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
You Can't Stop Me Now
RZA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Round up, round up, round up, round up
Round up, round up, round up, round up
Round up, round up
No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now
While others had big tops I was slingin' small dimes
Tryin' to make the come up, the blow used to numb up
A few G's a week, my clique used to sum up
Till my brother got locked up, my girl got knocked up
My closest homies each, got popped up and shot up
And cops flood the block, no way to eat
So I dropped a half a G
On a rented SP-1200 Sampler and a Yamaha Four-Track
The bass from the lab used to blow the fuckin' door back
While Ghost was doin' stick-ups, tryin' to make a vic' up
Waitin' outside for the Brinks truck to pick up
Nothing would work, so we're back to choppin' nicks up
Givin' grown ass women two vials for a dick suck
When I was stressed I would head to the rest
Then the pads on the SP-12 got pressed
Makin' beats for the streets, so the family could eat
In '93, Wu-Tang Clan dropped their first LP
We went platinum, whoo-peesh, yeah, we flatten 'em
Pockets got fat and um, went and got Cap and 'em
Staten's on the map and um, Brooklyn Zu is bombin' 'em
All around the world, Killa Beez start swarmin' 'em
You can't stop us, you can't block us, rock us or mock us
Knock us or top us, better sit back and watch us
No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now
Can't stop me, man
No matter how hard, you better go hard
So hard, if you gon' try and stop me now
I be ruckus to rhythm like the blocks be wild
Bad enough I got the cops tryin' to lock me down
Can't nobody break my stride or shake my pride
Without a homicide, case and trial
It's a long time comin', long nines bustin'
Cradle to the grave I be on my grind hustlin'
Sometimes when I think about it, have my mind buggin'
The shit that I been through, things that I've seen
The chicks that I ran through, places that I've been
I'm a victim of the very song I sing
That's how it is in the heart of it, most want no part of it
Some will soothe the pain through booze and narcotics
I'ma hold my head, stay true to where my heart is
Either you pay with your life or you pay dues and homage
No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now
The lyrics to RZA's "You Can't Stop Me Now" reflect his personal journey as a B-Boy and rapper, as well as the triumphs and struggles of the Wu-Tang Clan as a group. He recounts his humble beginnings as a low-level drug dealer, struggling to make a living and facing challenges such as incarceration, loss of loved ones, and police brutality. However, despite these obstacles, RZA's determination shines through, as he turns to music production as a means of survival and creative expression.
The chorus of "No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now" serves as a declaration of defiance and resilience in the face of adversity. RZA asserts that he and his fellow Wu-Tang members cannot be held down by anyone or anything, and they will continue to make an impact in the world of hip-hop. The song also touches upon themes of loyalty, brotherhood, and the unwavering spirit of independence that the Wu-Tang Clan embodies.
Overall, "You Can't Stop Me Now" is a powerful anthem that speaks to the strength and determination of RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as their enduring legacy in the world of hip-hop.
Line by Line Meaning
Round up, round up, round up, round up
Get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready
No matter how hard you try, you can't stop me now
I won't be stopped, no matter how much you try to hinder me
The greatest B-Boy of all time, started from small crimes
I am the best B-Boy ever, and I started small with petty crimes
While others had big tops I was slingin' small dimes
While others had big profits, I was making small amounts of money
Tryin' to make the come up, the blow used to numb up
I was trying to make money, and drugs helped me cope with it all
A few G's a week, my clique used to sum up
My group of friends and I used to make a few thousand dollars a week
Till my brother got locked up, my girl got knocked up
My brother was arrested and my girlfriend became pregnant
My closest homies each, got popped up and shot up
My closest friends were killed or arrested
And cops flood the block, no way to eat
The police were patrolling the area and it was difficult to find food
So I dropped a half a G
I spent half of my money
On a rented SP-1200 Sampler and a Yamaha Four-Track
I rented music production equipment
The bass from the lab used to blow the fuckin' door back
The music I created was so loud it almost broke down the door
While Ghost was doin' stick-ups, tryin' to make a vic' up
My friend Ghost was committing robberies to make money
Waitin' outside for the Brinks truck to pick up
He was waiting for the armored truck to show up so he could rob it
Nothing would work, so we're back to choppin' nicks up
Our previous plans didn't work, so we went back to selling small amounts of drugs
Givin' grown ass women two vials for a dick suck
We were giving women drugs in exchange for sexual favors
When I was stressed I would head to the rest
When I was stressed, I would go to a quiet place to relax
Then the pads on the SP-12 got pressed
I started making beats on my music production equipment
Makin' beats for the streets, so the family could eat
I started making music for the community to support my family
In '93, Wu-Tang Clan dropped their first LP
