Bronze Nazareth was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan where his love for hip-h… Read Full Bio ↴Bronze Nazareth was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan where his love for hip-hop was fostered by a group of friends wanting to escape their humble existence through the power of music. At sixteen, Bronze formed a group with his high school friends that planted the seeds for his future in music. He and his group ‘The South House Click’ attempted to work on their music, but lacking resources, never got the chance to record their dreams. While no actual recordings materialized, it was in this inner city home that Bronze’s creative spark was cultivated.

Bronze Nazareth is a Hip-Hop producer and MC associated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He is regarded as the new generation torchbearer of the Wu-Tang sound. He has a solo career as an emcee and is also the head of his Detroit based group the Wisemen.

After becoming a Wu Element in 2002 and moving to Detroit, two of Bronze’s beats were chosen by The RZA for his album Birth of a Prince. The album’s title track, on which RZA retired the popular Bobby Digital alter ego, was produced by Bronze as was the sonically brilliant ‘A Day to God is a Thousand Years’. In 2005, Bronze introduced a younger generation to Wu-Tang via the Source’s Independent Album of the Year (2005) Wu Tang Meets The Indie Culture. Garnering critical acclaim for his work on the album Nazareth found himself with a Babygrande Records recording contract. 2006 saw Bronze release his first solo album The Great Migration where he proved his lyrical deft was on par with his production. Again, Nazareth’s album received critical acclaim.

Detroit, Michigan to New York City is a 15 hour one-way bus trip. It took Bronze Nazareth four of such round trips on a Greyhound bus from Detroit to New York to finally meet RZA, the abbot of the Wu-Tang Clan; the man responsible for selling millions of records, selling out arenas, scoring wildly successful movies and, generally, changing the course of popular culture. On the fourth trip, Bronze was able to use his talent to get inside 36 Chambers, ended up doing three tracks for one of Rza’s groups that was recording and then Rza arrived.

As Bronze recalls: “When he walked in I noticed he was nodding his head to the beats. After vibing for awhile in the studio, Rza and crew were about to go to the club, and I was like, ‘yo RZA, let me get just five minutes, that’s all I need!’ He graciously gave me those five minutes. I showed him one song, and it was Wu-Tang from then on.”

Upon hearing the song ‘Blowgun,’ The RZA immediately asked Bronze Nazareth to join his production group, The Wu Elements. As The RZA instantly recognized, Bronze churns out searing, painful production that is practically tangible in its emotiveweight, while his deep poetic lyrics are designed to put a thinking mind to work. Bronze incorporates the rawness of his beloved old-school soul albums, injecting his beats with painful moans and notes that mesmerize.

In the whirlwind years that followed, Bronze’s music fueled the sale of hundreds-of-thousands of units and left its own indelible imprint upon the Wu-Tang legacy. He has since worked with the likes of The Wu-Tang Clan, RZA, Raekwon, GZA/Genius, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, Royce da 5'9", Canibus, AZ, Immortal Technique, Copywrite, LA the Darkman, Willie the Kid, Kool G Rap, Buckshot, Sean Price, Ras Kass, Cannibal Ox, Tragedy Khadafi, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Casual of Hieroglyphics, Roc Marciano, 4th Disciple, Killarmy, Black Market Militia, R.A. the Rugged Man, Timbo King, Planet Asia, and many more of today’s most vibrant and relevant independent acts.

His most recent work, on Raekwon's Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang, Wu-Tang Clan's Legendary Weapons, a stellar verse alongside Royce da 5’9" & Sean Price on “Let’s Go” and Willie The Kid’s “The Guilt” further prove that Bronze Nazareth’s star continues to rise.

September 13, 2011, Saw Bronze release his sophomore album, School for the Blindman, which is again being heralded (by fans and critics alike) as a masterpiece. The album is a charted #61 on the Billboard Hip Hop & R&B Top 200 hundred.

Bronze isn’t precious like gold, Bronze is hard. Gold is for the show, Bronze is the foundation. Some folks lament the fact that they never got a break; Bronze Nazareth went and made his break, the saga continues…

Stolen Van Gogh
Bronze Nazareth Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

(Intro: Bronze Nazareth)
Yo, it's Nazareth, baby
Yeah, you know what it is
Now do it, nigga, get it
Let's smoke a heart... yeah.. yo..

