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
Mantis
RZA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[martial arts movie sample]
The technique depends mainly
Once you've that then the next step
is to learn how to pierce stone
Well you might as well start practicing now
Do you Do you Do you Do you
Do you know mantis legends?
How it was it all started?
It was fighting off this blackbird
Although it was only a tenth of the bird's size
it was a very valiant insect
And that's why the technique, needs a brave man
And a strong one, who isn't afraid of birds
[Bobby Digital]
Welcome back to the temple of hip-hop and Sword Kem'po
Lyrical rhyme nympho, be -boy Bob Digital
Diamond crystal ring solid gold bone rituals
We be the humble most calmest individuals
Hard to spot microdots, we Sasquatch
Stomp MC's, third eye Cyclops lazer beam shots
being fired once the father get raised up
We John Blaze up, abrasive heat, from the phaser gun
Never left for a stun Dunn, Atilla the Hun
type Killa Park Hilla, eighteen wheeler Mack's
in the truck lanes, from the rugged grains
of Shaolin soil, the red wolves be prowlin
Howlin over the shit that got the whole world bowin
We spoiled, one thousand swordsmen
One thousand recordings, one thousand Wu stores and
One thousand rap tours and global insurance
Not your everyday occurrence
My rhyme torments MC's with the fear of God
You'll be cursed like Farad, and struck by the iron rod
Tchka-tchka-tchka-tchka-tchka-tchka-POW
Chorus: Tekitha
Hell's Wind Staff, the wrath of Black Titans
Niggaz battlin, sword swingin
Cutthroat women, whirlwind given save the children
Escape the poverty for live and, let live
Die by the mic, shadow steel by night
(repeat 2X)
[movie dialogue]
Man-Mantis style isn't easy to learn
A mantis is small, but powerful
With it's arms, it can lift up many times it's own weight
[Masta Killa]
On behalf of the Wu-Tang Clan I'll display
the Hong Kong, Shaolin King Kong poems
Slaps niggaz in half from Kwan'tan
Ten tigers scratch like Allah math, the Hell's Wind Staff
Watch the eight diagram strike the diaphragm
Pierced lung minute from tongue double-edged
sound the drum, here I come as predicted
Holdin the raw seal, all heads kneel
7th Degree black mic skill is ill, listen to the guns holler
Swallow the shell, East New York terrorist
Break fool to this, madness, crazy low-hand
grabs the mic stand, smooth as water
Spat Seven Seas you've not yet mastered
Breathe and lungs wheeze, Earth kills
I'm wreckin MC's, blood spills, meadow is round
The piercin sound of Shaolin's deafens ears
Fires fears, wood sharp eagle claw tears
tree from bark, hard to maintain control
When you leakin I stand with the strength of Jobe
and hold pleasure that I bust your head, while I'm teachin
civilization, one havin Knowledge
Wisdom Understanding, cultural firemen
Knowledge savage in pursuit of happiness
Thunderous mantis, all chant this
The lyrics of RZA's "Mantis" are a call to arms for those looking to learn the mantis style of martial arts. The song begins with a sample from a martial arts movie discussing the importance of arm and finger strength in executing the technique. The singer then talks about the legend of the mantis, which began when an insect valiantly fought off a larger blackbird. The technique, he claims, requires a brave and strong person who isn't afraid of challenges.
The song then shifts to Bobby Digital's verse, where he welcomes the listener to the "temple of hip-hop and Sword Kem'po." He describes himself as a "lyrical rhyme nympho" and boasts about his rap skills, comparing himself to a Sasquatch that can stomp out MCs. He and the Wu-Tang Clan are described as "one thousand swordsmen," with one thousand recordings, stores, tours, and global insurance. He warns that his rhymes will torment MCs with the fear of God, referencing a curse from Islam.
The chorus, sung by Tekitha, emphasizes the violent and dangerous nature of the mantis style, describing the wrath of black titans and cutthroat women. Masta Killa's verse continues the theme of violence, describing how he slaps people in half with his poems and wields the Hell's Wind Staff. He compares himself to a King Kong from Shaolin and boasts about his 7th Degree black mic skill. He concludes by describing himself as a thunderous mantis and calling others to join him in the pursuit of happiness through the power of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
Overall, "Mantis" is a powerful and aggressive song that celebrates the martial art of the mantis and the power of hip-hop. The lyrics portray a world of violence, where those who are brave and strong can rise to power and domination through their physical and verbal skills. The song is a showcase of the talents of the Wu-Tang Clan, with each member contributing to its message of strength and power.
