Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Studio album by Wu-Tang Clan
Released	November 9, 1993 (1993-11-09)[1]
Recorded	1992–1993
Studio	Firehouse (Brooklyn, New York)
Genre	East Coast hip hop hardcore hip hop
Length	58:26
Label	Loud RCA
Producer	RZA (also exec.)
Wu-Tang Clan chronology
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993) Wu-Tang Forever (1997)
Singles from Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
"Protect Ya Neck" Released: December 14, 1992[2] "C.R.E.A.M." Released: January 31, 1994 "Can It Be All So Simple" Released: February 22, 1994

Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is the debut studio album by the American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on November 9, 1993, by Loud Records and RCA Records. Recording sessions took place during late 1992 to early 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and the album was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA. Its title originates from the martial arts films Enter the Dragon (1973) and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).^[3]

The distinctive, gritty sound of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) created a blueprint for hardcore hip-hop during the 1990s, and helped return New York City hip-hop to national prominence. Its sound also became greatly influential in modern hip-hop production, while the group members' explicit, humorous, and free-associative lyrics have served as a template for many subsequent rap records. Serving as a landmark release in the era of hip-hop known as the East Coast Renaissance, its influence helped lead the way for several other East Coast rappers, including Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Mobb Deep, and Jay-Z.

Despite its raw, underground sound, the album had surprising chart success, peaking at number 41 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 30,000 copies in its first week on sale. By 1995, it was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, and in October 2018 it was certified triple platinum.^[1] Initially receiving positive reviews from most music critics, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) has since been widely regarded as one of the most significant albums of the 1990s, as well as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. In 2020, the album was ranked 27th on Rolling Stone's updated list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2022, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".