In 1993, Wu-Tang Clan released their first album
We went platinum, whoo-peesh, yeah, we flatten 'em
The album was very successful and sold millions of copies
Pockets got fat and um, went and got Cap and 'em
We made a lot of money and used it to invest in other artists like Cappadonna
Staten's on the map and um, Brooklyn Zu is bombin' 'em
Our music put Staten Island on the map and other artists like Brooklyn Zu were becoming popular
All around the world, Killa Beez start swarmin' 'em
Our music started becoming popular all over the world
You can't stop us, you can't block us, rock us or mock us
You can't hinder or make fun of us
Knock us or top us, better sit back and watch us
You can't beat us, so you might as well watch us succeed
Can't stop me, man
I can't be stopped
No matter how hard, you better go hard
You need to push yourself to the limit
So hard, if you gon' try and stop me now
Trying to stop me will be very difficult
I be ruckus to rhythm like the blocks be wild
My music is loud and chaotic, like the neighborhood I grew up in
Bad enough I got the cops tryin' to lock me down
The police are actively trying to arrest me
Can't nobody break my stride or shake my pride
No one can slow me down or make me lose my confidence
Without a homicide, case and trial
Without getting charged with murder and going to trial
It's a long time comin', long nines bustin'
It's been a long time coming and I'm ready to fight with guns
Cradle to the grave I be on my grind hustlin'
I've been working hard my whole life and I will continue to hustle
Sometimes when I think about it, have my mind buggin'
Sometimes when I think about my past, it drives me crazy
The shit that I been through, things that I've seen
I've experienced a lot of difficult situations and seen a lot of things
The chicks that I ran through, places that I've been
I've had many sexual partners and traveled to many different places
I'm a victim of the very song I sing
The lifestyle I rap about has caused problems in my life
That's how it is in the heart of it, most want no part of it
This is how it is in the heart of the music industry, and most people don't want to be involved
Some will soothe the pain through booze and narcotics
Some people cope with the pain through alcohol and drugs
I'ma hold my head, stay true to where my heart is
I will remain strong and true to myself
Either you pay with your life or you pay dues and homage
You either make sacrifices or show respect to succeed
Contributed by Aria K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jelenanorden3125
Lyrics
(Hook)
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop me now
(RZA)
The greatest B-Boy of all time, started from small crimes
While others had big tops I was slingin small dimes
Tryin to make the come up, the blow used to numb up
A few G’s a week, my clique used to sum up
Till my brothers got locked up, my girl got knocked up
My closest homies each, got popped up and shot up
And cops flood the block, no way to eat
So I dropped a half a G on a rented SP
1200 Sampler, and a Yamaha Four-Track
The bass from the lab used to blow the fuckin door back
While Ghost was doin stick-ups, tryin to make a vic up
Waitin outside for the Brinks truck to pick up
Nothing would work, so we’re back to choppin nicks up
Givin grown ass women two vials for a dick suck
When I was stressed I would head to the rest
Then the pads on the SP-12 got pressed
Makin beats for the streets, so the family could eat
In 93, Wu-Tang Clan dropped their first LP
We went platinum, *whoo-peesh*, yeah we flatten em
Pockets got fat and um, went and got Cap and then
Staten’s on the map and um, Brooklyn Zu is bombin em
All around the world, Killa Beez start swarmin em
You can’t stop us, you can’t block us
Rock us or mock us, knock us or top us
Better sit back and watch us
(Hook)
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop me now
(Inspectah Deck)
Can’t stop me man...
No matter how hard, you better go hard
So hard, if you gonna try and stop me now
I be ruckus to rhythm like the blocks be wild
Bad enough I got the cops tryin to lock me down
Can’t nobody break my stride or shake my pride
Without a homicide, case and trial
It’s a long time comin, long nines bustin
Cradle to the grave I be on my grind hustlin
Sometimes when I think about it, have my mind buggin
The shit that I been through, things that I’ve seen
The chicks that I ran through, places I’ve been
I’m a victim of the very song I sing
That’s how it is in the heart of it, most want no part of it
Some will soothe the pain through booze and narcotics
I’mma hold my head, stay true to where my heart is
Either you pay with your life, or you pay dues and homage
(Hook)
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop me now
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop me now
❤️
@mysticmac930
I don't want to live in a world without the Wu.
@elshando12
I love how even in 2008, this track still feels as gritty and raw as 36 chambers. This is why RZA is one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time.
@Nonse7se
Word
@sleek462
heard that
@khebazzz
bong bong
@CC-fi3pp
elshando12 lol this is no where near as gritty and raw as 36 Chambers 😂😂😂
@Mesotheliomasettlements
It's funny cus it's not his beat it's Dooms lol
@Turtle_Stulu
He doesn't spit fire, he spits knowledge. Fire eventually dies out, while knowlage is around for ever.
@stalinmatos3296
He spits imaginations because knowledge is limited imagination is timeless.
@eohricoflothric5855
Also rusty bitches: Spells knowledge wrong