The Swarm (album)

The Swarm
Compilation album by
Wu-Tang Killa Bees
ReleasedJuly 21, 1998 (1998-07-21)
Recorded1997–1998
Studio
  • Alien Flyers (New York, NY)
  • Firehouse Studio (New York, NY)
GenreHip-hop
Length1:01:15
Label
Producer
Wu-Tang Killa Bees chronology
The Swarm
(1998) 		The Sting
(2002)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Village Voice[2]

The Swarm is the first compilation album by American hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Killa Bees. It was released on July 21, 1998 via Wu-Tang/Priority Records. Recording sessions took place at Alien Flyers Studios and Firehouse Studios in New York. Production was handled by Wu-Tang Clan member the RZA, who also served as an executive producer and presenter. The album also featured additional production from The Wu-Elements, such as Mathematics, Darkim Be Allah, Bolo Gah, DJ Devastator, Inspectah Deck, Remedy and The Blaquesmiths.

It features contributions from Wu-Tang Clan members Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, Method Man, Raekwon and RZA, and Wu-Tang affiliates A.I.G., Black Knights of the North Star, Cappadonna, Killarmy, Remedy, Royal Fam, Ruthless Bastards, Shyheim, Street Life, Sunz of Man, Tha Beggas and Wu-Syndicate among others.

In the United States, the album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on February 10, 1999, for the sales of 500,000 units.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"  0:30
2."The Legacy" (performed by Royal Fam)
RZA2:20
3."Concrete Jungle" (performed by Sunz of Man)
RZA4:41
4."Co-Defendant" (performed by Shyheim and Hell Razah)
RZA4:37
5."S.O.S." (performed by Inspectah Deck and Street Life)
Inspectah Deck3:42
6."Execute Them" (performed by Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, Street Life and Masta Killa)
RZA3:40
7."Bronx War Stories" (performed by A.I.G.)
  • G. Hall
  • Donnie Banks
Darkim Be Allah3:27
8."And Justice for All" (performed by RZA, Killarmy and Method Man)
RZA4:55
9."Punishment" (performed by Black Knights of the North Star)
Mathematics4:54
10."Bastards" (performed by Ruthless Bastards)
  • M. Perry
  • M. White
  • Robert Daniels
  • S. Daniels
  • D. Logan
  • Mike McDonald
  • Jorell Brand
The Blaquesmiths4:19
11."On the Strength" (performed by The Beggaz)
  • T. Taylor
  • T. Frost
  • P. Fondille
  • R. Griffin
  • R. Brown
Bolo Gah5:01
12."Cobra Clutch" (performed by Ghostface Killah)
Mathematics3:42
13."Never Again" (performed by Remedy)Ross FillerRemedy4:09
14."Where Was Heaven" (performed by Wu-Syndicate)
  • Timothy Turner
  • Joseph Outlaw
  • Corey Hart
  • David Walker
DJ Devastator3:28
15."'97 Mentality" (performed by Cappadonna and Ghostface Killah)
RZA3:41
16."Fatal Sting" (performed by Black Knights of the North Star)
  • Bennet
  • Dimeko
  • Cunningham
  • Rose
  • Brown
  • Johnson
  • Bean
Mathematics4:09
Total length:1:01:15
Notes
  • The "Intro" mentioned on the back cover, booklet and disc is not featured on the record itself.
  • Track "Legacy" incorrectly listed as performed by A.I.G. in the booklet.

Personnel

  • Timothy "Timbo King" Drayton – vocals (track 2)
  • Chron "Hell Razah" Smith – vocals (tracks: 3, 4)
  • Frederick "60 Second Assassin" Cuffie – vocals (track 3)
  • Vergil "Prodigal Sunn" Ruff – vocals (track 3)
  • Shyheim Franklin – vocals (track 4)
  • Jason "Inspectah Deck" Hunter – vocals (tracks: 5, 6), producer (track 5)
  • Patrick "Streetlife" Charles – vocals (tracks: 5, 6)
  • Corey "Raekwon" Woods – vocals (track 6)
  • Elgin "Masta Killa" Turner – vocals (track 6)
  • A.I.G. – vocals (track 7)
  • Robert "RZA" Diggs – vocals (track 8), producer (tracks: 2-4, 6, 8, 15), executive producer
  • Rodney "Islord" Stevenson – vocals (track 8)
  • Samuel "Beretta 9" Murray – vocals (track 8)
  • Terrance "9th Prince" Hamlin – vocals (track 8)
  • Clifford "Method Man" Smith – vocals (track 8)
  • Quintarus "Crisis" Bennet – vocals (tracks: 9, 16)
  • Reginald "Meko the Pharaoh" Dimeko – vocals (tracks: 9, 16)
  • Deshawn Dante "Doc Doom!" Cunningham – vocals (tracks: 9, 16)
  • Dewayne "Rugged Monk" Rose – vocals (tracks: 9, 16)
  • Anthony "Holocaust" Brown – vocals (tracks: 9, 16)
  • Andre "Christ Bearer" Johnson – vocals (tracks: 9, 16)
  • Apocalipps – vocals (track 10)
  • Blizzard – vocals (track 10)
  • Iron Mic – vocals (track 10)
  • Sha Gotti – vocals (track 10)
  • Robert "Truck" Daniels – vocals (track 10)
  • Buda Love – vocals (track 11)
  • Dragonfly – vocals (track 11)
  • Long Axe – vocals (track 11)
  • Samo Heung – vocals (track 11)
  • Dennis "Ghostface Killah" Coles – vocals (tracks: 12, 15)
  • Ross "Remedy" Filler – vocals & producer (track 13)
  • Timothy "Myalansky" Turner – vocals (track 14)
  • Joseph "Joe Mafia" Outlaw – vocals (track 14)
  • Corey "Napoleon" Hart – vocals (track 14)
  • Darryl "Cappadonna" Hill – vocals (track 15)
  • Donnie "Darkim Be Allah" Banks – producer (track 7)
  • Ronald "Allah Mathematics" Bean – producer (tracks: 9, 12, 16)
  • Mike McDonald – producer (track 10)
  • Jorell Brand – producer (track 10)
  • R. "Bolo Gah" Brown – producer (track 11)
  • David "DJ Devastator" Walker – producer (track 14)
  • Nolan Moffitte – engineering (tracks: 1-4, 6-12, 14-16)
  • Steve Sola – engineering (track 5)
  • Charlie Marotta – engineering (track 13)
  • James Cruz – mastering
  • Mitchell "Divine" Diggs – executive producer
  • Sherin Baday – art direction, project coordinator
  • Arlene Godfrey – project coordinator
  • Jeff Trotter – A&R coordinator

Charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[3] 36
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[4] 29
UK Albums (OCC)[5] 81
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[6] 14
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[7] 8
US Billboard 200[8] 4
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[9] 3

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Swarm, Vol. 1 - Wu-Tang Killa Bees | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (November 3, 1998). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  3. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Wu-Tang Killa Bees – RZA Presents Wu-Tang Killa Bees - The Swarm Vol. 1" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  4. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Wu-Tang Killa Bees – RZA Presents Wu-Tang Killa Bees - The Swarm Vol. 1" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  5. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  6. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  7. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  8. ^ "The Billboard 200". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 32. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. August 8, 1998. p. 80. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  9. ^ "Top R&B Albums". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 32. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. August 8, 1998. p. 27. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
  10. ^ "American album certifications – Wu-Tang Killa Bees – The Swarm". Recording Industry Association of America. February 10, 1999. Retrieved January 31, 2025.
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