Poetic then joined Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, former De La Soul/Stetsasonic producer Prince Paul, and Frukwan from Stetsasonic in the rap 'supergroup' Gravediggaz. Each member adopted a Gravedigga alias, and Poetic became known as Grym Reaper (with 'Grym', an acronym for 'Ghetto Repaired Young Mind', also referring back to his first group). His offbeat rapping style quickly gained attention as the group's first album, 1994's 6 Feet Deep (also known by its original title Niggamortis outside the US), garnered positive reviews and strong sales alike. After the group's second album, The Pick, the Sickle and the Shovel, was released in 1997 (see 1997 in music), RZA and Prince Paul decided to leave The Gravediggaz, leaving Frukwan and Poetic as the only remaining members. In April 1999, Anthony collapsed in his home studio with stomach pains and was subsequently diagnosed with colon cancer. Given only four months to live, Poetic nonetheless kept on the struggle against cancer despite his initial refusal of chemotherapy in favour of a diet of herbs and fresh juice. He began the treatment, however, after the cancer metastasized from his colon to his lungs. Financial support came from both fans and other artists, including the seemingly unexpected likes of Warren G; however, Poetic was reportedly "very, very disappointed in RZA, to the point of hurtfulness" at the latter's failure to contact or visit him during this time.
During this period, he collaborated with The Prodigy's Maxim Reality and Last Emperor under the name of Tony Titanium (given to him by Frukwan because titanium metal was "as hard as Poetic’s will to live", and as a reference to the titanium valve in his chest through which he received chemotherapy) and his original name Too Poetic, as well as continuing work on the third Gravediggaz album. The subsequent release, Nightmare in A-Minor, was the darkest work the group had done. It makes many references to Poetic's cancer, perhaps most notably on the track "Burn Baby Burn" and on the Last Emperor's track One Life, which extensively details his brutal battle with the illness.
On Sunday, July 15, 2001, 1:45pm EST at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, Poetic succumbed to his cancer, five weeks before Nightmare in A-Minor's scheduled release. He had survived almost two and a half years beyond the doctors' initial four-month diagnosis. Tributes came quickly from across the hip-hop world, both from fellow musicians and from critics, who widely wrote of their regret at the loss of his talent. An intimate memorial service for him was held at the Riverside Church in Harlem on August 4, 2001, attended by his family and close friends including bandmates Frukwan and Prince Paul. His family established a non-profit organization called The Life Goes On Foundation in his honour, to raise money for medical bills of close to $100,000 and also raise awareness of debilitating illnesses.
Nightmare in A-Minor was initially released on Echo Distribution on August 23, 2001. It was re-released without the track "Better Wake Up" on BMG in 2002 to critical plaudits. According to Frukwan, a new album may be released using left over material from Poetic.
Savior
Poetic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Intro]
Sharp Shooter regime, Godz Work regime
Baby J all the way, smooth as Alize
Yo, yo, General Grym, yo
Lockin it down like the federal pen'
Yo, we gon' start wit the hook
[Chorus]
I'm 'bout to wreak havoc on the beast this year
Labels ain't tryin to promote this here
Commercial radio shows, they just don't care
The savior of the rap world now appears
To my peeps on the pavement, time is near
To my peers on my wavelength, have no fear
10 years of politicin make me aware
My soul is more precious than rap careers
[Verse 1]
I'm holdin lives, armies of God immobilized
Reclaimin scrolls, stolen by spies, holdin fives
My mother's swollen eyes prepare me for warfare
Bustin of clear in your ear, with more flair, than the 4th of July
My Sharp Shooter regime got the prototype to blow a mic
You couldn't see me in infrared photo light, I'm so precise
You know the Poet's nice, carryin tubes made of gold and ice
Marchin through your outpost, causin outbursts
Caught you in your house, cold made your mouth hurt
Just sayin my name is a federal offence
Now you fuckin with the hip-hop General, who's attacks in indefendable
Your weak spine is bendable, your weak my mind is pretend-a-bone
It wants to act sensible but lacks intelligence to pull it off
You only understand the bullet talk
Instead of talkin that bull, you shoul've walked out of my territory
My clever story severs cornies, by measures put together lyrically
You like a terror orgy, you rap niggaz - bore me
Made me into this sword carryin, caught buryin
Lord varyin, you know the Gods twist it like Bavarian pretzels
Plus, I'm never respectful, to those who are neglectful
Of their duty to cilvilze, as they minimize the power of a live mic
See I maximize all cracks in their vibes, just to provide light
And only the strong survive, so I keep the rhyme tight
[Chorus]
I'm 'bout to wreak havoc on the beast this year
Labels ain't tryin to promote this here
Commercial radio shows, they just don't care
The savior of the rap world just appeared
To my peeps on the pavement, time is near
To my peers on my wavelength, have no fear
10 years of politicin make me aware
My soul is more precious than rap careers
[Verse 2]
Modern scientists clone cows and sheeps, just grown from cells
Manipulate nature where guns fail, war tactics vary
Our adversary has various ways to bury us ex-slaves
Of America, every day could be your last day
You could be blasted the fast way, caps stray, then ricochet
And flash gray matter, while you prayin to the father
Kissin the coba, kids in the corner is turnin the streets into a suana
In the black home, while the black dome
Lacks the backbone to recapture the black phone
You got arians all up in your face
And y'all buggin off who got the fuckin hottest mixtape
In New York state, war schemes, your plots, endorse feds
And plot lace the block with crates full of glocks
See, they got more fiends fiendin for morphines and more rocks
Than Plymouth, until it's too hot for the timid street chemist
Got more bass then DJ's got bass-bins, jakes'll pull a raidin
Stomp at the cop in combat, mortals are charged like Rayden
You caught off guard, now armed guards excort you to court
Offices where officers offer certain deals which appeal
To the snake mind, yo, it ain't hard to find from clothes designs
To jewels, to mixtapes to the way that niggaz rhyme
Yo, I'm fed up, me and the Gods, set up
So, every other fuckin team get wet up
[Chorus]
I'm 'bout to wreak havoc on the beast this year
Labels ain't tryin to promote this here
Commercial radio shows, they just don't care
The savior of the rap world just appeared
To my peeps on the pavement, time is near
To my peers on my wavelength, have no fear
10 years of politicin make me aware
My soul is more precious...
Yo! Yo! I'm too hype to finish this shit! Yo!
The lyrics of Poetic's song Savior depict his readiness to bring down the beast, which could be interpreted as the corrupt music industry. Despite the industry's unwillingness to promote his music, Poetic believes his time has come to bring positive change to the rap world. He uses powerful imagery to describe his army of God, which is ready to fight against any adversary that tries to stop them. Poetic also addresses the issue of police brutality and the need for African Americans to recapture their power and identity. He urges his listeners to stand together and be strong because they are the only ones who can make a real difference.
The song can be seen as a form of social and political protest as Poetic uses his music to shed light on the issues that plague society. He describes the industry's unwillingness to promote his music and claims that commercial radio stations don't care about real talent. He also highlights the corrupt tactics that the police force uses to oppress African Americans and the need to change this.
In summary, Poetic's Savior is a powerful song that offers a commentary on the politics of the rap industry and societal issues at large. It encourages listeners to stand up and fight against systems that seek to oppress them.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm 'bout to wreak havoc on the beast this year
I am going to cause chaos in the rap industry this year
Labels ain't tryin to promote this here
Record companies are not interested in promoting this type of music
Commercial radio shows, they just don't care
Mainstream radio stations are not concerned with playing my music
The savior of the rap world now appears
I am here to save the rap genre
To my peeps on the pavement, time is near
My fans on the streets, it's time to take action
To my peers on my wavelength, have no fear
To my fellow artists who share my vision, don't be afraid
10 years of politicin make me aware
I have learned a lot about the music industry in my 10-year career
My soul is more precious than rap careers
My soul and integrity are more important than my success as a rapper
I'm holdin lives, armies of God immobilized
I have the power to control and stop armies of people
Reclaimin scrolls, stolen by spies, holdin fives
Taking back important documents stolen by enemies
My mother's swollen eyes prepare me for warfare
My mother's hardships have prepared me for battle
Bustin of clear in your ear, with more flair, than the 4th of July
My lyrics are powerful and impactful
You know the Poet's nice, carryin tubes made of gold and ice
I am a talented and successful rapper with expensive accessories
Just sayin my name is a federal offence
Mentioning my name can get you in trouble with the law
Your weak my mind is pretend-a-bone
You are weak, while my mind is strong
Only the strong survive, so I keep the rhyme tight
Success is only for the strong, so I focus on improving my lyrics
Modern scientists clone cows and sheeps, just grown from cells
Scientists can now clone animals from cells
You could be blasted the fast way, caps stray, then ricochet
You could be shot quickly and unpredictably
In the black home, while the black dome
In the African-American community, there is a lack of leadership
Jakes'll pull a raidin, stomp at the cop in combat, mortals are charged like Rayden
Police will raid and attack, leading to violence and chaos
You caught off guard, now armed guards excort you to court
You are caught off guard and taken to court
Me and the Gods, set up, so every other fuckin team get wet up
My team and I are prepared to defeat all other competitors
Contributed by Adalyn H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@torbellino097
R.I.P. Poetic (aka Grym Reaper of Gravediggaz)
This track is produced by Baby J
@Yewell81
Y3AH