Liner Note Author: Margeaux Watson.

A best-of nice reminder of the excitement and genius that has made the Wu so enduring.

A disc containing somebody's idea of the Wu-Tang Clan's best tracks is a risky motion, a concept potentially doomed from the outset. Three of the group's four studio albums may be uneven in a number of ways, but is there any manner in which they can be adequately summarized on one disc? Not really. Still, this is a rather practical beginner's guide, despite its effort to maximize profit protential by appealing to those who already have the four albums. "Method Man" and "Protect Ya Neck" are present in alternate-mix forms, and the group's contributions to In tha Beginning...There Was Rap (a lackluster acknowledgment of Run-D.M.C.'s "Sucker MCs"), Next Friday (the inconsequential "Shaolin Worldwide"), and Soul in the Hole (the inessential but alright "Diesel"), are thrown into the fray. There are no glaring omissions, but if someone were to compile a second volume, that disc alone would be grounds for considering Wu-Tang one of the best groups hip-hop has seen. ~ Andy Kellman

Wu-Tang Clan records have always reflected the kaleidoscopic nature of the group itself, which consists of nine members, each with at least three identities of their own. It's no surprise, then, that Wu-Tang albums vibrate with the energy of a raucous crowd, as unpredictable rhymes gust back and forth. The collective of NYC-area rappers banded together as a unit to most effectively launch solo records, with 1993's ENTER THE WU-TANG (36 CHAMBERS) acting as the springboard. While many classic albums have emerged from the pact (including Method Man's TICAL and Ghostface Killah's SUPREME CLIENTELE), when the group comes together, something wonderfully chaotic ensues.

Fittingly, Wu-Tang Clan's first hits record, LEGEND OF THE WU-TANG, has a wandering nature, with remixes thrown in haphazardly, adding to the anything-can-happen feel always surrounding the outfit. The album opens with the three tracks that began its reign, "C.R.E.A.M.," "Method Man," and "Protect Ya Neck," the latter two intriguingly reworked. Elsewhere, two of the unit's finest mid-career singles--"Triumph" and "Gravel Pit"--are placed back-to-back. As a whole, the collection is a reminder of the excitement and genius that has made the group so enduring.