Wu-Tang were the first of its kind. A nine-man group comprised of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa, they signed to Loud Records as a group but members had solo deals of their own. Their epic debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), was part of a wave of East Coast classics that helped bring New York hip-hop back to prominence in 1993 and 1994. Their sophomore LP, Wu-Tang Forever—released following a streak of seminal solo LPs from Raekwon, GZA, and Ghostface—was certified four times platinum. The clan was dealt a devastating blow when Ol' Dirty died of a drug overdose in 2004. Wu members mostly focus on solo material these days, but they reunited to release new music in 2013.