‘Wu-Tang: An American Saga’: What’s Reality vs. Fiction

Photograph by: Vanessa Clifton/Hulu

Wu-Tang: An American Saga is drastically impressed by the real-life experiences of the group. However not every part is true within the dramatized collection.

Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga has develop into a go-to present for rap fanatics since its debut in September 2019. The primary cause for that is that the Wu-Tang Clan have one of the fascinating tales in hip-hop. The legendary Staten Island collective constructed a mythos for itself by the members’ love of kung fu and mafia flicks, and donning completely different rap monikers and personas to inform their tales.

However even earlier than the rap stardom, lots of the members had already lived a life stuffed with moments bordering on the unbelievable, solely including to the intrigue surrounding the Wu’s story. So, it’s comprehensible why the group could be excellent fodder for a biographical drama collection that mixes truth and fiction to inform the story of one in every of hip-hop’s most beloved band of MCs.

With its third and remaining season dropping February 15, An American Saga has highlighted the real-life experiences of the group and its particular person members in delicate and overt methods. When Ol’ Soiled Bastard briefly talks about battling Q-Tip at school within the first season’s third episode, “All In Collectively Now,” that’s a reference to the truth that the pair did truly battle as soon as. When RZA virtually finally ends up behind bars for a shootout in Ohio, that’s a reference to the truth that he truly confronted eight years in jail for a shootout that occurred in Ohio in 1992. Nevertheless it’s necessary to do not forget that it is a dramatization, that means that despite the fact that these are true tales most of them will likely be exaggerated indirectly. That is additionally the case with the extra fictional points of the collection, too.

So, with An American Saga coming to an finish, right here’s a breakdown of among the questions viewers have had on what’s truth and fiction throughout the collection’ two seasons (with third season moments to come back as soon as it releases).

Season One

Photograph by: Vanessa Clifton/Hulu 

Did Ghostface Killah and Raekwon have beef? 
Verdict: True and False
A vital plot level of the primary season (and the primary chunk of season two) is centered round a feud between Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, who’s first launched as Dennis/D-Lover and Corey/Sha Raider, respectively. The feud is incited due to a drive-by Sha does on Dennis’ home, along with his brothers and mom virtually hit by the assault. In consequence, Dennis hopes to get revenge on Sha, with RZA (Bobby) hoping to be the impartial intermediary that will get them to squash their beef and be a part of the rap group he’s making an attempt to make.

Each Ghost and Rae have addressed this, with the latter lately saying on the Outdoors with Gorilla Nems podcast: “Me and Rae by no means had beef. Me and Rae by no means had no issues. It was simply the best way them characters acquired switched round.”

However there may be the truth that the 2 did come from rival neighborhoods, one thing that Rae addressed in a 2013 interview with VladTV.
“In the event you go to the hood and also you go 10 blocks away, niggas don’t know you, niggas don’t fuck with you, niggas will gun you in the event that they really feel such as you in the best way, so we at all times stayed on our facet,” he stated.

“So when RZA fashioned this alliance, it was positively spoken on like, ‘Yo, I don’t actually fuck with Ghost, he’s a criminal.’ However when RZA was the center man, it was virtually like he did a [John] Gotti transfer. He introduced all of the households to the desk, and made niggas make amends, as a result of truth of how we gon’ transfer ahead and get this cash.”

Additionally, in response to Rae, it was truly Ghost that incited a shootout, with the rapper sharing in one other VladTV interview that Ghost shot up his pal Jamie’s residence, which led to Jamie retaliating and taking pictures up Ghost’s residence.

“It was a watch for a watch state of affairs,” Rae stated. “He was like, ‘Yo, you shot at my crib, so…’ That’s what it was. That’s the way it performed out. I wasn’t round that day to see what was occurring. Like I stated, we knew that Ghost knew RZA and [RZA’s older brother] Divine, however we didn’t actually know that he knew ’em the best way that he knew ’em.”

With this in thoughts, that is presumably what Ghost meant when he stated the characters “acquired switched round.”

Photograph by: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu

Did Ghostface Killah date RZA’s sister?
Verdict: True
One other integral a part of Dennis’ story is his relationship with RZA’s sister, Shurrie. Because the present goes on, we see the pair’s as soon as hidden relationship develop into recognized to the Diggs household, in addition to Shurrie revealing to Dennis that she’s pregnant along with his youngster.

Shurrie (performed by Zolee Griggs) is a fusion of all of RZA’s sisters, however the primary one Griggs was capable of converse with for inspiration for the function was Sophia, who did have a real-life relationship with Ghost. Though Ghost hasn’t spoken a lot publicly about Sophia, he did acknowledge her whereas talking about RZA in a 2013 interview with XXL, saying: “RZA’s my brotha for all times. That’s my brother-in-law. I acquired infants by his fucking sister.”

Photograph by: Jeff Neumann/Hulu

Did Haze actually die?
Verdict: False
In season one’s sixth episode “Not possible,” we witness the tragic demise of Haze by the hands of Officer Marcus. It’s a second that sticks with everybody within the Park Hill Initiatives, notably Sha, Insurgent, and Shotgun, as they helplessly watch Haze combat for his life.

Haze’s demise is probably going primarily based on the tragic death of Ernest Sayon, a 23-year-old who was killed by police throughout an arrest outdoors outdoors the Park Hill house buildings in 1994. Though there have been three officers immediately concerned within the incident, it was Officer Donald Brown who was singled out, primarily because he was from the identical neighborhood as Sayon was, and had already had a divisive relationship with the Park Hill group previous to the incident.

