The Saga Continues (Wu-Tang Clan album)
| Company type | Compilation album |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | October 13, 2017 |
| Founder | Wu-Tang Clan |
| Products | Hip hop music |
| Parent | 36 Chambers Records, eOne |
The Saga Continues is a compilation album by the American hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, with production handled by longtime associate Mathematics. Released on October 13, 2017, through 36 Chambers Records and eOne, the group opted to shorten their name to "Wu-Tang" for this project, reflecting the absence of member U-God, who was left out amid ongoing royalty disputes. This marks the third album issued under the abbreviated name, following Chamber Music and Legendary Weapons. Mathematics remarked, "It's a Wu-Tang record naturally, but without U-God, it can’t be considered a full Wu-Tang Clan album."
The album was supported by singles "People Say" and "Lesson Learn'd," both featuring guest artist Redman. Upon release, it entered the Billboard 200 chart at number 15 and claimed the top spot on the Independent Albums chart. First-week sales totaled 19,461 copies, rising to 24,613 when including streaming figures. In 2024, this compilation was celebrated with the event "Wu-Tang Clan: The Saga Continues… The Las Vegas Residency" at The Theater at Virgin Hotels.
Background
Following the release of A Better Tomorrow, individual members focused on solo ventures: Ghostface Killah delivered a sequel to Twelve Reasons to Die alongside the collaborative effort Sour Soul with BadBadNotGood, Method Man released his album The Meth Lab, Inspectah Deck produced two records with his side project Czarface, and Masta Killa completed his fourth solo album, Loyalty Is Royalty, which dropped on September 29, 2017.
The group's controversial release, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, was purchased by Martin Shkreli for $2 million.
On August 25, 2017, the lead single "People Say" was unveiled as a preview of Wu-Tang’s forthcoming album. Shortly thereafter, RZA revealed the project titled The Saga Continues, entirely produced by Wu-Tang’s DJ and longtime collaborator Mathematics. RZA explained that Mathematics, involved since the group's early days, was entrusted with revitalizing the signature Wu-Tang sound. The follow-up single "Lesson Learn'd" was released on September 22, with a music video for "People Say" premiering on October 4 via Wu-Tang Clan’s Vevo channel.
Mixing engineer
- Josh Gannet
Critical reception
The Saga Continues garnered mixed to moderately positive critiques. On Metacritic, it holds an aggregate score of 64 from 16 reviews, signifying "generally favorable reviews".metacritic AllMusic highlighted Mathematics’ production for its dark and atmospheric beats combined with classic soul samples reminiscent of early Wu-Tang material, though it does not quite reach the heights of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).allmusic
Alex McLevy of The A.V. Club awarded it a B− grade, describing it as more "assembled" than A Better Tomorrow, yet still the strongest Wu-related release since 2010’s Wu-Massacre. He lauded Mathematics for capturing the traditional Wu sound more effectively than RZA currently does.av Clash Music rated it 6/10, recognizing occasional flashes of classic Wu energy but noting these moments are sparse.clash
Consequence of Sound gave it a C+, criticizing its lack of standout tracks despite appealing to loyal fans.cos The 405 assigned a score of 5.5/10, praising Mathematics’ commitment but observing that most rappers appeared disengaged.fof HipHopDX rated it 3.6/5, appreciating its merit as an entertaining addition outside official Wu canon.hhdx Slant Magazine offered a less enthusiastic review with 2.5/5 stars, citing generic qualities and uninspired execution.Slant
Track listing
All tracks were produced by Mathematics.
Charts
Template:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chartTemplate:Album chart| Chart (2017) | Highest ranking |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (Recorded Music NZ) | 3 |