Line by Line Meaning
The technique depends mainly on arm and finger strength
The effectiveness of the technique relies heavily on the strength of the arms and fingers
Once you've that then the next step is to learn how to pierce stone
After acquiring the necessary arm and finger strength, the next step is to learn how to pierce stone
Well you might as well start practicing now Do you Do you Do you Do you
One should begin practicing now to master and hone their skills
Do you know mantis legends? How it was it all started? It was fighting off this blackbird Although it was only a tenth of the bird's size it was a very valiant insect And that's why the technique, needs a brave man And a strong one, who isn't afraid of birds
The mantis style originated from a valiant insect that fought off a bird many times its size, resulting in the development of a technique that requires a strong and brave individual who is not afraid of birds
Welcome back to the temple of hip-hop and Sword Kem'po Lyrical rhyme nympho, be-boy Bob Digital Diamond crystal ring solid gold bone rituals We be the humble most calmest individuals Hard to spot microdots, we Sasquatch Stomp MC's, third eye Cyclops lazer beam shots being fired once the father get raised up We John Blaze up, abrasive heat, from the phaser gun Never left for a stun Dunn, Atilla the Hun type Killa Park Hilla, eighteen wheeler Mack's in the truck lanes, from the rugged grains of Shaolin soil, the red wolves be prowlin Howlin over the shit that got the whole world bowin We spoiled, one thousand swordsmen One thousand recordings, one thousand Wu stores and One thousand rap tours and global insurance Not your everyday occurrence My rhyme torments MC's with the fear of God You'll be cursed like Farad, and struck by the iron rod Tchka-tchka-tchka-tchka-tchka-tchka-POW
This verse welcomes the listener back to the temple of hip-hop and Sword Kem'po, describing the Wu-Tang Clan as humble individuals who are hard to spot but powerful and lethal like Sasquatch. The verse contains numerous pop culture references and boasts about the group's success, with a warning to other MCs of the destructive power of the Wu-Tang Clan's lyrics.
Hell's Wind Staff, the wrath of Black Titans Niggaz battlin, sword swingin Cutthroat women, whirlwind given save the children Escape the poverty for live and, let live Die by the mic, shadow steel by night (repeat 2X)
The chorus describes a chaotic scene of battle and violence, with the Hell's Wind Staff and Black Titans bringing destruction. Amidst the battle are cutthroat women and children needing saving. The chorus encourages an escape from poverty and encourages peaceful living while also depicting the dangerous power of the mic and shadow steel.
Man-Mantis style isn't easy to learn A mantis is small, but powerful With its arms, it can lift up many times its own weight
The Man-Mantis style requires a great deal of effort to learn, and while the mantis may be small, it is powerful and has incredible strength in its arms.
On behalf of the Wu-Tang Clan I'll display the Hong Kong, Shaolin King Kong poems Slaps niggaz in half from Kwan'tan Ten tigers scratch like Allah math, the Hell's Wind Staff Watch the eight diagram strike the diaphragm Pierced lung minute from tongue double-edged sound the drum, here I come as predicted Holdin the raw seal, all heads kneel 7th Degree black mic skill is ill, listen to the guns holler Swallow the shell, East New York terrorist Break fool to this, madness, crazy low-hand grabs the mic stand, smooth as water Spat Seven Seas you've not yet mastered Breathe and lungs wheeze, Earth kills I'm wreckin MC's, blood spills, meadow is round The piercin sound of Shaolin's deafens ears Fires fears, wood sharp eagle claw tears tree from bark, hard to maintain control When you leakin I stand with the strength of Jobe and hold pleasure that I bust your head, while I'm teachin civilization, one havin Knowledge Wisdom Understanding, cultural firemen Knowledge savage in pursuit of happiness Thunderous mantis, all chant this
This verse is a display of the Wu-Tang Clan's lyrical prowess and the power of their words, with references to their martial arts practices and the destruction they can bring to their enemies. The verse also speaks of pursuing knowledge and understanding and the power and strength of the mantis, urging all to chant in celebration.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ELGIN EVANDER TURNER, ROBERT F. DIGGS, T. WASHINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind