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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Grid Iron Rap
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
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That's a good book, I don't mind you gettin knowledge about the game
You dig? So you won't have to have those young girls fool ya, you dig?
Trick ya outta your check, so you can learn about it
Don't try to play if you ain't ready for it
'Cause the game could be detrimental to ya boy."
I Silver Surf the city circuit, forever lurkin on the street surface
Plan span divided, we still stand conquer land
One man'll body slam Def Jam
Focus ya head cam, zoom in, we radio tunin
I know you're listenin so I keep showin and provin
Play the sideline, waitin for the right time to take mine
Street crime, nickel and dime rhyme
Fuck a peace talk, let the gun spark, on the streets of New York
I Shaolin strut through the city asphalt, FED UP
Hold ya head up, I'm circlin the block, keep ya eyes up
Wise up before you get sized up (tied up)
Play no game, speakin on my name you catch a clip full
From close range, diggin in your pocket, take the loose change
Punch the data in ya mainframe
You want it all, I want the same thing
Strive to maintain, live out my name
Hard to obtain, hard to explain, ain't nuttin changed
Leave the same way I came, Bringin motherfuckin Pain
Killa Hill projects, hi-tech street intellect
Best connect, blow your headset, fuck a mic check
Bring em round the underground, pocket full of sound
Ashes to ashes y'all niggaz goin down
Eat shit and die slow, battle ground no survival
You goin down, y'all niggaz fuck around
Shittin where you sleepin, so my rhyme Proposal came Indecent
Beef from the butcher, sink your teeth in
Fuck what you believe in, you real-fake
Fishin in the same lake, eatin off the same cake you blow face
Who go that ready cook, synthetic look, actin crook
Betty shook worm, tryin to shake the hook as the world turn
Nigga burn, once again the Super Sperm, rub it in
Your skin, like it's Lubriderm, time took to write this
The war will be fought by the righteous
Who stand criticized by his un Alikeness
Knowledge is the truth and it's priceless
Real like them Rahway Lifers, nuttin but time on my hands
Observe the black sands in the hourglass, fallin fast
In the savage land haulin ass, Days of Thunder
It's Road Rage, your days are numbered
What RZA put together let no man tear asunder (motherfucker!)
This is P.L.O., Killa Hill flow but you don't hear me though
Live in stereo, pumpin loud until your speaker blow
Ghetty-o slang pro, sling rap for cash flow
Keep it live from the intro until the outro
Killa Hill projects, hi-tech street intellect
Best connect, blow your headset, fuck a mic check
Bring em round the underground, pocket full of sound
Ashes to ashes y'all niggaz goin down
I'm on a suicide run, y'all niggaz know the outcome
Razor sharp tongue leave scars in your eardrum
Forty-five bar seminar, ghetto rap star
Slide like water rats through the Staten Reservoir
Swingin swords cut your mic cord, snatch ya rap awards
Commercial cats fuckin up the game, that's why I crash boards
Break laws, wired jaw, keep on tryin yours
Hardcore, something that my street niggaz is dyin for
Snatch your neck and the dope fiend, Golgo 13
Professionals wit no things, say no more
Check my Dogs at the Reservoir
Gourmet special of the day is n*gga Souflee, pusher gotta pay
And the games people play, John J. back around the way
Fish filet, Mister DJ, turn it up a notch
Hit the replay, for dirt bomb niggaz in the P.J.
To Klingon, bring on, the Good Times for Keyon
Hood rhymes that's be-yond ya thinkin
For eons, I've been hear to shine on the black minds
Tell you like the last time, year of the grimy n*gga
Rag time, bad sign, flatline
"It's easy to get into the game, but once you get on top
Can you stay there?"
The lyrics of Wu-Tang Clan's song "Grid Iron Rap" reveal a warning to those who aspire to enter the game of life. The song warns that the game can be detrimental to those who are not ready for it. The singer dropped out of school early to get money, but they also acknowledge the importance of knowledge about the game, so they won't get fooled or tricked out of their money. The singer cautions that the game can be harmful to people who are not ready for it.
The tone of the lyrics is cautionary, and it speaks of the dangers of entering a game that one cannot handle. The singer advises that one cannot play if they are not prepared for the game's consequences. Furthermore, the lyrics make references to the streets, to New York City- "The Concrete Jungle," to money, to hustling, and to competition. The song's cadence is fast-moving and rhythmic, and the rhymes are clear, making the lyrics easy to follow. The lyrics are potent and resonate with anyone who has ever desired to get ahead in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Dropped outta school early so I could get me some paper
I left school early to make money
That's a good book, I don't mind you gettin knowledge about the game
It's good to learn about the game and not get tricked by young girls
You dig? So you won't have to have those young girls fool ya, you dig?
Do you understand? It's important to learn about the game so young girls won't trick you
Trick ya outta your check, so you can learn about it
Young girls might trick you out of your money, so learn about the game
Don't try to play if you ain't ready for it
Don't play the game if you're not ready
'Cause the game could be detrimental to ya boy.
The game could be harmful to you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: CLIFFORD SMITH, DEREK HARRIS, PATRICK CHARLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind