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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One Blood Under W
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blood, blood, blood blood
You coulda from Rema, or ya come from Jungle
You coulda come from Fire House or
You come from Tower Hill
One blood, one blood, one blood
I was rollin', showin my age, unshaven
I walk with a slight lean from the weight of my heat
Givin' a green to shine infra-red beam
At the street traffic light recorders
Takin pictures of our corners
Cameras on the side of the buildings, we destroy 'em
The Chameleon throws cream to children, out the window
We movin' in unmarked vans, disguised as a light tan
With plastic faces and rubber hands
Fuck fame, I shoot a hole in a 50 cent piece to test my aim
How dare you call the Gods in vain
Not knowin' the seriousness of this and why I came
To Earth, feet first
I dare you lion tame to the beat of the drum
No questionin' to the session, I walk with gun
The magnum'll bust his head from many directions unknown
Another statistic, change the ballistics
On the nozzle, make em goggle and swallow
Scrape the craters of the brain for data
Old scriptures on withered paper
Beginnin take shape and form
When the Gods get on it and crash your college dorm
You coulda come from uptown, or you come from downtown
You coulda come from outta town, or you come from 'round town
One blood, one blood, one blood
The fussing and fighting
The tribal war, racial war
Cause blood, blood
Now verse 2, even more deadly than the first
Unrehearsed raw footage part 2 for you
I give this dedication, project elimination
He's a burnt offering, nothing up my sleeve
I'm just vanishin with the vanishin cream
Here's jewels to live by
Identify before you enter and can't leave with weed
Fuck that, we waste no time in search of those who can't breathe
A bomb only has one time to explode
When I break I'm takin' everything
Turn the city streets to Dusty Rhodes
Behold this return of the Invincible Tone
Rude like Governor Tuse and King Toustume
Who gave the order to bust 'em?
Don't ask this is Genuine Draft
Blueprint ultimate legit sting international, stone love classical
Comin' back, to attack in black fatigue
Wu-Tang and Junior Reid
You coulda come from Lebanon, or ya come from Iran
You coulda come from China, or ya come from Japan
One blood, one blood, one blood
You coulda come from uptown, or ya come from down south
You coulda come from outta town, or ya come from 'round town
One blood, one blood, one blood
The fussing and fighting
Tribal war, racial war
'Cause blood, blood, blood
Mothers fighting daughters every day
Fathers fighting sons
Sisters hating sisters
Rappers getting murdered, every day
You coulda come from Lima, or come from Georgia
You coulda come fire outside or come from Hawaii
One blood, one blood, one blood
You coulda come from Brook-a-lyn, or you come from Bronx
You coulda come from queens, or ya come from Jersey
One blood, one blood, one blood
You coulda come from Long Island, or ya come from Philly
You coulda from Canada, or ya from from over south
One blood, one blood, one blood
The Wu-Tang Clan's song "One Blood Under W" is a powerful commentary on the senseless violence and tribal wars that have plagued humanity throughout history. The song begins with the haunting line, "Modern vampires of the city, hunting blood," which sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The repeated refrain of "one blood" emphasizes the fact that despite our differences, we are all connected as human beings.
The first verse describes a gritty urban landscape filled with violence and paranoia. The singer walks with a "slight lean" from the weight of his gun, and he describes destroying cameras and moving in unmarked vans. He is a warrior, ready to defend his identity and his people with deadly force. The verse ends with a challenge to those who would call upon the gods in vain, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
The second verse is even more confrontational, with references to "project elimination" and "rudeness." The singer describes himself as "invincible," ready to take on anyone who challenges him. He also references the Wu-Tang Clan's partnership with Junior Reid, a Jamaican reggae artist whose vocals are heard throughout the song. The nationalist message of the song is emphasized by the references to different countries and regions, from Lebanon and Iran to Brook-a-lyn and the Bronx.
