Return to the 36 Chambers was primarily produced by RZA, with additional production from Ol' Dirty Bastard, and affiliates True Master and 4th Disciple.

The album sold 81,000 copies in its first week,[1] and was certified Platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 26, 2019.

[2] Upon its release, the album received positive reviews from most music critics, with many complimenting Ol' Dirty Bastard's bizarre lyrical delivery and RZA's eerie production.

In his review for Rolling Stone magazine, Touré commented: "With his raspy, lisp-punctuated voice and half-sung, half-rapped style, Ol' Dirty Bastard may well be the most original vocalist in hip-hop history.

"[6] Michael Bonner of Melody Maker wrote, "... an hour of cruel hard and frighteningly funny hip hop; the perfect companion piece to Wu-Tang's 36 Chambers ... the songs are driven by a vicious, unstable urgency.