Paz was born in Sicily, Italy, where he lived for a short time before moving with his family to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is of Sicilian/Italian heritage. He has both Italian and American citizenship. Paz originally started rapping with fellow Jedi Mind Tricks member Stoupe in his basement.
In 1996, Paz released the Amber Probe EP. This was the debut EP from the duo and it was released in 1996. It featured guest appearance from The Lost Children of Babylon. It was in 1997, Jedi Mind Tricks released their debut album; The Psycho-Social, Chemical, Biological & Electro-Magnetic Manipulation of Human Consciousness (often abbreviated as The Psycho-Social CD). The group only consisted of Paz and Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind at this time and featured Apathy, Jus Allah, and Black Thought.
He released his first solo album, Season of the Assassin in 2010. This was 18 years after Paz had originally started rapping. He released his second album God of the Serengeti in October 2012. In 2013, Paz confirmed that he was working with Army of the Pharaohs to release In Death Reborn, which was released in 2014. October 22, 2013 marked the release date of his second EP, Carry On Tradition. Paz's third solo LP, The Cornerstone of the Corner Store, was released on October 28, 2016. He released his fourth solo album, The Pain Collector, in September 2018. Subsequently, his newest solo album titled As Above so Below was released in February, 2020.
Paz owns an independent record label, Enemy Soil.
Paz is known for his raw and gritty lyrical delivery. His lyrics frequently contain references to religion, war, politics, mythology, conspiracy theories, and the paranormal. His more recent albums such as Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell show a more obvious approach to politics and world issues. This gritty style of Paz became apparent with the release of Violent by Design, and has become progressively more defined since its release.
Raised Catholic, Paz is now a Muslim, which plays a major role in much of his lyrics, often controversially, as on "Heavenly Divine", where he rapped "I'm with Allah 'cause he chose me, I broke into the Vatican, strangled The Pope with his rosary." Paz is also a heavy metal fan, and occasionally uses song titles and band names in JMT tracks and lyrics.
Paz has a number of aliases, such as: "Ikon the Verbal Hologram", "Louie Doggs", "Boxcutter Pazzy", "Pack Pistol Pazzy", "Hologram", "Paz", "Vinnie P", "The Pazmanian Devil", Odrama Vin Laden", "Ikon the Python", and "Pazienza".
Intro
Vinnie Paz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's a fighter and fighter… You don't make fighters. Vinnie's a born fighter and I could see that when he was a kid, he was little, he was different from other kids.
[Excerpt from the Hagakure]
Yeah, Pazienza, I'm here baby. The Way of the Assassin is found in death. Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when one's body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of one's master. And every day without fail one should consider himself as dead. This is the substance of the Way of the Assassin.
The lyrics to Vinnie Paz's song "Intro" contain two distinct components that shed light on the titular artist. The first snippet, a soundbite from a documentary on the boxer Vinny Pazienza, praises Vinnie Paz for his fighting spirit. The singer notes that Vinnie has always been a "born fighter," setting himself apart from other kids even at a young age. This commentary on Vinnie's character suggests that his artistry and music may draw on similar themes of determination and resilience.
The second excerpt comes from the Hagakure, a practical and spiritual guide for samurai in feudal Japan. Vinnie recites words from the text that prescribe meditating on the inevitability of one's own death. The intent of this practice is to cultivate a sense of detachment and freedom from worldly concerns. By recognizing that life is fleeting and death can come from all angles, one is freed to act with courage and purpose. The quote also implies a certain level of danger associated with the life of a warrior—whether that warrior is a samurai or a rapper. Thus, in these lyrics, we find Vinnie Paz invoking the ethos of a steadfast and disciplined fighter who strives to overcome his obstacles and pursue his art with an unrelenting passion.
Line by Line Meaning
He's a fighter and fighter… You don't make fighters. Vinnie's a born fighter and I could see that when he was a kid, he was little, he was different from other kids.
Vinnie Pazienza is a natural fighter, someone who was born with a desire to fight and succeed. This characteristic was evident from a young age, as he stood out from other children in terms of his mentality and skillset.
Yeah, Pazienza, I'm here baby. The Way of the Assassin is found in death. Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when one's body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightning, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing seppuku at the death of one's master. And every day without fail one should consider himself as dead. This is the substance of the Way of the Assassin.
Vinnie Pazienza is referencing the 'Way of the Assassin,' a concept from the Hagakure that emphasizes the importance of accepting one's own mortality and the inevitability of death. By meditating on the ways in which we might die, we can better understand the value and purpose of our own lives. This philosophy inspires Vinnie in his life and in his boxing career.
Contributed by Muhammad B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.