Overall, "One Blood Under W" is a powerful and thought-provoking song that challenges us to look beyond our tribal affiliations and recognize our common humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
Modern vampires of the city, hunting blood
People in the city who crave and seek blood like vampires
Blood, blood, blood blood
Repetition of the word blood to emphasize the theme of the song
You coulda from Rema, or ya come from Jungle
Regardless of where someone comes from, they are still part of the same human race
You coulda come from Fire House or
No matter where someone originates or lives, they are all human beings
You come from Tower Hill
Different backgrounds and origins don't matter when people have the same blood and humanity
One blood, one blood, one blood
No matter where someone comes from, they are still part of the same human race
I was rollin', showin my age, unshaven
The singer is describing his appearance - driving around looking older with facial hair
Rugged with my Timberland boots that paid
The artist is wearing expensive boots but still has a rugged appearance
I walk with a slight lean from the weight of my heat
The artist is carrying a gun which causes him to walk with a slight tilt
Givin' a green to shine infra-red beam
The artist is using money to take care of his weapon by adding a green laser sight
At the street traffic light recorders
The singer is talking about the cameras that record traffic lights and intersections
Takin pictures of our corners
The artist is referring to the cameras that take pictures of the surroundings, possibly to document the neighborhoods
Cameras on the side of the buildings, we destroy 'em
The singer and his crew destroy the cameras because they don't want to be surveilled
The Chameleon throws cream to children, out the window
The singer uses the word chameleon to refer to himself, and he throws money to children from his vehicle
We movin' in unmarked vans, disguised as a light tan
The singer and his crew travel in unmarked vans that are painted to look like light-colored vehicles
With plastic faces and rubber hands
The artist and his crew wear masks and gloves to avoid being identified
Fuck fame, I shoot a hole in a 50 cent piece to test my aim
The artist is not interested in fame, and he tests his shooting skills by shooting at a 50 cent coin
How dare you call the Gods in vain
The singer is challenging anyone who falsely calls themselves a god or claims to be divine
Not knowin' the seriousness of this and why I came
People who make false claims about being a god or divine are not taking the matter seriously
To Earth, feet first
The artist is saying that he was born on Earth just like everyone else
I dare you lion tame to the beat of the drum
The artist challenges anyone to try to tame a lion to the beat of a drum
No questionin' to the session, I walk with gun
The artist carries a gun at all times and is ready for any situation that may arise
The magnum'll bust his head from many directions unknown
The singer's magnum gun can shoot someone from various angles without them realizing where the shot came from
Another statistic, change the ballistics
A reference to gun violence and how each shooting becomes just another statistic
On the nozzle, make em goggle and swallow
The singer is saying that the nozzle of his gun will leave someone gaping and in shock
Scrape the craters of the brain for data
The singer might remove someone's skull to gather information from their brain
Old scriptures on withered paper
The singer is referring to old and important documents that are slowly decaying
Beginnin take shape and form
The artist is hinting at the idea of reconstructing the past by piecing old artifacts together
When the Gods get on it and crash your college dorm
The artist is saying that a powerful entity will eventually expose the truth about what happened in a particular college dorm room
The fussing and fighting
Refers to conflict between people
The tribal war, racial war
The conflict that is happening between different ethnic groups and races
Cause blood, blood
The result of the conflict is bloodshed
Now verse 2, even more deadly than the first
The second verse of the song is even more intense than the first
Unrehearsed raw footage part 2 for you
The artist is describing the song as a raw, unfiltered continuation of the first verse
I give this dedication, project elimination
The singer is dedicating the rest of the song to eliminating a certain project that is harmful or dangerous
He's a burnt offering, nothing up my sleeve
The artist is saying that his adversary is already defeated, and he doesn't have to hide any tricks
I'm just vanishin with the vanishin cream
The singer is escaping with the ill-gotten gains
Here's jewels to live by
The singer is offering advice or wisdom to the listener
Identify before you enter and can't leave with weed
The singer is warning people to identify themselves before entering an area with marijuana, so they don't get stuck there
Fuck that, we waste no time in search of those who can't breathe
The artist doesn't waste time searching for people who can't handle themselves
A bomb only has one time to explode
Once a bomb goes off, there's no turning back
When I break I'm takin' everything
The singer is saying that when he is ready to act, he is going all out
Turn the city streets to Dusty Rhodes
The singer is referencing a wrestler and is saying that he will cause chaos and destruction
Behold this return of the Invincible Tone
The artist is introducing himself as the invincible or unbeatable one
Rude like Governor Tuse and King Toustume
The artist is comparing himself to two powerful individuals
Who gave the order to bust 'em?
The artist is asking who authorized the attack
Don't ask this is Genuine Draft
The singer is saying that this is not a copy or imitation, but is an original creation
Blueprint ultimate legit sting international, stone love classical
The artist is saying that the attack is carefully planned and is a perfect representation of his craft
Comin' back, to attack in black fatigue
The singer is saying that he will return to continue his attacks while wearing black military clothing
Wu-Tang and Junior Reid
A reference to two groups/artists who worked together on the song
Mothers fighting daughters every day
Families are struggling and individuals are fighting with each other
Fathers fighting sons
More family conflict between fathers and sons
Sisters hating sisters
Sibling rivalry and hatred is present
Rappers getting murdered, every day
Rappers are being killed at an alarming rate
You coulda come from Lima, or come from Georgia
Different geographical locations and backgrounds are irrelevant when it comes to human blood
You coulda come fire outside or come from Hawaii
The origin of a person or their past is not important when it comes to their humanity
You coulda come from Brook-a-lyn, or you come from Bronx
Different neighborhoods and areas are irrelevant when people share the same blood
You coulda come from queens, or ya come from Jersey
Where a person comes from does not define their identity as a human being
You coulda come from Long Island, or ya come from Philly
Different places of origin are not important when everyone has the same basic human characteristics
You coulda from Canada, or ya from from over south
No matter where someone is from, they are part of the human race
One blood, one blood, one blood
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the idea that everyone shares the same basic characteristics and humanity
The fussing and fighting
People quarreling and arguing
Tribal war, racial war
The conflict and tension between different ethnic groups and races
'Cause blood, blood, blood
The end result of conflict and violence is bloodshed
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MONTY NORMAN, JUNIOR REID, ELGIN TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind