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.
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Catechism
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
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Yeah
Killah Priest
Iron Shiek comin back
Ready to attack
Freestyle
You know my energy get real hype in me
Yo
[Killah Priest]
Move out my fuckin way boy you gonna get sliced
I seek revenge upon the earth like Christ
A mind is not called a rapture
It's more like a rap tour
Where niggas get cornered with a cracked jaw
I divide niggas like religion
End at abandonin' shit, tellin' mad lies to your vision
Burnin' me is invain and imaginary
You must be insane and fuckin' with mad theories
All niggas gash you, thoughts could match this
Got burnt, and return to mothafuckin' ashes
Your show is weak and your dead body corpses
My rap slew the youth like death and divorces
Now take em through the chamber, watch 'em feel the danger
Of a guillotine, this is how I kill a team
Don't scream bitch, have you ever seen an iller dream?
A nightmare, causin' you a slight fear
Come the omens 'til you fallin' through your right ear
Your eyes bubble, but there lies trouble ahead
Niggas are dead, you better cry double
Comin' it's that ill ass rapper with that sick ass
laughter (ha, ha, ha, ha)
You cannot escape the chapter
Once you try, then you feel the hooks
After you die, that's when I conceal the books
[Outro: Killah Priest]
Conceal the books, conceal the books
Overlook, conceal the books
It's you and I, conceal the books
And I'm out
KP the all mighty, the icon
Yea, it's that revived, revived, hip-hop
Gritty, this is real hip-hop
Untouchable, one love
The lyrics of Wu-Tang Clan's song Catechism are intense and dark, with Killah Priest starting off the track with explosive energy. The theme of the song is revenge and destruction, with Priest seeking to divide his enemies like religion and leave them in ashes. He boasts of his power to kill a team, using a guillotine and causing nightmares. He ends by talking about concealing books, leaving the listener with a feeling of intimidation and a sense of stalking.
Through the lyrics, the song seems to be showcasing the raw energy and power that is found within hip-hop. The imagery used to describe the violence is meant to shock and unsettle the listener, leaving them with a feeling of unease. The song also has a strong emphasis on the power of words and the ability to control through language, as Priest seeks to divide and conquer through his lyrics.
Overall, Catechism is a powerful and intense song that showcases the energy and raw power of hip-hop. It is a track that is meant to shock and unsettle the listener, leaving them feeling intimidated and in awe of the artist's ability to control through language.
Line by Line Meaning
Move out my fuckin way boy you gonna get sliced
Get out of my way or I'll harm you
I seek revenge upon the earth like Christ
I want to seek retribution against the earth as Christ did
A mind is not called a rapture
A mind is not a religious experience
It's more like a rap tour
It's more like a journey of rapping
Where niggas get cornered with a cracked jaw
Where people get trapped and injured
I divide niggas like religion
I divide people like religion does
End at abandonin' shit, tellin' mad lies to your vision
Eventually, everything is left behind and people lie to themselves
Burnin' me is invain and imaginary
Trying to harm me is pointless and unrealistic
You must be insane and fuckin' with mad theories
You must be mentally unstable and have ridiculous ideas
All niggas gash you, thoughts could match this
Everyone would hurt you, thoughts are as strong as actions
Got burnt, and return to mothafuckin' ashes
Got hurt so bad, it feels like death and destruction
Your show is weak and your dead body corpses
Your performance is terrible and your corpse is lifeless
My rap slew the youth like death and divorces
My music kills young people like death and divorces end marriages
Now take em through the chamber, watch 'em feel the danger
Take them through the experience, watch them feel the risk
Of a guillotine, this is how I kill a team
Of a device used to execute people, this is how I defeat an entire group
Don't scream bitch, have you ever seen an iller dream?
Don't scream, have you ever seen something more frightening?
A nightmare, causin' you a slight fear
A frightening experience, causing you a mild terror
Come the omens 'til you fallin' through your right ear
Bad things will come until you're overwhelmed
Your eyes bubble, but there lies trouble ahead
You're fearful and in trouble
Niggas are dead, you better cry double
People are dying and you should cry twice as hard
Comin' it's that ill ass rapper with that sick ass laughter (ha, ha, ha, ha)
Here comes that sick rapper with that twisted sense of humor
You cannot escape the chapter
You cannot avoid what's to come
Once you try, then you feel the hooks
Once you get involved, you get stuck
After you die, that's when I conceal the books
After you die, I hide the secrets
Conceal the books, conceal the books
Hide the secrets
Overlook, conceal the books
Ignore the information and keep it hidden
It's you and I, conceal the books
We must keep the information hidden together
And I'm out KP the all mighty, the icon
And I'm done, Killah Priest the powerful and famous rapper
Yea, it's that revived, revived, hip-hop
Yes, this is the revival of the real, old school hip-hop
Gritty, this is real hip-hop
Raw, authentic hip-hop
Untouchable, one love
Unbreakable, one unity
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: PAUL MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind