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
See the Joy
RZA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See the joy of life beginning
Oh sweet joy!
A brand new baby boy
My mind flashed back to the early moon
When I was just a sperm cell in the fallopian tube
In the mist of a state of triple darkness
Avoiding everything that came within my path
As I watch other sperm cells get ripped in half
One out of a million completes the job
And for the other sperm cells the womb is a grave yard
Though my travels I had to pass through
a lot of battles and violent hassles
Cause inside the womb I was a foreign object
I'm like a new nigga walking through the project
Trouble, everywhere I turn
Damn its a struggle just being a sperm
cell, so I attempt to prevail
I guess the womb is the first stage of hell
Now here I am in the danger zone
My head and my tail, my 23 chromosomes
But then again yo it can't be that bad cause my dad
He could have used a body bag
And if so then my tomb would have been the trash can inside my moms bedroom
But they was fucking, they was true to this
And here I go on a mission to the uterus
A million mother fuckers tried to race ahead
But I was the one that fertilized the egg
Then I thought then I was safe
Because I reached home base
But oh no my job wasn't done
In fact my troubles had only begun life as a struggle
Life is the struggle
Life is the struggle
See the joy of life beginning
See the joy of life beginning
Oh sweet joy!
A brand new baby boy
RZA's song “See the Joy” depicts the joy of a new life beginning, with the birth of a baby boy. He takes the listener on a journey from his perspective as a sperm cell before his final destination, the womb. The lyrics narrate the struggles of survival against millions of other sperm cells, and the danger that lay ahead inside the womb itself. He reflects on the violent obstacles he faced, and the hardships he endured just to reach the final destination. When he finally reaches the egg, he finds joy in the safety and comfort of home base, but soon realizes a new struggle begins as he begins his journey through life. Throughout the song, RZA shares an intimate view of his own experiences with the odds, and the obstacles he overcame, despite the challenges he faced.
The theme of the song “See the Joy” is centered on the power of life and the struggle needed to achieve one's destiny. The lyrics offer an opportunity to re-examine life struggles and challenges in a new light. The song also hints at the importance of the miracle of birth in creating a new life and the effort put into gaining that opportunity. RZA uses metaphors to describe the experiences of a sperm cell, shedding light on an experience that is lesser-known and under-discussed in society.
Additionally, RZA draws attention to the theme of life struggles and the perseverance required to get through them. The song invites listeners to see their struggles through a different lens, to understand that a challenging start does not necessarily define your future, and that with perseverance, anyone can find success.
Line by Line Meaning
See the joy of life beginning
Experiencing the happiness of a new life
Oh sweet joy!
Expressing the delightful feeling of joy
A brand new baby boy
Referring to the birth of a new male child
My mind flashed back to the early moon
Recalling the past when the artist was a sperm cell in the fallopian tube
When I was just a sperm cell in the fallopian tube
Describing the starting point of the artist's journey from conception
In the mist of a state of triple darkness
Describing the insides of the fallopian tube as a dark, uncertain environment
Going through a struggle so I could exist
Describing the difficult conditions necessary for the singer's conception and existence
Avoiding everything that came within my path
Referring to the artist's attempt to navigate an environment in which only few sperm cells will survive
As I watch other sperm cells get ripped in half
Describing the harsh reality of the artist's competition with other sperm cells
One out of a million completes the job
Describing the odds of success in a sperm cell competition
And for the other sperm cells the womb is a grave yard
Describing the fate of the many sperm cells that do not successfully fertilize an egg
Though my travels I had to pass through a lot of battles and violent hassles
Describing the difficult journey of the artist from sperm cell to fertilized egg
Cause inside the womb I was a foreign object
Describing the singer's status as something foreign within the female body
I'm like a new nigga walking through the project
Making a metaphorical comparison of the singer's journey to that of a new person in a dangerous neighborhood
Trouble, everywhere I turn
Describing the constant danger of the singer's journey
Damn its a struggle just being a sperm cell
Expressing the difficulty and danger of the artist's initial state
cell, so I attempt to prevail
Describing the artist's drive to succeed despite the difficulties
I guess the womb is the first stage of hell
Describing the harsh and difficult environment of the womb that the singer navigated
Now here I am in the danger zone
Describing the singer's current state within the uterus
My head and my tail, my 23 chromosomes
Referring to the artist's genetic makeup
But then again yo it can't be that bad cause my dad
Finding a silver lining in the fact that the artist's father survived and had a child
He could have used a body bag
Describing the fact that the artist's father could have died in battle or unrelated circumstances
And if so then my tomb would have been the trash can inside my moms bedroom
Describing the possibility that the singer could have been aborted if his father had died
But they was fucking, they was true to this
Describing the fact that the artist's parents were committed enough to have sex and conceive a child
And here I go on a mission to the uterus
Describing the singer's purpose in entering the uterus
A million mother fuckers tried to race ahead
Drawing a metaphorical comparison of the singer's journey to a race, with millions of competitors
But I was the one that fertilized the egg
Describing the singer's final success in fertilizing an egg and causing conception
Then I thought then I was safe
Referring to the artist's misconception that his journey was complete after fertilization
Because I reached home base
Using a baseball metaphor to describe the moment of fertilization
But oh no my job wasn't done
Expressing the idea that the singer's journey and purpose was not completed after fertilization
In fact my troubles had only begun life as a struggle
Describing the difficult nature of life that the singer is about to embark on
Life is the struggle
Making a thesis statement about the nature of life - that it is full of difficulty and struggle
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: ROBERT F. DIGGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind