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
Koto Chotan
Rza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't fuck with dead pigeons or the pigskin
You fuckin' fake 85% snake
Derelict ass bitch, your class in dead weight
Ain't no fire escape from hell, every devil ain't pale
I blast like H.G. Wells: "War of the Worlds"
Allah is Lord of all, you sure to fall
Collapse like the Berlin Wall, while I'm just hurlin' ya'll
Strikin' jolts that frightenin' to adults
A to Zig-Zag you get smacked, all in a shitbag
Bust like the spermbag, because your germ had
You on some ol' fake thug shit
Drunk from the drink, gassed up by the drug shit
Wrong analysis: kidney shot cause dialysis
While the Gods rebuildin' Jerusalem, golden palaces
Babes in Wonderland wonderin' where the fuck Alice is
While you're jerkin' your dick catchin' mad callouses
Slave labor steel drivin' like John Henry
Layin' down underground tracks for nine pennies
Huh, get you amped off the anthem
Yeah, I get you amped off the uh
Yeah, look, another smash hit
My niggas from the Boulevard
East New York Squad in the yard gettin' ripped, at least 25 a clip
A 100 men stompin' your face the wolves barkin'
Careful, you might get trampled, caught flashin'
Wrap him in the maskin' tape, Jimmy Baskin
Murder was the case when the crowd break fool
Iron Mic Duel, held down by the poolside
Along came a spider spun spools in the cipher
Swing with all your might, lead spray from the sawed-off pipe
Stenographer type, the ghetto hype slang
Flow like water off the brim in the rain
No escapin', Iron Maiden, check matin'
Grandmaster Flash spinnin, P.F. cuttin'
The sticky Ave. gooey, roll in the frontal leaf
Jamel Irief smash teef in be
Some people lyrics ain't hot
My delivery is ill on the mic and I rock
So hot, this stage should be a stainless steel pot
Leavin' burnin' pains Neosporin couldn't stop
On cats who couldn't rock
Would shook 'cause I drop 'em
Fear is a problem in this game if you got 'em
My mic I carry the heat for rappers playin' possum
'Fraid that I'm a see 'em, spit a rhyme, lyrically drop 'em
Just to say I got 'em, but it's realer than that
I'm about more that what you see and what I speak in my rap
So be conscious of that
Grandma told you, "Watch the quiet ones, you didn't get it?"
You think that you could rip a chick who spit her lyrics
Pretty rhymes so tight my lyrics did it
Got you open and it worked it and you won't admit it
Hopin' that we both forget it
These ain't no one night stand lyrics, I'm never really finished
Got you duckin', tryin' to pivot, beware
Next time, come wit' it
The lyrics of RZA's song Koto Chotan showcase his powerful and unapologetic style of rap. He starts by stating that he doesn't deal with dead pigeons or pigskins, indicating that he does not support death or violence. He then proceeds to criticize those whom he considers fake and useless, calling them 85% snakes and deadweight. He believes that there is no escape from hell, and not every devil is pale. He emphasizes his power and might by claiming that he blasts like H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds." RZA believes that Allah is Lord of all, and those who go against him will collapse like the Berlin Wall.
He then moves on to criticize those who he believes are caught up in fake thug culture, always drunk and gassed up by drugs. He emphasizes that their analysis is wrong, as they are the ones who will suffer kidney shots and dialysis. He contrasts his own power by saying that the gods are rebuilding Jerusalem's golden palaces. He then uses vivid imagery comparing people to slaves laboring like John Henry, laying down underground tracks for nine pennies. The song ends with RZA emphasizing his own delivery style and how he carries the heat, leaving burning pains while leaving people ducking and hoping to forget about his powerful rhymes.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, yo, Ruler Zig-Zag-Zag Allah, I'm not reneggin'
Greetings, I am Ruler Zig-Zag-Zag Allah, and I will not betray my beliefs.
I don't fuck with dead pigeons or the pigskin
I do not associate with poultry or rawhide used in footballs.
You fuckin' fake 85% snake
You are a phony, partially dishonest individual.
Derelict ass bitch, your class in dead weight
You are a worthless, abandoned person, who brings others down.
Ain't no fire escape from hell, every devil ain't pale
There is no escape route from a difficult situation, and not all wrongdoers are of a certain color.
I blast like H.G. Wells: "War of the Worlds"
My attack is similar to the novel War of the Worlds by author H.G. Wells.
Allah is Lord of all, you sure to fall
Allah is supreme over everything, and you are destined to fail.
Collapse like the Berlin Wall, while I'm just hurlin' ya'll
You will fall apart like the Berlin Wall, while I am just pushing forward.
Lightin' bolts, by writin' quotes
My words are powerful and strike like lightning bolts.
Strikin' jolts that frightenin' to adults
My words are so intense that they are frightening to grown-ups.
A to Zig-Zag you get smacked, all in a shitbag
I will hit you from all angles, and you will end up in a terrible situation.
