The Wu-Tang Clan's origin story finally told in new Hulu series

written by Tavarus Pennington

Hulu's "Wu-Tang: An American Saga" is a new television series spearheaded by Wu-Tang members RZA and Method Man. One of the most predominant 90's hip-hop groups, Wu-Tang Clan defined a generation in terms of style, tone and culture.

The direction of this project seems to center a gritty taste in the viewer's mouth. They want us to be disturbed by these experiences, but because of your unique position as a viewer living in a reality decades removed from when the events of this show are set to take place, it redefines the experience to be rather educational as opposed to affronting.

It seems unlikely that a show would essentially be fueled toward capturing an image of New York at the height of a crack epidemic while only portraying the most salvageable stories possible. It still seems to be true, also as well though, that this image is precisely the one that allowed the Wu-Tang Clan to elevate themselves out of the Staten Island ghettos of normalcy during a period where rap was marginalized along with its tastes, production capability and black people themselves. The addition of "'An America Saga"' stands to this importance in my opinion. This is a story of American triumph that originates in the other American dream; The American dream that the generationally impoverished strive toward - survival.

For a dramatization of the emergence of a music group, this series takes a decidedly non-musical approach to the television show itself. In fact, the show does not begin with now-legendary youngins RZA and Raekwon crafting a rough version of "'Bring Da Ruckus."'. InsteadAlternatively, it begins with a tragically 'in too deep' Cory Woods aka Raekwon dumping a still hot pistol with Robert Diggs aka RZA. This weapon, as it happens, was just used in a drive-by shooting of RZA's best friend, Dennis Coles aka Ghostface Killah.

Quickly, the show grasps viewersyou in the enthralls of drug dealing and gang politics of the 90's urban culture. This symbolic demonstration of hip-hop itself and the culture which birthed a music so many of us cherish in modern times stands to speak volumes abouttowards the Wu-Tang Clan and its underlying reason for existence.

As the show progresses, viewers you learn Wu-Tang was not some friends deciding to make music because it was something fun to do, but instead that there was something to prove. With everything a character does, And this is with everything you see a character do, whether it be having to prove you won't let the other person get the last laugh or it be having to prove that you can do something for yourself, the motivating quality is proof.

A more depressing storyline in the show is that of RZA's brother, Divine. Divine is a drug dealer who has brought himself and his family material objects which are of the likes they could never imagine, but only through his operation of selling drugs. When Divine is taken to jail due to his illicit activities, RZA is then forced to prove himself. Although in the case of RZA he is forced into a position where he needs to prove himself, his ethicity is inversely reflected in those around him. Where RZA is reluctant to assume a breadwinner role when his brother is taken to jail, others seem to be in a constant state of the haste which isn't characteristic of RZA.

RZA leads the show in this way, a character who you can tell is in an environment that he findsfundamentally foreign to him yet all too familiar still. And this is characteristic of much more than just a character's arc in a story. I find great depth in the titling of 'An American Saga'. The show writers, which include RZA himself, were very intentional about reflecting the events of story within the show off events which have happened in the not so distant past. The show actively portrays instances of racism past and present which present themselves as all too plausible and even devotes a good amount of greater attention to the death of Eric Garner in episode six of the series. This is particularly relevant because Eric Garner was a resident of Staten Island, N.Y,, where the show is largely set and where the Wu-Tang members are originally from.

To reinforce the significance of historical events past and present this show centers the individual experience of each member of the Wu-Tang clan and gives us them as people, not just as rappers, thereby deconstructing the mirage that hip-hop is the artists that make it and not the culture that truly produces hip-hop.