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
FOOLS
Rza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I told him, "Don't fuck with me, don't fuck with me"
Yo, yo..
{*singing*} Everybody, everybody, everybody,
everybody..
Yo, come on..
[Chorus: RZA {*singing*}]:
There's no exceptions to the rules
Get your nines
[RZA]
Digi Digi, Shaolin Shaolin..
But in Brownsville..
Check it out..
Niggas was psyched out, Beretta brought the dirt bike out
Everlast just came home, it was his first night out
He was arguin' with these bitches how they don't mind their business
When he was locked the fuck down, no one came to visit
He was snuffed, black, his little cousin Moe stuck Cap
That's Miss Sommers on the bike with the gat like, "Fuck that"
But finessin' over here, he could've wished he had ten more years
Cracked a cold beer then bust a shot in the air
Everlast, ego went full blast, didn't splash
He'd act like his head was too big for the casket
I told him, "Slow down God, you ain't wild
You ain't been in these projects in a while
Runnin' 'round with that old school style"
Don't think these young bucks won't lay you down like tile
A hard head makes a soft ass, these New York lads
Chopped faces, you talk fast - they bust off fast
And chase you out the hood, in a bloody hood
Yo, son, you seen that kid was actin' Hollywood?
[Killa Sin]
Yeah, I mean that nigga, clap happy Cali, clap when he 'ttack
Most get astounded by sorrounded sound effects in the back
Adidas shoe, phat laces, packin' buldge in his jacket
Head nappy, black and nasty, but he nasty for gats
He nas', passed me, bumped me and laughed, then flashed me his Mac
Said, "I got sixteen for you, we could bang on the track"
So strap this, nah, this bar's a bullet, par pull it
In fact, blast me bastard, I done came to far for this
[Solomon Childs]
Boulevard life, remember late nights?
Mama stomach touchin' a bed, two bids
Cats sacky in Comstack, retire from the crack
I'm askin' Allah that the warm Hennessy help me
I ain't chose the struggle, the struggle chose me
Lord forgive me fore I have stolen from my brothers
Snaked my brothers, even killed my brothers
Familiar fishscale, everybody plays the fool
The +Older Gods+ givin' me jewels
The younger Gods givin' me tools
Solomon Allah, I feel I was jerked
To the drug dealers, my baby mother's a flirt
Holey socks, one fatigue suit, what you feel it don't hurt?
That's my problem now, I ain't afraid to talk
Still cop coke from the well Willy
When I was young I got robbed from the neighborhood bully
'Til he forced me to hit him with the nine milli'
Now him and his click know that I'm a thug fully
[Chorus x2: Solomon Childs]
The song "Fools" by RZA featuring Killa Sin is a reflection on the realities of life in tough neighborhoods. The first verse talks about a man named Everlast, who just got released from prison after being locked up for a while. He is arguing with some girls who are discussing his past, but they did not come to visit him in prison. He then meets a group of people who think they are powerful but are still stuck in the neighborhood. RZA tells Everlast to calm down because he has not been around the place for a while, and the younger people will not take kindly to his bravado. In the second verse, Killa Sin talks about a man from California called Clap Happy. He brags about his gun and how he can kill anyone with it. Killa Sin is uninterested in Clap Happy's antics and does not want anything to do with him. Finally, in the last verse, Solomon Childs talks about the harshness of life growing up in impoverished neighborhoods where drug dealing, stealing, and crime are rampant. Despite the struggle, he has received guidance from the older generation and been given valuable life lessons. Solomon is not afraid to talk about his problems and reveals that he has been the victim of robbery and even killed someone who threatened him.
Line by Line Meaning
And I told him, "Don't fuck with me, don't fuck with me"
I warned him not to mess with me.
Everybody plays a fool, sometimes
Everyone makes mistakes.
There's no exceptions to the rules
The rules apply to everyone equally.
Get your nines
Get your guns.
Niggas was psyched out, Beretta brought the dirt bike out
People were hyped up and someone brought out a dirt bike and a gun.
He was arguin' with these bitches how they don't mind their business
He was arguing with these girls for not minding their own business.
When he was locked the fuck down, no one came to visit
When he was in prison, nobody came to visit him.
He was snuffed, black, his little cousin Moe stuck Cap
He was hit and knocked out, his cousin Moe stabbed Cap.
But finessin' over here, he could've wished he had ten more years
But acting tough here could have cost him his life.
Cracked a cold beer then bust a shot in the air
He opened a cold beer and fired a gun into the air.
A hard head makes a soft ass, these New York lads
Being stubborn leads to consequences in New York.
And chase you out the hood, in a bloody hood
They'll force you to leave the neighborhood, and it might be violent.
Yeah, I mean that nigga, clap happy Cali, clap when he 'ttack
I mean that guy who's trigger-happy and shoots when he's attacked.
Most get astounded by sorrounded sound effects in the back
Most people are amazed by the sound effects in the background.
Head nappy, black and nasty, but he nasty for gats
He's not well-groomed but he's good with guns.
He nas', passed me, bumped me and laughed, then flashed me his Mac
He walked past me, bumped into me, and then showed me his gun.
Boulevard life, remember late nights?
Remember life on the Boulevard and late nights?
The +Older Gods+ givin' me jewels
The older, wiser men in my life are giving me wisdom.
The younger Gods givin' me tools
The younger guys are giving me weapons.
I ain't chose the struggle, the struggle chose me
I didn't choose to struggle, it was forced upon me.
Lord forgive me fore I have stolen from my brothers
Lord, forgive me for stealing from my own people.
When I was young I got robbed from the neighborhood bully
When I was young, I was robbed by the bully in my neighborhood.
Still cop coke from the well Willy
I still buy cocaine from Willy.
Now him and his click know that I'm a thug fully
Now he and his crew know that I'm a tough guy.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: J. GRANT, J. R. BAILEY, KEN WILLIAMS, ROBERT F. DIGGS, RUDY CLARK, WALBERT RYAN DALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind