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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Fast and Furious
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Man my fuckin' phone is goin' crazy right now, man
Once this nigga hurry up and bring me this blunt
Shit, man
Ahh this bitch
Yo, ayo
It's like six in the morning
Couple fiends on the avenue, they lookin' for crack
Grab the Nextel like yo L, police on the jack
I'm in that wide body six and I'm sippin' on yak
Blunt of the apple haze got me chilling on lean, back high
Mean like, drive by pumpin' that lean back
Police hop out of the whip, (?) right in my six
Four fifth tucked right on his hip
Some dumb drunk, this nigga had stick
Was parked right on the block
Watchin' us but I ain't peep him and shit
Anyway, back to the story, you steamin' and shit
Pass the piff, we got fiends waitin', fiendin' and shit
Connect got me waitin', fuck, so I'm heated and shit
On the phone cursin' at shorty, "I'm leavin' you, bitch"
Too much goin' on at one time, I'm dumb high
Seen in the peripheral, he jump tryna run by
His man in a whip, threw the clip and my gun back
Piece cocked back, but he spit about one time
Slumped out, sun down, and his man coming by
With like two more trucks and they creep from behind
Threw it in drive, now Hue ride sick when he high
Pull up Novotel, run ride they want us to die
Loose cannons do damage, well I'm dumpin' this 9
Whole clique in the back and we ready to ride
I said I'm fast and I'm furious, headed on the I-95
Ready to ride when I'm blastin', I'm killin' shit
Fast and I'm furious, you don't want it with me
Take a shot, here's a hundred and three
Shit I'm fast and I'm furious, headed on the I-95
Ready to ride when I'm blastin', I'm killin' shit
Fast and I'm furious, you don't want it with me
Take a shot, here's a hundred and three
Hey, yo
Got the call from the connect from down bottom
They said they got the squares
And they all for a good price and they solid
Reply 10-4, hung up the horn, got dressed
Waves pressed to best, yes, threw the Franck Muller on
Sophisticated, nothin' flashy, solid king, move like a boss
But the calm flowin' into somethin' nasty
Puffin' on the finest cheeba, green as a rainforest
Doin' a buck on I-95, screamin', "I live for this,"
Niggas seen us comin', blew a flat
Pulled over to the shoulder
Popped the trunk to see if it's a spare in the back
A van pulled up, with Florida tags
Three men jumped out with guns drawn and they all wore masks
Snatched me up and handcuffed me
Hit me with the butt of the gun
I'm thinkin' to myself, "The war just begun"
Thirty minutes in the ride, the mask came off
A chick was driving, two in the back had Russian accents
Askin' who my connect is, where he rest shit
You better off squeezin' that tool bitch
He said, "Nah, you're worth more to us alive than dead"
He's flashed his badge and started laughin'
"Cocksucker, we the Feds"
I said I'm fast and I'm furious, headed on the I-95
Ready to ride when I'm blastin', I'm killin' shit
Fast and I'm furious, you don't want it with me
Take a shot, here's a hundred and three
Shit I'm fast and I'm furious, headed on the I-95
Ready to ride when I'm blastin', I'm killin' shit
Fast and I'm furious, you don't want it with me
Take a shot, here's a hundred and three
The lyrics of "Fast and Furious" by Wu-Tang Clan tell a story of drug dealing and violence. It starts with the singer and his friend Miller finishing their drug deal while being watched by the police. They are interrupted by a drunk man who points a gun at them, but the singer manages to shoot him. They then get a call to pick up more drugs and head out on the highway but get pulled over by three armed men who turn out to be federal agents. The singer sarcastically remarks that he's "worth more to them alive than dead" as they take him away.
The song paints a gritty picture of the dangers and violence associated with drug dealing, as the singer describes his casual use of drugs, his interactions with addicts, and his willingness to use deadly force. The fast-paced beat and aggressive rhymes add to the sense of urgency and danger in the lyrics. The use of slang and profanity gives the song a raw, streetwise feel that reflects the harsh reality of the drug underworld.