Bust like the spermbag, because your germ had
You will fail miserably, much like the failure of a sperm cell.
You on some ol' fake thug shit
You are trying to present yourself as a gangster, but it is all fake.
Drunk from the drink, gassed up by the drug shit
You are intoxicated from alcohol and drugs.
Wrong analysis: kidney shot cause dialysis
You have made an incorrect observation that a kidney injury causes dialysis.
While the Gods rebuildin' Jerusalem, golden palaces
The deities are reconstructing Jerusalem and creating luxurious palaces.
Babes in Wonderland wonderin' where the fuck Alice is
Children in a fantastical place are confused about the whereabouts of Alice.
While you're jerkin' your dick catchin' mad callouses
While you are pleasuring yourself, you are causing painful callouses to form.
Slave labor steel drivin' like John Henry
Performing intensely hard physical labor like the legendary John Henry.
Layin' down underground tracks for nine pennies
Working on laying train tracks underground for very little pay.
Huh, get you amped off the anthem
This song will excite you with its anthem-like qualities.
Yeah, I get you amped off the uh
Yes, I will definitely get you hyped with the instrumental.
Yeah, look, another smash hit
Another popular song that will be well received.
My niggas from the Boulevard
My group of friends from the Boulevard.
East New York Squad in the yard gettin' ripped, at least 25 a clip
East New York Squad members working out and getting fit, doing 25 reps at once.
A 100 men stompin' your face the wolves barkin'
A group of 100 men are assaulting you while dogs bark loudly.
Careful, you might get trampled, caught flashin'
Be cautious, as you may get crushed while you're exposed.
Wrap him in the maskin' tape, Jimmy Baskin
Cover him in masking tape, like they did to Jimmy Baskin.
Murder was the case when the crowd break fool
People will be killed when the crowd goes wild.
Iron Mic Duel, held down by the poolside
A contest of rap skills, right by the pool.
Along came a spider spun spools in the cipher
A spider appeared and began producing threads while in the midst of a rapping competition.
Swing with all your might, lead spray from the sawed-off pipe
Attack with all your strength, bullets spraying from a heavy weapon.
Stenographer type, the ghetto hype slang
Speaking in a distinct slang, much like a court stenographer.
Flow like water off the brim in the rain
My rapping style flows effortlessly, much like water flowing off a hat in the rain.
No escapin', Iron Maiden, check matin'
There is no way of avoiding a situation, much like being trapped in an Iron Maiden torture device. The situation is checkmated.
Grandmaster Flash spinnin, P.F. cuttin'
Grandmaster Flash is the DJ and PF is cutting the records.
The sticky Ave. gooey, roll in the frontal leaf
The sticky Avenue is tacky, and it sticks to the rolling paper.
Jamel Irief smash teef in be
Jamel Irief will knock out your teeth with a punch.
Some people lyrics ain't hot
Some rappers' lyrics are not impressive.
My delivery is ill on the mic and I rock
My way of presenting my lyrics on the microphone is incredibly good, and I impress my listeners.
So hot, this stage should be a stainless steel pot
My performance on this stage is so scorching hot, it's equivalent to metal boiling in a stainless steel pot.
Leavin' burnin' pains Neosporin couldn't stop
I am leaving behind intense pain that even Neosporin couldn't soothe.
On cats who couldn't rock
On rappers who couldn't keep up with me.
Would shook 'cause I drop 'em
They would be scared because of how easily I knock them down.
Fear is a problem in this game if you got 'em
If fear is present, it can be a significant issue in the rap industry.
My mic I carry the heat for rappers playin' possum
My microphone is my weapon, and I use it to unmask fake rappers.
'Fraid that I'm a see 'em, spit a rhyme, lyrically drop 'em
They are afraid that I'll see through them and knock them down with my rhymes.
Just to say I got 'em, but it's realer than that
I do it not just to claim a victory, but because it's genuinely necessary.
I'm about more that what you see and what I speak in my rap
I am deeper than what is superficially visible and what I express in my music.
So be conscious of that
Be mindful of that fact.
Grandma told you, "Watch the quiet ones, you didn't get it?"
Grandma always said to be cautious of the introverted ones, but you didn't listen.
You think that you could rip a chick who spit her lyrics
You believe you can outperform a female rapper.
Pretty rhymes so tight my lyrics did it
My rhymes are so precise, and they did the job perfectly.
Got you open and it worked it and you won't admit it
I earned your respect but you won't acknowledge it.
Hopin' that we both forget it
We should forget about it and move on.
These ain't no one night stand lyrics, I'm never really finished
My lyrics are not just temporary, and I am always working on improving them.
Got you duckin', tryin' to pivot, beware
I have you avoiding me and trying to switch directions, so be cautious.
Next time, come wit' it
Next time you challenge me, be ready to bring your best efforts.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Elgin Evander Turner, Robert F. Diggs
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind