Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group that consists of: RZA, GZA/Genius, Ghostfac… Read Full Bio ↴Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group that consists of: RZA, GZA/Genius, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group. They were formed in (and are associated with) the New York City borough of Staten Island (referred to by members as "Shaolin"), though Masta Killa and GZA are from Brooklyn and Inspectah Deck is from the Bronx. They have gone on to become multi-platinum record producers, Grammy winners, TV and film stars, screenwriters, product spokespersons, business owners and, most recently, major motion picture composers. The Clan featured nine MCs until the death of Ol' Dirty Bastard in 2004. One of the most critically and commercially successful hip hop groups of all time, Wu-Tang Clan shot to fame through their uncompromising brand of hardcore rap music. Since their debut, they have introduced or launched the careers of numerous other artists and groups, and already in 1994 there were credited to be over 300 Wu-Tang Clan affiliates, known as the Wu-Tang Killa Bees, consisting of rappers, producers, and record label CEOs.

The founders of the Wu-Tang Clan were RZA, GZA, and Ol' Dirty Bastard, who had previously formed the group Force of the Imperial Master (later known as All In Together Now after the release of a popular single by that name). The group attracted the attention of some notable figures in the industry, including Biz Markie, but did not manage to secure a record deal. After the crew dissolved, GZA and RZA (then known as Prince Rakeem) embarked on their solo careers with Cold Chillin' Records and Tommy Boy Records respectively, but to little success. Their frustration with the workings of the hip hop music industry would provide the main inspiration to Wu-Tang Clan's revolutionary business plan. According to The Wu-Tang Manual, at the group's inception, RZA promised the members that if he had total control of the Wu-Tang empire, it would conquer the hip hop world within a dynastic cycle, after which he would relinquish his total control.

Wu-Tang Clan was gradually assembled in late 1992 from friends and accomplices from around Staten Island, New York, with RZA as the de-facto leader and the group's main producer. Two of the cousins, GZA (pronounced Jizza) and RZA (pronounced Rizza), created their new Wu-Tang aliases by mimicking the sound that the words "genius" and "razor" would make when scratched on a turntable.

"Wu-Tang" comes from the name of the Taoist holy mountain Wu Dang in northwest Hubei Province in central China; it was also the site of the Ming Dynasty Purple Imperial City built during the reign of the Yongle Emperor in the early 15th century. RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard adopted the name for the group after seeing the kung fu film Shaolin and Wu Tang, which features a school of warriors trained in Wu-Tang style. The group's debut album loosely adopted a Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang theme, dividing the album into Shaolin and Wu-Tang sections and using dialogue excerpts as skits.

The group have also developed various backronyms for the name (as hip hop pioneers like KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane did with their names), including "We Usually Take All the Niggas' Garments," "Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game" and "Wisdom, Universe, Truth, Allah, Nation, and God".

Method Man has also mentioned that the "Wu" is the sound a sword makes when cutting through the air, and "Tang" is the sound it makes against a shield.

The Clan first became known to hip hop fans, and to major record labels, in 1993 (see 1993 in music) following the release of the independent single "Protect Ya Neck", which immediately gave the group a sizeable underground following. Though there was some difficulty in finding a record label that would sign Wu-Tang Clan while still allowing each member to record solo albums with other labels, Loud/RCA finally agreed, releasing their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), in late 1993. This album was popular and critically-acclaimed, though it took some time to gain momentum. Though hip hop had long had a gritty texture, the surreal aggression and minimalist production of 36 Chambers nevertheless had a huge impact on the genre, and was to prove massively influential over the next decade. By the beginning of the 21st century, the album had become a regular fixture on "Best Albums of the 90s" lists as well as a frequent choice for "Best Albums of All Time" lists. The success of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) established the group as a creative and influential force in early 1990s hip hop, allowing GZA, RZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa to negotiate solo contracts.

www.wutang-corp.com

Black Trump
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I had to get some real professionals for the job son
{Numero cats}
Word Up
Word Up
{Straight blazin'}
Blazin' through
Blazin' through
Blazin' through

Blazin' through
Blazin' through
Blazin' through

Pack mode time to strike like a cobra
Poisonous venom through your system killin' you slower
Niggas blowin' through each other
?
?
You know me son show respect when I'm rockin the ?
Steam rollin' on niggas my team straight blowin' 'em
Got em throwin' they gunz in tha air like Onyx
Test the Smif-n-wessun, crew niggas ?

