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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Lyrical Swords
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Intro: Ras Kass]
Uh, Dreddy Kruger, what up, my nigga?
Yeah, GZA, you know, uh, Rassy, you know
Shouts out to my nigga Wreckonize, all my MIA
[GZA]
Ahead of time, competition not even half close
Let's say, by no means, an equal value
Prematurely brought to play, I'll never allow you
To strike first, so precautions must be taken
And what's worst? When you're just fronting and faking
It's a shame when the sixteen bars are just a waste
And every line or word, is badly placed
Even dealing with the narrow window of time
My arrangements, are quick, shutting down your power lines
On a bunch of small puppets, with a wack ass team
That only move, at a push of a button that pull strings
Bad boys move in silence, secretly fading in
Unlike fake gangstas and ya wannabe made men
Acting like they carry the gun that killed Lincoln
Or they rolling with two hundred murderers from Kingston
[Ras Kass]
Our goal is to learn y'all niggaz, about this new world order
But I'm still try'nna run up in the president's daughter
He the auditor, ain't let the NARC's see this barker
Stick to bitches walls like I'm Peter Parker
The Vida Guerrera sidekick hacker
Five niggaz licked, on the Internet jacked her
Dog, I'm not a rapper, I'm the black Dracula
Nosferatu, spitting darts at you, out of black Acura
Homies is gat packers, rat packer
Fly nigga, I'm the venomous stack attractor
Mack attacker, pimp slapper, the track cracker
Epitome of nice, after rainbow, press the laughter
And y'all niggaz is the worst, like fat chicks with little kicks
If your names not YKK, then get off my dick
Bitch, I hang with the trillest, and that's why 5 percent
Is college kids and next felons fillers
I'm sick with the words, Waterproof and Liquid Swords
The world never heard this before, call me Mr. More
'cause more money, more murder, and more spit to serve
In Wu-Tang Clan's song "Lyrical Swords," GZA and Ras Kass rap about their superiority in hip-hop, with GZA focusing on his advanced rhyming skills and Ras Kass boasting about his knowledge of the new world order. GZA's lyrics center around his ability to shut down opponents with his quick wit and precise rhymes. He warns against fakers and those with weak rhymes, stating that his bars are never a waste of time, even given the tight window of time for rap verses. He asserts his power and silences his foes with his careful arrangement of words and rhymes. On the other hand, Ras Kass focuses on his subversive knowledge of conspiracies and secret organizations, stating that his goal is to educate others about the new world order. He boasts about wanting to sneak into the president's daughter's bedroom and his ability to hack into systems.
Throughout the song, both rappers use metaphors and similes to convey their messages. GZA likens his opponents to small puppets controlled by a wack ass team, while Ras Kass compares himself to black Dracula or the epitome of nice. The lyrics of "Lyrical Swords" convey their confidence and dominate presence in hip-hop, showing their ability to cut down other rappers with their sharp rhymes and secretive knowledge.
Line by Line Meaning
Formed in very a strong advanced post, east to west coast
Wu-Tang Clan has its roots spread far and wide, from the east coast to west, making it a force to be reckoned with.
Ahead of time, competition not even half close
No one can compete with them, for they are ahead of their time.
Let's say, by no means, an equal value
They are beyond compare, for they are priceless.
Prematurely brought to play, I'll never allow you
They will not let themselves be played before it's the right time for them.
To strike first, so precautions must be taken
They are always ahead of the game, taking precautions before anyone can attempt to strike them.
And what's worst? When you're just fronting and faking
It's even worse when someone is pretending to be something they're not.
It's a shame when the sixteen bars are just a waste
It's a shame when people waste their potential by delivering subpar bars.
And every line or word, is badly placed
It's even worse when those bars are badly written and poorly delivered.
Even dealing with the narrow window of time
Even with limited time, they are able to create powerful and efficient lyrics.
My arrangements, are quick, shutting down your power lines
Their lyrics and rhymes are so powerful, they can shut down their competitors in a matter of seconds.
On a bunch of small puppets, with a wack ass team
Their competitors are like marionettes, being controlled by a weak team.
That only move, at a push of a button that pull strings
Their competitors only move when they are told to, rather than being in control of their own music and style.
Bad boys move in silence, secretly fading in
They move in silence like true bad boys, stealthily slipping into the scene.
Unlike fake gangstas and ya wannabe made men
They are not fake gangsters, nor do they pretend to be big shots.
Acting like they carry the gun that killed Lincoln
They are not pretending to be someone they're not, like someone who carried the gun that killed President Lincoln.
Or they rolling with two hundred murderers from Kingston
Nor are they pretending to be friends with hundreds of murderers from Kingston.
Our goal is to learn y'all niggaz, about this new world order
Their goal is to educate their listeners about the new world order.
But I'm still try'nna run up in the president's daughter
But at the same time, they are still trying to go after big targets, like the president's daughter.
He the auditor, ain't let the NARC's see this barker
The auditor is keeping their secret plans hidden from the police and other authority figures.
Stick to bitches walls like I'm Peter Parker
They are sneaky like Spider-Man, sticking to the walls of their targets.
The Vida Guerrera sidekick hacker
They are like a sidekick hacker, always helping out and supporting their team.
Five niggaz licked, on the Internet jacked her
They were able to hack into someone's online accounts and steal information.
Dog, I'm not a rapper, I'm the black Dracula
He's not just a regular rapper, but a unique and powerful force, like Dracula.
Nosferatu, spitting darts at you, out of black Acura
Like Nosferatu, he spits out powerful lyrics, all while driving a powerful black Acura.
Homies is gat packers, rat packer
His crew carries guns and are strong together.
Fly nigga, I'm the venomous stack attractor
He's a fly guy who is able to attract money and success like a venomous snake.
Mack attacker, pimp slapper, the track cracker
He's a smooth operator who can seduce and control people, both on and off the track.
Epitome of nice, after rainbow, press the laughter
He's the perfect example of being nice, and at the end of the rainbow, he brings laughter and joy.
And y'all niggaz is the worst, like fat chicks with little kicks
His competitors are pathetic and weak, like overweight women trying to dance.
If your names not YKK, then get off my dick
If you're not worth his time or attention, then he doesn't want anything to do with you.
Bitch, I hang with the trillest, and that's why 5 percent
He surrounds himself with the realest people, which is why he is in the top 5%.
Is college kids and next felons fillers
These people are a mix of college students and future felons, creating a diverse and powerful group.
I'm sick with the words, Waterproof and Liquid Swords
He is incredibly gifted with words, creating lyrics that are both Waterproof and comparable to Liquid Swords.
The world never heard this before, call me Mr. More
His lyrics are so unique and powerful, that the world has never heard anything like it, and he will always strive to create more.
'cause more money, more murder, and more spit to serve
They will continue to create more music and lyrics, always striving for more money, and in turn, more power and influence.
Lyrics ยฉ O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carlin843
Everybody talking about GZA, but Ras killed it just as good. He doesnโt get enough love.
@stephensciarabba4262
Iโve never heard a wack rad kass verse
@willkennedy519
Ras Murders this.
@sjfootball1692
Iโm not sure about that but Ras was still good
@laurenmastroviti6543
They both killed it
@ttuna2413
True dat
@BboySquidfoot
GZA is a lyrical monster holy fuck
@RokiBossable
+Alvin Leย indeed!!!!
@gabrielsergio9902
Lyrical GENIUS.
@tyronefoster9470
Lol!๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