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
Blood Thicker Than Mud 'Family Affair'
RZA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Afro Samurai...
Blood...
[Chorus: Dionna Nichelle]
It's a family affair
It's a family affair
Blood, is thicker than mud
Even gangstas and thugs'll prove family love
It's a family affair, no colamity there
It's humanity share, who's the rightful heir
[The Reverend William Burk:]
With sword style so retarded, it leave enemies
Dearly departed, and we nearly cold hearted
But, down for the fam, mad rivers of blood
It started pouring on land, this be a warrior's clan
Without a friend in the world, they find you in the end
But I'm loving my girl, cause she fight for the win
Will sport a sinister grin, when blowing smoke in the wind
Committing menacing sins, all in the name of the kin
With pinpoint precision and a 'fro's that's wild
Cold razor sharp style again, we killing them down
Stay defending on ten, never depending on men
Living the samurai code from a hundred on in
[Chorus x2: w/ Sly Stone ad-libs]
[The Reverend William Burk:]
Will keep blades even sharper than Hattori Hanzo
And be the last man standing after the last blow
Slice with one swipe and like a shovel, the gensu
And swarm like the Wu, when the planet come blitz you
A wise samurai who's aliby is this high
Humble as a butterfly, but a killer inside
Strong family ties, will keep equality prize
Solidy rise, to each other, honestly we can fight
In tune on the attack, platoon up in the back
With room, taking no slack, we zoom in the format
Typhoons, kabooms, and full moons when we combat
Killas for contract, with ninjas and all that
And if you ain't family, we barely gon' interact
Love is for kin folk, a bond is a killer's pack
We strike too quickly for the enemies to react
Blood thick as mud, and a heart is a road map
[Chorus x2: w/ Sly Stone ad-libs]
[Sly Stone:]
Oh child, oh child, grows up be
Somebody, just a little blood
And ah, blood child, grows up to be
The one who just loves blood
My love, supposed to build, see it's in the blood
Refuse to love, blood's thicker than mud, just stand that
[Chorus x2: w/ Sly Stone ad-libs]
The song 'Blood Thicker Than Mud 'Family Affair'' is a collaboration between RZA and Sly Stone from the album 'Afro Samurai Resurrection.' The song primarily revolves around the concept of the bond of a family and how even gangsters and thugs can exhibit love and loyalty. The song starts with Sly Stone's voice, emphasizing the relevance of blood, drawing the listener's attention to the song's title. RZA then takes over the verse, reiterating the strength of family bonds and how they withstand disasters.
The chorus features Dionna Nichelle's soulful voice, repeating the song's title as a reminder of the main theme. The second verse is sung by The Reverend William Burk, who speaks of his loyalty towards his family and his willingness to go to any length to protect them. The verse also describes how living by the samurai code is essential to maintain a family's respect and honour. The song then ends with Sly Stone singing about how love is supposed to build, and blood is thicker than mud, emphasizing the importance of family relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Blood, is thicker than mud
Family ties are stronger than any other connection
Even gangstas and thugs'll prove family love
Even those involved in criminal activities will show loyalty to their family
It's a family affair, no colamity there
Being with family is always peaceful and pleasant
It's humanity share, who's the rightful heir
Within a family, there is a shared responsibility and the next in line is determined by their worthiness
With sword style so retarded, it leave enemies
The sword technique is so advanced that it leaves the enemies in a helpless state
Dearly departed, and we nearly cold hearted
They mercilessly kill their enemies and become emotionally numb
But, down for the fam, mad rivers of blood
They are willing to spill a lot of blood to protect their family
It started pouring on land, this be a warrior's clan
The family is a clan of warriors and there is bloodshed around them
Without a friend in the world, they find you in the end
If nobody else helps, the family will come to the rescue
But I'm loving my girl, cause she fight for the win
The artist admires his romantic partner for being a fighter
Will sport a sinister grin, when blowing smoke in the wind
They derive pleasure from their violent deeds
Committing menacing sins, all in the name of the kin
They justify their violent deeds as being for the sake of the family
With pinpoint precision and a 'fro's that's wild
They're precise and unpredictable like a wild 'fro
Cold razor sharp style again, we killing them down
Their fighting style is deadly and precise, which results in killing their enemies
Stay defending on ten, never depending on men
They are always on guard and don't rely on anyone else
Living the samurai code from a hundred on in
They are adhering to the samurai code of conduct for generations
Will keep blades even sharper than Hattori Hanzo
Their swords are sharper than a famous swordsman's Hattori Hanzo
And be the last man standing after the last blow
They will be the only survivor in a fight
Slice with one swipe and like a shovel, the gensu
They can cut through someone with one quick swipe and it's as deep as a shovel
And swarm like the Wu, when the planet come blitz you
They attack like the Wu-Tang Clan and are unstoppable when they attack
A wise samurai who's aliby is this high
They are a wise samurai and their alibi is strong
Humble as a butterfly, but a killer inside
They are humble on the outside but they have a killer instinct
Strong family ties, will keep equality prize
They value equality within the family and that's what keeps them together
Solidy rise, to each other, honestly we can fight
They support each other and stand united, even when they are fighting
In tune on the attack, platoon up in the back
They are in sync with each other and are positioned accordingly to attack
With room, taking no slack, we zoom in the format
They are efficient and waste no time, quickly zooming in on their enemies
Typhoons, kabooms, and full moons when we combat
Describes the intensity and chaos of a battle with them involved
Killas for contract, with ninjas and all that
They are highly skilled killers and work with ninjas
And if you ain't family, we barely gon' interact
They don't interact much with people who aren't family
Love is for kin folk, a bond is a killer's pack
They only have love for their family and they are bound together as killers
We strike too quickly for the enemies to react
They are too quick for other people to defend themselves against them
Blood thick as mud, and a heart is a road map
The family's bond is so strong that their blood is like mud and their heart shows them the way
Oh child, oh child, grows up be
Someone grows up to be what they are meant to be
Somebody, just a little blood
Someone has the potential to be great, because of their family bond
And ah, blood child, grows up to be
A child born with a strong family bond grows up to be
The one who just loves blood
Someone who is drawn to violence and loves to see blood
My love, supposed to build, see it's in the blood
The family's bond is supposed to bring people together and it's in their nature
Refuse to love, blood's thicker than mud, just stand that
They will always choose their family over anything else, even if it means refusing to love someone
Contributed by Reagan C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.