Let me warn y'all killas upstairs, I see all y'all
Heavy like balls, niggas I might blow y'all
Your ammo see y'all court block, blowin' up ya ammo
Handle gun on the ledge I might blow his hand off
Lookin' at you wide like fuck you probably think I'm high
What, chain around my like bluff, headin for Egypt
Hennessey drink, mahogany guns
Trees duck, come out yo shirt
Buckle knees duck, like a rag nigga, throw some weed up
It's Casablanca rag throw some g's up
Let's poly slow motion status, bring the keys up
Wonderin' runners is lookin' mighty feesed up
Right suit bitch F-B-I throw his gunz up

Vegaz money niggaz holdin' gunz
Armed for the lift, bustin', pussy's up
Yo baby need new shoes and a outfit
I see ya stick up kidz ya come wit, the dick lick
Swing hit limp from bushwick
Two hits wit da to deck shit
Ya heard about 'em now open up ya shirt
And sew the tag see green
Ya double, if ya triple, ya bitch push me

[Chorus: x2]
Got a poly wit ya crew stickin' loot up
Ya big up weight throw ya boots up
If ya step into da club wit ya gunz up
Puttin' pictures on mine ta raze da roof up
Gotta keep it in da fam, check, check it out

Minolta flash, gun in da stash
Homin for both hats
Tek why ya slap fire out em, hold fast
Bitchez gotta pay da hard way, Allah swingin on 'em
Like a San Diego Padre

You first went da godz way, say lets start way
Professional marksmen, swimmin' like killin' sharks
We leak, feelin' heartless
On point like a dart shit
Bomb Yo camp if you want this
Connect with convicts, on some John shit

Switch do camouflage, cat get the money in fact
Go to war like Japan, if you push and do dat
Keep his movements to 3, when he out in da streetz
Keep the stash filled with high heat, when drove the streetz

Keep the ghetto bashers, when in your crib like to mash men
When I run wit a tek and we ain't askin', we blastin'
Chef wit da extra cannon from Staten
Rhyme official live, bust caps when makin 'it happen

You gotta make power moves, black gunz and cash rule
Hold my eight straight, 'cause I been payin' dues
Wave kid from way back tryin' to make a mil stack
When Miami money cats will leave you layin' down flat

[Chorus: x3]

[Repeat: x7]
Raze da roof up, word up

[Repeat: x6]
Guess who's the Black trump

[Chorus: x2]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Wu-Tang Clan's "Black Trump" exude a sense of power, confidence, and aggression. The song begins with a proclamation that the Wu-Tang Clan has brought in real professionals (Numero cats) to execute the job at hand. The following lines convey the Clan's message that they are blazing through their opponents (Blazin’ through), and they are in pack mode, ready to strike like a cobra and poison their enemies slowly until they meet their demise.

The rest of the song speaks of the Clan's superiority and warns their enemies of impending doom. The chorus of the song is a repeated refrain of the Clan's beliefs and modus operandi. They claim to be putting pictures on minds to raise the roof up and holding guns up to make power moves while keeping it in the family. The lyrics of "Black Trump" present a strong sense of dominance and a commitment to their philosophy to execute people in the game and rise above others.

Line by Line Meaning

I had to get some real professionals for the job son
I needed skilled people to help me with this task, my child.

Pack mode time to strike like a cobra
We are prepared to attack swiftly and unexpectedly, like a venomous snake.

Niggas blowin' through each other
People are recklessly using firearms against one another.

You know me son show respect when I'm rockin the ?
You are aware of who I am, my child. Treat me with reverence when I am performing.

Steam rollin' on niggas my team straight blowin' 'em
My group overwhelms our opponents, defeating them easily and rapidly.

Let me warn y'all killas upstairs, I see all y'all
Allow me to caution those armed individuals above me that I am aware of their actions.

Lookin' at you wide like fuck you probably think I'm high
I am staring at you with an intense expression, which may lead you to mistakenly believe I am under the influence of drugs.

Handle gun on the ledge I might blow his hand off
I may shoot the hand of someone holding a gun on a precarious surface.

Swing hit limp from bushwick
A person from the Bushwick neighborhood has been struck and is now walking with a limp due to the force of the impact.

Gotta keep it in da fam, check, check it out
It is important to maintain solidarity with our group, please pay attention.

You first went da godz way, say lets start way
You previously followed a certain path, but now let's do it my way.

Bomb Yo camp if you want this
We will attack your territory if you attempt to take what is ours.

Rhyme official live, bust caps when makin' it happen
I perform with authenticity and authority, firing my gun when necessary to achieve my goals.

Switch do camouflage, cat get the money in fact
We will disguise our appearance, while we easily obtain money.

Keep the ghetto bashers, when in your crib like to mash men
We keep weapons handy in our residence, and will use them to attack intruders who threaten us.

When Miami money cats will leave you layin' down flat
Individuals from Miami who deal with money may cause you to end up dead.

Raze da roof up, word up
Let's cause chaos and excitement, we will elevate the energy in the room.

Guess who's the Black trump
Can you guess who is the most powerful, dominant person in this situation? I am.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: COREY WOODS, DARRELL A. JR. YATES, EDWARD HINSON JR., EDWARD JR. HINSON, TEKOMIN B. WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS