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.
www.wutang-corp.com
Penny Loafers
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
living the greatest story ever told ya
A penny for your thoughts a nickel for your kiss a nine if you tell me that you love me
A strong soldier stand firms and eats kosher
living the greatest story ever told ya
The lyrics in Penny Loafers by Wu-Tang Clan present a clear and confident message about living life with strength, purpose, and moral conviction. The phrase "a strong soldier stands firm and eats kosher" is a nod to both physical and spiritual strength, as the soldier is not only firm in his physical stance but also observes a strict dietary code. The line "living the greatest story ever told ya" suggests that this soldier is living a life worth emulating, perhaps even one that will be remembered and celebrated in the future just as great stories from history are remembered today.
The repetition of the line "a penny for your thoughts, a nickel for your kiss, a nine if you tell me that you love me" creates a sense of currency within the lyrics, as though emotions and thoughts can be exchanged like money. The amounts mentioned are all very small, suggesting that these exchanges are commonplace and not particularly valuable. However, the inclusion of the number nine in the final segment suggests that an expression of love is worth exponentially more than a mere thought or kiss.
Overall, the lyrics in Penny Loafers are both confident and simplistic, relying on strong imagery and repetition to convey a message of strength, conviction, and the value of genuine emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
A strong soldier stands firm and eat kosher
A powerful warrior remains steadfast in their convictions and follows the dietary laws set forth in Judaism.
Living the greatest story ever told ya
Living a life that is worthy of being retold as an epic tale of grandeur and triumph.
A penny for your thoughts a nickel for your kiss a nine if you tell me that you love me
Various amounts of money offered in exchange for different levels of intimacy or vulnerability.
Contributed by Hailey D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@gali9975
Banger 💯
@TheLesaneParishCrook
Real Shiit.. Wu 4 Life
@beattsar
yeah DOPE!
@Flangzor
@thedarkestcloud: changed it, thx for the hint
@akreal187
EPIC
@alexanderc.vargas8932
a like this sheet
@eddiewilliams7171
Wu 4life
@jamborerik129
true madafcking gangsta nigga maan
@thedarkestcloud
the're not black knights of the north star, black knights of the north star were the west coast wu tang killa beez, they're from NY and just black knights
@MediaRuger
they all come from west coast