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…
The Great Migration
Bronze Nazareth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Great Migration... grab on, it's free, nigga
Pick it up from your local street corner, nigga
By the fucking liquor store
Yeah... check me, yo.. check mate
(Bronze Nazareth)
In the jungles, streets hard, flee God, doubt God
The beef so supreme, Lord, vatos got hoes
Playing for my house doughs, another dose of some vicadine
Slicing in, jutting in, like sudden cutting wind
And we got severe strokes, sword tip, pin popes, send folks
To hell, when the doors close, it's hard here, my dear
Kiss your chin, missed again, this is Michigan
AKA Babylon Ceasar Sin, it's me again
Grabbing at your back door like a raptor, you need me, you actors
Revelations, came in, deteurate men and women
MC's.... go home and smoke them leaves
Slice and dice, pure rate, my forte is swordplay
Chop-off-ya-limbs day, sway off strings of ligaments
This nigga bends, Kevlaar lives, and rock, black Timbs
Only wins, between punching, dungeon walls, and basements
Relentless, Killa Bee, sting like flying jellyfish
A king walks around, with a pen and a severed wrist
(Chorus: sample)
Oh... I want you to know
My life is yours to share
Just assured, as the skies are blue
I said..
(Bronze Nazareth)
Yo, in the streets, jungles deep, run from man, haunted lands
Skeletons, they haunting man, you argue fam, we flaunting hands
It might just, let the pipes bust, in a birth canal, I creep from wells
With secret spells, that teach and tell, my speech'll kill, as deep as hills
As deep as steel, we dwell on scarred blocks, where they scar cops
They don't even come, for evening suns, I'm grieving, and be needing guns
Cause stocks and bonds are far beyond, the poverty lines, we stand for years
Hooded life, crimson rain, singing in the veil of tears
Trail of beers and vodka, I'm on a, different planet
I crack skulls like granite, that was blast out of cannon
From standing on porches, to handing off roach clips
I'm so swift, I broke ribs, and came back like Joe Gibbs
Blow kids out boxes, box cutters and glock clips
The loudest, obnoxious, shots, just woke me
From my worst, nightmare, we thirst for light years
Cause dark days and brain stays, over me, like no one seem
Can't control the scenes, I'm just an actor in the scripts of life
My pen poison is quick to strike, cause skin moistness, my kryptonite
I skipped a hype, and took the elevator, toward heaven's light
(Chorus)
The Great Migration by Bronze Nazareth is a powerful and introspective rap song that delves deep into the struggles and hardships faced by inner-city residents. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, as Bronze Nazareth invites listeners to grab hold of the message he's about to impart. The verses themselves are filled with raw emotion, as the rapper recounts personal experiences of pain, despair, and violence. He touches on themes of poverty, addiction, and the constant struggle for survival in an unforgiving world.
Throughout the song, Bronze Nazareth's lyrics paint a vivid picture of life in the inner city. He describes the streets as hard and dangerous, where people are forced to flee and doubt God. He speaks of vatos (Latino gang members) who will do anything for money, and of drug addiction that has ravaged entire neighborhoods. But amidst all this despair, the rapper retains a sense of hope and determination. He speaks of the power of art and music to uplift and inspire, and of the unbreakable human spirit that endures even in the face of overwhelming adversity.
Overall, The Great Migration is a powerful and thought-provoking song that offers a glimpse into the realities of life in America's inner cities. With its deeply personal lyrics and raw, emotive delivery, Bronze Nazareth has created a powerful work that speaks to the struggles and triumphs of people from all walks of life.
Line by Line Meaning
In the jungles, streets hard, flee God, doubt God
Surviving in rough neighborhoods feels like being lost in a jungle, where it's difficult to have faith in a higher power.
Why God? Moms heard me scream, like I've been scorned
Feeling abandoned by a higher power, Bronze cries out in pain.
The beef so supreme, Lord, vatos got hoes
The violent conflicts in the streets are intense, and the enemy has the upper hand.
Playing for my house doughs, another dose of some vicadine
Struggling to make ends meet, Bronze turns to painkillers as a coping mechanism.
Slicing in, jutting in, like sudden cutting wind
Bronze describes how the violence in the streets feels like a sudden, sharp attack.
And we got severe strokes, sword tip, pin popes, send folks
Bronze and his crew are deadly with their weapons, able to take out anyone who crosses them.
To hell, when the doors close, it's hard here, my dear
The streets are a brutal, unforgiving place where violence is the norm.
Revelations, came in, deteurate men and women
Bronze sees the Book of Revelations playing out in real life, with society's decline becoming more apparent each day.
Only wins, between punching, dungeon walls, and basements
Bronze finds small victories in the midst of his struggles, even if it's just a strong punch or temporarily escaping his terrible living conditions.
A king walks around, with a pen and a severed wrist
Bronze sees himself as a powerful, yet wounded figure, using his writing as a weapon despite his personal pain.
In the streets, jungles deep, run from man, haunted lands
Bronze continues to describe how the neighborhoods he lives in feel like a wild, untamed land full of danger.
It might just, let the pipes bust, in a birth canal, I creep from wells
Bronze uses elaborate imagery to describe how he navigates through danger, always ready for a sudden attack.
Hooded life, crimson rain, singing in the veil of tears
The harsh, violent world Bronze lives in is a constant source of pain, but he finds comfort in expressing his emotions through his art.
Trail of beers and vodka, I'm on a, different planet
Bronze turns to alcohol to numb his pain and cope with the harsh realities he faces.
I skipped a hype, and took the elevator, toward heaven's light
Despite the difficulties he faces, Bronze remains hopeful for a better world, striving to rise above his current circumstances.
Contributed by Skyler O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Scarecrow Tripp
Lol it sounds like he reading this off a paper
Turtle Anton
Jordan Tripp well yeah he got no flow on this but the beat is nice
John Cerven
@Turtle Anton flow is not one flow, flow is all flows.