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
Protect Ya Neck
Wu-Tang Clan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Coolin', man
Chillin' chilin'? Yo, you know I had to call, you know why right?
Why?
Because, yo, I never ever call and ask you to play somethin', right?
Yeah
You know what I wanna hear, right?
What you wanna hear?
Wu-Tang again?
Ah, yeah, again and again
Wu-Tang Clan comin' at ya
Watch your step, kid
Watch your step, kid (protect ya neck, kid)
Watch your step, kid (so set it off)
Watch your step, kid
Watch your step, kid
Watch your step, kid (The Inspectah Deck)
I smoke on the mic like smokin' Joe Frazier
The hell-raiser, raising hell with the flavor
Terrorize the jam like troops in Pakistan
Swinging through your town like your neighborhood Spider-Man
So uh, tick-tock and keep ticking
While I get you flipping off the shit I'm kicking
The Lone Ranger, code red, danger
Deep in the dark with the art to rip the charts apart
The vandal, too hot to handle
You battle, you're saying "Goodbye" like Tevin Campbell
Roughneck, Inspectah Deck's on the set
The rebel, I make more noise than heavy metal
The way I make the crowd go wild
Sit back, relax, won't smile
Rae got it going on, pal, call me the rap assassinator
Rhymes rugged and built like Schwarzenegger
And I'ma get mad deep like a threat, blow up your project
Then take all your assets
'Cause I came to shake the frame in half
With the thoughts that bomb shit like math
So if you wanna try to flip, go flip on the next man
'Cause I grab the clip, and
Hit you with 16 shots and more, I got
Going to war with the melting pot, hot
It's the Method Man, for short, Mr. Meth
Moving on your left, ah
And set it off, get it off, let it off like a gat
I wanna break, fool, cock me back
Small change, they putting shame in the game
I take aim and blow that nigga out the frame
And like Fame, my style will live forever
Niggas crossing over like they don't know no better
But I do, true, can I get a "suu"
'Nough respect due to the one-six-ooh
I mean oh, yo, check out the flow
Like the Hudson, or PCP when I'm dustin'
Niggas off, because I'm hot like sauce
The smoke from the lyrical blunt make me (uh)
Ooh, what, grab my nut, get screwed
Ow, here comes my Shaolin style
True B-A-ba-B-Y-U
To my crew with the "suu"
Yeah, yeah, yeah (watch your step, kid)
(Watch your step, kid, watch your step, kid)
Come on, baby, baby, come on (protect ya neck)
(Watch your step, kid, watch your step, kid)
Come on, baby, baby, come on (watch your step, kid)
(Watch your step, kid, watch your step, kid)
Yo, you best protect ya neck
First things first, man, you're fucking with the worst
I'll be sticking pins in your head like a fucking nurse
I'll attack any nigga who slack in his MAC
Come fully packed with a fat rugged stack
Shame on you when you stepped through to
The Ol' Dirty Bastard straight from the Brooklyn Zoo
And I'll be damned if I let any man
Come to my center, you enter the winter
Straight up and down, that shit packed jam
You can't slam, don't let me get fool on him, man
The Ol' Dirty Bastard is dirty and stinking
Ason Unique rolling with the night of the creeps
Niggas be rolling with a stash
Ain't saying cash, bite my style, I'll bite your motherfucking ass
For crying out loud, my style is wild, so book me
Not long is how long that this rhyme took me
Ejecting styles from my lethal weapon
My pen that rocks from here to Oregon
Here's more again, catch it like a psycho flashback
I love gats, if rap was a gun, you wouldn't bust back
I come with shit that's all types of shapes and sounds
And where I lounge is my stomping grounds
I give a order to my peeps across the water
To go and snatch up props all around the border
And get far like a shooting star
'Cause who I are is livin' the life of Pablo Escobar
Point blank as I kick the square biz
There it is, you're fucking with pros and there it goes
Yo, chill with the feedback, black, we don't need that
It's 10 o'clock, ho, where the fuck's your seed at?
Feeling mad hostile, wearing Aeropostale
Flowing like Christ when I speaks the gospel
Stroll with the holy roll, then attack the globe with the buckest style
The ruckus, ten times ten men, committing mad sin
Turn the other cheek and I'll break your fucking chin
Slaying boom-bangs like African drums (he'll be)
Coming around the mountain when I come
Crazy flamboyant for the rap enjoyment
My clan increase like black unemployment
Yeah, another one down, G-G-Genius
Take us the fuck outta here
The Wu is too slammin' for these Cold Killin' labels
Some ain't had hits since I seen Aunt Mabel
Be doing artists in like Cain did Abel
Now they money's getting stuck to the gum under the table
That's what you get when you misuse what I invent
Your empire falls and you lose every cent
For trying to blow up a scrub
Now that thought was just as bright as a 20-watt light bulb
Should've pumped it when I rocked it
Niggas so stingy, they got short arms and deep pockets
This goes on in some companies
With majors, they're scared to death to pump these
First of all, who's your A&R?
A mountain climber who plays an electric guitar?
But he don't know the meaning of "dope"
When he's looking for a "suit-and-tie rap"
That's cleaner than a bar of soap
And I'm the dirtiest thing in sight
Matter of fact, bring out the girls and let's have a mud fight
You best protect ya neck (watch your step, kid)
You best protect ya neck (watch your step, kid)
You best protect ya neck (watch your step, kid)
You best protect ya neck (watch your step, kid)
The introduction to Wu-Tang Clan's "Protect Ya Neck" features a conversation between two friends, in which one requests that the other play a Wu-Tang song. The rest of the lyrics are then a showcase of the group's unique style and individual talents, with each member taking turns on the mic to deliver hard-hitting rhymes and clever wordplay.
The lyrics draw on a variety of inspirations and cultural references, incorporating everything from boxing to comic book superheroes to Pablo Escobar. The group's use of colorful language and vivid imagery helps to create a powerful sense of atmosphere and intensity, making "Protect Ya Neck" a standout track in the Wu-Tang Clan's discography.
One of the most interesting aspects of the song is the way that it showcases the individual talents of each member of the group. Rather than presenting a unified front, the Wu-Tang Clan allows each of its members to shine in their own unique way, creating a sense of diversity and variety that is rare in hip-hop music. Additionally, the song's use of unconventional samples and instrumentation gives it a distinctive sound that has influenced countless other artists in the years since its release.
Line by Line Meaning
So wassup, man?
Hey, what's up?
Coolin', man
I'm doing well, man
Chillin' chilin'? Yo, you know I had to call, you know why right?
Are you relaxing? Hey, you know I had to call you, do you know why?
Why?
Why?
Because, yo, I never ever call and ask you to play somethin', right?
Because, listen, I never call and ask you to play something, right?
Yeah
Yeah
You know what I wanna hear, right?
You know what I want to hear, right?
What you wanna hear?
What do you want to hear?
I wanna hear that Wu-Tang joint
I want to hear that Wu-Tang song
Wu-Tang again?
Wu-Tang again?
