Wu-Tang Logo PNG
The primary Wu-Tang logo is a stylized “W” looking like a bird with its wings spread. There’s also a pronounced circle theme, which could represent a CD disc.
Meaning and history
The logo of the hip hop group was drawn by Ronald Bean, a.k.a. Mathematics, who has been with Wu-Tang Clan before the group was actually created.
As Mathematics told in an interview, he had a talk with RZA (Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, the band’s de facto leader) about making stickers for promotion. RZA suggested using only the “W” instead of the whole word. Also, he had an idea to depict a head being taken off, with the blood dripping. The design was supposed to mean: “Protect ya neck” (this is the name of the single that made the band popular in 1993).
Symbol
In response to this “brief,” Mathematics drew an image, where a hand was coming out of a large “W.” The hand was holding the head of a man with dreads. When RZA saw the emblem, though, he felt it was a bit too much – the situation that both RZA and Mathematics described in two independent interviews. According to RZA, he said: “maybe not the head cut off,” while Mathematics said it looked “too gory.”
The following step took place when they were getting ready to print “Protect Ya Neck.” RZA called Mathematics claiming he needed a logo the following day. So, the designer just drew it that evening based on one of the letterings he had created for his graffiti earlier.
Emblem versions
Later, RZA asked Mathematics to draw a logo for GZA’s “G.” Although now it’s a “G,” there’s still something that reminds of the original “W,” which helps to preserve the unique style of the band. Over time, Mathematics developed the emblems for the Liquid Swords characters. Now, depending from the character, the “W” may turn into an “M” (if it’s featured as the Method Man logo), a combination of “M” and “K” (to refer to Master Killa), “INS” and “E” (Inspectah Deck) or even a “U” (U-God).
About the author of the logo
Mathematics began working with GZA (one of the group’s founding members) when he was trying to launch a solo career in 1991. Mathematics started as a graphic artist and he liked making graffiti. Later, he became a hip hop producer and DJ. In this position, he has been working for Wu-Tang Clan, its solo and affiliate projects ever since. He’s also the producer behind the album The Saga Continues.
Colors
The simple black-and-white palette of the Wu-Tang logo can be easily adjusted to the color of any background.
