Released 19 years ago, June 3, 1997, Wu-Tang Clan‘s Wu-Tang Forever served as the follow-up to the New York collective’s wildly successful debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).
Pressed as a double album, it was released after a long run of successful solo projects from various members of the group and features several guest appearances from Wu-Tang affiliates Cappadonna, Streetlife, 4th Disciple, True Master, and Tekitha. The original run of compact discs featured an “Enhanced CD,” which allowed users to walk around the “Wu Mansion” and access additional content.
Despite limited radio/TV airplay, and a lead single that famously clocked at nearly six-minutes with no chorus, Wu-Tang Forever debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 612,000 copies sold in its first week. The album was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA on October 15, 1997 and has sold over 2 million copies in the U.S, making it the group’s highest selling album to date.
Upon its release, Wu-Tang Forever received mostly favorable reviews from music critics, while earning the group a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album at the 40th Grammy Awards in 1998.