Ah, yeah, again and again
Yes, again and again
Wu-Tang Clan comin' at ya
Wu-Tang Clan is coming at you
Watch your step, kid
Be careful, kid
Watch your step, kid (protect ya neck, kid)
Be cautious, kid (protect yourself, kid)
Watch your step, kid (so set it off)
Be mindful, kid (so start it off)
Watch your step, kid
Be cautious, kid
Watch your step, kid
Be cautious, kid
Watch your step, kid (The Inspectah Deck)
Be careful, kid (The Inspectah Deck)
I smoke on the mic like smokin' Joe Frazier
I rap on the microphone with intensity, like Smokin' Joe Frazier
The hell-raiser, raising hell with the flavor
I bring excitement and chaos with my unique style
Terrorize the jam like troops in Pakistan
I intimidate the music scene like soldiers in Pakistan
Swinging through your town like your neighborhood Spider-Man
I move through your town with agility and presence, like your local superhero Spider-Man
So uh, tick-tock and keep ticking
So, the time is passing, keep moving
While I get you flipping off the shit I'm kicking
While I captivate you with the content of my lyrics
The Lone Ranger, code red, danger
I am like the Lone Ranger, a symbol of danger and urgency
Deep in the dark with the art to rip the charts apart
I possess the skills and creativity to dominate the music charts
The vandal, too hot to handle
I am like a destructive force, too powerful to control
You battle, you're saying "Goodbye" like Tevin Campbell
If you try to challenge me, you'll lose and be defeated like Tevin Campbell's career
Roughneck, Inspectah Deck's on the set
I am a tough and fearless rapper, and Inspectah Deck is here to perform
The rebel, I make more noise than heavy metal
I am a rebel, making a louder impact than heavy metal music
The way I make the crowd go wild
My performance and energy excite the audience
Sit back, relax, won't smile
Take a seat, relax, and don't expect me to smile
Rae got it going on, pal, call me the rap assassinator
My friend, Raekwon, has great influence in the rap game, and I am known as the rap assassinator
Rhymes rugged and built like Schwarzenegger
My rhymes are tough and strong, like Schwarzenegger's physique
And I'ma get mad deep like a threat, blow up your project
I will delve into deep topics, like a threat, and demolish your project
Then take all your assets
Then I will take away everything you own
'Cause I came to shake the frame in half
I came to shake the music industry and disrupt the norm
With the thoughts that bomb shit like math
With my profound thoughts, I cause explosive impact like mathematical equations
So if you wanna try to flip, go flip on the next man
So if you want to challenge someone, go challenge someone else
'Cause I grab the clip, and
Because I am prepared and ready
Hit you with 16 shots and more, I got
I will attack you with 16 verses and even more, I have plenty
Going to war with the melting pot, hot
Engaging in battle with the diverse and intense rap scene
It's the Method Man, for short, Mr. Meth
I am Method Man, but you can call me Mr. Meth
Moving on your left, ah
I am making moves on your left side, ah
And set it off, get it off, let it off like a gat
And I start the energy, release it, and let it go, like a gun
I wanna break, fool, cock me back
I want to break the chains, fool, load me back
Small change, they putting shame in the game
Minor figures are causing disgrace in the rap game
I take aim and blow that nigga out the frame
I target and destroy that person completely
And like Fame, my style will live forever
Just like Fame, my style will be immortal
Niggas crossing over like they don't know no better
Rappers are crossing over to different styles without knowing what's best
But I do, true, can I get a "suu"
But I know, it's true, can I get a "suu"
'Nough respect due to the one-six-ooh
Enough respect given to the 160th street, a reference to their neighborhood
I mean oh, yo, check out the flow
I mean, oh, hey, check out my fluent delivery
Like the Hudson, or PCP when I'm dustin'
Like the Hudson River, or like someone intoxicated with PCP when I'm performing
