of never-before-seen photos of the Wu-Tang Clan, including shots of RZA's trip to China with Sifu Shi Yan-Ming, live shots, and portraits-by Michael Lavine, Craig Wetherby, Sophia Chang, and Frank151; and original illustrations of many of the guiding lights of the Wu-Tang universe.

For the hardcore Wu-Tang disciple and the recent initiate alike, The Wu-Tang Manual is the definitive guide to the essence of Wu, one of the most innovative hip-hop groups of all time.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Riverhead Trade; 1st Riverhead Trade Pbk. Ed edition (January 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594480184
• ISBN-13: 978-1594480188
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #65,962 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wu-mythos finally emerges as a whole, January 31, 2005

By	J. Chu "hip-hop head" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

All I can say is, why'd it take so long?

Oh yeah, that's right. They were too busy releasing albums, touring, doing shows (and drugs), getting locked up, getting released, appearing on Chapelle's Show, making comic books, scoring movies, and growing the legend of the nine generals, to finish writing a book.

Wow. This is an astonishingly exhaustive work explicating fully the reasoning behind all the insane lyrics behind the Wu, plus the culture with which they were inculcated in their youth. I've been a Wu fan since around Killa Bees/Gravel Pit days, and my collection now includes nearly every group and solo album (less Deck's The Movement, some Cappadonna, U-God's stuff, and Immobilarity). As such a thorough fan, I'm highly impressed. Lyrics in their songs that I'd just skipped over before or barely acknowledged take on added depth and meaning with the Abbot's commentary.

And it's not just Wu-devotees that will find material in here to their liking. The book begins very simply, with biographies of each of the original nine swordsmen. Containing exhaustive lists of aliases (some of which I had -no- idea belonged to the emcee that they do), birthdates, anecdotes, and releases, these serve perfectly to introduce the reader to the individual rappers. From there, however, the book progresses into a deeper analysis of the underpinnings of Wu tradition, including looks at -all- their obvious influences (kung fu movies, mob movies, comic books, drug culture, etc.) and some less obvious ones (did you know that the famous Shaolin Sifu Shi Yanming is personal friends with RZA and Iron Man?). During a time when rap is seen as mere gangsterism and cliched thug-talk, RZA shows a blinding level of intellectualism and scholarship, drawing quotes from Nietzsche, the Hagakure, Lao Tze, and Charles Mingus (among others). He also explains the particular religion of the Five Percent Nation, and the Gods and the Earths.

Personally, as a producer and emcee in training, RZA's section on technical details and equipment was also very valuable - he discusses working with equipment very specifically, and details how he built the characteristic Wu style.

Coming as it does during a renaissance of Wu music (Pretty Tony Album, No Said Date, and the Wu live CD all having been well-received in the last year), The Manual both reassures the Wu-fanboy within me while also relighting the fire for the Shaolin Style.

Suuuuue!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely essential for any Wu fan!!, February 1, 2005

A Kid's Review

This brilliant book, written by the RZA (aka the Abbot), goes into detail about pretty much everything about the Wu Tang including their musical/movie influences, their neighborhoods, the mythology of the 36 chambers (it's not just the name of their first album), and the philosophies regarding the 5 percent Nation and the tenents of the Nation of Gods and Earths. The RZA also breaks down the Shaolin fighting style and how Wu has incorporated this unique fighting style into their raps. He also gives an in-depth analysis of how the game of chess plays a crucial role in not only lyrical battles but also in terms of defeating enemies in real life. This guide/book also comes with a handy translation of some of the Wu's lexicon and slang. But the true gem of this book is the RZA's breaking down some of the lyrics of the Wu's most famous songs so that when the Rza spits "Connectin' Brooklyn/Shaol like the Verazanno -Narrows", you will know what he is talking about. I highly recommend this book to any true Wu fan!

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you need to know about the Wu, February 27, 2005

By	Straight up Gangsta - See all my reviews

When I saw that this book was on the market the first thing that I did was order it. This was truly a briliant desision; I had allways loved the music of the Wu-Tang Clan, but there were always referances in the songs that I could never understand. The R.Z.A. takes the lyrics of all of the best songs and decodes them for you, explaining all of the referances that no one else could get. He also gives you profiles of all of the members which is very interesting, and tells you all that you need to know about their obsession with kung-fu, movies, chess, and everything else. Great book, very interesting.