He has also released solo albums under the alter-ego Bobby Digital. In addition to the Wu-Tang Clan and his solo releases, RZA was also a founding member of the rap group Gravediggaz where he used the name The Rzarector.
He has made cameos in several movies including Coffee and Cigarettes, American Gangster, Gospel Hill, Life Is Hot in Cracktown, Ghost Dog, Funny People, Repo Men. About.com named him 3rd on their list of best hip hop producers of all time
Born in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York, RZA spent time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a child, where his father had a convenience store in the Hill District.[1] A young RZA also spent many years living in North Carolina with his uncle. RZA began his hip hop career in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a member of the trio Force of the Imperial Master (which subsequently became known as the All in Together Now Crew after they had a successful underground single of that name). The group consisted of future Wu-Tang members and his cousins GZA (then known as the Genius) and Ol' Dirty Bastard (then known as Ason Unique, the Specialist, and the Professor).
Once this local band dissolved, both he and the GZA attempted to kick start solo careers. With the help of GZA's friend (then owner of Jamaica Records) they both secured single deals with album options at successful labels, GZA going to Cold Chillin and RZA to Tommy Boy. GZA ultimately released the Words from the Genius album, but RZA's stint at Tommy Boy ended with only the 1991 EP Ooh I Love You Rakeem to show for it when he went to jail soon after its release. GZA's album flopped, and the two cousins became determined to conquer the hip hop industry on their own terms. Throughout most of his youth he enjoyed watching various kung-fu movies and purchasing countless albums which he would later sample in most of his music
Ode to Oren Ishii
RZA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to dedicate this song right here to Oren Ishii
Half Chinese, half Japanisie, half American, and yo
Oh what a species
A figure of perfection
She got the sinister cat eyes
And little freckles on her complexion
Chief of the Yakuza
But she's wicked like Medusa
And she got Crazy 88 killers
That'd slice right through ya
Quick to chop a head off
Then wipe the blood off
A long-range sniper shot she busts
Never let a dud off
You got a minute to pray
And a second to die
You could see the image of the devil reflectin- inside her eye
But since she was a little girl, yo
She never would cry
She seen so much tragedy
Let me explain to you why
She grew up on a military base
Where she had to face
The brutality of her mother and her father being erased
The blood dried from her teardrops on her cheek
You seen the smear spots
She sat, only watched
As the shogun sliced through her dear pops
Through his thick skull
Ya she's vicious, like a pit bull
And when it comes to hatred and revenge
She got a shit full
Revenge is the fire that burns inside your soul
Ay yo, she been bustin' up knee caps son
Since the age of 11
But fuckin' her enemy to death
That was her favorite weapon
And a debt you paid in hell
Boy it can't be paid in heaven
You better get down on your knees son
And start prayin' to the reverend
Bon Appetite
Boy revenge is so sweet
Especially when it's served on a cold dish
But she has no wish
But to cut yo day short
Like the winter solstice
And the chance to receive a slight bit of mercy from her was hopeless
Oren Ishii
Half Chinese, half Japanisie, half American
Aw yeah, oh, what a species
In "Ode to Oren Ishii," RZA dedicates the song to Oren Ishii, a figure of perfection that is half Chinese, half Japanese, and half American, whom he describes as having sinister cat eyes, little freckles on her complexion, and a physique that embodies the perfect female being. She is the chief of the Yakuza and possesses Crazy 88 killers who can slice and kill in seconds. She is quick to chop a head off, and wipe the blood off her blade, with pinpoint accuracy at long-range. She is a woman, cold and unfeeling, whose eyes reflect the image of the Devil himself.
Oren Ishii grew up on a military base, where she had to confront and endure the brutality of her father and mother, whose lives were cruelly taken from them through a shogun's slicing sword. She was a little girl who never would cry, and she had witnessed so much devastation and tragedy that it numbed her emotional pain. She resorted to violence as a way of expressing her pain, and she became an expert in taking down her enemies with ease, making her the most feared person in the Yakuza.
The song addresses the theme of revenge, which burns inside Oren Ishii's soul. She had been busting up knee caps since she was 11 years old, but her favorite weapon was to have sex with her enemies to death. Revenge is sweet, as it is served on a cold dish, and she has no wish but to cut the day short, like the Winter Solstice. There is little hope for anyone seeking mercy from her, as they will pay the debt in hell.