Niggas off, because I'm hot like sauce
People go crazy, because I'm hot like sauce
The smoke from the lyrical blunt make me (uh)
The lyrical smoke excites me (uh)
Ooh, what, grab my nut, get screwed
Oh, what, I am expressing my dominance, getting ready for action
Ow, here comes my Shaolin style
Ow, here comes my unique and powerful style from Shaolin
True B-A-ba-B-Y-U
True B-A-ba-B-Y-U
To my crew with the "suu"
To my crew with the "suu"
Yeah, yeah, yeah (watch your step, kid)
Yeah, yeah, yeah (be careful, kid)
(Watch your step, kid, watch your step, kid)
(Be mindful, kid, be mindful, kid)
Come on, baby, baby, come on (protect ya neck)
Come on, baby, baby, come on (protect yourself)
(Watch your step, kid, watch your step, kid)
(Be cautious, kid, be cautious, kid)
Come on, baby, baby, come on (watch your step, kid)
Come on, baby, baby, come on (be careful, kid)
(Watch your step, kid, watch your step, kid)
(Be cautious, kid, be cautious, kid)
Yo, you best protect ya neck
Hey, you better protect yourself
First things first, man, you're fucking with the worst
First things first, man, you're messing with the most dangerous
I'll be sticking pins in your head like a fucking nurse
I'll be causing you pain and making an impact, just like a nurse with needles
I'll attack any nigga who slack in his MAC
I will attack any rapper who is lazy or lacks skill
Come fully packed with a fat rugged stack
I come prepared with a thick and powerful stack of lyrics
Shame on you when you stepped through to
Shame on you when you entered
The Ol' Dirty Bastard straight from the Brooklyn Zoo
The Ol' Dirty Bastard from the wild streets of Brooklyn
And I'll be damned if I let any man
And I won't allow any man
Come to my center, you enter the winter
Come into my territory, you will face tough times
Straight up and down, that shit packed jam
Direct and intense, that song is packed with energy
You can't slam, don't let me get fool on him, man
You can't defeat me, don't make me go crazy on him, man
The Ol' Dirty Bastard is dirty and stinking
The Ol' Dirty Bastard is unclean and foul-smelling
Ason Unique rolling with the night of the creeps
Ason Unique, a.k.a Ol' Dirty Bastard, hanging out with troublemakers
Niggas be rolling with a stash
People are moving around with valuable things
Ain't saying cash, bite my style, I'll bite your motherfucking ass
They don't openly talk about money, they imitate my style, I'll retaliate severely
For crying out loud, my style is wild, so book me
Seriously, my style is unpredictable, so hire me
Not long is how long that this rhyme took me
It didn't take me long to come up with this rhyme
Ejecting styles from my lethal weapon
I am releasing various styles from my lethal weapon, which is rap
My pen that rocks from here to Oregon
My pen is powerful and influential, reaching from here to Oregon
Here's more again, catch it like a psycho flashback
Here's more of my talent again, catch it like a sudden memory
I love gats, if rap was a gun, you wouldn't bust back
I love rap music, if rap was a gun, you wouldn't retaliate
I come with shit that's all types of shapes and sounds
I come with diverse and unique content
And where I lounge is my stomping grounds
And where I hang out is my territory
I give a order to my peeps across the water
I give instructions to my friends overseas
To go and snatch up props all around the border
To go and gather respect and recognition in every corner
And get far like a shooting star
And become famous and successful, like a shooting star
'Cause who I are is livin' the life of Pablo Escobar
Because who I am, I am living a life similar to Pablo Escobar's
Point blank as I kick the square biz
Directly and straightforwardly, I deliver the real business
There it is, you're fucking with pros and there it goes
There it is, you're messing with experienced professionals and there it ends
Yo, chill with the feedback, black, we don't need that
Hey, calm down with the unnecessary criticism, my friend, we don't need it
It's 10 o'clock, ho, where the fuck's your seed at?
It's 10 o'clock, hey, where the hell are your children?
