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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Jah World > featuring Junior Reid
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
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Yeah, stanyoi, whoi
Oh, God, I beg for forgiveness
So help me, Lord, yes, I beg for forgiveness
Deep in my heart, please, I'm cryin' for forgiveness
Allah, You Akbar, I fall to my knees for forgiveness
Ladies bein' hit through wickedness, I'm losin' my grip
I thought we lived by the books, The Bible, Koran
We pick cotton, my back is still hot an' dark
An' they threw burners in our babies' faces
Pale hands that looked scary touched our bodies in the strangest places
Sweat from the white man's head
Fell on our daughters as she cried givin' white man head
Almighty, alrighty, niggas is screwin'
God won't You tell me why these ho niggas is screwin'?
I'm sorry, Father, sacrifice me, leave my wife
Sacrifice me twice, so my kids can see paradise
So we heed our God, King Selassie I
Jahova God, Jah Rastafari
Who is seated in Zion an' reigneth in all
In the hearts of all flesh, oh
Let my task, oh, Jah, with them that strive with me
Fight against them, oh, that fight against me, oh
Take hold thy shield an' rock an' stand up for my health
Oh, Jah, oh, Jah, only you can comfort me
La la la
Whoi, stand out
Curse to the wicked snakes who try to snatch the truth away
Cursed be the ones who try to take our youth away
Peace to the black, the brown, the red, yellow an' white seed
We don't discriminate man over color, creed
They tried to snatch up our beats, son an' steal our culture
An' German Catholics, whitewashin' Roman sculptures
How dare you try to deny Allah's intelligence?
Kidnap the truth an' destroyin' the black evidence
Glory be to the Father, Glory be to the Son
Glory be to the Holy One, the Holy One of creation, whoi
As Jah was in the beginnin', is now an' forever shall be
Jah world, Jah world without end, whoi
So we heed our God, King Selassie I
Jahova God, Jah Rastafari
Who is seated in Zion an' reigneth in the hearts of
In the hearts of all flesh, whoi
The song "Jah World" by Wu-Tang Clan speaks about social justice, equality, and spirituality. The phrase "Jah World" refers to the world of Rastafarianism, which is a religion that originated in Jamaica. The song mentions different religious figures, such as King Selassie I, Allah, and Jahova God, as well as holy texts, including The Bible and Koran. The lyrics also allude to the dark history of slavery, racism, and oppression that African Americans faced in the United States.
The first verse of the song talks about speaking in tongues, which refers to the ability to communicate in a divine language. The lyrics also beg for forgiveness and show a deep sense of remorse for past wrongdoings. The second verse speaks about the brutality of slavery, describing the physical and emotional trauma inflicted on slaves. The following verse talks about the attempted erasure of black culture and history by white people, and how this is an act of disrespect towards God's intelligence. The chorus repeats the phrase "Jah World" and emphasizes the idea of God's presence in all humans.
Line by Line Meaning
Him speaketh in tongues, embedded into the hearts of all flesh
The message of God is engraved in everyone's soul and is delivered in many languages and forms.
Oh, God, I beg for forgiveness
A plea to the Almighty to grant forgiveness for past transgressions.
Branded by the steel iron, bullets flyin'
Refers to the physical and emotional scars of slavery that still haunt the black community.
Ladies bein' hit through wickedness, I'm losin' my grip
Expresses the frustration and anger at the violence and mistreatment of women in society.
I'm sorry, Father, sacrifice me, leave my wife
A willingness to make any sacrifice, including one's own life, to protect one's family and loved ones.
So we heed our God, King Selassie I
Acknowledges the power and influence of Emperor Haile Selassie I as a religious and political leader.
Curse to the wicked snakes who try to snatch the truth away
A condemnation of those who seek to conceal or destroy the truth and knowledge about black history and culture.
Peace to the black, the brown, the red, yellow an' white seed
A call for unity and solidarity among people of all races and ethnicities.
Glory be to the Father, Glory be to the Son
Praise and adoration for the Holy Trinity in the Christian faith.
As Jah was in the beginnin', is now an' forever shall be
God's existence is eternal and unchanging.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: DENNIS COLES, ROBERT F. DIGGS, JUNIOR REID
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind