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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Hood
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is how it sound when the hood go bang (Yeah)
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
Yeah, here we go (Here we go)
I said this is how it sound when the hood go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang (Bang)
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
Bang
Yo, this is how it sound when the hood go bang
You can cop a couple of bricks of good cocaine
I’m a block scholar, call me Dollars, I don’t change
I’m a Rottweiler, diamond collar with gold fangs
Yep, a top shotter, Don Dada, rhyme proper
Might even take the ‘R’ out of brother—why bother?
Mic on Halloween, I mean, I’m clearly a monster
We gathered here today so that I could dearly depart ya
Math, bars better than Willy Wonka’s
It’s how to get away with a murde, —you feel me, Shondra?
Rhymes like karma, I’m hood, stash the contra
You ever hear a rhymer this good, smack ya mamas
But it’s still death over dishonor
‘Cause you can get it next and get death over this drama
Math verse Meth, this Civil War is a starter
Men turn to martyrs, Wu-Tang bang regardless
Huh, yeah
This is how it sounds when the hoods go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
Yeah, here we go (Here we go)
I said this is how it sound when the hood go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
Bang
We stay shattered and clutch the gold links
Everything on is mint, I came through in a Reno, all tint
I'm known to make a million and jet
King Joffrey and his cadets
Shooters from the boonies that's loony
Hold the Tec with all respect, expose his neck
Trees burn 'em out, niggas is learning now
The Archbishop murder through March, Clarks is slippers
I spark blippers, bloggers catch way shot zippers
The movie's all state of the art, we throw grenades and blades
And darts and changed the grain, this sharp
Remain remarkable, we ain't playing this part
We can't explain this art, he ain't the same as us, he pus
Glass of gin for my jewelers, too many rugers nigga
This gin is five hunnid bands in Bermuda
Known to fuck a party up and bounce
We hog-tie little rappers, give 'em black eyes like Little Rascals
Yeah, this is how it sound when the hood go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
Bang
What it sound like? Here's another sound, right
The sound of a hundred rounds, blacked down at night
And in hindsight, I'm still on display
The hood slang go bang, the big change to swank
Take an A, met these lanes, Mr. Officer Skane
It's just the dialect that I select when I slang
Who's saying? Your false talk, you get erased like chalk
Who's for? Or who shot hawk? And who popped off?
This is men and mouse shit, public service announcements
Careful we’re burnings a ounce in small town houses
Youthful offenders meet the public defender
Who offers you a fight attempt, plea deal with a mayday to surrender
What a fucked-up summer
Had a brand new come up
This Fourth of July, bullets fly and the doves cry
To lil tame his face in the R.I.P. White tee
From a ricochet of the red bricks to the headpiece
This is how it sounds when the hoods go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
Yeah, here we go (Here we go)
I said this is how it sound when the hood go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
This is how it sound when the hood go bang
Bang
The Wu-Tang Clan’s song “Hood Go Bang” is a gritty representation of the violence, drug culture, and social decay that plagues the inner cities. The song is a lyrical masterpiece, filled with intricate metaphors and wordplay, delivered by Method Man, Ghostface Killah, and RZA. The track begins with the chorus, “This is how it sounds when the hood go bang,” which sets the tone for the rest of the song. Method Man’s verse starts off with him boasting about his skills as a drug dealer, calling himself “Dollars” and “Don Dada,” as he paints a vivid picture of life on the streets. Ghostface Killah takes over the second verse, delivering some of his trademark, unorthodox rhymes as he discusses his own experiences in the "hood." RZA's verse is similarly raw, exploring the brutality of gang warfare, and the pain and loss it can cause.
The song’s message is dark, but the lyrics are delivered with a ferocity that demands attention, and the beat is heavy, with deep bass and ominous notes that complement the lyrics perfectly. The song is a powerful reminder of the harsh realities of inner-city life and the struggle to survive in such an environment.
Line by Line Meaning
This is how it sounds when the hoods go bang
The song depicts the sound of violence and crime in the hood as gunfire erupts.
This is how it sound when the hood go bang (Yeah)
The repetition of the line emphasizes the harsh reality and danger of living in the hood.
Yeah, here we go (Here we go)
The starting line implies that the song is taking the listener into the world of the hood and its atrocities.
I said this is how it sound when the hood go bang
The rapper restates the theme of the song and reinforces the message of the song.
Yo, this is how it sound when the hood go bang
The use of 'yo' is a slang to show the artist's swag and his relevance to the hood culture.
You can cop a couple of bricks of good cocaine
Drugs are prevalent and easily available, with the singer boasting about his knowledge of drug-dealing.
I’m a block scholar, call me Dollars, I don’t change
The singer uses a metaphor to describe himself as a scholar of the street, and tries to show that he is irreplaceable.
I’m a Rottweiler, diamond collar with gold fangs
The rapper describes himself as fierce and dangerous, with expensive accessories depicting his status and success.
Might even take the ‘R’ out of brother—why bother?
The rapper uses wordplay to say that he may even remove the 'respect' from 'brother,' emphasizing his indifference towards others.
Math verse Meth, this Civil War is a starter
The rapper refers to himself as 'math' and collaborator 'Meth' as they prepare to start a lyrical battle, seen as a civil war in hip-hop culture.
Trees burn 'em out, niggas is learning now
The singer uses a metaphor to describe how drugs burn out the users, and how criminals are caught and punished, leading to lessons learned.
We hog-tie little rappers, give 'em black eyes like Little Rascals
The rapper boasts about his superiority and aggression towards inexperienced and young rappers, comparing them to the Little Rascals who often got into fights.
What it sound like? Here's another sound, right
The rapper switches the focus to another sound, implying the prevalence of different types of sounds and noises in the hood.
The sound of a hundred rounds, blacked down at night
The singer describes the sound of gunfire and the danger it poses, especially at night when it is harder to see.
This is men and mouse shit, public service announcements
The singer describes the situation as being like a game of cat and mouse, and his lyrics serve as a warning and a call to action for the public.
What a fucked-up summer
The artist highlights the negative events and situations that occur in the summer, often a time of heightened activity in the hood.
Had a brand new come up
The artist had seen recent success or a financial breakthrough in the hood, which has now been disrupted.
This Fourth of July, bullets fly and the doves cry
The holiday has been marred by violence, with the loss of innocence and mourning depicted by the crying doves.
To lil tame his face in the R.I.P. White tee
The rapper references someone named Tame who has died, and depicts their face in a 'rest in peace' white t-shirt.
From a ricochet of the red bricks to the headpiece
The cause of Tame's death is described as a ricochet from the bricks in the environment, leading to a fatal head injury.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Clifford M Smith, Reggie Noble, Ronald Maurice Bean
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Julio Salviz
THIS IS REAL HIP HOP TO LISTEN IN THE CAR
Lee Dawkins
Used to have a shelf with 12 speakers on... this was always the best track to boom after finishing work and rolling a well earned joint
Dark Sharxx
There Now
Young-M
Joint time 🔥💎💭
Adam Gordon
ODB would’ve murdered this beat 🔥 R.I.P. ✊🏾
rubski 1978
Too bad he was in jail when this album dropped back in December 01
Man
I keep hearing “the stomp” verse over this beat
dmv tv
e-40 wlll rip dis song
Ralph
Streetlifee Bodied this joint ⚔️
Scotty Mac
One of the best songs ever made