Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), often referred to as simply 36 Chambers, is the debut studio album by the American hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan.

The  album cover was photographed and designed by Danny Hastings. He created the gritty,, masked aesthetic in a New York studio, improvising with only six members present to represent the group as a unified, kung-fu-inspired force.

The recording sessions took place during late 1992 to early 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and the album was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA. Its title originates from the martial arts films Enter the Dragon (1973) and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).

The distinctive, gritty sound of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) created a blueprint for hardcore hip-hop during the 1990s, and helped return New York City hip-hop to national prominence. Its sound also became greatly influential in modern hip-hop production, while the group members' explicit, humorous, and free-associative lyrics have served as a template for many subsequent rap records. Serving as a landmark release in the era of hip-hop known as the East Coast Renaissance, its influence helped lead the way for several other East Coast rappers, including Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Mobb Deep, and Jay-Z.