Line by Line Meaning
Ay yo
Attention getter to start the song
I want to dedicate this song right here to Oren Ishii
Announcing that the song is dedicated to Oren Ishii
Half Chinese, half Japanisie, half American, and yo
Describing Oren Ishii's varied heritage
Oh what a species
Admiration for Oren Ishii's uniqueness
A figure of perfection
Oren Ishii being the epitome of perfection
She got the sinister cat eyes
Oren Ishii's eyes being intense and alluring
And little freckles on her complexion
Oren Ishii having small spots on her skin
Chief of the Yakuza
Oren Ishii's powerful position in the criminal organization
But she's wicked like Medusa
Comparing Oren Ishii's dangerousness to the mythical creature Medusa
And she got Crazy 88 killers
Oren Ishii having a dangerous gang of killers at her disposal
That'd slice right through ya
The Crazy 88s being deadly and efficient
Quick to chop a head off
Oren Ishii is merciless in her methods
Then wipe the blood off
Oren Ishii maintaining cleanliness while performing her gruesome acts
A long-range sniper shot she busts
Oren Ishii being an expert at using long-range weapons
Never let a dud off
Oren Ishii never misses her target
You got a minute to pray
Victims of Oren Ishii have very little time to prepare themselves
And a second to die
Oren Ishii is quick and efficient
You could see the image of the devil reflectin- inside her eye
Oren Ishii has a sinister aura
But since she was a little girl, yo
Oren Ishii has always had these dangerous traits
She never would cry
Oren Ishii has always been strong-willed
She seen so much tragedy
Oren Ishii has witnessed many horrors
Let me explain to you why
Providing an explanation for Oren Ishii's upbringing
She grew up on a military base
Oren Ishii's background growing up on a military base
Where she had to face
Oren Ishii had to endure many challenges
The brutality of her mother and her father being erased
Oren Ishii's parents were killed in a violent manner
The blood dried from her teardrops on her cheek
Oren Ishii has cried many tears over the years
You seen the smear spots
The outline of tears are visible on her face
She sat, only watched
She had to witness the violence and brutality with no power to stop it
As the shogun sliced through her dear pops
Oren Ishii's father was murdered by the shogun
Through his thick skull
The shogun used extreme force to kill Oren Ishii's father
Ya she's vicious, like a pit bull
Comparing Oren Ishii's nature to a tenacious, fighting dog
And when it comes to hatred and revenge
Oren Ishii has strong feelings towards revenge
She got a shit full
Oren Ishii has many ways to enact her revenge
Revenge is the fire that burns inside your soul
A reminder that revenge can consume a person's being
Ay yo, she been bustin' up knee caps son
Oren Ishii has been involved in violent acts of destruction
Since the age of 11
Oren Ishii has been violent from an early age
But fuckin' her enemy to death
One of Oren Ishii's violent methods
That was her favorite weapon
Oren Ishii has a preference for using sexual violence to hurt her victims
And a debt you paid in hell
Oren Ishii's victims suffer a terrible fate
Boy it can't be paid in heaven
There is no redemption for those who cross Oren Ishii
You better get down on your knees son
Victims of Oren Ishii are powerless to fight back
And start prayin' to the reverend
The only hope for those who cross Oren Ishii is to pray for divine intervention
Bon Appetite
A macabre reference to Oren Ishii's violent tendencies
Boy revenge is so sweet
Oren Ishii finds pleasure in pursuing revenge
Especially when it's served on a cold dish
Oren Ishii likes to serve her revenge cold with no warning
But she has no wish
Oren Ishii has no desire for anything beyond revenge
But to cut yo day short
Oren Ishii intends to end her enemies' lives swiftly and without mercy
Like the winter solstice
The winter solstice, the darkest day of the year, represents the violence and destruction Oren Ishii brings
And the chance to receive a slight bit of mercy from her was hopeless
Oren Ishii is merciless towards her enemies
Oren Ishii
Repeating the name of the person the song is dedicated to
Half Chinese, half Japanisie, half American
Reiterating Oren Ishii's diverse heritage
Aw yeah, oh, what a species
Once again praising Oren Ishii's uniqueness and power
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Fabio Frizzi, Franco Bixio, Vincenzo Tempera
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind