Swordsmen
GZA feat. Method Man Lyrics

When a motherfucker steps out his place
When someone oversteps their bounds or disrespects someone else

And gets slapped in his motherfuckin face
And receives immediate consequences for their actions

Just because the motherfucker tried to base
Because they thought they could challenge or disrespect

The G.O.D., the G.O.D.
The artist or their group, who they view as powerful and deserving of respect

And while I see his whole click passes by
And as the other person's entire group or crew moves along

Motherfuckers think they qualify
They mistakenly believe they're on the same level or worthy of respect

And for those niggaz want to try
And for those people who want to challenge or disrespect

I come through with the Wu and drop math
The artist asserts their authority and intelligence as part of their group, Wu-Tang Clan

And versatile freestyles bombs and phonographs
They bring a range of skills and performative abilities

And deliver, all things and other in weight
They provide substance and depth in their creative works

Searched to death, on how living things relate
They explore and ponder the nature of existence to a great extent

Cause at a young age, I was molded in a religion
The artist's early religious upbringing heavily influenced them

I relied on - and got caught up in superstition
However, they also fell prey to irrational beliefs

Scared to split pole, duck black cats
They were once fearful and superstitious

Once in a while, threw salt over my back
They followed certain rituals or beliefs for supposed good luck

But with knowledge of self from off the shelf
As they gained more self-awareness and knowledge, they shed these superstitions

Made things seemed complicated now small like elves
In light of greater understanding, things that once seemed complex or important now seem insignificant

So turn off the lights light a candle, and have a seance
The singer invites listeners to a séance or ritual to explore the supernatural

Pull the lid off the Dean Martin scandal
They investigate or reveal secrets, such as a rumored scandal involving singer Dean Martin

Witches warlocks spooks and holy ghosts
They reference various supernatural beings or phenomena

RZA lets defraud the host
They call on their group member RZA to deceive or outsmart whoever or whatever is being referenced

We were on the same ship when the slaves were checked
The artist recalls a shared history of oppression and slavery with someone else

I had to pull your card you was on the top deck
They had to confront or challenge the other person despite their higher status, like someone cheating at a card game

So I plotted my escape, I saw the Thin Line Between Love and Hate
The artist took action to get away from their oppressors or enemies, and references a film about the blurry line between love and hate

And fast from the hog on the plate
They abstained from the food that oppressed them

I suffered brutal pains, from whips and chains
They endured physical pain and violence

Punishments that were set to wash the brain
They endured mental and emotional manipulation and brainwashing as a punishment

So look listen observe and also respect this jewel
The artist advises listeners to pay attention and respect their words and message

Drawed up, di-tect and reflect this
They urge listeners to draw on and apply their wisdom and words

Light I shine, that cause my power to be find
They highlight their brilliance and insight, which gives them strength

Through the truth, which manifest through eternal minds
They attribute their understanding and power to an ideal of truth and collective wisdom

Purified gases and masses the same elements
They link together different parts and elements of society, from the most abstract to the most tangible

That helped spark civilization classes
They suggest that these various elements contributed to the development of human civilization and class structures

I see brothers quote math plus degrees
They notice and critique those who simply recite information or credentials without understanding or applying them

Look at professor ass niggaz can't feed they own seeds
They point out the hypocrisy of those who claim to have knowledge or expertise but still cannot provide for their own families or communities

Chorus x2
The repeated chorus reinforces the artist's power and the consequences of challenging them or their group