Feeling mad hostile, wearing Aeropostale
Feeling extremely aggressive, dressed in Aeropostale clothing
Flowing like Christ when I speaks the gospel
My flow is smooth and powerful, like the words spoken in the gospel
Stroll with the holy roll, then attack the globe with the buckest style
I walk with the righteous and then dominate the world with the greatest style
The ruckus, ten times ten men, committing mad sin
I cause chaos, with a group of powerful men, engaging in reckless behavior
Turn the other cheek and I'll break your fucking chin
If you try to ignore me, I'll physically harm you
Slaying boom-bangs like African drums (he'll be)
Killing the beats, like African drums (he'll be)
Coming around the mountain when I come
I arrive with great intensity and impact
Crazy flamboyant for the rap enjoyment
Wild and flashy, for the love of rap
My clan increase like black unemployment
My crew keeps growing, just like the rate of black unemployment
Yeah, another one down, G-G-Genius
Yeah, another rapper defeated, G-G-Genius
Take us the fuck outta here
Get us out of here
The Wu is too slammin' for these Cold Killin' labels
The Wu-Tang Clan is too amazing for these record labels to handle
Some ain't had hits since I seen Aunt Mabel
Some haven't had a hit song since I last saw Aunt Mabel
Be doing artists in like Cain did Abel
They are destroying artists' careers, just like Cain destroyed Abel
Now they money's getting stuck to the gum under the table
Now their money is getting taken away from them, it's like gum stuck under a table
That's what you get when you misuse what I invent
That's what you get when you use my creations improperly
Your empire falls and you lose every cent
Your empire crumbles, and you lose all your wealth
For trying to blow up a scrub
For attempting to make a nobody famous
Now that thought was just as bright as a 20-watt light bulb
That idea was as dumb as a 20-watt light bulb
Should've pumped it when I rocked it
They should have promoted it when I performed it
Niggas so stingy, they got short arms and deep pockets
People are so stingy, they have short arms (lack of generosity) and deep pockets (wealth)
This goes on in some companies
This happens in some record labels
With majors, they're scared to death to pump these
Major labels are too afraid to promote artists like me
First of all, who's your A&R?
First of all, who is your A&R (Artist and Repertoire)?
A mountain climber who plays an electric guitar?
A mountain climber who also plays an electric guitar?
But he don't know the meaning of "dope"
But he doesn't understand the true meaning of "dope" (excellent)
When he's looking for a "suit-and-tie rap"
When he's searching for a polished and clean-cut style of rap
That's cleaner than a bar of soap
That is more morally upright than a bar of soap
And I'm the dirtiest thing in sight
And I am the most rebellious and scandalous presence around
Matter of fact, bring out the girls and let's have a mud fight
Actually, bring out the women and let's have a wild and dirty fight
You best protect ya neck (watch your step, kid)
You better protect yourself (be careful, kid)
You best protect ya neck (watch your step, kid)
You better protect yourself (be careful, kid)
You best protect ya neck (watch your step, kid)
You better protect yourself (be careful, kid)
You best protect ya neck (watch your step, kid)
You better protect yourself (be careful, kid)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Clifford Smith, Corey Woods, Dennis David Coles, Gary E. Grice, Jason Hunter, Lamont Hawkins, Robert F. Diggs, Russell T. Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mikeneidlinger8857
I got a Cranberry Vanilla Ice Cherry Strawberry
Beverage
For leverage
I hit several figures ahead
Until figures dead
I leaded sprayed it back way I did the track I laced it
Placed it with the taste twist
The facelift
Off ray split in half
An Ice bath
I hit the math up
To track cuts with the splash
Making ash in a flash to dash
I need a stash
I got an eyelash in my eye and try
I got the highs and buy some word die one heard
Of the gun from someone from the other end
Of the spectrum selection was a reflection
My connection got the bread won
Till every head done
I sing it sung
Offa hum I rung one
Yep
That’s it I crept
Ball exceptional
All flex off the haul
I brawl until withdrawal
@saraoday619
Still makes my old ass bougie🎉
@Eliqueme
Just seen wutang on oct 18th, Super amazing show. Will have to see them again some time later!!
@ici_coop
1st comment ☝️
@richardsteele1227
❤❤❤❤heart ❤
@figlidiemigratiofficial
this kick me back in the 90is
@LeeWoods-sd1jt
Poetry 😮
@daydreamalston
🔥🔥🔥🔥
@richardsteele1227
🙏❤️🙏
@torontorox
pebble this snatch ✌🧡
@thatolefu123
WU-WATTS👀🔥....watts life