Methodology Man spoke on Sayon’s passing throughout an interview with HuffPost in 2015, evaluating the incident to what occurred to Eric Garner and saying: “I felt the ache, as a result of we had spoke out a couple of cop that had finished that to one in every of my pricey mates I grew up with, Ernest Sayon. He was killed by a cop. I’m going to say killed, as a result of he was killed by this cop, Donald Brown, who strangled him—choked him to demise.”

Nevertheless, it’s unknown if Meth, Inspectah Deck, or Rae had been truly current when Sayon’s demise occurred.

Season 2

Photograph by: Vanessa Clifton/Hulu

Did RZA virtually go to jail?
Verdict: True
An American Saga‘s season two premiere episode, “Little Ghetto Boys,” finds RZA presumably dealing with jail time for taking pictures a girlfriend’s ex in self-defense whereas out in Ohio. Previous to the taking pictures, he already appeared to develop into disillusioned with making music, and the potential of being locked up doesn’t assist issues. Happily, RZA is discovered not responsible, the decision rejuvenating his want to return to NYC and create the Wu-Tang Clan.

Within the Wu-Tang docuseries Of Mics and Males, RZA recounted how he was hit with a felony cost in Steubenville, Ohio, after he allegedly shot a person within the leg. Regardless of claiming he fired in self-defense, RZA confronted eight years in jail for the cost. He was acquitted on April 23, 1992.

“My mom got here out and he or she noticed me. She regarded me in my eyes and stated, ‘That is my second likelihood, don’t look again, stroll straight. Stroll that straight path.’ I did that. I zigged again.” he recalled.

Photograph by: Vanessa Clifton/Hulu

Did RZA signal ODB to Elektra?
Verdict: False
Some extent of rivalry for RZA and ODB that begins on the finish of the second season (and can possible be within the third season) is the previous signing the latter to Elektra with out his consent. Signing to Def Jam was a childhood dream for Ol’ Soiled Bastard, and despite the fact that RZA thought he was getting his cousin the higher deal (not solely was Elektra providing the identical worth as Def Jam, however they had been additionally keen to provide him his music again after 20 years), ODB was clearly harm that his cousin hadn’t spoken with him first. That is what results in their combat on the subway, in addition to their temporary falling out within the season finale episode, “As Excessive as Wu-Tang Will get.”

In actuality, though ODB wished to go to Def Jam, it doesn’t look like he was notably mad about being on Elektra. In line with then-Elektra A&R Dante Ross, who signed ODB to the label, there wasn’t any actual pushback from the late MC in any respect.

“He preferred me. I don’t know what it was however we hit it off straight away,” Ross recounted on Open Mike Eagle’s What Had Happened Was podcast, sharing how ODB appreciated the best way Ross listened to him about what he wished to do along with his music.

Photograph by: Vanessa Clifton/Hulu

Did Wu-Tang rush the stage at Jack The Ripper?
Verdict: True
In “As Excessive as Wu-Tang Will get,” the Wu is meant to open for Run-DMC at Atlanta’s Jack The Rapper conference, however they find yourself getting reduce from the lineup when the present runs over. Undeterred, the group decides to bum rush the stage, accosting the DJ and giving a daring efficiency that solely helps amplify their rising recognition.

As U-God shared with Tidal in 2018, the Wu truly did bum rush the stage at Jack The Rapper, after Luke (of two Reside Crew fame) postponed letting them onstage.

“One of many occasions we had been down there, possibly our first time, Luke from 2 Reside Crew wouldn’t surrender the mic; he wouldn’t allow us to on,” U-God recalled. “2 Reside Crew was mad deep down there, and supposedly had been getting rowdy throughout the entire conference. Perhaps Luke was making an attempt to guard his market as a result of we had been down South. No matter his reasoning, we had been up subsequent and he was conserving us from going onstage. We tried to be affected person for just a few moments, however you know the way that goes if you’re hungry for recognition. So after just a few moments, the Clan needed to rush the stage to make sure we did what we got here to do.”

Though it doesn’t look like the group additionally bum rushed the stage at The Fever (in contrast to what’s proven in season two’s eighth episode “Saturday Nite,” there’s this video that reveals the Wu performing on the standard Bronx hip-hop membership in 1993, sans bum rush), there is a video of them apparently bum speeding the stage at The Palladium in 1994, exhibiting that the group wasn’t afraid to make the most of the technique when needed.

Photograph by: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu

Did RZA’s basement flood?
Verdict: True
At first it appears as if the second season goes to finish on a comparatively good word. The group’s daring transfer at Jack The Rapper labored, Methodology Man has signed to Def Jam, and RZA has already made some headway on among the members’ solo albums. Then, catastrophe strikes — a pipe bursts in RZA’s basement, seemingly destroying the work he’s finished on these solo albums within the course of.

What could look like an unreal plot twist to drive the story ahead is definitely very actual. Throughout a dwell interview that was a part of Georgia’s A3C Pageant in 2018, RZA explained how floods (sure, plural) had destroyed his studio on multiple event, with the primary one which’s referenced in An American Saga occurring after the Wu returned residence after some reveals in Cleveland.

“As quickly as we had completed [Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers], I already had Inspectah Deck’s [Uncontrolled Substance] album, Methodology Man’s [Tical] album ready. As a result of again in these days we had floppy disks and I might make all of the beats – Methodology Man’s session, Deck’s session, [Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…] session, and I used to be able to go,” he recalled. “Right here comes the flood that wiped away about 160 floppy disks. As a result of I didn’t assume there’d be a flood. I had [the disks] on the ground, below the keyboard. You don’t assume. Wu-Tang [Clan was] out doing a little reveals in Cleveland, no matter. [We came] again–water’s up this excessive, washed that every one away. [We went] again to the drafting board. Cool.”

The famed producer went on to talk of the opposite cases of flooding damaging his studios, with the second occurring greater than a yr later after the primary one, and the third one going down on the “Wu home” in New Jersey.