(Bronze Nazareth)
Smoking a bold bogey, hoping the rose hold me down

So I can stroke a pound of gold ropes around my crown
Boldy tote the only pound I ever held, my mic is like
Whistling hollow tips from out of clips, that slip from solid grips
Feathers on the down floats, street measures that surround folks
Could drive an insane man, sane
Like crashing planes in the buildings, I got explaining to do
These crooks tricked the art and ran, like the stolen Van Gogh
Holding the candle, to the best of them, street veteran vandal
Settle and handle, season beef like electrical seats
I'm a beast, nigga, I call your bluff, like "You next, nigga"
You'd rather end a fight with me, with your index finger
I'm complexed, nigga, driving whips back to the plantation
You won't understand of my lines, it takes much patience
My words so real, you can watch what I'm saying
My thoughts staying scary like you came in and caught God praying
To who, in heaven's elevator, I vocally murder you
And past through like Ash Wednesday, unnoticed
Blend in, like cameras unfocused
The roaches scatter ashes, floaters
Slow as falling daggers, make your blood shatter

Multiple stab wound plaques, engineer trained from far over
Half moon tracks, and that's that

Overall Meaning

Bronze Nazareth's song Stolen Van Gogh is a poetic masterpiece that skillfully blends figurative language, wordplay, and raw emotion. The song starts with Nazareth's signature style of talking over the beat, saying that he's smoking a bold bogey, hoping the rose holds him down so he can stroke a pound of gold ropes around his crown. He then paints a picture of himself carrying a pound of gold, feeling like he's holding a mic that's like a gun shooting out hollow tips that slip from solid grips. Nazareth goes on to say that the street measures that surround him could drive even an insane man sane. He compares himself to a vandal and a beast, warning his rivals that they'll regret fighting him because he's too complex to understand.

Nazareth then shifts his focus to the stolen Van Gogh, a painting that was taken by thieves from a Dutch museum in 1990 and has never been recovered. Nazareth says that the crooks tricked the art and ran, just like in his own life, where people tricked him, stole from him, and ran away. He adds that he's holding the candle to the best of them, meaning he's shining a light on the truth and exposing his enemies for who they are. Nazareth then talks about how he's a street veteran who settles and handles beef like electrical seats, meaning he takes care of business without letting his emotions get the best of him. He ends the song by saying that his words are so real that you can watch what he's saying and that his thoughts are scary like catching God praying.

Line by Line Meaning

Smoking a bold bogey, hoping the rose hold me down
I'm smoking a cigarette, hoping it can ease my worries and stress

So I can stroke a pound of gold ropes around my crown
So that I can feel successful and powerful, even if it's just in my imagination

Boldy tote the only pound I ever held, my mic is like
I'm confident in my abilities as a rapper because it's the only thing I've ever been truly good at

Whistling hollow tips from out of clips, that slip from solid grips
I'm firing off lyrics like bullets from a gun, sometimes losing control but always making an impact

Feathers on the down floats, street measures that surround folks
Just like a feather floating on the wind, I'm aware of the dangers and struggles of the streets

Could drive an insane man, sane
The street life can be so crazy that it can even drive someone who is mentally ill back to sanity

Like crashing planes in the buildings, I got explaining to do
My lyrics are powerful and controversial, and I may have to explain them to those who don't understand

These crooks tricked the art and ran, like the stolen Van Gogh
These people stole and exploited the art form, much like a famous piece of art was once stolen

Holding the candle, to the best of them, street veteran vandal
I'm one of the best in the rap game, with the skills and experience of a veteran

Settle and handle, season beef like electrical seats
I can settle disputes and handle any situation like a pro, just like seasoning beef in a particular way

I'm a beast, nigga, I call your bluff, like 'You next, nigga'
I'm a fierce competitor, daring others to challenge me and prove themselves

You'd rather end a fight with me, with your index finger
You wouldn't dare to fight me, instead resorting to pointing fingers in blame

I'm complexed, nigga, driving whips back to the plantation
I have layers and complexities to my personality, despite appearances. I refuse to let my success make me forget where I came from

You won't understand of my lines, it takes much patience
My lyrics are deep and layered, requiring careful contemplation and understanding

My words so real, you can watch what I'm saying
My lyrics are so truthful and honest that you can almost see them come to life

My thoughts staying scary like you came in and caught God praying
My thoughts are dark, often uncomfortable, and can make you feel like you're interrupting something sacred

To who, in heaven's elevator, I vocally murder you
I'm delivering a fatal lyrical blow, straight from the top of the heavens

And past through like Ash Wednesday, unnoticed
My presence and impact are subtle, but they leave a lasting impression

Blend in, like cameras unfocused
I can blend in seamlessly with my surroundings, like an out of focus camera

The roaches scatter ashes, floaters
The street life can be brutal and unforgiving, much like the way roaches scatter in response to danger

Slow as falling daggers, make your blood shatter
Even the smallest, slowest movements can be deadly, like a dagger slowly falling and piercing your skin

Multiple stab wound plaques, engineer trained from far over
I've been through hell and back, experiencing physical and emotional wounds that are memorialized in my art

Half moon tracks, and that's that
My impact is visible, like the tracks of a half moon, and it's undeniable

Contributed by Eli V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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