Line by Line Meaning
Pass the fuckin' weed, nigga
Asking for the marijuana to be passed around
Man my fuckin' phone is goin' crazy right now, man
The singer's phone is ringing frequently
Once this nigga hurry up and bring me this blunt
Waiting for someone to deliver marijuana
It's like six in the morning
Describing the early morning hour
Me and Miller just finished our pack
The artist and Miller finished a task
Couple fiends on the avenue, they lookin' for crack
Drug addicts are walking on the street seeking drugs
Grab the Nextel like yo L, police on the jack
The singer takes the Nextel (walkie-talkie) because the police are calling
I'm in that wide body six and I'm sippin' on yak
Driving in a wide-bodied car while sipping alcohol
Blunt of the apple haze got me chilling on lean, back high
Smoking a marijuana cigar makes the artist relax and get high
Mean like, drive by pumpin' that lean back
Being aggressive like a drive-by shooting while listening to music
Police hop out of the whip, (?) right in my six
The police car pulls over and stops behind the singer's car
Four fifth tucked right on his hip
The police officer has a gun tucked on his hip
Some dumb drunk, this nigga had stick
A drunk person has a weapon
Was parked right on the block
The drunk person's car is parked on the street
Watchin' us but I ain't peep him and shit
The drunk person observes but the singer is unaware
Anyway, back to the story, you steamin' and shit
Returning to the original topic at hand
Pass the piff, we got fiends waitin', fiendin' and shit
Sharing marijuana with drug addicts waiting for a fix
Connect got me waitin', fuck, so I'm heated and shit
The service provider is making the singer wait, causing anger
On the phone cursin' at shorty, "I'm leavin' you, bitch"
The singer is breaking up with their significant other over the phone
Too much goin' on at one time, I'm dumb high
The situation is overwhelming, and the artist is very high
Seen in the peripheral, he jump tryna run by
The artist sees someone trying to sneak up
His man in a whip, threw the clip and my gun back
Another person throws back the artist's gun and clips while driving
Piece cocked back, but he spit about one time
The singer has their gun aimed, but the other person shoots back once
Slumped out, sun down, and his man coming by
The other person falls asleep or passes out, and their friend arrives
With like two more trucks and they creep from behind
The friend arrives with two more vehicles and sneaks up
Threw it in drive, now Hue ride sick when he high
The driver speeds away, and the singer feels sick because of their high
Pull up Novotel, run ride they want us to die
They arrive at Novotel, and someone wants to kill them
Loose cannons do damage, well I'm dumpin' this 9
The artist is carrying a gun and ready to use it
Whole clique in the back and we ready to ride
The artist and their group are prepared to leave
I said I'm fast and I'm furious, headed on the I-95
The singer is driving fast and aggressively on the highway
Ready to ride when I'm blastin', I'm killin' shit
The singer is prepared to fight and cause destruction
Fast and I'm furious, you don't want it with me
The artist is aggressive and not to be messed with
Take a shot, here's a hundred and three
Challenging someone to try to hurt the artist and giving them a target number
Got the call from the connect from down bottom
The artist receives a phone call from their drug dealer
They said they got the squares
The drug dealer has the requested drugs
And they all for a good price and they solid
The drugs are being sold at a reasonable price and are high quality
Reply 10-4, hung up the horn, got dressed
The singer confirms the drug deal and prepares to leave
Waves pressed to best, yes, threw the Franck Muller on
The singer puts on stylish clothing and expensive watch
Sophisticated, nothin' flashy, solid king, move like a boss
The singer appears refined and controlled, behaving like a leader
But the calm flowin' into somethin' nasty
Despite appearing composed, the situation could quickly turn dangerous
Puffin' on the finest cheeba, green as a rainforest
Smoking high-quality marijuana that is very potent
Doin' a buck on I-95, screamin', "I live for this,"
Driving very fast on the highway and screaming with excitement
Niggas seen us comin', blew a flat
Other people noticed the singer's arrival and someone punctured their tire
Pulled over to the shoulder
The artist pulls over to the side of the road
Popped the trunk to see if it's a spare in the back
The artist opens the trunk to check for a spare tire
A van pulled up, with Florida tags
A vehicle with Florida license plates approaches
Three men jumped out with guns drawn and they all wore masks
Three men exit the vehicle with guns and masks
Snatched me up and handcuffed me
The men restrain the artist and cuff them
Hit me with the butt of the gun
The singer is struck with the back of a gun
I'm thinkin' to myself, "The war just begun"
The singer realizes the situation is escalating into a conflict
Thirty minutes in the ride, the mask came off
Half an hour later, the kidnappers reveal their faces
A chick was driving, two in the back had Russian accents
A woman is driving, and the two men sitting in the back have Russian accents
Askin' who my connect is, where he rest shit
The kidnappers want to know who the artist's drug dealer is and where they are located
You better off squeezin' that tool bitch
The kidnapper encourages the singer to divulge information or face consequences
He said, "Nah, you're worth more to us alive than dead"
A kidnapper insists that the singer is more valuable alive
He's flashed his badge and started laughin'
The kidnapper reveals they are actually law enforcement and laughs
"Cocksucker, we the Feds"
Announcing that they are federal officers
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Corey Woods, Hugh Paul Nielsen, Ronald Maurice Bean
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind