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
Criminology
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ayy, ayy, who the fuck you think you talkin' to huh?
(You wanna fuck with me?)
Who the fuck you think I am, your fuckin' bellboy?
Do you wanna go to war? (Nothin' but a half a mil', we build)
You wanna go to war? We'll take you to war, okay?
For real, y'all
Takin' you on another one, son
Makin' cream like that nigga
Yo, first of all son, peep the arson (blaow)
Many brothers I be sparkin' and bustin' mad light inside the dark
Call me dough snatcher, just the brother for the rapture
I hang glide, holdin' on strong, hard to capture
Extravagant, RZA bake the track and it's militant
Then I react, like a convict, and start killin' shit
It's manifested, the gods work like appliances
Dealin' in my cypher I revolve around sciences
The 9th chamber, leave you trapped inside my hallway
You try to flee but you got smoked up by the doorway (blaow, blaow, blaow)
No question, I send your ass back, right to the essence
Your whole frame is smothered in dirt, now how you restin'
While I'll be trapped by sounds, locked behind loops
Throwin' niggas off airplanes 'cause cash rules
Everything around me black, as you can see
Swallow this murder one verse like God Degree
Then analyze my soundtrack for satisfaction
You adapt like a flashback, chain reaction
(Lace 'em niggas, son)
AK's black, bust back like seventy MACs
I'm all that, street niggas knowin' my steez, black
Ron G, you know he coincide with me, see
Marvelous, menace for society
But anyway, let's toast, champagne thoughts with Ghost
I max the most shotguns through the nose
Fuck rap, hip-hop put me on top
'Lo wears, and Tommy Hil' fly shit with a knot
The witty unpredictable live shit, drive by shit
Do-or-die shit, I'll take your lie and shit
And then you know, I'm runnin' through the penal, foul
Fall through, child was wild
The old lady snitched, but fuck it, you know it, one love kid
No, I'm not doin' a bid
Too much to get for what 'cause six niggas got stuck
And the nigga chain was truck?
Yo, fuck that, criminology rap
Sneakers stay jet black floatin' in the flyest Ac', nigga
(Bring it, yeah)
Much love go to New York City
All my Tommy Hil', ice rockin' niggas
The lyrics to Wu-Tang Clan's song "Criminology" describe the violent and aggressive nature of the singer, who refers to himself as a "dough snatcher" and boasts about his ability to "spark" and "bust mad light inside the dark." He is held in high regard and is referred to as a savior, or "brother for the rapture," and is described as being hard to capture. The production of the track is described as "militant" and the singer reacts to it like a convict, killing everything in his path.
The singer also references the power of the Gods, likening their work to that of appliances. He revolves around sciences and uses the ninth chamber to trap others in his hallway, leaving them no way out but through the doorway they entered. He boasts about sending his enemies back to the essence and smothering their whole frame with dirt. He even references throwing people off airplanes, illustrating his disregard for human life.
The lyrics overall paint a picture of a ruthless and powerful figure who is willing to use violence and aggression to achieve his goals. The imagery of being trapped and unable to escape, both physically and mentally, is prevalent throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, first of all son peep the arson
Hey, listen up and take notice of the fires I'm starting
Many brothers I be sparkin' and bustin' mad light inside the dark
I ignite and bring light to many brothers in the darkness
Call me dough snatcher just the brother for the rapture
They call me a thief who is destined for salvation
I hand glide, holdin' on strong, hard to capture
I move smoothly and gracefully, hard to catch or stop
Extravagant, RZA bake the track and it's militant
The music is intense and powerful, thanks to RZA's skill
Then I react like a convict and start killin' shit
I behave aggressively, mercilessly attacking everything in my way
It's manifested the Gods work like appliances
The divine forces operate like machinery
Dealin' in my cypher I revolve around sciences
In my community, I am focused on intellectual exploration and discovery
The ninth chamber leave you trapped inside my hallway
My power and influence are inescapable, like being trapped in a hallway
You try to flee but you got clamped by the doorway
You attempt to escape, but I block your path
No question, I send your ass back, right to the essence
Without doubt or hesitation, I send you back to the fundamental nature of things
Your whole frame is smothered in dirt now how you restin'
You are completely defeated and dead, covered in the earth
While I'll be trapped by sounds locked behind loops
I am constrained by the repetition of sounds and beats in the music
Throwin' niggaz off airplanes and the cash rules
I am powerful enough to throw people off airplanes, and my ultimate goal is gaining wealth
Everything around too black as you can see
The environment is very dark, as you can clearly observe
Swallow this murder one verse like God degree
Internalize this violent and powerful verse as if it were a divine decree
Then analyze this soundtrack with satisfaction
Reflect on this music and take pleasure in understanding it
You adapt like a flashback chain reaction
You respond and adjust to the music, just like a chain reaction originating from a memory
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Spirit Music Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Corey Woods, Dennis Coles, Leroy Burgess, Patrick Adams, Robert Diggs, Russell Patterson, Stuart Bascombe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ArMiNiSfUCkinRedicK
@Charles Hairston only idiots exclude him....top 5 in story telling....top 3 in flow..... all the coded and slang language...
My view top lyricist 10
Kool g
Rakim
Nas
Pun
Guru
Scarface
Eminem( though i hate him now, just earlier shit i mean...but if u want gza there gza)
Black thought
Canibus
Ghostface
@Oldschoolhiphopchannel
Only For Fans of Real Hip Hop...Click At Your Own Risk - https://youtu.be/6L7oS8w8mv0
@jaykriss724
Never thought I could listen to a song so many thousands of times and not get tired of it RZA smoked the production and Ghost and Rae divoured the beat
@sonicbroom8522
100% F.A.X.
@the2ndcoming135
This beat is just insane bro👀
@misham2563
20 some years later and I’m
Still playing this.
@seanmorton1916
This one of those instrumentalists..it doesn't even matter who's spitting..Luckily for me I've only ever heard this beat be graced by Rae ghost and large amounts..jay z you dont know beat is the same for j blaze killed that one
@JeffBezos-pb1zv
@@seanmorton1916 it's a known fact Jay is a swagger jacker. When 36 chambers came out I was a pre teen in the streets of NYC and it was my boy Bar and me playing Nintendo in his dad's apt/trap his pops was a Kung Fu master for decades, eagle claw,tiger style he knew those before Wu came out. He dead ass had a vicious rott named Shaolin if I'm lying I'm dying. Swords and staffs on the wall. Perfect backdrop for 36! I played my man's tape sooo much he went crazy and broke it. I asked why you broke your only tape he said I had him going crazy playing it. Lol good ol' 90s
@juseasy9308
This beat along with "So whatcha sayin" and "Mass Appeal" are the epitome of what hip-hop should sound like💥💯
@qdontae6
Oooouuu Mass Appeal 1 of the best beats ever!! U forgot Mobb Deep Shook Ones tho 🔥🔥
@progressiveoverload252
Mass appeal! You hit the nail on the head.